Fuck.
Focus, Everett.
“What's your name, kid?”
“Rune.”
Secret.
My heart is beating wildly in my chest. I may need a fucking EKG after this.
“That’s a very unique name.”
“Yeah, my mom gave it to me. I don’t know what it means, though.”
“It means secret,” I answer him almost immediately. “What’s your last name?”
“Phoenix.”
Phoenix…
I stop breathing. The muscles in my chest ache from trying to hold my heart inside its cage of ribs.
Fuck. No.
It can’t be.
This woman with him though, she isn’t my Leo.
“Rune Phoenix. That sounds like a rock star's name.”
“Yeah, it freaking does! I want to be a rock star. My mom listens to cool bands like Nirvana and Guns N’ Roses. She is badass!”
Band tees.
“Rune! Language,” his mom scolds him, and I chuckle.
“Is she now?” I look up at his mom.
What a fucking coincidence.
I unhook my stethoscope from around my neck and hold it out to Rune. “Do you know what this is?”
He takes it and inspects it, I can see the wheels turning in his mind. As he does, I begin to set up to start his IV.
“It’s a steth-stretch… Uh what are you doing with that?” He points to the needle.
“It’s called a stethoscope and doctors and nurses use it to listen to all the sounds that are inside your body. Like your heart, lungs, and even your farts.” I whisper the last part and Rune giggles. “And this is an IV needle. Just like the one the ambulance guys used. Unfortunately, I have to start another one. But, while I do, you get to listen to my heart. Is that okay with you?”
I can see he is a little unsure, then he glances to his mom who nods her head at him and comes to hold his hand. “It’s okay RuRu. I’mright here. We need to let the doctor do what he needs to do. Why don’t you see if you can hear his heart.” She reassures him.
I show him how to put it in his ears and how to use the bell to listen to my heart and as he begins to move it all around, I begin starting his IV. He doesn’t even notice when I poke him because I make little fart noises and grumbles to distract him. He is laughing so hard, he keeps moving his little arm but all these years of emergency medicine have built my skills up. I could start an IV on a rollercoaster at this point.
As I finish up with his IV, Lynn comes in and starts his fluids and gives him the pain medicine. “There you go, sweetie. Oh and they are also ready for him in CT, Doctor. Is this a good time for me to take him?”
“Sure. Hey Rune, they’re going to take you to this really big machine and take some pictures of your head and your belly. I promise it won't hurt. Would that be okay with you? It would really help me do my job so I can get you and your mom out of here as soon as possible. I know you have important rock star stuff to do. What do you say?”
“Sure. But, uh, Dr. Giraffe, that’s my Auntie Cole, not my mom.”
