Chapter 4 – Jessica's Doctor

Carlisle:

Jessica's jaw dropped open and her eyes popped open as wide as saucers! She was stunned and speechless, probably for the first time in her life! I gave her my no-nonsense doctor stare indicating I knew what was going on. As I approached her bed, she finally found her voice.

"Dr. Cullen! I thought you were off tonight!" She said as she scooted herself back into her bed as far as she could.

"Are you going to burrow through the wall too, Jessica?" I asked as I stopped right next to her.

She was trapped in the bed and I could see how uncomfortable she was. I was just a little too close to her and I had the advantage since she was not only in the bed with the sides raised but attached to the IV line. I almost laughed at her unease, but put my doctor face back on.

"I see you have been having some problems here. Care to enlighten me as to why you are taking these caffeine products, young lady?" I asked looking her in the eye.

She swallowed and lowered her head, darting her eyes from me to her friends standing sympathetically across the room from her. Mike put his hands up as in "What could we do?" and Angela shrugged her shoulders.

"Jessica, I'm waiting for an answer," I reminded her.

"I-I thought you were off tonight?" Jessica finally uttered.

"I was, but then I got a call from my colleague who said someone was here who asked if I was on duty tonight. He thought he would let me know who it was and that you were here. So I decided to come and see what the problem was and lucky for you, here I am," I said raising my eyebrows at her. "Spill it, young lady!" I said crossing my arms and frowning at her.

"Uh, I uh, had this paper due and I kind of ran out of time to get it done, so I took an energy shot and a diet soda. The next thing I knew, Angela and Mike brought me here," she said looking at me with pleading eyes.

"Mmm hmm! And why exactly did you run out of time?" I asked knowing full well why.

"Uh, well, I had a lot of other things to do and this paper just got away from me, so I was trying to get it finished on my Christmas break, that's all," she said.

I could feel her anxiety. I noticed she looked over to Angela and Mike and I turned my attention to them as well. They both turned their heads and cast their eyes down looking at the floor. If Jessica only knew they already spilled the beans to me. Miss Jessica is currently digging herself into a huge hole that she is not going to be able to crawl out of. I decided I would push her a little more and see if she would own up to her errant ways.

"What other things did you have to do besides working on this paper? It sounds like it is important and should have taken precedence over the other things," I drilled her.

"Oh, you know, the typical college things, clubs, study groups, meetings, rallies…" she went on.

"And parties?" I asked waiting for her response.

"Uh, maybe one or two," she admitted.

Upon hearing Jessica say that, Mike made a coughing sound and looked down at the ground. I turned my eyes to look at him. Angela was rolling her eyes also. I then turned my eyes back to Jessica who was eyeing them and shaking her head "no" to them as if to warn them to say no more. That was my 'in'.

"How many parties have you gone to Jessica?" I asked anxious to hear her response.

"Uh, just a few here and there," she said glancing back and forth from me to her friends.

"Yes, well by a few do you mean 2-3 or more than that?" I pressed her.

"Maybe 4–6 here and there," she offered.

"Jessica! I have already asked your friends here and it seems that you have become quite the partygoer. Now, I will ask you again. How many parties do you attend and you better stop hedging around and answer me truthfully, young lady," I warned her.

You could see the realization that she was caught registering on her face. She looked like she had just seen a ghost as she glanced back and forth again between her buddies and me.

"Uh, I've been to a few of them recently." She finally admitted.

Knowing there was more to this and seeing I was not going to be successful at this time to get it out of her, I turned my attention to her buddy, Mike.

"Mike, how many parties has Jessica attended?" I asked him while giving Jessica a stern look waiting for his reply.

"Uh, she ah…" he stammered out.

"Mike! Stop hedging around and tell me what you said earlier. Now mister!" I said sternly again.

"She's been to every party she was invited to, more like 20–30 and she stays so long she can barely get up in the mornings. That is why she is behind in her term papers. So she takes those energy shots and whatever else she can get her hands on to keep her awake so she can get her work done," he said quickly and then said to her, "I'm sorry Jessica, but you are out of hand with this stuff."

