Page 78 of Crash: Love in Scrubs
The door opened, and Dr. Cole walked in with a smile that quickly faded when she saw my face.
“Sametra? Everything okay?”
I barely heard her. All I could think about was that phone call, the formal tone in the woman’s voice, the word “reports” echoing in my head.
What the hell was happening?
I tried to focus as my doctor told me my blood results and completed my check-up, but all I could think about was that phone call and why my life felt like it was being impacted by another crash. Dr. Cole’s voice seemed to fade into background noise as my mind spiraled through worst-case scenarios.
“—and everything looks good, Sametra. Any questions about what we discussed?”
I blinked, realizing I hadn’t heard a word she’d said. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that? I’m having trouble focusing. I heard you say vitamins. I need to add vitamins.”
She gave me a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re okay? We can reschedule if you need to.”
“No, I’m fine. Just, sorry. Can you say it again?”
Dr. Cole glanced down at her chart, then back at me with a soft smile. “Your bloodwork is solid. No signs of early menopause. In fact, your hormone levels indicate the opposite.”
I blinked. “So… not menopause? Not even early?”
“Not even close. Your body’s shifting, but not in the way you thought.”
I gave a nervous laugh. “Okay. That’s good news.”
She paused, thoughtful. “I’ll want to see you again in four weeks.”
“Right. Okay. Thank you,” I mumbled, grabbing my purse like it weighed ten pounds.
“Sametra,” she said, more gently this time. “Whatever’s going on, try not to stress. It’s especially important right now.”
I nodded out of habit, not comprehension. My thoughts were still stuck on the unknown number, the voice from Human Resources, the pit forming in my stomach.
“Right. I’ll be careful,” I said, halfway out the door.
I didn’t even catch the look she gave me—something between confusion and concern, like she wanted to say more but knew I wasn’t listening.
I was already gone.
I was halfway to my car before I realized I’d completely zoned out during the entire appointment. Whatever she’d told me about my results, it had gone in one ear and out the other. I’d just have to read it when she sent a recap through the patient portal. All I could think about was getting to the hospital and finding out what the hell was going on.
The drive to St. Ambrose Memorial Hospital felt like the longest twenty minutes of my life. My hands gripped the steering wheel as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Was the insurance not covering his fee? Why would they need me specifically? Why couldn’t they just call Malik directly?
The more I thought about it, the more anxious I became. The woman on the phone had sounded so formal, so serious. What if something had happened to Malik at work? What if there was some kind of emergency and they needed to reach his next of kin? But wouldn’t they have said that?
By the time I pulled into the hospital parking lot, my heart was racing, and my palms were sweating. I sat in my car for a moment, trying to calm myself down before walking into whatever situation was waiting for me inside.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that my perfect weekend in Alabama was about to become a distant memory, though I had no idea why.
The walk to the HR department felt endless, my heels clicking against the polished floor, making me question my choice. These cute, heeled sandals were only making my heart beat faster and announcing my presence to everyone. I followed the signs until I made it to the door labeled, Human Resources.
Embarrassing.
“Sametra Andrews,” I told the receptionist, my voice steadier than I felt.
“Please have a seat. Janet will be right with you.”
The waiting area was decorated in muted blues and grays, probably meant to be calming, but only made me more anxious. I prayed that this was just about insurance or billing. And not over us. My mind went blank. I prayed I was overthinking everything.
