Cover Up

        Leaving him with a black cotton sleeve to cover his arm and the reminder that he's there with a reaction to a skin condition, they let people in to see Robbie later that day. The first person in the room was his best friend Deb, of course. They met on Robbie's first day at work and bonded almost instantly.

        They didn't have time to talk before a few well-wishers from the office came by, followed by flowers and some clean clothes from his landlady, Millie and her son Larry. As he went over the reason he was told to tell people he was there, Deb cocked her head and looked at him as if to say "The Hell?" Robbie shook his head briefly as if to say "later", and accepted the good wishes of his office-mates.

        "Let's see the rash, Rob!"

        "Ah, no Barb. The insides of the glove has some gunk or something that's supposed to help with the healing. Besides, it's ugly," he paused briefly and smiled, "and isn't it close to dinner?"

        His coworkers laughed, while Deb just shook her head at him, as she usually did. It didn't take long for his coworkers to take their leave, which was a relief. Robbie didn't like lying, but he understood the need to head off any panic.

        As the room cleared out, he heaved a sigh and slumped back in the hospital bed. Deb came over and sat next to the bed. "It's not that bad, is it?"

        Rob laughed, a bit of an edge to it. "I'm not really sure. Apparently, the desk bled when they tried to cut it away from my arm."

        "Funny man. Now tell me what happened."

        "No really, that's what the doctor said when I woke up."

        "That. But..."

        "Yeah."

        Deb blew out a breath. "I mean, I figured it wasn't really a rash."

        Rob shrugged, "Yeah, I'll show you my arm later. I don't know if anyone else is going to stop by."

        She cast a sidelong glance at his arm, like it was about to jump up and bite her, then cleared her throat a bit, "When can you leave?"

        "A day or so, I guess. The doc wants to do some tests to make sure there's really nothing else wrong with me." He shrugged.

        "He said you'll be okay?"

        "Yeah. In fact, he told me flat out that he really can't find anything at all wrong with me."

        "You're kidding."

        He put his hands up in mock surrender, "Honest," he sketched out for her what Doctor Marqea told him when he woke up, even rapped on his arm to produce a solid, but definitely wooden noise.

        Deb blinked. "Well, then."

        "Yeah. Tell me about it."

        After a comfortable, yet mutually confused silence, Doctor Marqea knocked on the door and walked in, "Oh, excuse me. I'll come back later?"

        "No, it's okay Doctor. Deb knows. I tell her everything."

        Marqea looked at him, then at her, with a slight look of disapproval. Rob just shook his head, "She'd know I was lying anyway."

        The Doctor just made a non-committal noise and moved to Rob's right side and lifted his arm, probing lightly. "Can you feel this?"

        "Uh yeah. Like before, though. A little distant."

        "Hmm. I'm going to take off the sleeve." It was a statement, but it carried a bit of warning in it.

        "Just do it," Deb sounded irritated.

        With another non-committal noise, Marqea pulled the sleeve off of Robbie's arm, revealing the now wooden appendage. Deb swallowed audibly, but said nothing. With a quiet efficiency, he worked Rob's elbow, above which the wood faded back to flesh. The arm worked normally, save for a slightly unnerving squeak as the wooden joint flexed. The same for his wrist and fingers, which also made a wooden 'clink' as they hit his palm.

        "Despite the obvious oddity of the situation, I must admire how well made the arm is. It works just as ably as a flesh and blood arm would. Unnerving, yes, but I have to admit to a fascination with your situation, Mr. Dalton."

        "Yeah, fascinating, Doctor. I'd just rather have my old arm back."

        Marqea paused, "Yes. I don't mean to seem insensitive, but as I told you earlier, there isn't much I can do, other than be fascinated."

        Rob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his normal hand, "I know, and I'm sorry. This isn't your fault."

        Marqea nodded, then helped Rob slip the sleeve back onto the arm. "We'll do a small number of tests in the morning, then you're free to go home." With that, the Doctor briskly left the room.

        Deb blew out a breath. "What's he gonna do, yank out a splinter?"

        "Deb..."

        "Yeah, yeah. He just seems more interested in studying the arm than fixing it."

        Rob shrugged awkwardly. "I know. I can't really blame him. I mean, if it wasn't my arm, I'd sure as hell be intrigued."

        "Maybe. Look, if what he said was true and this is somehow deliberate, what's going to happen?"

        "I dunno. I'm tempted to do some snooping."

        "Mmm. This isn't a detective movie."

        "I know. It wouldn't be anything major, just check the grapevine."

        "Be careful?"

        "Of course. First things first, though. Tomorrow morning, tests. Yay."

        Deb laughed and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Sleep then. I'll pick you up at lunch time." She got up and headed toward the door. "And don't let them take a chunk out of your arm!"

        "I won't!" He said back, as she flashed a quick smile as she left him alone.

        Rob sighed, and flexed the fingers on his right hand, grimacing as he heard the light clacking as the joints worked.

        "Crap..."