Page 5 of Where Are You Now
“Try not to make any sudden movements,” Dr. Watkins said, laying a hand on her arm. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal.”
The doctor’s voice faded away as she slipped further into dread.I’ve lost a whole week.Her notes were right on her desk, labeled as if she’d meant for Scott to use them. She’d meticulously prepared all her accounts because her work over these next two weeks was for all the marbles—and she’d lost one entire six-day period! She was standing behind the fifty-yard line, forced to make a game-winning punt. If she wanted to win the title of partner against Scott Strobel, she’d have to scramble.
She tried to lift her head to examine the room. Where was her laptop? What about her phone?
“I’ll let your mother know you’re awake.”
Find Lucas Phillips…The voice pulsated in her mind.
Yes, she already knew she had to find Lucas. But it was a little difficult right now. Why was she being reminded that she needed to find him while she lay strapped down with IVs in a hospital bed? Maybe God could somehow save her job if she found Lucas? The voice had said, “live out the rest of your life,” and she was hoping that meant happily. The only way she’d be happy was if she was promoted to partner. Lucas might have something to do with saving her future. It was a long shot and completely out of a sci-fi movie, but nothing since the car wreck had been normal.
“Wait,” she said, stopping the physician as he was leaving the room.
He spun around.
“That other doctor—that I saw last week, who filled in when you had an emergency—was his name Dr. Phillips?”
“Yes, that’s his name.”
“Is his first name Lucas?”
“Yes.”
Her heart dropped into her stomach.Nooo. This couldn’t be. Was she dreaming? There was no way both she and Lucas Phillips had moved to New York City and happened to be in the same exact hospital at the same time. Ridiculous. But as she tried to make meaning of the situation, it occurred to her that maybe the voice wasn’t talking about her old friend but a different Lucas Phillips. “Find Lucas Phillips and live out the rest of your life” could mean that was the name of the doctor who was supposed to make her better. And then she could get back to her life. Yes. That had to be it.
Dr. Watkins cocked his head to the side. “I’m glad your memory is strong. We’ll get you set up for some tests to double-check your cognitive function, but it sounds like you’re remembering recent events well.”
She didn’t care about any of that. She needed the doctor who was supposed to save her so she could get back to work and straighten everything out at McGregor Creative. She and Allison were going to have a dinner party to celebrate when her friend got back from Breckenridge.
“Where is Dr. Phillips? Can I see him?”
The doctor frowned. “He doesn’t work here anymore.”
“What? He was just here a week ago.”
“I had an emergency surgery, and he took over your care on his last day.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Where did he go?” Ava asked.
“He moved states. I believe he took a new job with his fiancée.”
“Which state did he move to?” she pressed. Her entire life, mostlikely, and not just her career success were hanging in the balance.
Dr. Watkins grimaced. “I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to give away personal information.”
She didn’t have time for this. She had real work to get done. And Lucas Phillips might have a hand in making it happen. Not to mention she had no idea of the outcome if she didn’t find him. The voice had said, “Find Lucas Phillips and live out the rest of your life.” Did that mean that if she didn’t find him, she wouldn’t live out the rest of her life? How long did she have to fulfill this promise she’d made? Was there a heavenly hourglass slowly draining of its sand?
“I need to know where he is,” she said, flustered. She yanked the pulse oximeter off her finger and began picking at the tape on her IVs to take them out.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You haven’t been cleared for that. You need to keep those in.”
“Nope. What Ineedis to get out of here right now. I’m fine.” She sat up, still fiddling with her IVs through a wave of dizziness that overtook her as pain speared across her torso. “Let me out of here.”
She didn’t care that her legs might not hold her when she stood up. She had to try. There were bigger things at work here, and she must find Dr. Phillips. What if she had some injury that no one but him could diagnose? Some source of internal bleeding, and if she didn’t locate him she’d keel over on the spot? She yanked on the plastic binding, her skin stinging.
Dr. Watkins jogged toward her while he radioed on his walkie talkie. “Code Green.”
