Crushed Promises, page 4
part #1 of Monroe Family Series
“And you're sure you've never been stung before?” Jillian pressed.
“I’m positive.” The little girl's head bobbed up and down. Her dark brown hair was the exact same shade as Alec’s but the similarities stopped there. Shannon had big brown eyes, not sparkling green ones.
“I believe you. Alec, the epi-pens are in that right hand drawer over there. Maybe grab one, just in case.” She continued holding the cold pack on Shannon's arm, as Alec crossed over to find the epi-pens.
She wrapped a comforting arm around Shannon's shoulders. The little girl's slipped sideways, leaning her head against Jillian, as if the whole traumatic experience had worn her out.
She smoothed her hand over Shannon's hair, catching a whiff of baby shampoo. Alec 's daughter was a cutie.
The thought of having a child of her own flashed in her mind. Then she gave herself a mental shake. She couldn’t even think like that. Not when she still didn’t have the medical answers she needed.
“What do you think?” His brows were pulled together in a frown as he brought over two epi-pens. “Is she allergic?”
“Not that I can tell. So far, so good.” She flashed a reassuring smile. Carefully, so as not to dislodge Shannon from resting against her, she lifted the edge of the cold pack to assess the swelling. The reddened area was already starting to look a little better. “We should keep an eye on this for a little while, yet.” She waved at the container of lollipops. “Do you mind if she has one?”
“No of course not.” He gave his daughter a curious look. “What flavor would you like? Cherry or grape?”
Shannon lifted her head from Jillian and pursed her lips. “Cherry is my favorite.”
He looked surprised but nodded. “I like cherry too.” He peeled off the wrapper and handed it to her.
She popped the sucker into her mouth. “Thank you,” she mumbled, her speech garbled from the lollipop.
“You’re welcome.” Watching Alec with his daughter, she remembered how he'd mentioned they had only been living together for the past nine months, since her mother's death. She could only imagine how terrible that must have been for such a young girl.
“Why does cold make swelling go down?” Shannon asked.
“Ah, that’s a good question.” She tried to think of a non-complicated answer. “When you hurt yourself, your body tries to fix the injury by sending white blood cells to the area. And while that is good, lots of swelling hurts, too.”
The little girl scrunched up her forehead. “Doesn't the body know better than to send so many white blood cells?”
She had to laugh. “No, not really.” She lifted the corner of the cold pack again, keeping an eye on the clock. They’d been there for a good fifteen minutes without any worsening symptoms. “Here, see how much better it looks? The cold makes your veins close up and helps the body stop sending so many white blood cells to the area that hurts.”
Shannon peered at the sting site in her arm. “Doesn't hurt as much now, either.”
The cold pack had probably numbed the area. She glanced at Alec. “You may want to give her some Benadryl tonight, before she goes to bed. The antihistamine will help counteract any bee serum left in her system.”
“Benadryl,” Alec repeated with a frown. “Okay, I'll have to stop on the way home to buy some.”
She opened drawers to check if there were any samples. When she found a small packet of Benadryl, she handed it over. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He stepped closer to take the medication in his unique musky scent drifted towards her. Suddenly, the small trailer seemed even more cramped, his broad shoulders taking up more than a little space. Now that Shannon's minor emergency was over, Jillian didn't know what to say.
Small talk had never been easy for her. She was more comfortable with books.
“Well, I think it's probably time that we head home, right munchkin?” Alec asked.
“No!” Shannon pouted. “We didn't get to spend hardly any time in the children's tent.”
“Children's tent?” She wasn't sure what the little girl was talking about.
“I received tickets to come here today from my older brother, Adam. He told me they have a children's tent where the kids can do finger painting and other artsy stuff.”
Adam? She quickly made the connection. “Oh yes. he was here as one of the volunteers. I thought he looked familiar.”
“I missed him? Figures.” He glanced down at his daughter. “Are you sure you want to stay?”
Shannon pulled the sucker from her mouth. “Yes, Daddy.” Then she plopped it back into her mouth and gave a vigorous nod for emphasis.
Removing the cold patch, she took one last look at Shannon's arm. “The swelling has really come down. If you want to stay to enjoy the children’s tent, she should be fine.”
“Okay then.” Alec glanced at her. “Thanks again.” He paused and then added, “How long are you working?”
“Another few hours or so.” She was deliberately vague.
He nodded. “Maybe we'll see you later.”
“Sure.” She knew he was just being polite.
Shannon nimbly jumped down from the exam table. “Bye, Dr. Jillian.”
“Bye, Shannon. Have fun in the children's tent.”
Alec took his daughter's hand as they left. He was a good father. And why that had suddenly become an attractive trait in a man was beyond her. Alec obviously cherished his daughter and the feeling was mutual.
Her memories of her own father were mostly centered around doing homework. He'd always been willing to help, showing great patience when it had come to her studies. She had been an only child, and her parents had been in their early forties by the time she'd been born. They viewed education as being critically important. Most of the kids her age had younger, more active parents, but Jillian hadn’t really minded. She'd loved books and once she'd hit high school had fallen in love with science. She'd known then she was destined to become a doctor.
