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Emma
“Hi, Emma. I’m Dr. Burgess. How are we feeling?”
A kind, short woman with thick glasses enters the room.
“I feel great. So good! Hey, so I’ll be able to go home tonight, right?”
Dr. Burgess approaches the bed, politely shooing Luke away. He moves to the other side, where Isaac stands like a diligent guard. She shines a flashlight into my eyes and has me take a deep breath with her icy stethoscope pressing against my back.
“Well the tests I had my nurses order all came back normal. Unfortunately…”
Dr. Burgess sees my face drop and I can tell she sympathises with me.
“I’m sorry, but unfortunately your breathing still sounds a little muddy. Because you have already lost consciousness once this evening, we’d like to keep you overnight. Now typically, with the help of the IV and intubation, any problems should clear up on their own tonight.”
“I really don’t feel ill enough to stay overnight.”
“Emma, plenty of people survive things like this and think they’re fine. Next thing they know, they go lay down for a nap and never wake up. It’s called an inhalation injury or potential carbon monoxide poisoning or -”
“We were protected because of our gear, but you weren’t.”
Isaac’s tone is a gentle nudge while Luke’s feels like a shove. They’re the perfect good cop, bad cop duo.
“Stay tonight and we’ll be right by your side,” Isaac says.
I can see the wheels of the doctor's brain spinning, questioning our dynamic and who we are to each other.
“You’re lucky to be alive, dear. Let’s keep you that way.”
“Hey sleepy head.”
Isaac is by my side, smiling at me through tired eyes.
“Where’s Luke?”
“He’s grabbing us some food. How are you feeling?”
Like clockwork, Luke rushes to the room, slamming the door shut with muffins and coffee cradled in his arms.
“Jeez, Luke. Did you steal those?”
“Very funny. There are reporters everywhere outside. They want to talk to you, Emma.”
“Me? Why?”
“You, kind of, solved one of Miami’s biggest arson cases last night, don’t you remember?”
Luke laughs, but it’s not like Isaac’s. It’s dripping with concern, as if he’s actually asking me if I bumped my head yesterday.
“Yes, Iremember. I just don’t feel like I’vedoneanything.”
“Are you kidding? You picked up clues no one could have seen if they tried. Not a single detective on the case had their radar on Ginger, and I mean,no one. If you hadn’t been there every step of the way, this case would not be solved, Em.”
“Plus, I’m sure you won’t be mad about getting that nice little reward check, huh?”
Luke places himself, and all our muffins, at my side before snuggling into me.
Moments pass and next thing I know, the doctor is giving me ‘the okay’ to go home. The second the three of us enter my apartment, I run to my shower.
