little number to take him home. He just needed to find some
release from something other than his hand, because what he wanted was to feel
the heat of a woman consuming him.
Josiah tried to occupy his mind with
small talk with Rowan, but Rowan’s agitation of having to wait made it
difficult for even that. He watched as Rowan rested his elbows on his knees and
twisted his hands, checked his watch again, and then pushed his back against
the plastic chair letting out a sigh. A quick reminder to Josiah that getting
caught up in a relationship with anyone for anything more than physical
pleasure wasn’t worth the worry or heartache he witnessed with Rowan at this
moment.
When Tessa went to check on Susan
outside, Josiah walked up to the nurse’s desk to see if he could possibly get
some information, before Rowan gave himself an aneurism. As he waited for a
nurse to return, one of the ER doctors came through the locked double doors
with the confident strides of a gladiator, his expressionless face giving away
absolutely no information. He headed over to Rowan and Josiah followed close
behind. Rowan made quick introductions. Patrick Granger had worked with Rowan
and was the attending on duty tonight and had been the one taking care of
Madison.
“Rowan, come on back with me. Madison
is ready to see you,” he said shaking Rowan’s hand.
Rowan and Dr. Granger slipped past the
secure doors and Josiah found himself awkwardly standing in the middle of the
ER waiting room, surrounded by the sick and he couldn’t do anything to help
them. He felt out of place, felt as if he should be helping the patients, but
it wasn’t his job at the moment. He shoved his hand in his pockets and walked
to the row of vending machines on the far wall opposite the nurse’s desk.
****
Rowan tried to gauge Dr. Granger’s
expression as he spoke to him, but he was as expressionless as a sloth. Most
doctors, over the course of their careers, had learned to don such a face
because too many times if they didn’t a family member would be too hysterical
to talk to.
“How is she?” was all Rowan could get
out. He didn’t want bad new; he didn’t think he’d be able to handle it if
something happened to Madison. Of course he’d be at her side no matter what,
but he’d seen what his father went through after losing his mother and Rowan
knew that same emptiness his father felt would be something Rowan would carry
with him, as well.
“She’s fine. She’s in room three,
waiting for you.”
Before Rowan could get out another word,
Dr. Granger was gone, leaving him standing just past the doors leading to the
rooms. He quickly turned to Josiah before the doors closed sealing him and
Madison in as if they’d been quarantined, and held up a finger signaling to him
he’d return in a bit. He walked as quickly as he could to where Madison waited
with his heart dropping to his toes as he saw her laying on her side with an IV
attached to her arm. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she was awake from the
tears streaming down her cheeks. Rowan’s heart clenched at the sight of her. She
lay in a fetal position with her free arm wrapped around her stomach and
although her hair was pushed away from her face, it was in a ratted mess while
her skin indeed was pale with red blotches. He tried not to think the worst,
yet the way she clutched at her stomach had him doing a blind diagnosis. It
could be anything. Was it her appendix and if so did they catch it in time? Was
it her liver? Several other things flashed through his mind that he didn’t want
to think about.
Rowan’s eyes scanned from her head to her
feet, needing to take all of her in then he let his eyes drift to the beeping
monitor sitting on the cart next to the bed. He inched a little closer and saw
that all her vital signs looked normal other than an accelerated heart rate,
but nothing to be alarmed about. Letting out a sigh of relief, he slowly made
his way over to her, not wanting
release from something other than his hand, because what he wanted was to feel
the heat of a woman consuming him.
Josiah tried to occupy his mind with
small talk with Rowan, but Rowan’s agitation of having to wait made it
difficult for even that. He watched as Rowan rested his elbows on his knees and
twisted his hands, checked his watch again, and then pushed his back against
the plastic chair letting out a sigh. A quick reminder to Josiah that getting
caught up in a relationship with anyone for anything more than physical
pleasure wasn’t worth the worry or heartache he witnessed with Rowan at this
moment.
When Tessa went to check on Susan
outside, Josiah walked up to the nurse’s desk to see if he could possibly get
some information, before Rowan gave himself an aneurism. As he waited for a
nurse to return, one of the ER doctors came through the locked double doors
with the confident strides of a gladiator, his expressionless face giving away
absolutely no information. He headed over to Rowan and Josiah followed close
behind. Rowan made quick introductions. Patrick Granger had worked with Rowan
and was the attending on duty tonight and had been the one taking care of
Madison.
“Rowan, come on back with me. Madison
is ready to see you,” he said shaking Rowan’s hand.
Rowan and Dr. Granger slipped past the
secure doors and Josiah found himself awkwardly standing in the middle of the
ER waiting room, surrounded by the sick and he couldn’t do anything to help
them. He felt out of place, felt as if he should be helping the patients, but
it wasn’t his job at the moment. He shoved his hand in his pockets and walked
to the row of vending machines on the far wall opposite the nurse’s desk.
****
Rowan tried to gauge Dr. Granger’s
expression as he spoke to him, but he was as expressionless as a sloth. Most
doctors, over the course of their careers, had learned to don such a face
because too many times if they didn’t a family member would be too hysterical
to talk to.
“How is she?” was all Rowan could get
out. He didn’t want bad new; he didn’t think he’d be able to handle it if
something happened to Madison. Of course he’d be at her side no matter what,
but he’d seen what his father went through after losing his mother and Rowan
knew that same emptiness his father felt would be something Rowan would carry
with him, as well.
“She’s fine. She’s in room three,
waiting for you.”
Before Rowan could get out another word,
Dr. Granger was gone, leaving him standing just past the doors leading to the
rooms. He quickly turned to Josiah before the doors closed sealing him and
Madison in as if they’d been quarantined, and held up a finger signaling to him
he’d return in a bit. He walked as quickly as he could to where Madison waited
with his heart dropping to his toes as he saw her laying on her side with an IV
attached to her arm. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she was awake from the
tears streaming down her cheeks. Rowan’s heart clenched at the sight of her. She
lay in a fetal position with her free arm wrapped around her stomach and
although her hair was pushed away from her face, it was in a ratted mess while
her skin indeed was pale with red blotches. He tried not to think the worst,
yet the way she clutched at her stomach had him doing a blind diagnosis. It
could be anything. Was it her appendix and if so did they catch it in time? Was
it her liver? Several other things flashed through his mind that he didn’t want
to think about.
Rowan’s eyes scanned from her head to her
feet, needing to take all of her in then he let his eyes drift to the beeping
monitor sitting on the cart next to the bed. He inched a little closer and saw
that all her vital signs looked normal other than an accelerated heart rate,
but nothing to be alarmed about. Letting out a sigh of relief, he slowly made
his way over to her, not wanting
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