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>I swear, if I knew a way to fix the stupid post so it >did suck up half the website, I'd do it. > >Anyway, more reasons for Daniel's discomfort. Same >disclaimer, blah, blah blah. > >************ >Daniel offered his car, but the door and steering >wheel were covered in blood and she shook her head. >“It’ll take too long to clean this up; I’ll do it >later.” She guided him instead to her geriatric >Chevrolet. Noticing his skeptical look, Valerie shook >her head. > >“Hey, it runs… usually.” > >There were a few awkward moments as Valerie got him >buckled in. She had to lean across him to find the >latch for the seat belt and there wasn’t much room to >maneuver. It did afford her the opportunity to enjoy >his cologne again. It smelled like the same one as >before, just minus the sweat, not that there was >anything wrong with that. > >She withdrew from the passenger door and went around >to the driver’s side to get in. Twisting they key in >the ignition produced wild vibrations as the engine >tried to catch. It finally roared into reluctant life. > >Daniel’s expression was alarmed. “Does it always do >that?” > >“It’s a Vega. They all do that.” > >They got out on the highway and headed toward >Gainesville. Valerie drove with one hand while she >hooked on the earpiece for her cell phone and plugged >it in. Selecting a name from the speed dial, she >waited while it rang. It went through and a voice >answered, “Val!” > >“Hi Vic. You at work?” > >“I am.” > >“I’m bringing you some business.” > >“What did you do?” > >“Not me this time, thank you very much. A friend got >his hands torn up pretty badly by an unvaccinated cat. >How’s the ED looking tonight?” > >“A guy with kidney stones, a kid that swallowed a >penny and an OB patient they’re moving upstairs. And >it’s not a full moon. Now is an excellent time.” > >“We’ll be there in thirty minutes.” > >She flipped the phone closed to disconnect and took >the earpiece out, Daniel looking at her with curiosity. > >“I didn’t know you could call ahead to a hospital for >a reservation.” > >Valerie laughed. “That’s the great thing about having >a doctor in the family. You can always scope the lay >of the land first. We should be able to walk right >in.” She glanced over. “Keep your hands up still.” > >Daniel complied, his face contorting. “They’re >starting to hurt a bit more.” > >Valerie nodded, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. >“They’re going to.” > >The road grew busier as they entered the city of >Gainesville. Valerie negotiated the streets with the >ease of familiarity. She turned right onto another >highway and right again when they reached the large >hospital building. The road wound around to the rear >corner of the hospital and down into a sunken parking >lot that served the emergency department. Valerie got >out of the car and let Daniel out, savoring his scent >again. > >Vic was the only person in the waiting room. He smiled >at his sister, turning to Daniel. Daniel raised his >mitts and said, “I’d offer to shake hands but…” > >Vic chuckled and nodded. “I’ll take a raincheck.” He >turned and picked up a clipboard and motioned them to >follow. He led them through another set of doors and >into the main treatment area. All the cubicles they >could see were open and empty. A nurse left the main >desk and came toward them. > >“You so bored you sent out for something to do?” > >“You know me Monica; go, go, go.” > >Daniel was settled on a bed in one of the cubicles, >Vic raising the head so that he could sit up. His feet >stuck off the end of the bed and Vic chuckled. “They >don’t make these for tall men.” He pushed a Mayo stand >over Daniel so he could put his hands on it. > >Valerie took the clipboard from the nurse and began >filling it out. “Daniel, do you have a middle name?” > >He muttered something as the nurse wrapped a blood >pressure cuff around his arm. > >“What? I didn’t hear it.” > >“Alistair.” He looked vaguely embarrassed. > >Valerie wrote it down. “I like that name.” > >The next entries had to wait until after his >temperature was recorded. They finished the paperwork >and Vic began his triage. Monica laughed as she took >the form back to the front desk. “You’ve reduced me to >being a secretary while you do the fun part.” > >Vic smiled and began to cut through the bandage. > >“All that work,” Valerie sighed, “and you just cut it >up so casually.” > >“Whose idea was the hot pink?” > >“Hers,” Daniel cut in before Valerie