Tanith Panic, I'm sorry, I worded it badly. Sarah just meant he looked like the type of guy who was often overlooked. Her thoughts about him in this chapter are more complimentary. I definitely think he's gorgeous! Thank you for your review.
Tato Potato, I'm glad you found the chapter funny! I don't know if you and Beckyboogle are identical, but I've just read The Comedy of Errors, which kind of inspired me a bit. Thank you for your review.
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. Yes, they have mixed up their patients! But it might take them a little bit longer before they realise.
beckyboogle, I'm so happy you're enjoying it! It's a pleasure to write it for you and Tato Potato and I hope you enjoy this chapter too. Thank you for your review.
X-Sammii-X, thank you for your review - it's lovely that you're enjoying so much! There will be more brotherly moments to come, probably in Chapter 5, which I'll post tomorrow if I can.
Sarah had decided she rather liked Ethan Hardy and he was actually nearly as good-looking as Caleb Knight, but there was only one doctor she wanted to collect her blood results from.
When Cal appeared, Sarah was standing waiting beside the reception desk. "Hey, Cal. Are you looking for me?" she said.
A smile appeared on Cal's face. "Who else would I be looking for?"
"I'm sure you do have other patients," said Sarah.
"Maybe I do," said Cal. "But right now, I'm only interested in you. Would you care to follow me?"
"Now, there's an offer I can't refuse!" Sarah followed him to the cubicle and sat on the bed.
Cal sat down beside her. "How are you feeling, Sarah?" he asked.
Sarah grimaced. He looked so worried, he could only assume Ethan had told him everything. "Oh, I'm fine. I'd really like to move on and forget about that."
"Okay: fair enough," said Cal. "There really is nothing to be embarrassed about, but I'm happy to move on if that's what you'd like. I'm sure I'd feel exactly the same in your position." He smiled at her, but then he looked away and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "Right. So. Your blood results."
Sarah started to worry. "Don't tell me I've got some horrible disease."
"No: nothing like that," said Cal. "It's nothing serious and you're barely even outside the normal range, but I do have to let you know."
Sarah's heart was pounding (though that might be the way Cal looked, rather than what he'd said), but she tried to smile. "Well, it's not often a guy's told me I'm outside the normal range."
"I'm surprised," said Cal, as he finally he looked at her. "You are more than normally attractive, you know."
Sarah decided it couldn't be anything too serious if he was still flirting. "I bet you say that to all your patients."
"No: only the girls," said Cal.
Sarah laughed. "Now, why doesn't that surprise me? But go on. Tell me the bad news."
"Okay," said Cal, becoming serious again. "You have a low white blood cell count. It's only slightly low, so it's very unlikely to cause you any problems, but I'm going to refer you to haematology and also let your GP know. Not because I'm massively worried: because my boss would kick my butt if she knew I hadn't."
"So I have a reduced ability to fight infection," said Sarah. "That actually does sound quite worrying."
Cal looked impressed. "Yes, that's right, but it's only very slightly reduced. I doubt haematology will want to do anything more than monitor the situation."
"You know, that would probably reassure me," said Sarah, "if it wasn't for the fact that they're going to want to monitor my blood. So they're probably going to want to stick needles into me, aren't they?"
Cal looked sympathetic. "I'm afraid so, Sarah, but a lot of people are afraid of needles. The phlebotomists will be used to dealing with that. But haematology might even discharge you after one appointment. Basically, you're fine and you won't need to take any medication or change your lifestyle. You just need to be aware of a couple of things."
"Like what?" said Sarah, trying to hide the fact she was worried.
"Do you get a lot of colds?" he asked.
"No more than most people," said Sarah. She was glad to have avoided that symptom... though on second thoughts, it could have its advantages. "If I do start getting lots of colds, should I come back and see you?"
Cal looked slightly regretful. "If you think it might be pneumonia, then you should come back to the ED, yes. Otherwise, I'm afraid it's a job for the haematologist."
Emma was lost among the sea of bodies. Most of them were talking and she was worried she might not hear Ethan if he called her name, but she needn't have worried. It didn't sound as though Ethan was shouting, but his soft voice somehow rose above all the others.
