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Authors: Veronica Blade
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dark circles under her eyes.
“I’ve been better.” She readjusted herself in the chair.
I could hear her lungs wheezing and the slow thump of her heart straining. At least she’d finally agreed to get medical help. I glanced over at Zack, wondering what was taking so long.
“Relax, sweetheart,” she rasped , like she was holding back a cough. “They’ll take me in soon.”
Zack turned around and headed our way, followed by a heavyset nurse. She grasped the handles of Favianne’s chair and glided it toward another set of double doors. Zack and I followed.
“I thought I told you not to come back,” the nurse chided.
Favianne laughed softly. “I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to irritate you, Winnie.”
“You didn’t have to go to such extremes. A phone call would suffice.”
Favianne laughed again. “You can blame it on Zack who coerced me into coming.”
“You got yourself a good boy there. He’s growing up just fine.” Winnie continued through the doorway of a small room and stopped at a narrow bed.
Zack scooped up his mother from the chair and gingerly laid her on the mattress. I secured a spot in the corner, away from the machines and other equipment, and watched Winnie take her blood pressure. I just hoped they could help her. And fast.
After taking her temperature, Winnie occasionally asked Favianne questions, like how long which symptoms had been going on, then made notes in a file.
Zack joined me in the corner to get out of Winnie’s way. He pressed his back against the far wall and held my hand while Winnie prepared a needle. Moments later, a vial began filling with blood.
“How ya feelin’, honey? Breathing easier?” Winnie asked as she removed the full vial.
Favianne nodded and smiled, but her droopy lids betrayed her exhaustion.
“The doctor will see you soon.” Winnie deftly applied a bandage to Favianne’s arm, patted her hand and shuffled out.
Zack and I crowded around the bed, being careful of the various contraptions. Although his face appeared calm, I could tell it was an act. His jaw was tight and a thin line kept appearing between his brows.
She squeezed his hand, then closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
I stayed by Favianne’s bed, trying to look like all the waiting wasn’t driving me half crazy while Zack paced the small room, pausing now and then to peer out into the hallway.
After several laps, he stopped in the doorway and blew out a breath. “Dr. Preston, thank you for seeing her so quickly.”
A man came into view wearing a white medical coat and a tight smile. After shaking Zack’s hand, the doctor flipped open Favianne’s chart. He positioned a stethoscope to her chest and a moment later shook his head, his lips thinning into a straight line.
“I’m ordering an x-ray stat,” he said. “Meanwhile I’ll put a rush on the lab work. The culture takes about seventy-two hours, but if it’s pneumonia, which I suspect it is, we’ll see enough evidence in the x-ray to start her on antibiotics right away.”
Zack nodded.
“I’m not going to lie to you, son. I wish you’d brought her in sooner.” The doctor sighed. “You can stay a couple more minutes, then you’ll need to go to the waiting room while we do x-rays. I’ll have a look at them and speak with you as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, sir,” Zack replied.
† † †
I sorted through the magazines in the waiting area, looking for anything that wasn’t about parenting or health. Just as I gave up and abandoned the stack, I felt a familiar energy.
Werewolf.
Trying to avoid sudden moves that might draw the werewolf’s attention, I slowly dragged my eyes across the gray-blue rug and the off-white walls to a girl sitting just several yards away at the other end of the room.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up from her own magazine and gave me a friendly smile. I returned it , but on the inside I was freaking out. Yeah, Zack said my scent would be difficult to
“I’ve been better.” She readjusted herself in the chair.
I could hear her lungs wheezing and the slow thump of her heart straining. At least she’d finally agreed to get medical help. I glanced over at Zack, wondering what was taking so long.
“Relax, sweetheart,” she rasped , like she was holding back a cough. “They’ll take me in soon.”
Zack turned around and headed our way, followed by a heavyset nurse. She grasped the handles of Favianne’s chair and glided it toward another set of double doors. Zack and I followed.
“I thought I told you not to come back,” the nurse chided.
Favianne laughed softly. “I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to irritate you, Winnie.”
“You didn’t have to go to such extremes. A phone call would suffice.”
Favianne laughed again. “You can blame it on Zack who coerced me into coming.”
“You got yourself a good boy there. He’s growing up just fine.” Winnie continued through the doorway of a small room and stopped at a narrow bed.
Zack scooped up his mother from the chair and gingerly laid her on the mattress. I secured a spot in the corner, away from the machines and other equipment, and watched Winnie take her blood pressure. I just hoped they could help her. And fast.
After taking her temperature, Winnie occasionally asked Favianne questions, like how long which symptoms had been going on, then made notes in a file.
Zack joined me in the corner to get out of Winnie’s way. He pressed his back against the far wall and held my hand while Winnie prepared a needle. Moments later, a vial began filling with blood.
“How ya feelin’, honey? Breathing easier?” Winnie asked as she removed the full vial.
Favianne nodded and smiled, but her droopy lids betrayed her exhaustion.
“The doctor will see you soon.” Winnie deftly applied a bandage to Favianne’s arm, patted her hand and shuffled out.
Zack and I crowded around the bed, being careful of the various contraptions. Although his face appeared calm, I could tell it was an act. His jaw was tight and a thin line kept appearing between his brows.
She squeezed his hand, then closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
I stayed by Favianne’s bed, trying to look like all the waiting wasn’t driving me half crazy while Zack paced the small room, pausing now and then to peer out into the hallway.
After several laps, he stopped in the doorway and blew out a breath. “Dr. Preston, thank you for seeing her so quickly.”
A man came into view wearing a white medical coat and a tight smile. After shaking Zack’s hand, the doctor flipped open Favianne’s chart. He positioned a stethoscope to her chest and a moment later shook his head, his lips thinning into a straight line.
“I’m ordering an x-ray stat,” he said. “Meanwhile I’ll put a rush on the lab work. The culture takes about seventy-two hours, but if it’s pneumonia, which I suspect it is, we’ll see enough evidence in the x-ray to start her on antibiotics right away.”
Zack nodded.
“I’m not going to lie to you, son. I wish you’d brought her in sooner.” The doctor sighed. “You can stay a couple more minutes, then you’ll need to go to the waiting room while we do x-rays. I’ll have a look at them and speak with you as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, sir,” Zack replied.
† † †
I sorted through the magazines in the waiting area, looking for anything that wasn’t about parenting or health. Just as I gave up and abandoned the stack, I felt a familiar energy.
Werewolf.
Trying to avoid sudden moves that might draw the werewolf’s attention, I slowly dragged my eyes across the gray-blue rug and the off-white walls to a girl sitting just several yards away at the other end of the room.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up from her own magazine and gave me a friendly smile. I returned it , but on the inside I was freaking out. Yeah, Zack said my scent would be difficult to
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