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“We’re short a nurse and doctor today. Dr. Bruster and Ronda both couldn’t make it in today. Dr. Bishop is already seeing a patient and Amanda is assisting him.”
Rex groaned. “I wasn’t scheduled for today. I just came to show Tiffani around.” He faced Tiffani with an apologetic expression. “I guess I need to get to work. I’m sorry about this.”
He didn’t sound put out or discouraged, just willing to do what was necessary. There was nothing of the prima donna she had expected to see. He continued, “I’ll take you back to the hospital as soon as I can, but for now you’re going to see how an all-volunteer clinic works. Smooth and efficiently.” He chuckled, touching Tiffani’s arm briefly.
Louise laughed. “Something like that.”
There was nothing sexual about his touch but the awareness lingered long after he’d removed his hand. She was so distracted she didn’t immediately realize he was speaking.
“Tiffani Romano, this is Louise Townsend, the glue that holds this place together.”
“We both know that isn’t true,” Louise snorted. “Nice to meet you, Tiffani.” She looked at Rex. “Now stop gabbing and get busy.”
“Tiffani, you can wait here or there’s a table in the back. Again, I’m sorry.”
If she just sat around she wouldn’t have any material to use. She wanted to see him in action. “Can I watch what you do?”
Rex’s brows went up as if her request had astonished him. “You’re sure you want to do that? You might be bored.”
“More than I would be, waiting in the back room?” She gave him a direct look.
“Okay, as long as the patients are okay with it.”
Louise waved a paper at Rex. “Here’s your first patient.”
Taking the paper, Rex gave it a once-over, opened the door to let people in and called, “Mrs. Guzman?”
A silver-haired Hispanic woman struggled through the door, a piece of cloth wrapped around her leg. Rex hurried to helped her. “Come with me. We’ll see if we can get you fixed up.”
Tiffani followed them to a hallway created by business office cubicles. Rex directed his patient to the first one on the right. After getting the okay from Mrs. Guzman, Tiffani followed them in. She wasn’t sure she hadn’t made a mistake by asking to watch Rex.
She was really stepping out of her comfort zone. She could count the number of times she’d seen a doctor on one hand—she avoided them unless there was no other choice—so this clinic was a foreign land in more than one way. What she did know was that doctors didn’t know everything. She’d seen the devastation a wrong decision could make in a family’s life. She wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Her plan had been to go to the clinic, take a few pictures of Rex tending to two or three patients, then leave. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she’d be in an exam room with him. At least she’d be getting a lot of material she could use. Maybe she could sneak a few pictures...
* * *
To Rex, Tiffani didn’t look happy with the situation but she hadn’t demanded to leave. For that she got positive points. At the clinic, she would get a close-up of his life as a physician. Guilt pricked him. He glanced behind him and spotted her standing in the far corner of the room. She really was a striking woman, but more than that she was intelligent, persuasive, most of the time too much, and today far too agreeable for his comfort. He might find he liked her more than he should if this continued.
Tiffani returned a weak smile in response to his reassuring one. He just hoped she wouldn’t try to use the people here as part of her campaign. It had taken years for the clinic to build community trust. An overzealous PR person could mess that up. He should have gone to the clinic she’d planned on but he’d let his ego get the better of him.
“Mrs. Guzman, have a seat right here.” He helped the woman to settle on the lone chair in the space they used as an exam room. “Tell me what the problem is.”
“I burnt my leg.”
“Let’s remove that bandage and see what damage you’ve done,” he said to Mrs. Guzman. “After I have a good look I’m going to need to make some notes.”
“I can do that,” Tiffani said.
Surprised, he almost forgot what he was about to say. “That would be helpful. Just write what I tell you. You can find a pad and pen in the top drawer of that box.” He pointed to the red metal tool box the clinic used as a supply cart.
Tiffani nodded.
He turned back to his patient and removed the cloth. He heard Tiffani’s slight intake of breath. It was an ugly burn. The skin was red and angry and a large blister had already developed. To Tiffani’s credit, the slight sound was her only reaction.
