He cradled her head with moist hands and pulled her forward so that her nose was resting in the pocket of his groin. She closed her eyes. Her breath crowded her nose. She could smell cloves, a sweet and bitter smell she could taste near the back of her throat. She jumped. She felt a small squeeze at the crown of her skull then a sharp coldness, a small fire that took hold and began to make her limbs loose as fever. She could feel a thickness at the top of her head where her skin was swelling. Her tongue seemed loose and heavy—large as a bull’s, she thought, swallowing—a slick tongue slipping back from the hammer.

Louise tried to bolt from the firm grip of the doctor but he held her tight. She could hear small snips. She could see long strands of her hair fall to the floor. She could see blood on the doctor’s hands and blood on the scissors he dropped in the sink. She could hear someone moaning behind the nurse.

“Louise,” the doctor said, “you’re fine now.”

She heard her own voice coming closer to her and realized she was making a deep sound she could not quiet.

The doctor held Louise’s face tight in his cool hands and asked her to remove her clothing. Louise closed her arms over her breasts and set her teeth. She had seen the ragged wound. She didn’t want the doctor to see the deep smile cut on her left breast. The doctor stood for a moment, looking at Louise. His face was clean shaven and slack. He had a fine tremor that ticked beneath his right eye.

“Take this,” he said, handing Louise some white gauze, a small brown bottle. “Fix yourself up there.” He pointed to her chest. “I can’t be responsible.”

The doctor took a jar of sweet-smelling ointment and rubbed the tender spot on her leg. He held her calf and pressed firmly with both thumbs.

“I’ll set this,” he said. “I suspect a hairline fracture.” Louise could see his scalp turning red through his sparse hair. “I shouldn’t but I’m going to,” he said. “Do you understand?”

Louise looked away from him.

“I’m just going to set this for you. Wrap it up in hard white plaster,” he said. He took a breath. “You just take it easy. Come back in a week or so and I’ll cut it off. See, when we get hurt like this it’s best to protect ourselves. Insurance,” he said.