It was early Wednesday morning when Christina woke up more exhausted then she had been when she went to sleep between everything that was going on work and the pregnancy she felt like it was starting to take a toll on her, as she rolled over to turn off the annoying sound of the alarm clock she noticed that her cell phone was blinking, "ok who is leaving me a text this early in the morning?" she sighed as she asked herself, she set up on her elbows and grabbed the phone from the nightstand, she flipped it open to see that it was a text from Tom "Good morning Sunshine I love you." was all that it said she smiled climbed out of bed and headed for the shower hoping that it would wake her up and give her just a little more energy something she desperately needed to make it through the day. As she finished up in the bathroom she got dressed and headed for the front door grabbing her bags, hospital ID and keys from the side table as she made it to the car and took the twenty minute drive on the expressway to the hospital. Christina ended up making it into work just a little bit early she put her things away and grabbed a report off her desk that she needed for a meeting later that day she sat on the sofa and started to go over it and before she knew it she had doze off to sleep.
"Hey, Christina, come on sweetheart you need to wake up." he told her as he walked into her office and seeing that she was sleep.
"How long have I been out?" she asked him as she rubbed her hands over her face, "god Tom this baby is draining the life out of me."
"I know sweetheart and I'm sorry." he told her as he took a seat on the sofa next to her.
"It's not your fault; I'm just so damn tired."
"When is your appointment with Dr. Hays?"
"Her office couldn't get me in until Monday, damn what I wouldn't give for an energy drink right now."
"I know Chris, its going to get better."
"Yeah you can say that you don't have a little person growing inside you taking over." she told him in a smile as she looked over at him.
"I know babe and I'm here for you."
"you better be." she told him as she got to her feet and headed over to her desk to answers the ringing phone, "this is Christina" she answered in a half yawn and the voice on the other end started to speak "hello Dr. Tyburski how are you?" she asked her "I'm fine thank you for asking, how may I help you today?" she said as Bobbie stepped into the room, "I'm sorry, can you repeat that she did what?" and she paused for a second as she motioned to Bobbie to hand her the file that was laying on the coffee table "yes Dr. Tyburski I'll take care of it, you don't have to do that." Christina told her as she rubbed her forehead and sighed out then taking a seat at her desk, "yes I understand the situation and I promise you I will deal with it."
"Ok I will, and thank you for letting me know, you have a nice day to, goodbye." she told her as she hung up the phone.
"What was that all about?" Bobbie asked as she turned to hand Tom the sheet of paper she was holding.
"oh nothing just one of our new nurses trying to tell Dr. Tyburski how to do her job she told me if I don't handle it she going to file a report, I am way to tired for this." she told them as she lowered her head onto her desk.
"Its going to be ok, have you eaten yet?"
"No I haven't, I came in and fell asleep, would still be that way if Tom hadn't came in and woke me up."
"Come on Chrissie you know you need to eat." she told her as she stood up and headed for the door.
"I know I just need to find something I can eat that wont upset my stomach."
"Do you want me to bring you back something to eat?"
"Don't worry about it Bobbie I'll take care of it." Tom told her as he got to his feet and walked over to Christina's desk."
"Ok, well if you need me I'll be in the ER." she told her as she headed out the door.
"Thanks Bobbie, we'll talk later," she told her as Bobbie started to close the door behind her leaving it cracked just a little, "and you Mister." she stood up and wrapped one hand around his waist and the other around the base of his neck leaning up and kissing him softly but deep.
"Christina." Kelly said as she opened the door and walked in not realizing that she wasn't alone, Christina broke the kiss and turned to the sound of her name.
"I think we've been busted," she told Tom as they both started laughing but the look on Kelly's face was priceless as she stood there just about speechless.
"I am so sorry Christina, Dr. Wakefield I didn't mean…oh my god….I can come back later." she told her as she turned to walk out of the room.
"Its ok Kelly," Christina told her as she started laughing a little harder. "Please come in and have a seat."
"Are you sure Christina I didn't mean to interrupt you?"
"Your fine, its no problem, what can I help you with?" she asked still with a little laughter in her voice.
"I'll go take care of that for you, Kelly." he told her as he kissed her again and headed for the door.
"Bye Dr. Wakefield, again I am so sorry for walking in on you guys."