Her choices, sacrifices some would say, had never bothered her before. There was no reason for them to nag at her now. Her career was something she'd worked hard for. Having a family of her own just hadn't been a priority. Especially after her mother had gotten sick and her attention had been focused on caring for her mom, rather than having a personal life.
Now she couldn't help but wonder what she might be missing. When Shannon had rested her head against her shoulder, she'd been struck by a flash of tenderness for the motherless little girl. Never had she been so tempted to gather a child into her arms for a big hug.
But Shannon was Alec’s daughter, not hers. And she had bigger issues to deal with right now. Better to stay focused on her health than pining for something she couldn’t have.
At the end of her shift, Jillian stepped from the trailer to find Alec and Shannon walking toward her. Alec’s gaze was warm as he acknowledged her with a nod.
“Just in time. Are you hungry?” His eyes twinkled. “We were thinking of having barbecued spareribs for dinner.”
She tried to come up with graceful way to decline, but then nodded. “I'd like that. Ribs sound great.”
They wandered over to where the food vendors were lined up along the edge of the art festival grounds. Eating while talking wasn't easy, although Shannon didn't seem to have nearly the same problem as she chatted about their activities in the children's tent.
After they finished their impromptu meal, Alec insisted on walking her to her car. Shannon danced between them, which made her feel a little bit like they were a family. The minute that thought landed in her brain, she shook it loose.
Don’t go there, she silently warned.
“This is your car, right?” Alec stopped next to her blue Chevy.
“Yes. Good night, Shannon.” She smiled at the little girl.
“Night, Dr. Jillian.” The little girl smiled widely, then abruptly yawned and rubbed at her eyes.
“Have a good evening, Alec.” She purposefully kept her tone light. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Anytime.” He met her gaze straight on and a sizzling awareness flashed between them. The glimpse of desire in his eyes convinced her she wasn't alone in this. Not that it mattered. She could not, would not take their friendship any further. “I may stop in to see you tomorrow.”
“Really?” She hoped she didn’t sound as juvenile as she felt.
“Yes. You know, to get the list.”
“Oh yes, of course.” He was referring to the list of staff members she'd promised him, after getting clearance from the hospital administrators. This was work related, nothing more. She unlocked her car and opened the door. “That's fine. I'm working day shift tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Was that disappointment clouding his eyes? “Then I might not see you. I'm working second shift.”
It was tempting to offer to work a double shift, just so she could see him. But she managed to hold back. “Well, thanks again.”
As Alec and Shannon walked away, she couldn't hide keen sense of disappointment.
She'd run into Alec today by chance. By once he had his list, she likely wouldn’t see him again.
Chapter Four
Jillian headed to the hospital bright and early the next morning, despite her restless night. It was all Alec's fault, she thought, feeling cranky as she walked in. Reliving those precious moments she'd spent with Alec and his daughter had made it impossible to fall asleep.
Wishing for something she could never have.
At least ignoring her fatigue was easier once she began seeing patients. What she loved most about the emergency department was the wide variety of illnesses and injuries. She was never bored—how could you be when you never knew what your next day would bring?
Just before noon, one of the nurses, Susan Green, gestured her over. “Dr. Davis, you need to look at this patient. He suffered a pretty severe second degree burn on his arm.”
“I'll be right there.” Jillian quickly washed her hands before walking over to see the patient. She quickly logged into the computer at the foot of his bed, to take a look at his name, brief medical history and his vital signs. Then she moved around to introduce herself. “Mr. Perry, my name is Dr. Davis. What happened? How did you burn yourself?”
“I was stupid,” Mr. Perry admitted, grimacing when she lifted the edge of the cold towel to assess the damage. “I was trying to burn some garbage and as it rained the other day, everything in the fire pit was wet. I thought I'd use a little lighter fluid...” He sucked in a quick breath when she lifted the towel all the way off and the air hit his raw skin. “Like I said, I was stupid. There was a small explosion. I dropped and rolled in the grass, then went to stand in a cold shower. Then came here.”
“Very smart,” she told him. “Exactly the right treatment for a burn.”
“Yeah, smart.” Mr. Perry, a well built man in his forties, snorted. “Not smart enough to avoid a dangerous shortcut.”
“Maybe not, but this could be worse,” Jillian admitted. The burned area covered almost the entire expanse of his arm between the elbow and his wrist. “You still have hair follicles, which means you won't need a skin graft. This burn will be painful, but once the area has healed, it shouldn't leave a scar.”
“That’s good.” He managed a wan smile.
She replaced the cool towel. “I'm going to have one of the nurses wash this up and put a dressing over the wound. We’ll give you two percocets for the pain. You'll need someone to drive you home, though, if you take the medicine here.”
“I'll hold off on the pain medicine for now. Otherwise I'll to call my ex-wife.” Mr. Perry sighed heavily. “She won't be happy with me.”
Jillian flashed a sympathetic grin. “I understand, but burns are painful. You may need to swallow your pride and call her.”
“Dr. Davis?” Lacy poked her head into the room. “You have a call on line one.”