could answer. > >She gave them both a mock glare. “Well, if you’re >going to gang up on me…” She reached in her bag and >extracted a worn paperback. > >Vic made it down to the dressing on Daniel’s left >hand. “This is one impressive wet to dry bandage, I >must say.” > >“Thank you. I did the prep too, since Daniel wasn’t >doing it right.” > >“It hurt!” Daniel protested. “And what happened when >you did take over?” He shot her an accusatory stare. >Valerie felt her face grow hot. > >Vic glanced at her as he unwrapped the last of the >kling and began pulling the rest of the bandage free. >“Well, what happened?” > >“I bloody fainted, that’s what happened.” Daniel >raised his brows at her, a faint look of amusement in >his pain-drawn eyes. “A brute, she is.” > >Valerie snorted. “You think I’m a brute, just wait >‘til Dr. Frankenstein here starts poking at those >hands. You’ll think I’m Florence-freaking-Nightingale >after that.” She couldn’t help the smile that >reflected her enjoyment of the banter. A low whistle >came from Vic’s pursed lips and she leaned in to look >as he removed the last of the gauze. > >“Wow, those are some remarkable wounds. How did the >cat get you?” > >“I hit her with the car and was trying to pick her up >to take her to Alan’s.” > >“Barehanded?” > >“Well, I left my whip and chair at home.” Daniel >sucked in a sharp breath as Vic probed a particularly >nasty puncture with his gloved finger. Daniel’s >fingers were stained a blotchy orange with the iodine >paint and swelling further. > >“You said the cat was unvaccinated?” He glanced at >Valerie. > >“As far as we know. She looked like a stray. Alan’s >sending off brain tissue for a titer. We should know >something by Monday afternoon at the latest.” She >glanced up at Daniel’s face and noted the worried >expression. She patted his knee in reassurance. “Don’t >worry. I’ve been through this too. You’ll be fine.” > >“Monica?” Vic glanced out of the cubicle to the nurse >that was coming back to them with a clipboard. “Could >you get me a dose of post-exposure rabies vaccine and >a dose of HRIG and saline?” > >“Coming right up.” > >Vic looked back at Daniel and began unwrapping his >left hand. “It looks like Val got the first part of >the treatment done, even if she was rough with you.” >He winked at his sister and she suppressed an urge to >kick him in the ankle. > >“What we’re going to do is give you a dose of >immunoglobulin. It’s a substance your body produces in >response to an infection challenge. But we want you to >have that on board now, just in case there was >exposure to rabies. The bad news about that is that I >have to infiltrate it around the wounds.” > >Daniel nodded without comment, though his expression >was akin to that of a deer in headlights. Vic got the >other hand unwrapped and began to examine it. “Also, >you’ll be getting a post-exposure rabies vaccination. >If you’re lucky, this is the only one you’ll need as >long as we get good news from the lab on the tissue >sample.” He finished removing the bandage and smiled >at Daniel, who took a deep breath. > >“Good thing I’m not scheduled to fly for the next two >weeks.” He reached to rub his nose with his forearm, >grimacing as he did so. “Why does your nose always >itch when you can’t use you hands?” > >“I wish I knew,” Valerie chuckled. She then gave him a >serious look. “You don’t have anyone nearby to help, >do you?” > >“Unless you call London local.” He returned Valerie’s >gaze and she found herself a little flustered by his >scrutiny. > >She nodded decisively.“Well, what are neighbors good >for if not to help when someone needs it?” She raised >her hands in front of her and wiggled her fingers. >“These are at your disposal.” > >Vic snorted quietly and this time she did give in to >the impulse to bang his ankle with the toe of her shoe. > >“You don’t have to go to all that trouble. I’ll >manage.” > >“It’s up to you but, trust me when I tell you this; >your hands will be pretty much useless for a few days >at least.” > >Monica arrived armed with some syringes. Vic picked >one up and took Daniel’s hand, laying it on the draped >table between them. “I won’t lie to you; this’ll >probably hurt like hell.” > >Daniel nodded and winked at Valerie. “It can’t be any >worse than her scrubbing.” > >Valerie arched a brow at him and sighed. “Like I said; >Dr. Frankenstein.” > >Vic began infiltrating the areas around the wounds >with the contents of the syringe. Daniel grunted in >surprise, started to curl his free hand up and