"It's ok Kelly." he told her as he patted her shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile.
"Tom nothing with bread please, thank you sweetie. Ok Kelly what can I help you with?" she asked as she took a seat at her desk.
"ok there was a ten year old little boy admitted late last night he's a gun shot victim and his mother just arrived she hysterical because the officers out side his door wont let her in to see him, from my understanding she just found out he was here.
"Ok first I didn't know we had officers on Ped's no one told me this, and second why in the hell aren't they letting her in to see him?"
"Yeah there saying that he's a witness or something and he's in protective custody but there not telling her anything other then that, I just don't understand why they wont let his mother in to see him she not going to hurt him at least I don't think she is, they are only letting medical personal in."
"Ok I'm not sure what I can do but I'll try and find out what's going on." she told her as she made it to her feet and they both headed for the elevators.
"Thanks Christina."
"Don't thank me yet I still have to get her in to see him." she told her as they reached the Peds floor. As they walked over to the lady in the Peds waiting room.
"Christina this is Ms. Young, Theodore's mother."
"Hello Ms. Young I'm Christina Hawthorne Director of nursing here at James River," she told her as she extended her hand as she introduced herself.
"It's nice to meet you."
"Umm… I'm having a problem understand why they won't let you in to see your son?"
"They won't tell me anything they just said that there not letting any one in but hospital personal."
"Ok let me see if I can find out something for you."
"Thank you."
"I'll be right back sit tight." she told her as she got up and walked over to the officers standing by the boys room, "excuse me Good morning I'm Christina Hawthorne Director of nursing here at James River I have a mother over there going out of her mind with worry trying to see her son and she telling me that you have been order not to let anyone in but hospital personal why is that?"
"nice to meet you Mrs. Hawthorne I'm officer Lee, and this is officer Barnett and we're just doing as were told ma'am you will have to talk to the Detective in charge he should be here soon that's all I can really tell you other then the boy was a witness he's been shot and is in protective custody, I feel for her but I'm sorry I can't let her in until I get the ok to, its for his safety."
"I understand that and thank you." she told him as she shook his hand and started to walk back over to the mother she really didn't understand what was going on and how was she going to explain to Theodore's mother that she couldn't see him she knew that it was more to the story then what was being told. She needed a little more information because it all seem to sound a little strange to her that they would deny the parent in to see there child. As she got half way back over to explain to the mother what the officer had told her she paused at hearing. "Detective Renata good morning" and she turned back to the sound of the Detective's name.
"Nick! Are you handling this case?" she asked him as she started walking back toward the Theodore's room.
"That I am, Christina how are you?"
"I'm good, and yourself?"
"I'm good thank you for asking, it's been a few weeks since the last time I saw you your looking good" he told her with a wide smile.
"Thank you, your not looking bad yourself."
"So I take it that your having a problem with my men standing out side the door?"
"well yeah, but my problem right now is that they wont let anyone in but hospital personal, I have Theodore's mother over here in the waiting room and she a little hysterical, and I don't blame her she has been trying to get into see her son for the last hour and your officers are telling me that she can't, I just would like to know why? I understand that he's a witness in something and in protective custody but from his mother? The boy has been shot forbid something goes wrong and she's not in there he's ten he has to be scared out of his mind I understand he alone in there."
"Christina calm down the boy's father is on his way."
"Well where is he?"
"He an airline pilot he's on a flight back from London to the states as we speak."
"Ok I don't understand what does that have to do with his mother?"
"She didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" she asked him in a curious way.
"She has no legal rights to Theodore she gave up custody and all parental rights when he was born to his father."
"So what you're telling me is that legally she's not the next of kin, come on Nick there has to be something that we can do?"
"Christina by law you can't even give her medical information on his condition, until his father gets here and tells us its ok there is nothing I can do."
"Well when will his father get here? And who in the hell was he staying with, why is he here alone?
"he should be here in the next three or four hours, he was staying with his aunt and we have her in custody right now she is his only family other then his father that's all I can really tell you Christina." he told her as he noticed that Tom was standing at the nurses station watching them. "I see that Dr. Beautiful is still watching over you."
"What are you talking about?" he nodded his head in the direction that Tom was standing in she turned to see him standing there watching there interaction.
