The man came in with dizzy spells, and because the ER was quiet – a word no doctor likes to use – I volunteered to see to him. I’m quickly fucking regretting it because the man is beginning to piss me off.
Every little thing, he complains about, and it also doesn’t help that my wife’s best friend is currently glaring into the back of my head making me even more tense. Normally I can handle this kind of patient, the woman behind me is making it harder.
Belle’s been bitching all fucking day, and obviously, she’s been assigned to my team. Every time we’re in the same vicinity, she calls me names under her breath, being juvenile, and honestly,I don’t give a shit if she’s Crash’s girlfriend and my wife’s best friend. I’m going to snap at her if she continues.
I get it, she didn’t get to help plan the wedding, but the woman would have ruined the surprise if she’d had known about the fucking thing. I understand she’s upset because she missed the wedding to begin with, but it isn’t my fault or anyone else’s but her own that she didn’t answer Crash’s calls.
By the time she finally called him back, he told her not to bother coming because I’d already carried my wife to bed.
She’s only got herself to blame. It isn’t like she was working and couldn’t answer his calls. Nah, she wanted to punish Crash for canceling their date last week after she canceled five fucking times.
I shake my head, and I say, “Okay, Mr. Canders, I’m going to draw up some blood before Nurse Jones here will take you down for a CT,” and I turn to take the needle from Belle, but instead I swallow my grunt as Belle stabs the fucking needle into my hand.
Son of a…
I lock eyes with her wide, light blue ones, and so much fucking anger builds inside of me.
“Oh my god,” she whispers as she lets go of the needle that her whole fucking fist was holding, clearly already having the plan to stab me with it, and I breathe heavy before I shout at her in front of a patient, and I slowly grab hold of the needle to ensure it doesn’t move and snap inside my hand.
“Mr. Canders, I’m sorry, sir, but Nurse Jones has brought the wrong needle. I’ll be back in just a moment,” I say to my patient, not taking my eyes off Belle’s wide ones.
“Whatever,” the man grumbles, and I slowly stand and say quietly, “Outside now!”
She flinches as I’ve just struck her, and she turns and walks away, and I follow.
“Trick, I am so –”
I cut her off, and I snap, “I get it, you’re pissed because you missed out on the wedding.Youare the one who didn’t answer her fucking phone, Belle, not the other way around, and you stab me with a fucking needle?!”
Belle flinches just as we hear, “Dr. White!” and Belle softens slightly, relief etching her features, and I narrow my eyes.
“If you think you’re about to get away with the fact that you stabbed me purposely in front of a patient, then you have another thing coming. You’ll be suspended for this,” I sneer, and the woman flinches again.
“Dr. White, what seems to be the problem? You are a year two resident, you shouldn’t be reprimanding my nurses,” Dr. Love says as he stands before us, and I raise a brow.
“Considering you’re not even on shift today, Dr. Love, and you’re here because you’ve had a formal complaint made against you by one of the nurses, I’d continue walking if I were you,” I say coldly, and the man stills before he opens his mouth, most likely to snap at me, but nothing comes out as his eyes go to my hand and they widen before he looks at Belle sharply who flinches again.
“Keep walking, Dr. Love,” I grunt, and he nods once before walking away, and I walk over to the nurse's desk.
“Amber,” I say, and she looks up smiling, but her smile vanishes when she looks at my hand, and she gasps.
“What on earth happened?” she asks, grabbing my hand, and I mutter, “Your nurse there wasn’t happy she missed her best friend’s wedding and decided I was to blame.”
Amber's eyes widen as she looks at Belle, who stutters, “I-I, I didn’t mean –”
I cut her off and remind her, “Your whole hand was fisted around the needle!”
I feel Amber slowly pull the needle out, and I look to see her inspecting it.
“It’s thankfully intact,” she snaps, glaring at Belle, then says, “Get your things, you are suspended until further notice without pay!”
Belle flinches again and opens her mouth to plead but the glare I give her causes her to slam her mouth shut and move quickly. She rushes to the staff room, and I shake my head before saying to Amber, “Thank you, I’ll do the report, but can you get someone into bay one. Mr. Canders is suffering from dizzy spells. He needs his blood drawn, then sent over for a head CT.”
“Of course,” Amber replies, and I warn, “he’s a grumpy one, every little thing pisses him off…”
She groans as she passes me some antiseptic wipes, and I chuckle as I walk around her desk and take a seat before writing the report.
I don’t want to write it, but Belle can’t avoid consequences for hurting me, it’s not just a personal grudge. It’s about setting professional boundaries and accountability.
