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He smiled at her. “But you’re such a cute little leech.”
“Steven, I’m serious.”
“No, you can’t work from home. Perhaps after we’re certain you’re not going to pass out at a moment’s notice.”
“What about the Switzerland trip in two weeks? Will I get to go?”
“No,” replied the doctor, not even bothering to look up from her paperwork.
“But what if I’m better by then?”
The doctor ignored her question. “Mr. Gherring,” she said as she handed him the release form. “I hope you’re making the right decision. I can’t be responsible for—”
“I’m well aware of the liability issues here. I know we’re responsible for whatever happens outside of this hospital.”
“As long as you know.” The doctor slipped out the door.
“I’m going home now?”
“Yes, but... I need to take some precautions.”
“What type of precautions?”
“Just relax for a bit.” He disappeared from the room and came back twenty minutes later with a surgical gown, hat and mask, a baseball cap, and a huge teddy bear.
“Put your hair up in this cap and sit in the wheelchair with the teddy bear,” he ordered while donning the surgical gear. “We’re not going out the front door; we’re going out the side. And I called a taxi—we can’t walk outside and climb into a limousine. I think they may have spotted us coming in, so we need to avoid them going out.”
“Who’s they? The press?”
“No. You know... It was just people. I overheard someone saying something about us coming in a limo, and they were wondering who we were. So I want to be more careful this time.”
“Okay.”
“Ready to go?”
“Yes, but...” She looked at him and started giggling.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“Could you keep that stuff at home for later on? I’ve always had this fantasy about doing it with a doctor.”
*****
Emily knocked on the penthouse door. She was so relieved when Steven called her after work to say her mom was out of the hospital. But she was nervous they’d taken her advice and hired Spencer’s mother to be their nurse. What if they didn’t like her? What if they fired her for some reason? She’d be mortified to face any of the Marshalls again. Steven yelled for her to come in. She opened the door to discover her mom sitting on the couch, attached to an IV bag hanging from a mobile pole.
“Hey,
Mom. You look better. How do you feel?”
“Better now I’m away from that awful place. How does anyone get better in a hospital?”
“And you’re eating?”
“Yes, and we’re figuring out what my triggers are. I can’t stand food with strong smells. Everything has to be really bland. And I can’t eat and drink at the same time. But I’ve eaten three crackers since two o’clock and they didn’t come back up.” She seemed quite proud of this accomplishment.
Emily was thinking this was too much information, so she changed the subject. “Where’s Connie?”
“She’s gone home for the night,” said Steven. “She’s only going to be here while I’m at work, and she’s on call if we have a question or an emergency.”
