Page 73 of Fractured

Kat

Pushing through my day, I’m amazed it’s gone as well as it has. Nate providing me with Mark’s schedule has helped. I don’t have to worry about bumping into him today as he isn’t working until tomorrow. From what Nate says, this rotating schedule should allow me to know when he’s working well into the future. Hopefully, I can use it to ask Jake to give me those days off. I still cannot believe that son of a bitch drugged me. I’m choosing not to think about what he might’ve done. My underwear were still on in the morning. I had no marks on me. I’m not going there. There’s nothing I can do about it now anyway.

As I finish placing a splint on the elderly patient in room eleven, I try not to laugh at the way Nick mocked Dr. Silver this morning. Walking back to my computer, I reflect on the moment of brevity, knowing he was doing it to lighten my mood. Oh, how I’ve missed that sexy smile. Rubbing the back of my hand against my cheek, I can still feel the electricity of his lips on my knuckles.

“Ouch,” I blurt out. Speaking of electricity. There’s a sharp, stabbing sensation in my right lower abdomen. The jolt of pain strikes again. “Ah.” What the heck now?I’ve probably got a urinary tract infection from holding my bladder so long working here.I stand from my seat and decide walking a bit might help.

“Hey, Kat, you don’t look so hot.” I hear Jake greet. He’s coming on shift for the evening as I’m treading water to the finish line.

“Yeah, I’m worried I have a urinary tract infection. I’ve been getting these pains, and it’s getting worse.”

“You look a little pale. And you feel clammy.”

“I’m sure it’s the pain. It’s making me a little nauseated.” I rub my right lower pelvis to attempt to ease the ache there.

“Kat? You still have your appendix?”

“Yeah. Heck, Jake, that can’t be it.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want that to be it,” I whine. “I don’t have any time for an appendectomy.”

“Oh, yeah? What’ve you got to do? If it needs to come out, it needs to come out.”

“Jake, you’re getting all worked up for- ah!” I clutch my pelvis again.

“Kat, this is ridiculous. It’s not that busy today. You need to get this checked out. You’re never sick. I’ll call someone in if we can’t make it a few more hours without you. But you need to get some bloodwork, and they’ll need to put in an IV to check your appendix.”

“Oh, for god’s sake. Ouch. All right.”

* * *

It’s been a little over an hour, and I’m sitting in this exam room, wearing a hospital gown, feeling like a complete dunce. I’m sure this is a urinary tract infection, and I’ve wasted an ER visit.

Jake strolls in and says, “Not a UTI.”

“What? Really? I thought for sure that was it.”

“Look at the bright side, at least you aren’t pregnant.”

I sneer at him for joking about such things.

“Your bloodwork is back. Everything there looks good, and you aren’t running a fever. They should be coming soon to get you for your CT. Do you want me to call your mom and dad?”

“What? No. I’m sure this is a whole lotta nothing. I don’t want to worry them. We can call them later after we figure it out. I’d say it was a pulled muscle, but I haven’t done anything. Could it be a kidney stone?”

“Maybe. Has there been any blood in your urine?”

“Not that I recall. And I haven’t had any pain over my kidney, but hopefully, that’s it.”

* * *

Two hours later, and I sit watching some mindless television show, waiting for the results of my CT scan. I can’t believe this.At least the medicine Jake gave me has helped that sharp stabby pain.As if he’s heard his name called, he strolls in the door and shuts it behind him.

“So? What’s the scoop? Am I having my appendix out?”

I watch as Jake carefully lowers himself to the bed. His features seem tense.What the heck? Do I have cancer or something?

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