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“Do you think there is anything wrong?” She knew darn well there wasn’t a single thing wrong with her, so there was no worry about what the results were going to be.
“Nothing obvious shows, yet I function on facts only. Once I have the results from the test, I’ll feel more comfortable making my diagnosis. I’ll have my receptionist call you to schedule the test. I’d like to have it done as soon as possible if that’s okay with you.”
“What’s the rush? I thought you said there wasn’t anything to be concerned about.”
He shook his head. “I believe my words were no apparent damage could be seen. But with your symptoms, I’d like to make sure.”
“Could it be dangerous? Could I die?” She forced her voice to sound panicked.
“Ms. Sparks—”
“Call me Cori. And it’s really a simple question.” She was trying a different tactic. Instead of laid-back and passive, she was going to push harder.
He looked at her file again. “Ms. Sparks, is there someone I can call who could wait with you while we have the test performed?”
Cori had left out an emergency contact. The last thing she needed was Logan or anyone else reaching out to Sarah. I’d really need a doctor if she knew what I was doing right now. Looking at her hands folded in her lap, she said softly, “I have no one that I’m close with. It’d be better that I wait... alone.” She sounded so darn pathetic she wished her old drama teacher were there to grade her. I’d finally earn that A.
Logan’s voice softened for the first time as well. “I’m sorry. It must be difficult going through this alone. Let me make a call, and I’ll get this scheduled for you for later today. This will reduce the amount of wait time, which hopefully will help somewhat.”
She would be happy if the CT-scan was actually what she required. All that meant was an expense, and she wouldn’t need to see him again. She needed to think of something fast. “Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Getting off the exam table, she pretended to sway as though losing her balance. Reaching out, she grabbed his arm and fell toward him then went limp in his arms. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. She counted, knowing she didn’t want to appear to be unconscious, just passed out briefly.
As he scooped her into his arms her eyelids fluttered open, and she asked, “What... what happened?” Besides making my way into your arms.
Logan didn’t let go of her as he reached out and pressed a buzzer. “Call 911.”
That wasn’t what she’d wanted to happen. She expected him to take her pulse or blood pressure. There was no way she was going to the hospital. “I’m okay I just—”
“Lie down. You fainted.”
“No, I was just a little dizzy.”
“Ms. Sparks, you need to go the hospital to be assessed. I can’t, in good conscience, send you home after fainting. You could have a—”
She sat up. “I’m not going to the hospital. I know my rights. I can refuse treatment, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.” If they took her, they’d run a bunch of tests and might even keep her a few days. This entire plan was quickly unraveling. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want the CT-scan.” When she got off the table this time, she made sure she was steady on her feet. If he took her BP now, he might find it elevated from sheer panic. I need to get out of here.
Logan reached his hand out and held her by the elbow. “I can’t stress enough that you’re making a huge mistake by doing this.”
“Don’t worry, Dr. Henderson. I’m fully aware of the risk I’m taking.”
Cori tugged her arm from his and walked out of the exam room, and he followed close by. She stopped at the receptionist and pulled out money for her office visit. “Would you like a receipt, Miss Sparks?”
Cori shook her head and left Dr. Henderson’s office. She wasn’t sure she exhaled until she was in her car again. That was too close.
Logan sat atthe bar waiting for his older brother Brice to arrive. He had no idea what was so darn important that they couldn’t discuss it on the phone. After the day he had, he didn’t want any more bullshit. That’s usually what it was, too. His family came to him, telling him what was going to be done without asking him what action they should take.
He respected his sibling’s independence. It’s the way they all were by necessity. Until recently, they’d never met to discuss issues any of them were facing. It was more like every man for themselves. Now at least, they had an inkling there was a crisis amongst them. Maybe someday I’ll share my shit with them.
What he faced was so different from any of them, so how could he share things with his family? He’d lost patients on the operating table. It wasn’t as simple as saying you’d save the next one. There’d been a human life he couldn’t save. Logan knew patients came to him because they were high-risk cases, and at times he knew the odds were stacked against them. None of that made a bit of difference when he had to call a time of death. The next step would be breaking the news to the loved ones who’d been waiting.
His mind couldn’t help but wander to the beautiful woman who’d fainted in his arms earlier. Logan was concerned there really could be something serious, but she was right. No one could force her to go for testing if she didn’t want to. Normally he could separate the two, patient and woman, but somehow she’d been different. He wanted to know she was going to be okay, and he knew it was more than the physician in him that was concerned. The physician would turn it over to his nurse to reach out. He thought back to her file and tried to picture the referring doctor’s name. He drew a blank. That meant he’d need to wait till morning and have his secretary pull the file for him. Logan knew he was going to reach out to his colleague and give him a courtesy heads-up. There was a fine line concerning patient confidentiality, but the referring physician should be kept in the loop. Not that I’m in it at all.
He was glad when Brice eventually showed up. Although he’d spent many hours sitting at a bar alone, tonight wasn’t one of the times he wanted that. “About time.”
Brice took the vacant seat near him. “I wanted to make sure the kids were asleep before I came. I figured you had no one waiting for you.”
He didn’t miss the dig about being single. Everyone else may have found someone that fit with them, but that wasn’t the case for Logan. He was frequently called into surgery at all hours of the night. Not just here, but he’d been flown out of the country on several occasions to operate on high-level dignitaries around the globe. They all felt they were his most important patient. A person’s wallet meant nothing to Logan. He was there to save lives. Not just the rich or famous either.
He remembered one thing Cordelia Sparks’s file said. She didn’t have any insurance. It was possible she left the office out of fear of payment. Damn it. I should’ve tried harder to stop her. Why did I let her leave? He knew why. He had no legal right to stop her. She wasn’t the first person who’d ever walked out. Yet, something about her felt different. He didn’t know what, but he sensed she was holding something major back from him. He really hoped she sought help for whatever it was.