hissed >in pain as he stretched the swollen skin. Valerie >moved to stand at his side, her hand on his shoulder. >Daniel gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, sighing >in relief as Vic finished. > >“Worst one done; now for the other.” They repeated the >procedure for the other hand and Daniel was pale again >by the time they were done. Valerie pushed back on his >shoulders to make him lean back on the bed; he closed >his eyes and gusted out a deep breath. > >“One last step.” Vic held another syringe in his hand. > >Daniel opened one eye and gave him a suspicious glare. >“Where does that have to go?” > >“Just the bicep.” > >“Thank God,” Daniel breathed, closing his eye again. >“Let’s have it done then.” > >He didn’t so much as flinch. Vic put the syringes in >the sharps box and began to dress the wounds with >ointment, finishing with a light bandage. Daniel >ventured sitting up and sighed out a long breath. >“That it?” > >Vic nodded. “Just discharge orders and some >prescriptions. No allergies, right?” > >“None that I’m aware of.” He was looking at his >bandaged hands and flexing the fingers with caution. > >“Val, come on. I’ll get the scripts and you two can >get out of here.” Valerie followed him to the desk >where he scribbled out a couple of prescriptions. He >handed them and another stack of papers to her then >gave her a searching look. > >“What?” Her voice held a hint of suspicion. > >“Who is he?” > >“A friend.” She narrowed her eyes at him to forestall >the questions and teasing that was certain to come. >“Don’t get all big brother on me now.” > >“Not at all,” Vic shook his head with a smile. “I’m >glad to see you come out of your cave once in a while.” > >“I haven’t been that reclusive.” Then she paused to >look up at him again. “Have I?” > >Her brother leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. >“Maybe a little.” He glanced over at the cubicle where >Daniel was waiting. “I like him.” > >“He’s just a friend, Vic.” > >“I know; I’m still allowed to like him, aren’t I?” He >draped his arm over her shoulders and they went back >to Daniel. > >“I guess. It makes a welcome change from you hating >Ben. Not that he didn’t deserve it in the long run.” > >Vic snorted with a small smile but didn’t comment >further as they stopped back at Daniel’s side. > >“Okay, antibiotics and pain meds. Take all the >antibiotics; the Demerol, take it as needed for pain. >You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with >the inflammation and minor pain. Come back Monday for >a second vaccination if we don’t hear anything or the >tissue test comes back positive.” > >“What if it does come back positive?” Daniel asked >with a note of apprehension. > >“Then you get all five vaccinations instead of just >one or two.” > >“You won’t have to inject my hands again?” > >“Nope. That is a one-time deal.” > >“Thank God.” > >“You are a free man, my friend.” Vic walked them to >the exit. “Make sure my sister takes good care of you.” > >Valerie rolled her eyes, ignoring Vic’s comment. “You >ready?” she asked Daniel. > >He looked from brother to sister with a small smile. >“Yes. It was nice meeting you, Dr. Roark.” Out of >reflex he started to offer his hand again but thought >better of it. >Valerie’s brother smiled and patted his shoulder by >way of goodbye. “It’s Vic. It was nice meeting you >too.” > >“Good night Vic, thanks,” Valerie called over her >shoulder and proceeded to the parking lot. > >Daniel was quiet until they were in the car and on the >road. “Thank you, Valerie. I don’t know what I would >have done without your help.” > >She nodded. “You’re welcome.” > >They filled the prescriptions at a 24-hour pharmacy >just down the street from the hospital. She opened the >bottle of water and the pain pills as soon as they got >in the car. > >“Go ahead and take a couple now.” She dropped the >tablets onto his bandaged palm then held the water for >him to swallow. Next came ibuprofen and antibiotic. He >dropped a pill in the seat and she chuckled as she got >another one from the bottle. “Maybe when I know you a >little better I’ll go fishing for the lost one.” > >He smiled with a sigh. “It was a thought.” > >Valerie watched as he leaned back in the seat. His >eyes drifted closed. They popped open again when she >cranked the engine, the vibrations rattling the entire >car. > >“Good God,” he breathed. > >Valerie chuckled and shifted into gear. “Go to sleep. >I’ll have you home soon.”
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