"So are you two seeing each other now?"
"Yeah we are in fact were getting married on Friday."
"Congratulations Christina, you deserve to be happy."
"Thank you Nick, and so do you."
"Just let him know that he better not hurt you, because I'll…."
"You'll what?" she interrupts him with a smile and a little laughter in her voice.
"I'll kick his ass for one then lock him up, I'll find a way to do It to." he told her with laughter in his voice has he gave her a huge smile. I'll see you later I think you need to talk to the mother and to Dr. Beautiful over there before he has a hissy about you being over here talking to me I can see it all over his face that you will have a few questions to answer, I'll check in with you later listen I'll text you when the father gets here, I'll see if I can get him to let the mother in to see him I'm not promising you anything I don't know what the situation is between them.
"Thanks Nick that sounds good, and I understand that there are no guarantees but please don't forget to let me know."
"I wont and your welcome Christina." he told her as he turned around and headed back to the officers standing in front of the little boy's door. Christina started to walk over to the mother and stopped as she took noticed of the expression on Tom's face.
"Tom, are you ok?" she asked pulling him to the side.
"I'm fine Christina what was that all about?"
"its about a ten year old boy that was admitted late last night of a gunshot wound his mother is right over there, they wont let her in to see him, are you telling me that you didn't know about any of this?"
"No Christina I didn't, don't you think I would have told you it I had known, ok why won't they let her see him? She is the mother."
"Yeah I know but it turns out to be a little more complicated then that he's in there alone I'm sure he's scared to death his father is on his way back into the states but still I just couldn't imagine what she is going through not being able to see him it turns out that she has no legal rights to him she gave up custody and all parental rights when he was born to his father and now I have to go over there and tell her that we can't give her any information on his condition and that there is nothing I can do about her seeing her son."
"You want me to go with you?"
"Would you?" she asked with a smile.
"You know I will, and your food is on your desk but I'm pretty sure it cold by now."
"What was it?"
"The breakfast special with no toast, I'll get you something else after were done here you need to eat something."
"I know but you know what?"
"What's that?"
"I like you taking care of me."
"You say that now lets see how you feel in a month or two." he told her as he gave her a smile as they reached Kelly and the mother of the little boy.
"Ms. Young I'm so sorry but there is nothing I can do to get you in to see your son, why didn't you tell me that you gave up all legal rights to your son? With out the permission of the legal guardian we can't even give you any information on his condition as of this point."
"When an old friend called and told me that he had been hurt all I could think about was being with him. But when I got here and saw that he had police out side his door I just thought if I didn't say anything that I would still be able to see him because I was his mother.
"I understand and I am truly sorry, until his father gets here and gives us the say so we can't let you in, I am really sorry."
"Thank you for trying, is it ok if I stay around until his father gets here?"
"Umm…you can but please understand that the nurses are instructed not to give you any information on his condition."
"I understand, and thank you again."
"Your welcome I'm sorry I couldn't do more." she told her as she and Tom walked off and headed back down to her office. "That has to be really hard to have your child in a hospital and can't be with them."
"I'm sure it is but Chris there is nothing we can do." he told her as his pager started to go off. "Sorry babe that's Dr. Kent I told him to page me when he went into the O.R. I'll page Bobbie to get you something to eat if you want me to"
"Don't worry about it, I have some yogurt and fruit in my office I'll try eating some of that; I'll see you later, love you."
"Love you too." he told her as he looked around before kissing her goodbye and heading in the opposite direction. Christina started back down the hall and remember that she still had to deal with the nurse telling Dr. Tyburski how to do her job so she took off and headed for the elevator and the second floor. As she reached the floor and stepped off the elevator she heard a code grey for the ER she paused for a second then continued on to the nurse's station.
"Hey Ray, where is the new nurse Tammy at?"
"Umm…I Think she in with Mr. Killjoy don't tell me Dr. Ty called you?"
"Yes she did, ok seriously that's his name?" she asked as she looked at him funny.
"Yeah it is." he told her with a little laughter in his voice and a smile on his face "are you here to talk to her about what happened with Dr. Tyburski?"
"Yes I am."
