activity.
Not that Ricky was complaining. Far from it. The past couple of days had been the best time of his life and it was all he could do to keep the giddy grin off his face. Something he knew he failed at when Cybil, his co-worker, let out a snort.
“Will you stop looking so damn happy? There are some of us who are still miserable and single,” she groused good-naturedly.
A plump, middle-aged, single mother, she was Ricky’s favorite tech to work with. Not only was she sweet and funny as hell, but she always brought in home-baked, sugar-free, chocolate chip cookies.
Ricky laughed. “Sorry, I’ll try my best to look grouchy for the rest of the shift.”
“Thank you. All the sugar, sweet happiness rolling off you is beginning to make my teeth rot. I sure as hell can’t afford the dental bill either.”
“That would be tragic. Then you wouldn’t have enough money for your steamy novels.”
“And then you wouldn’t be able to pretend that you don’t read that kind of thing, even as you continue to borrow every one of my books,” she shot back.
The Trauma One alarm sounded over the hospital loudspeaker, interrupting their conversation. Ricky rushed immediately to the ER. Since his radiology department was a part of the trauma team, he knew he’d be expected to show up within in minutes of the call coming out.
He walked in to find the large room already filled with other members of the team. Tanner was there and he flashed Ricky a warm smile. Ricky gave him a small wave, before going over to the portable X-Ray machine.
The team barely had time to get everything prepared before the paramedics came rushing in with the patient. Even before they’d transferred the young man from the cot to the hospital bed, Ricky could tell they would be fighting a losing battle. Going by the blood-drenched paper sheet, the patient had lost a lot of fluid. In addition, the portable cardiac monitor showed a flat-line, which meant there was no heart activity at all.
They still worked the code, the team members rushing around as they did their various jobs. Ricky tried his best to stay out the way, until they called on him to take an X-Ray. Something that wouldn’t be needed if they didn’t get the patient’s pulse back.
Tanner was giving chest compressions, sweat running down his face and arms, as his muscles flexed. Since Ricky didn’t have a task at the moment, he grew distracted and made the mistake of looking in the patient’s face.
His stomach ached as he noted how the kid couldn’t be more than twenty. While his body and head were covered with blood and lacerations, Ricky could still make out most of the patient’s youthful and innocent features.
Patrick, the doctor running the code, finally said, “Let’s call this, gang. There’s nothing else we can do for him.”
He then looked up and spoke aloud the time so the death could be properly documented. Tanner stopped doing compressions and pulled off his gloves, a loud curse ripping from his lips. Ricky jumped both in shock over the word and because he couldn’t believe Tanner was getting so upset. Sure, they all hated to lose a patient, but all hospital staff learn to compartmentalize those feelings so they didn’t break.
Then it dawned on Ricky why this was hitting Tanner so hard, and his chest clenched in pain for his lover.
The girl. All this was no doubt making Tanner remember that horrible day. Ricky exchanged worried looks with Ben.
“Fuck this,” Tanner yelled before he stormed out of the room and went through the bay-doors leading outside.
Ricky didn’t hesitate, Tanner needed him, so he’d be there for his man. Leaving everybody behind, Ricky raced outside. The cool, night air sliced through his scrub top, making him shiver, but Ricky hardly noticed it.
All his attention was focused on Tanner and the heartbreaking image he made. He was leaning his forehead against the concrete wall and looked to be close to tears.
“Tanner, are you
Not that Ricky was complaining. Far from it. The past couple of days had been the best time of his life and it was all he could do to keep the giddy grin off his face. Something he knew he failed at when Cybil, his co-worker, let out a snort.
“Will you stop looking so damn happy? There are some of us who are still miserable and single,” she groused good-naturedly.
A plump, middle-aged, single mother, she was Ricky’s favorite tech to work with. Not only was she sweet and funny as hell, but she always brought in home-baked, sugar-free, chocolate chip cookies.
Ricky laughed. “Sorry, I’ll try my best to look grouchy for the rest of the shift.”
“Thank you. All the sugar, sweet happiness rolling off you is beginning to make my teeth rot. I sure as hell can’t afford the dental bill either.”
“That would be tragic. Then you wouldn’t have enough money for your steamy novels.”
“And then you wouldn’t be able to pretend that you don’t read that kind of thing, even as you continue to borrow every one of my books,” she shot back.
The Trauma One alarm sounded over the hospital loudspeaker, interrupting their conversation. Ricky rushed immediately to the ER. Since his radiology department was a part of the trauma team, he knew he’d be expected to show up within in minutes of the call coming out.
He walked in to find the large room already filled with other members of the team. Tanner was there and he flashed Ricky a warm smile. Ricky gave him a small wave, before going over to the portable X-Ray machine.
The team barely had time to get everything prepared before the paramedics came rushing in with the patient. Even before they’d transferred the young man from the cot to the hospital bed, Ricky could tell they would be fighting a losing battle. Going by the blood-drenched paper sheet, the patient had lost a lot of fluid. In addition, the portable cardiac monitor showed a flat-line, which meant there was no heart activity at all.
They still worked the code, the team members rushing around as they did their various jobs. Ricky tried his best to stay out the way, until they called on him to take an X-Ray. Something that wouldn’t be needed if they didn’t get the patient’s pulse back.
Tanner was giving chest compressions, sweat running down his face and arms, as his muscles flexed. Since Ricky didn’t have a task at the moment, he grew distracted and made the mistake of looking in the patient’s face.
His stomach ached as he noted how the kid couldn’t be more than twenty. While his body and head were covered with blood and lacerations, Ricky could still make out most of the patient’s youthful and innocent features.
Patrick, the doctor running the code, finally said, “Let’s call this, gang. There’s nothing else we can do for him.”
He then looked up and spoke aloud the time so the death could be properly documented. Tanner stopped doing compressions and pulled off his gloves, a loud curse ripping from his lips. Ricky jumped both in shock over the word and because he couldn’t believe Tanner was getting so upset. Sure, they all hated to lose a patient, but all hospital staff learn to compartmentalize those feelings so they didn’t break.
Then it dawned on Ricky why this was hitting Tanner so hard, and his chest clenched in pain for his lover.
The girl. All this was no doubt making Tanner remember that horrible day. Ricky exchanged worried looks with Ben.
“Fuck this,” Tanner yelled before he stormed out of the room and went through the bay-doors leading outside.
Ricky didn’t hesitate, Tanner needed him, so he’d be there for his man. Leaving everybody behind, Ricky raced outside. The cool, night air sliced through his scrub top, making him shiver, but Ricky hardly noticed it.
All his attention was focused on Tanner and the heartbreaking image he made. He was leaning his forehead against the concrete wall and looked to be close to tears.
“Tanner, are you
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