"Hello, Dr Hardy," she said, lowering her head shyly and hoping he couldn't tell she thought he was gorgeous.
"Hello, Miss Mealing," said Ethan.
For a moment, he just looked at her. Emma stared back at him, unable to look away.
"Are you feeling better?" said Ethan anxiously.
Emma could only assume Cal had told him about the crying. "I'm okay now. I'm fine. I was just being stupid."
"Of course you weren't," said Ethan. "It was a perfectly natural reaction."
They looked at one another for a moment more, then Ethan cleared his throat and asked her to follow him. They went into a cubicle and Emma sat on the bed, with Ethan looking down at her.
"I have your blood results," said Ethan. "I'm very sorry, but we have detected a very slight problem. It's nothing to worry about – though I have to admit I always worry when a doctor says that to me – but I do have to make you aware of it."
"What is it?" said Emma, barely able to speak.
"You have a very slightly reduced platelet count," said Ethan. "I'm going to refer you to haematology, but only as a precaution. It's very unlikely that you'll have any problems: it's really just so you can be monitored so if there is a problem later, we'll pick up on it. But that's very unlikely to happen."
Emma bit her lip. She knew that haemaphobia was a fear of blood, so haematology didn't sound good at all. "Will I need another blood test?"
"I'm afraid so, but if you explain to the phlebotomist, they'll do everything they can to ensure you don't see anything you don't want to see," said Ethan. "I really am sorry. I wish there was another way, but as the problem isn't that serious, they probably won't want to see you too regularly."
"Is there anything I need to do?"
"There isn't really anything you need to do, but if you notice you have any bruises and you can't remember where they come from, you should consider contacting the haematologist," said Ethan. "Also, I know I recommended keeping the dressing from your blood test on for an hour, but as it's likely to take you longer to stop bleeding than most people, I suggest leaving it on for at least two hours."
Cal smiled at Sarah. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
Sarah took a moment to consider, then shook her head. "No, I don't think so."
"Then you are honourably discharged," said Cal. He smiled again and was rewarded with a lovely smile in return that made his heart skip a beat. He hadn't experienced that for a while. "And as you're not my patient anymore…"
"Yes?" said Sarah. Her voice was only mildly curious, but he read the excitement in her eyes.
"… I was wondering if you might consider giving me your number," said Cal with a sexy smile.
"No," said Sarah.
Cal's shoulders slumped. "Okay, Sarah. Fair enough."
Sarah's eyes shone with mischief. "I think you misunderstood, Cal. I mean no, I don't need to consider it." Sarah moved closer to Cal. "Of course you can have my number."
Ethan didn't want her to go.
It wasn't the first time he'd felt attracted to a patient, but it was the first time he'd felt this sad about discharging someone. She was so sweet and shy and he actually felt comfortable with her. There were so few girls who made him feel like that.
He wished he was more like Cal. Cal would know exactly what to do – and he'd almost certainly be successful. All Ethan could do was tremble and wish for the impossible.
"Dr Hardy?" said Emma in a hesitant voice.
"Why don't you call me Ethan?" he suggested. He wanted to hear his name on her lips even if it only happened once.
Emma blushed. "I'd be happy to. I hope you can call me Emma."
"Of course I can, Emma," said Ethan. He'd have done it before if she hadn't been so beautiful.
They looked at one another.
"Emma, I was wondering-" began Ethan.
"Ethan, I was wondering-" Emma said at exactly the same time.
"After you," said Ethan.
"No, after you," said Emma.
"Please," said Ethan. "I insist."
"C-could I maybe have your number? Then I could phone you? If I feel worse? Or something?"
Ethan stared at her in amazement, then he smiled in delight. "Of course you can, Emma." He pulled his notepad and a pen from his pocket and wrote his number as neatly as he could when his hand was shaking. "If there's anything I can do at all, no matter how trivial or frivolous it seems, you can always phone me."
"Thank you," said Emma, gazing at the piece of paper almost in wonder.
"No. Thank you," said Ethan.