“Mrs. Guzman, how did this happen?”
“I was up early this morning, canning tomatoes. I moved the hot pot to the sink and hit the counter and spilt scalding water down my leg.” The woman shook her head. “I should have been more careful.”
“Tiffani, please write down, ‘Mrs. Guzman, second-degree burn to right shin.’” He trusted her to do as he asked and continued with his patient. “I’ll need to clean this and then cover it in clean gauze. I’ll get the supplies and be right back with you.”
“I can do that if it’ll help,” Tiffani offered. “Tell me where to find the supplies.”
He hadn’t expected her to say that. “You sure?”
She nodded.
“Down the hall and around to the right you’ll find a sink and cabinets. The liquid soap and bottles of saline will be sitting on the counter. There’s a plastic tub under the sink you should bring too.”
Tiffani stuffed the pad and pen into her back pocket and left.
“Mrs. Guzman, now tell me how you’ve been besides your leg,” Rex said. Over the next few minutes he gave the woman a basic physical.
Tiffani soon returned, carrying the soap and bottle in the tub.
“Good. Put it all down here,” Rex said, indicating the floor next to Mrs. Guzman’s foot. No doubt soon Tiffani would be calling a cab so she could leave. Rex wouldn’t blame her. He hadn’t planned on her getting roped into being his nurse. “Now, Mrs. Guzman, just put your foot in here.” He indicated the plastic pan. “I’m going to clean your leg.” He patted her hand and she gave him a drawn smile. “Tiffani, please write on your notes, ‘Cleaned with soap and saline.’”
She nodded then slipped out the door. Had she had enough?
He took plastic gloves out of the supply box and pulled them on then took out a small pile of four-by-four gauze pads. “Now, Mrs. Guzman, I’m going to pour the saline over your leg.” Rex talked as he worked. Seconds later he was lightly applying soap with the pads, being careful not to damage the blisters. Done, he said, “We’ll let that dry then I can I cover it.”
“I could do that,” Tiffani said from behind him.
She’d returned so quietly he hadn’t realized she was there. He looked at her, trying to conceal his disbelief. “You sure?”
&n
bsp; “Trust me, I’ve got it. I’ve had a lot of experience.”
He could use the time to see more patients. “All right. Is that okay with you, Mrs. Guzman?” When the woman nodded, Rex stood, telling Tiffani, “The supplies are in the box. Third drawer down.”
“Your next patient is waiting next door.” Tiffani pointed as she moved toward the box.
She was full of surprises. She’d gone to get another patient while he worked? He admired her efficiency and forethought.
“Mrs. Guzman, I want you to keep this clean and wrapped until you come back next week and see the doctor. Tiffani will give you a couple of rolls of gauze to use. Can you do that for me?” He smiled at the woman.
She nodded.
“Good.” He patted her shoulder. “Clean and dry is the ticket.”
Again, the woman nodded. He left, with Tiffani chatting with Mrs. Guzman as she gathered the supplies she would need.
None of this scenario would he have ever imagined. Where had she learned to bandage to give her such absolute confidence she could handle Mrs. Guzman’s injury? Rex was impressed. He couldn’t think of another woman he knew who was outside the medical field but still would have stepped in to help.
His next patient was a two-year-old child whose mother looked fearful.
Rex went down on his heels and said to the mother, “Can you tell me what has been going on with Johnny?”
“He’s crying a lot, pulling on his ears. Wants me to hold him all the time.”
“Have him sit on the table and you hold him. I’m going to take a look in his ears.”
Rex turned to his small patient, who now sat on the portable exam table. He hated the clinic’s inexpensive furniture, but that wasn’t the important thing. There was solid care here. He found the otoscope in the supply cart.
“Johnny, I need to look in your ears,” Rex said, touching the boy’s shoulder gently. After studying the ear’s interior, he said quietly, “Now the other one.” When done, he informed the mother, “He has an ear infection. He’ll need an antibiotic. I can give you a few samples but you’ll need to go to the pharmacy for more. Will you be able to do that?”
