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* * *
The emergency department was slammed. A stomach virus had broken out at a nearby nursing-home facility and was running rampant among residents and staff. Due to their already fragile health, several residents had needed to be transported by ambulance for emergency room work-up to see who would be okay with administration of intravenous fluids to rehydrate them then sent back to the facility, and who needed actual admission for closer observation.
Other than with regard to patients, Jack barely got to speak with Taylor.
Which was okay.
They had tonight to say their goodbyes.
He’d never had trouble leaving anywhere, but he’d stayed in Warrenville long enough that he would miss the small Tennessee town.
Would miss Taylor.
One last night to make love to her, to hold her in his arms while she slept, to wake beside her and make love to her all over again.
Only apparently not.
“Taylor is sick in the ladies’ room,” Amy announced matter-of-factly. “I think she’s caught whatever this bug is.”
“Is she all right?”
“Other than the fact she lost all her stomach contents in less than three seconds?”
Jack winced. “I’m going to check on her.”
Amy’s eyes widened. “In the ladies’ room?”
“What are they going to do? Fire me?”
“Yeah, I guess they wouldn’t bother, with it being your last day and all.”
He doubted they would fire him for checking on an ill nurse regardless, but he didn’t care. Taylor was sick, and he needed to check on her.
“Make sure there’s no one else in there,” he ordered Amy. “I’m not worried about being fired, but I wouldn’t want to walk in on someone unexpectedly either.”
Amy looked skeptical. “Taylor isn’t going to like you seeing her this way.”
“Then she shouldn’t have gotten sick with me being the doctor on duty.”
* * *
“He’s insisting he come in here, Tay.”
Struggling to find the energy to lift her head from where it rested on her knees, heavy and throbbing, Taylor squinted at her friend.
Still fighting the nausea racking her body, she grimaced. “Please, no.” Her entire body ached, felt wretched. “He leaves tomorrow. This...” she gestured to herself sitting on the bathroom floor “...is not how I want him to remember me.”
“He looked intent on checking on you. I’m not sure I can stop him.”
“Try.”
“Too late.”
The last came from Jack.
Rather than look toward him, Taylor lowered her forehead back to her knees. She wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.
“You were supposed to wait until I gave you the all clear,” Amy scolded.
