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Authors: Bonnie Blythe
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opinion, he wasn’t ready to go home. He could barely make it to the bathroom with a walker.” She gave Meredith a teasing look. “Is there something up with you two that you want to tell me about? He constantly asked for you.”
Feeling her blush deepen, Meredith took a breath. “Is he getting any kind of care at home? Or is he on his own?”
“Unless he has a family member to help him out, he’s on his own. You know the hospital cut back on home health services.”
She frowned, feeling uneasy. “Thanks.”
Rosa waggled her fingers. “Just be sure and let me know when the wedding is.”
She gave her a baleful look and returned to her duties.
***
Meredith struggled through her shift, trying to concentrate on the tasks at hand, as her heart and mind were elsewhere. She paid for her distraction by ignoring the signs one of her patients might be nauseated. When it finally occurred to her to grab an emesis basin, she was too late. Her arms and smock got covered.
In the bathroom, disrobing down to her tank top, Meredith vigorously scrubbed her arms and hands, determined to pay better attention to patient conditions. Back in the break room, she stared with dismay inside her locker. Her extra smock must be at home in the dirty laundry basket. Erin, hearing of her predicament, found her an old smock in an ugly green color, spotted with greasy-looking stains.
Disgusted, Meredith yanked it over her tank top, only after sniffing it to make sure it was truly clean. Leave it to Erin to find the most repellent smock in the entire hospital. She clipped on her name badge, adjusted her stethoscope and resumed her duties, all the while calculating how she could check on David.
***
Before leaving the hospital, Meredith looked up David’s address from his medical files. Feeling exhausted and looking bedraggled didn’t stop her from pushing the speed limit to his apartment, situated in the outskirts of Cedar Hill. She didn’t know what she planned to do; only that she had to make sure he was really okay to be on his own.
Parking in a visitor’s space, she ripped off the ugly smock and tossed it in the back seat of the Saturn. She planned to throw it away so no other poor sap ever had to wear it. Dressed in her sage green tank top and a pair of faded blue jeans, she grabbed a backpack with her stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, digital thermometer, and some other basic medical supplies. David will probably be so out of it, he’ll never notice my appearance anyway .
The apartments were newer with meticulous landscaping. David’s unit was on the ground floor near the parking lot. Noticing the drapes were closed, she rang the doorbell. She glanced at her watch. Eight thirty A.M. meant he could still be sleeping. After waiting several minutes, she rang the bell again. Then she heard the sound of a phone ringing inside.
When she didn’t hear him answer the phone, Meredith grew alarmed. He’s either sound asleep or needs help . Without pausing to consider any consequences of her action, she turned the doorknob, relieved to find it unlocked. The door swung open and she went inside.
“David?” She glanced around the living room, seeing some basic furnishings and a lot of boxes. The bare walls were the ubiquitous off-white color and the carpeting was dark blue. A large soft couch occupied the middle of the room, along with a coffee table, an end table, and two contemporary floor lamps.
Closing the door behind her, she called his name again. Meredith peeked in a room to her right, seeing it was his bedroom. The blankets of his bed were rumpled and she saw several bottles of medication on his nightstand. Concern made her ignore any proprieties. She went in and checked his bathroom. Where is he?
Meredith hurried back through the living room and entered the kitchen. “Oh, no!”
In a pair of shorts and T-shirt, David lay prone on the kitchen floor with a small, fresh gash on his forehead. She rushed to his
Feeling her blush deepen, Meredith took a breath. “Is he getting any kind of care at home? Or is he on his own?”
“Unless he has a family member to help him out, he’s on his own. You know the hospital cut back on home health services.”
She frowned, feeling uneasy. “Thanks.”
Rosa waggled her fingers. “Just be sure and let me know when the wedding is.”
She gave her a baleful look and returned to her duties.
***
Meredith struggled through her shift, trying to concentrate on the tasks at hand, as her heart and mind were elsewhere. She paid for her distraction by ignoring the signs one of her patients might be nauseated. When it finally occurred to her to grab an emesis basin, she was too late. Her arms and smock got covered.
In the bathroom, disrobing down to her tank top, Meredith vigorously scrubbed her arms and hands, determined to pay better attention to patient conditions. Back in the break room, she stared with dismay inside her locker. Her extra smock must be at home in the dirty laundry basket. Erin, hearing of her predicament, found her an old smock in an ugly green color, spotted with greasy-looking stains.
Disgusted, Meredith yanked it over her tank top, only after sniffing it to make sure it was truly clean. Leave it to Erin to find the most repellent smock in the entire hospital. She clipped on her name badge, adjusted her stethoscope and resumed her duties, all the while calculating how she could check on David.
***
Before leaving the hospital, Meredith looked up David’s address from his medical files. Feeling exhausted and looking bedraggled didn’t stop her from pushing the speed limit to his apartment, situated in the outskirts of Cedar Hill. She didn’t know what she planned to do; only that she had to make sure he was really okay to be on his own.
Parking in a visitor’s space, she ripped off the ugly smock and tossed it in the back seat of the Saturn. She planned to throw it away so no other poor sap ever had to wear it. Dressed in her sage green tank top and a pair of faded blue jeans, she grabbed a backpack with her stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, digital thermometer, and some other basic medical supplies. David will probably be so out of it, he’ll never notice my appearance anyway .
The apartments were newer with meticulous landscaping. David’s unit was on the ground floor near the parking lot. Noticing the drapes were closed, she rang the doorbell. She glanced at her watch. Eight thirty A.M. meant he could still be sleeping. After waiting several minutes, she rang the bell again. Then she heard the sound of a phone ringing inside.
When she didn’t hear him answer the phone, Meredith grew alarmed. He’s either sound asleep or needs help . Without pausing to consider any consequences of her action, she turned the doorknob, relieved to find it unlocked. The door swung open and she went inside.
“David?” She glanced around the living room, seeing some basic furnishings and a lot of boxes. The bare walls were the ubiquitous off-white color and the carpeting was dark blue. A large soft couch occupied the middle of the room, along with a coffee table, an end table, and two contemporary floor lamps.
Closing the door behind her, she called his name again. Meredith peeked in a room to her right, seeing it was his bedroom. The blankets of his bed were rumpled and she saw several bottles of medication on his nightstand. Concern made her ignore any proprieties. She went in and checked his bathroom. Where is he?
Meredith hurried back through the living room and entered the kitchen. “Oh, no!”
In a pair of shorts and T-shirt, David lay prone on the kitchen floor with a small, fresh gash on his forehead. She rushed to his
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