One, two, three, four. Stop. Look to the left. Turn around. One, two, three, four. Stop. Look to the right. Turn around. Rick Castle let out a sigh as he repeat his circuit. The doctors were taking too long. They should have returned by now with some kind of news. And yet it was quiet. Rick looked to the left and sighed. No one was coming down the hallway towards the doors that separated him from the medical staff. The doctor on call had run some tests and then wheeled her off to take some samples. This left him waiting. Waiting for the test results, the sample results, and the doctor to return with the love of his life.
The brightly decorated waiting room of the pediatric wing did nothing to claim his nerves. So he returned to the one thing that did. Pacing. One, two three, four. Stop. Look to the Right. Turn around. One, two, three, four. Stop. Look to the left. Turn around. Repeat, repeat, repeat. During his fifth cycle, a giggle broke through his trance. Looking around the waiting room he saw a young woman in dark navy blue scrubs standing near the wall. Had she been there the whole time?
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep that up," She gave a gentle smile. "First time in this wing?" She asked as she stepped closer.
Rick looked around then remembered that he was the only one in the waiting room. Something he cherished but expected at two thirty in the morning. He gave her a weak nod when his voice failed him. "Don't worry. Dr. Scott is working tonight. She's the best here."
"You work here?" Was the first thing that came to his mind.
"A few times a week," She gave a half committed shrug. "It's my second job."
Rick nodded. He understood all too well the financial struggles that everyone was facing these days. It was one of the many reasons why he was so thankful to be successfully self-employed.
"My name is Kate." She extended her hand towards him.
"Rick," He grasped her hand and gently shook it before letting his own hand drop away. Looking around the room, his eyes settled on the double doors once more.
"Why don't I go and see if I can find anything out for you," Kate volunteered. "After all, I am on duty tonight anyway."
Rick seemed to perk up at that immediately. "Really?"
"Yeah," Kate smiled. "What's the name?"
"Uh Castle. Alexis Castle," Rick stammered.
"Ok Mr. Castle. I'll be right back," Kate walked past him and walked through the double doors. Rick watched as she walked down the hallway and to what appeared to be a nurses station. She spoke with another nurse sitting behind the counter and picked up a chart. After reading it for a few minutes, he watched as she shook her head closing the chart and picking up another. She repeated the same process only this time glancing back towards him.
Caught in the act, Rick quickly moved out of her line of sight and looked around the room. It was quiet again. And this time there were no mystery women leaning against the walls. How long had she been there anyway?