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Authors: Dianne Drake
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patient scheduled in for half an hour.
Gabby blended into one of the waves of people sloshing its way toward a central corridor outside Pediatrics, but when she got there, she was shocked to see at least three-hundred people packed in, shoulder to shoulder. “Come up front with the staff,” Fallon called to her. “We’re going to have photos taken.”
Neil was standing front and center when she reached the front of the room, looking very uncomfortable about the whole thing. People were mingling, smiling, laughing and he was standing alone, not talking, not smiling, definitely not mingling.
“You don’t like these kinds of things?” she asked him, feeling as out of place here as he looked.
“It was a nice gesture, donating the money, but there’s no need for all the fuss. Just hang the damned plaque and be done with it.”
Not only did he look uncomfortable, he was downright grumpy. And it wasn’t about the plaque, she guessed. She wanted to ask, or at least inquire which face in the crowd belonged to Neil’s brother, but the mayor superseded her by stepping up to the microphone and thanking the crowd for coming. “As you are all aware, a generous endowment has been given to this hospital, for the purpose of establishing a state-of-the-art pediatrics ward.”
The crowd applauded, and Neil looked even more agitated.
“It is with great regret that our generous benefactor is no longer with us…”
As in dead? Gabby wondered. Or maybe he didn’t live in White Elk now. A quick look at Neil’s face didn’t reveal the answer. In fact, as the mayor droned on for another few minutes, the tight expression on Neil’s face stayed fixed. She wasn’t even sure he blinked.
“And with no further ado, I’d like to ask Neil to unveil the plaque.”
The audience applauded again, but Neil didn’t budge.
“Neil?” the mayor prodded.
In response he gave a curt nod of his head, then walked, with all the stiffness of a robot, across the tile floor to the wall with the still-draped plaque on it. And just as stiffly, he reached up and pulled the drape away, letting the burgundy fabric slip straight through his fingers to the floor.
People applauded as the bronze letters set into marble were revealed, and it took Gabby’s eyes a few moments to shift from Neil’s face to the plaque, where the words The Gavin Thierry Pediatrics Ward simply didn’t sink in at first. So she blinked twice, looked again, gasped for breath, and stumbled backwards…her head spinning, her immediate world growing dim…dimmer…
The last thing she heard was the collective gasp from the crowd as she pitched backwards.
CHAPTER FOUR
“G ABRIELLE ?”
The voice sounded distant, but she knew it wasn’t.
“Gabrielle, can you hear me?”
There was light shining in her eyes. Bright light. She could feel the intensity of it even though her eyes were shut.
“Come on, Gabrielle. Look at me.”
Someone was holding her hand, too. It was Neil. Even without looking, she knew that. Knew the tingle he caused…
“Open your eyes, Gabrielle.”
She wanted to, but there was something she didn’t want to see. Something she couldn’t quite remember.
“How’s her blood pressure?”
Now, that was a voice she didn’t remember. Nice, deep, rich. Not as nice as Neil’s voice, though.
“A little high. Not enough to cause her to faint.”
Ah, Neil’s voice. The nicest voice she’d ever heard.
“Well, the fetal heartbeat is strong. Nothing going wrong there, as far as I can tell.”
The other voice again. Nice enough voice, but Neil’s was better. More soothing.
“It’s a good thing I caught her. She could have hurt herself on the marble floor,” Neil said.
Yes, Neil’s voice was the nicest. It made her feel…safe.
“Blood sugar’s normal. Oh, and, Neil, I’m having the lab run a full blood panel.”
“Thanks, Eric.”
“Has she mentioned any kind of past medical history? Or has she been exhausted?” Eric Ramsey asked,
Gabby blended into one of the waves of people sloshing its way toward a central corridor outside Pediatrics, but when she got there, she was shocked to see at least three-hundred people packed in, shoulder to shoulder. “Come up front with the staff,” Fallon called to her. “We’re going to have photos taken.”
Neil was standing front and center when she reached the front of the room, looking very uncomfortable about the whole thing. People were mingling, smiling, laughing and he was standing alone, not talking, not smiling, definitely not mingling.
“You don’t like these kinds of things?” she asked him, feeling as out of place here as he looked.
“It was a nice gesture, donating the money, but there’s no need for all the fuss. Just hang the damned plaque and be done with it.”
Not only did he look uncomfortable, he was downright grumpy. And it wasn’t about the plaque, she guessed. She wanted to ask, or at least inquire which face in the crowd belonged to Neil’s brother, but the mayor superseded her by stepping up to the microphone and thanking the crowd for coming. “As you are all aware, a generous endowment has been given to this hospital, for the purpose of establishing a state-of-the-art pediatrics ward.”
The crowd applauded, and Neil looked even more agitated.
“It is with great regret that our generous benefactor is no longer with us…”
As in dead? Gabby wondered. Or maybe he didn’t live in White Elk now. A quick look at Neil’s face didn’t reveal the answer. In fact, as the mayor droned on for another few minutes, the tight expression on Neil’s face stayed fixed. She wasn’t even sure he blinked.
“And with no further ado, I’d like to ask Neil to unveil the plaque.”
The audience applauded again, but Neil didn’t budge.
“Neil?” the mayor prodded.
In response he gave a curt nod of his head, then walked, with all the stiffness of a robot, across the tile floor to the wall with the still-draped plaque on it. And just as stiffly, he reached up and pulled the drape away, letting the burgundy fabric slip straight through his fingers to the floor.
People applauded as the bronze letters set into marble were revealed, and it took Gabby’s eyes a few moments to shift from Neil’s face to the plaque, where the words The Gavin Thierry Pediatrics Ward simply didn’t sink in at first. So she blinked twice, looked again, gasped for breath, and stumbled backwards…her head spinning, her immediate world growing dim…dimmer…
The last thing she heard was the collective gasp from the crowd as she pitched backwards.
CHAPTER FOUR
“G ABRIELLE ?”
The voice sounded distant, but she knew it wasn’t.
“Gabrielle, can you hear me?”
There was light shining in her eyes. Bright light. She could feel the intensity of it even though her eyes were shut.
“Come on, Gabrielle. Look at me.”
Someone was holding her hand, too. It was Neil. Even without looking, she knew that. Knew the tingle he caused…
“Open your eyes, Gabrielle.”
She wanted to, but there was something she didn’t want to see. Something she couldn’t quite remember.
“How’s her blood pressure?”
Now, that was a voice she didn’t remember. Nice, deep, rich. Not as nice as Neil’s voice, though.
“A little high. Not enough to cause her to faint.”
Ah, Neil’s voice. The nicest voice she’d ever heard.
“Well, the fetal heartbeat is strong. Nothing going wrong there, as far as I can tell.”
The other voice again. Nice enough voice, but Neil’s was better. More soothing.
“It’s a good thing I caught her. She could have hurt herself on the marble floor,” Neil said.
Yes, Neil’s voice was the nicest. It made her feel…safe.
“Blood sugar’s normal. Oh, and, Neil, I’m having the lab run a full blood panel.”
“Thanks, Eric.”
“Has she mentioned any kind of past medical history? Or has she been exhausted?” Eric Ramsey asked,
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