Bondi Beach Read Online Free

stood slowly. A slight wave of dizziness and nausea passed, and I closed my eyes until it was over.
    “Okay ?” he asked.
    I nodded, and h e held my hand as we moved slowly toward the front door. “I’m sorry I’m not quicker than this,” I apologized. I remembered the nurse saying that dizziness is a common side effect of vicodin, which was helping with the pain but making me feel even loopier than I would have without it.
    “No, y ou’re doing great,” he assured, his rich voice deeply comforting.
    Don’t pass out . Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out.
    That was my mantra as we walked up several long, shallow steps that curved across the front of the house. A moment later, we made it through the heavy wooden front doors and stood in the foyer. Almost the entire back wall of the foyer was glass, which provided a terrific view of the grassy yard behind the house and over a short stone wall beyond which I could see the ocean in the distance.
    I managed a smile. “You’ve got quite a backyard.”
    “ Yes, it’s a great place,” Martin agreed but was more focused on helping me to navigate my way through the house. “Okay, watch your step. The floors are flagstone and can be a little slippery.”
    We turned right and entered a large, curved open space that separated the living room, dining room, and kitchen on the left from the three bedrooms on the right. Martin led me to a beautiful bedroom with wood floors, heavy wooden beams across the ceiling, cream walls, and an enormous window on the wall opposite the door. It had its own private bathroom, which was located near the bedroom door.
    “This is your room,” he said, still holding onto my hand while walking me over to the bed.
    “ Thank you,” I told him. “I think I’ll lie down for a little while.”
    “That’s a good idea,” he said. “I’ll bring your bag in.” As he left the room, he called out over his shoulder, “Is there anything I can get for you?”
    “ Do you have any tea?” I thought the chances were good since tea had become a popular drink following British colonization long ago and had outlasted British rule.
    “ Sure,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
    Martin brought my suitcase in and placed it on the floor near the bed, and I thanked him. Then, I closed my eyes when he left the room again. He busied himself in the kitchen before returning a few minutes later with a cup of tea. I opened my eyes when I heard him reenter the room.
    “Thank you,” I said as he placed the cup on one of the two bedside tables.
    He nodded . “What else do you need?”
    My face and head hurt a little . “Can you get me a Tylenol?”
    “Not the vicodin?”
    Shaking my head, I said, “I don’t want to take the vicodin unless I have to.”
    He looked through my bag with the hospital discharge instructions and medications but couldn’t find it.
    “ I’m sorry,” I told him. “I think it must be in my purse. Middle pocket with a zipper.”
    A moment later, he pulled out a bottle of Tylenol, opening it and handing me two pills. Martin watched as I took them followed by a swig of tea, which burned my tongue.
    I laughed a little while he grimaced. Sitting up, I looked over at him. “I’m going to try to sleep through this.”
    Martin ’s eyes narrowed a little, and he nodded. “Okay. I’ll leave you alone then. I’ll be in my office on the other side of the wall if you need anything.”
    “ Thanks.”
    As h e left and pulled the door mostly closed behind him, I buried myself under the covers and lay on my back in the quiet of the room praying for sleep to come quickly.
    *****
    A few hours later, Martin knocked lightly on the door before entering. I was awake, and my head was feeling a little better.
    “Come on in,” I offered.
    “Hello,” he said quietly as he entered the room.
    Although I was s till feeling a little out of it, I was glad for his company. “Hi.”
    Martin grabbed one of the two wooden bedroom chairs and placed it