Jessica sat in the bed with a shocked expression staring straight at her friend who had ratted her out in my presence. She slowly turned her gaze from him to me. She was met with my frowning, glaring stare looking her right in the eyes. I saw her back up a little more in her bed since she knew I was already informed of her college antics. She then lowered her eyes in shame. She knew she was caught.

"Well, Jessica?" I said to her.

"It's true, Dr. Cullen. I got carried away being invited to all these parties. I didn't want to turn anyone down who invited me, so I went to them all. Then I started to like it. I wouldn't drink, but I would stay late and get home late and then I could hardly get up for class. I kept putting off all of my term papers. I wouldn't have time to do them, so I would drink a power drink or an energy shot to keep me up so I could work on them. Then it just got out of hand," she admitted.

"Do you think that is a good habit to get into?" I asked waiting for her reply.

"No sir. I am almost failing my English Lit class if I don't get this term paper done on time. I tried to start it coming home, but I can't get any further than 2 paragraphs." She said.

"What else have you taken this evening besides an energy shot? How many of these shots have you taken?" I asked concerned.

"Uh, just the energy shot, just one…" she tried to pass off.

"Jessica! Want to think that answer over again?" I asked her.

"Okay, one energy shot and a diet soda, that's all, Dr. Cullen," she tried again.

"Young lady, I have your lab results here. Do you want me to tell you what they say?" I challenged her.

"Uh, okay, what do they say"?

"You took more than one energy shot! Plus power drinks and it looks like pills, such as "No-Doz" along with diet sodas and coffee with caffeine in it. Your caffeine levels are off the chart and it caused your blood pressure and heart to beat too fast. You practically overdosed on caffeine, young lady! What did you have to eat today?" I asked angrily.

"Uh, not much, just an apple," she said.

"So no food, just an apple and a ton of caffeine products. No wonder you were acting like you were. Good thing your friends were smart enough and concerned enough to bring you in here. We are flushing your system with glucose and I have ordered you a tray of food. You are not being released until your vitals and levels are normal. Is that understood?" I said sternly.

"Yes sir!" She said.

"Where are your parents," I asked curiously.

"They are out with friends out of town. I can call them," she offered.

"Please do so, I want to talk with them," I said.

Jessica got her phone and dialed her parents. I was anxious to talk with them. I was going to make sure Jessica was in good shape before I released her. I waited while she called her parents.

"Mom, it's me. I'm in the hospital! No, nothing is wrong. I just took too many energy shots, I'll be okay. When are you coming home? What? You can't come home?" Jessica said.

I put my hand out for the phone. She told her mother I wanted to talk with her.

"This is Dr. Cullen, Jessica has overdosed on caffeine products and we are flushing her system out. She also needs to eat. I will not release her until she is okay. You can't come home. You're snowed in? No, don't worry, I'll take care of her. I will take her to my home after she is released. I do not want her alone after this. No, it's no problem, I will be glad to do it. Yes, talk to you later. If you need me, you have my number or you can call Jessica's cell. Yes, good-bye, Mrs. Stanley." (Figures, they could care less. I thought to myself)

"Well I suppose you heard, your parents went up in the mountains to a resort with some friends and it snowed and they are stranded. They closed the mountain road so they cannot get home until it reopens which may be 2 days. In the meantime, you will come to my house," I informed her.

"Uh, that won't be necessary Dr. Cullen. I can stay by myself or at Angela's house," she said eyeing Angela.

"Uh, yeah Dr. Cullen, she can come to my house," Angela said.

"I'm sure, but since she is having a medical problem, I feel better keeping an eye on her. Besides I already told her parents she will be with me. Jessica, I am ordering some food for you and I will be right back," I said to her. "You two can go if you like, she's coming with me," I informed them.

"We'll stay until she is released if that's okay," Angela said to me.

"Suit yourselves!" I said leaving the room to order her food.

"Oh no! I have to go home with him. I'm going to be in for it when I am better. You know he will make me answer for this," Jessica said.

"You shouldn't have done this Jessica! You could have died or something. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. You know Dr. Cullen will have a few things to say about this," Angela said knowingly, not wanting to tip off Mike.

"I had one run-in with him and I don't want another one," Mike said. "Good luck, Jessica!"

"Thanks, I'm going to need it!" Jessica said looking uneasy...

TBC: Please give reviews!