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“Sure. No problem, Frank.”
As I arrive at the ER, there’s a commotion inside. I move out of the way as a gurney rolls by with an EMT actively doing CPR. Richard, one of the pharmacists assigned to the ER, follows the gurney along with a nurse who is pushing the code cart. Watching the lifeless body on the stretcher immediately causes me to think of Dan. He never received CPR, as given his condition, he chose to have do not resuscitate orders if anything were to happen to him. Yet, I’ll never forget the moment they said he no longer had a pulse. The internal war within me was screaming to give him one more chance, as if CPR would fix all of the other issues.
It’s so hard to let go. And even though I’m angry with him now for not trusting me enough to share his secret, my heart still aches when I think about that sad day.
“Poppy.”
I look to the left and find Ava coming toward me. “Thank you for bringing that down. I have a man who got bitten by a stray dog. It actually crushed his finger. I wanted to get his first dose of rabies prophylaxis started.”
“Oh, of course. Here you go. Is Kat working today?”
“Yes. I think she ran to get something from the cafeteria.”
“If you see her, will you tell her I said hi?”
“Sure. Catch you later, Poppy.” She waves as she walks swiftly back down the hall.
As the doors swing open, and I see grilled cheese and fries on Katarina’s plate, my stomach literally growls. “Oh, that looks good. I haven’t gotten anything from the grill in so long.”
Kat gives me a flat smile. I wonder what that’s about.
“Poppy, it’s probably not that—”
“Kat, can you give us a hand?” one of the triage nurses yells beside a patient who appears to be bleeding all over the floor.
“Sure, be right there.” Kat darts over to the nurses’ lounge and places her food inside before running back out. “See you, Poppy.”
“Bye. Good luck,” I mutter, happy to return to the safety of my quiet pharmacy.
As I make my way down the hall, the smell of freshly baked bread wafts from the cafeteria, prompting me to look at my watch. Well, it is 11:45. I admit it. I’m weak. The memory of Kat’s cheesy sandwich and fries is too tempting. Might as well save myself a trip and grab lunch while I’m here.
As I reach the dining area, I notice a few people congregated around the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the atrium and outdoor seating areas. Coming closer, I turn to see what has their attention and freeze.
Three large posters are taped to the glass. My eyes jump from one to the next.Wait a minute. What?
Stepping closer, as if my eyes have deceived me, I find each colorful poster contains a picture of a happy family. Three happy families. Three happy families who won trips to Jamaica from St. Luke’s.
I’m confused. If there are three of them posted, and no one from the hospital contacted me directly about winning a trip…
“Poppy?”
Spinning on my heel, I come face to face with a very wary Broadie Weston.
“I can explain.”
No. He didn’t.
I’ve been had.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
BROADIE
“Poppy, please,” he begs, practically chasing me down the hall.
I’m so pissed off I can’t even look at him.
“Please, wait.” He reaches for my arm, and I swat it away.
