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“Do you think you hit her?” Gene asked calmly.
Amanda looked bewildered. “No, I don’t think so. But where did she go?”
Her head injury might be impairing her memory. It was imperative for her to rest. She was full of adrenaline and cortisol at the moment, so she might not be feeling her pain.
“Hey, Amanda. What if I talk to the police again and make sure they do another sweep for the girl? Will you go to the hospital then?” Gene cajoled.
Her eyes sharpened on his face. “I told you I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
“It’s a precaution, Amanda.”
“So they can charge me thousands of dollars for the ambulance ride, the hours they would keep me in the ER, just to release me with a Band-aid I already have on?” she questioned sharply.
Gene’s lips flattened at Amanda’s argument. His back went up. He was a part of the ER—different hospital, but the same system. Though many cases that came through his ward were actual emergencies which needed immediate attention, many were small things that could’ve been handled at home. They would and could never refuse anyone who sought treatment. He especially wouldn’t. With that said, he would admit the cost could be exorbitant.
“You need an overnight neuro assessment for a possible concussion, perhaps a CT. And you need an X-ray to rule out spinal injuries,” Gene said, spelling out the reasons it would be in her best interest to go to the hospital.
“I can’t afford it,” she said plainly.
Gene sighed but understood. “You don’t have insurance?”
“I do. But even with insurance, I’d still be paying hundreds of dollars for the co-pay. I’m already up to my neck in loans for my business. And now this.” She pointed at her car. “It’s not an expense I need right now. Not if I’m not dying. Besides, I need to let my dog out.”
Looking at Amanda’s car, Gene roughly calculated what it would cost her to tow and repair it. Again, depending on the type of auto insurance she had, she would have a huge cost on her hands.
Gene might regret this, but he told her, “You can sign a treatment refusal form with the EMTs. But you still need someone with you in case you show any symptoms of concussion. And you need rest.”
The woman’s brows wrinkled as she thought of her options. Then she shook her head. “I’ll sign the form. But I’m fine. Believe me, I don’t need anyone to watch over me.”
“On a scale of zero to ten, where’s your pain level?”
“Five. Maybe four. Just my head.”
He lifted a hand. “How many fingers I’m holding?”
This time she hesitated for a second to focus before saying, “Two.”
It was the right answer, but that brief hesitation was enough to convince Gene she wasn’t being honest in order to get out of going to the hospital.
“So, I’m okay to go home, right?”
“Not alone,” he insisted.
Amanda gritted her teeth in frustration. “Fine.”
“I’m glad you’re finally listening to reason.”
He led her back to the ambulance.
“You can drive me,” she said.
Gene stopped in his tracks. “Excuse me?”
“You can drive me home and observe me tonight.” Amanda looked up at him, a challenge glinted in her eyes. “You’re a doctor. You’re qualified.”
“I—” Gene was at a loss for words.
“I won’t go to the hospital,” she said. “This is one way I can go home and you don’t have to worry about my head.”
