“Hello, Kyle,” the nurse said.“How are you feeling today?”
Physically?“Much the same.”Emotionally?Not so good.
And as the nurse started fussing, he watched as his dad departed, and wondered whether Mom was right now letting Gen know she needed to stay away from her son.
* * *
“There you go,Mrs.Patrice.If the pain doesn’t subside with that medication then you may need to return.Or visit your local doctor,” Gen added.Some people used the hospital’s emergency department to save time, not realizing that non-life-threatening cases were triaged and assigned for later treatment, sometimes hours later, and still usually cost more than a regular doctor’s visit.
She released the elderly woman to be discharged by a nurse, then completed the paperwork.She’d needed a few easier cases to help settle her after that unfortunate encounter earlier.Part of her was on tenterhooks expecting Mrs.Tinker to show up; the other half was focused on keeping her calm facade from slipping.Already people were starting to see Gen show emotions she’d never shared before.She had to lock in, to refocus.To not let a bitter woman discompose Gen’s internal equilibrium.
She returned to where a flustered Nancy was directing the emergency room traffic, as a gurney was wheeled past, with two police officers trailing behind.“Who’s next?”
“Bay two.Woman complaining of chest pains.”She thrust a sheet at her.
Gen didn’t have a chance to look at it as she sidestepped a wheelchair loaded with a teenager, and moved to the second bay.Shifted the curtains.Then nearly dropped the paper.
Her mouth dried, and she had to swallow several times to force moisture inside.“Mrs.Tinker.”
“Well, well, well.So itistrue.Who would have thought someone like you would end up in a place like this?”
So the evil eye outside had been an accurate read.“Do you have chest pains?Or was that your excuse to see me?”
“I don’t want to see you.”
Gen pushed her eyebrows up, saying nothing.
“I just want you to assure me that you’llneverspeak to my son again.”
Wow.Good to see the woman remained as pleasant as ever.“Surely that’s his prerogative, not yours.”
Philippa’s gaze tapered.“So youdoinsist on seeing him.I knew it!I should’ve guessed you took a job here just so you could be near him.You’ve always been fixated with Kyle.You’re shameless.”
The accusations kept coming, the vitriol like arrows piercing an already-bloodied heart.But she had to be a professional.To not let this woman see how much her words hurt.
She folded her arms.“Do you have chest pains or not?”
“Of course I don’t.”
“Fine.”She pivoted and walked away.
“Don’t you turn your back on me,” Kyle’s mom screeched.“I need you to know how much you hurt my son.”
What?She turned around in disbelief.“Are you kidding me?”
Words rose, begging to be released, before she remembered she was on show here.Some of the nurses had paused, were watching, probably wondering what had happened that had finally caused Gen to raise her voice.
And really, anything she had to say had to be said to Kyle.Not his mom.No matter how entitled or controlling the woman was.
“Is everything okay in here?”Harvey, the emergency room’s security guard, asked.
“She’s leaving.”Gen pointed to the exit.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” Mrs.Tinker snapped.
“I think you’ll find that in here I can.I’m a doctor, in case you didn’t realize.”
“Not a real one.You probably got one of those fake degrees—”