She gave her patient one last smile, then crossed over to grab the phone. “Hello, this is Jillian Davis.”
“Jillian, Dr. Juran here. Do you have some time you could come and see me? It’s lunch time, so I thought you might be able to take a break. I'd like to discuss the results of your MRI scan.”
Dr. Juran? Good grief, she'd forgotten all about her MRI results. Her stomach sank to her toes. She momentarily closed her eyes and braced herself. “I guess this means you can't tell me over the phone.”
There was a slight pause. “No. I don't want you to worry,” he added, “I would really rather see you in person.”
His attempt to lighten the blow wasn't working. Knowing her fate was about to be sealed, she forced herself to speak. “I can come now, if you have time.”
“That's fine, I'm in my office.”
“I'll be right there.” She hung up and let Lacy know she was leaving.
“Are you okay?” Lacy's eyebrows lifted in concern. Her distress must be evident on her features.
“I'm fine,” Jillian lied, not wanting to go into the whole story right now. “I won't be gone long. Page me if you need something.”
Despite her apprehension, she hurried to Dr. Juran’s office. She didn't wait for more than a few seconds before being escorted in.
He rose to meet her. “Jillian, please sit down.”
She did, mostly because her knees went weak.
He resumed his seat and held her gaze. “Your MRI was normal. However, you need to understand there is still a small chance you could have multiple sclerosis or some other auto-immune disorder.
Wait. What? Her MRI results were normal? The flash of relief faded all too quickly as the rest of his statement sank into her brain. “A small chance? Like how small?”
“Five percent.” Dr. Juran, a fatherly man in his late fifties, took one of her hands reassuringly in his. “I would like to do one more test, Jillian. Evoked potentials.”
She tried to keep her expression neutral but inside her stomach clenched. “I heard they’re painful.”
He gave a solemn nod, his gaze apologetic. “I won't lie to you. It is not a comfortable procedure. We can't give you medication to relax you because the purpose of the test is to stimulate the nerves. We can't take away the pain.”
“I understand.” She stared at him. “Do you really think there's something wrong with me?”
He didn't answer for a long moment. When he did, his tone was gentle. “Jillian, as a physician yourself, you're aware there is still so much about the body, specifically the nervous system, that we don't know. Obviously, you have symptoms that are being caused by something. Let’s not think the worst. I've told you before, multiple sclerosis isn't genetic. It's caused by a virus that settles for some reason in the myelin tissue surrounding your nerves.”
“Yes.” She knew that much. She'd read everything she could about the disease when her mother had grown ill.
He squeezed her hand. “Please, try not to worry. We'll run some more tests and keep an eye on you. As long as your symptoms don't get any worse, there's no need to panic. At this point, your symptoms are mild enough to hold off on treatment anyway.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was right. She was making this situation worse than it needed to be. “Alright, I will try not to worry. Five percent is a pretty low number.”
Dr. Juran flashed a smile, his teeth white against his dark skin. “That’s the right mindset. Go out and check with my assistant. She can get you scheduled for your evoked potentials. It will take a week or so to get you in,” he warned. “So be patient.”
“I will. Thank you.” This time would be easier as she really wasn't looking forward to the uncomfortable test anyway. After a few minutes for his assistant to fit her into the schedule for Tuesday the following week, Jillian gratefully returned to the emergency department.
One her way, she stopped in the cafeteria to grab something quick to eat for lunch. She finished her sandwich in less than ten minutes and returned to the arena.
A familiar name on the electronic census board made her frown. Her burn patient, Mr. Perry, was still in his room. The dressing wouldn't have taken that long so why was he still here? She went over to poke her head into his room.
“Mr. Perry, I'm surprised you're still here.”
“It's my fault.” Susan spoke up quickly. “I realized he was overdue for his tetanus shot, so I gave him that first. Then I was called away to help another nurse. I'll get this dressing done right away.”
“It's fine.” Mr. Perry waived his good hand. “I'm okay. Although I might take you up on that offer of pain medicine.”
“Of course.” Jillian glanced at Susan. “Why don't you give him two percocets first? I'll get them ordered in his chart.” She turned to the computer and quickly entered the order to cover the nurse pulling the narcotic out of the machine. Then she looked at her patient. “Mr. Perry, I can't let you drive. You'll need to call someone to come and get you.”
“I know.” He sighed and pulled out his cell phone. Jillian quickly wrote her medical assessment note in his chart listening while he explained to his ex-wife why he needed a ride. “She's not thrilled, but she's coming to get me.” He lowered his phone and tucked it back into his pocket.
“Good.” Jillian finished her note and logged off the computer. Glancing at the clock, she wrinkled her forehead. Everything seemed to be moving slow today. “I'll see what's taking Susan so long to get your medication.”
“I'm not going anywhere,” Mr. Perry grumbled.
Jillian stepped out of his room, pulling the curtain closed behind her. She frowned when she noticed there were a group of people crowded around the medication dispensing machine.
“Susan? Did you get Mr. Perry’s percocets?”
Susan disengaged herself from the gathering of nurses and shook her head. “I'm waiting for the pharmacy to send more.”