"Come on Christina she was just doing her job she caught a medication error she showed me and I told her to double check with the doctor, Dr. Tyburski is blowing this way out of proportion she's only doing it because she didn't want to be shown up in front of Dr. Stevens you know she has a thing for him."
"Is that all it was Ray? Hey! Wait a minute he's married, anyway I still need to take to her about it or Dr. Ty is going to write her up."
"I know, and here she comes." he told her as he saw her approaching the nurses station.
"I'm guessing I'm in trouble?" she asked as she looked from Ray to Christina.
"Not exactly," she told her as she pulled her off to the side look Ray explained to me what happened just next time when you catch something like that pull the doctor off to themselves, ok let's try it that way and let's see what happens."
"Ok Christina thanks."
"Your welcome, now go do what you know." she told her with a big smile. "Hey Ray if your good here I'm headed back to my office page me if you need me."
"will do Christina." he told her as he watched the elevator doors close, as she started back to her office she realized that she had went all morning with out eating something and it was now way past lunch Tom and Bobbie was going to kill her when they found out, as she walked into her office she took noticed on her desk that there was two cups on it and a note that read (I'm sure your off handling some kind of emergency or something but you still need to eat so I drop this off just as you left the second floor yes we both have eyes on you so eat up mommy love ya Bobbie.) she smiled and open the cup with the chicken salad and started to eat as she worked on some paperwork about two hours into she got a text from Nick telling her that the father was there, she finished her paperwork and started to head up to Ped's as she ran into Camille.
"Hey! Sweetie what are you doing here?" she asked her as she hit the button on the elevator.
"Hey, mom umm…I came to talk to Tom but he's not in his office."
"I'm not sure but I think Tom's still in surgery"
"Christina?" a voice from down the hall called out to her.
"It'll be a few hours before he's out." she told her as she turned to the sound of her name. "Yes Shalynda what can I help you with?"
"I just need you to sign this requisition form."
"There you go."
"Thanks Christina."
"your welcome, and you, I need to head up to Peds to take care of something are you going to hang out here my office is open, I should be back in a little bit."
"Ok mom, oh and how is my little sister doing?"
"Your little brother is doing just fine now that he's full." she told her as they both started to laugh and the elevator doors opened. "I'll be back in a little bit." she told her as the doors started to close, as she made it to Peds Nick met her at the elevator doors.
"Christina we have a problem."
"What is it?"
"The father thinks that it's not in the best interest of his son for him to see his mother right now."
"Ok I don't get it why not!"
"He thinks because she has been out of his life for the past 10 year that it will take an emotional toll on him."
"Has any one told her?"
"Not yet, I'm not even sure she know he's here, I have been trying to talk him into it but he's not hearing what I have to say."
"So he's really serious about not letting her in to see him?"
"You can try and talk to him yourself if you want to he's in the room with his son as we speak."
"yeah I think I will I just want to talk to her first just in case he still determined about not letting her see him. What's his name?"
"Mr. Carr, Theodore sr. good luck I really hope you can talk him into it." he told her as he headed for the boys room.
"Hey Nick thanks a lot."
"Almost anything for you Christina." he told her as he turned back around.
She smiled at him and headed over to where the young boys mother was at Christina took a deep breath as she entered the Ped's family waiting room. "Ms. Young how are you doing?" she asked her as she took a seat next to her.
"I'm doing ok."
"umm…I'm not sure if they told you or not but Mr. Carr is here and he feels that its not in the best interest of your son to let you see him, but I'm on my way in to talk with him I can't make you any promise but I will do my best to get him to change his mind and let you see him if I can't do that maybe I can get him to let me at least tell you how he's doing."
"Thank you Mrs. Hawthorne."
"Your welcome I'll be back as soon as I can hopefully with some good news. Christina stood up and headed for the young boys room she took a deep breath and knocked then entered the room.
"Mr. Carr hello I'm Christina Hawthorne Director of nursing here at James River." she told him as she extended her hand as she introduced herself to him.
"Its nice to meet" he told her as he extended his hand to shake hers "are you the one that has been taking care of my son?"
"No sir that would be Nurse Kelly."
"Ok I just wanted to thank her for taking care of him until I got here."
"I will be sure to let her know, Mr. Carr is there any way I can talk with you outside please?"
"Is something wrong?"
"No Mr. Carr I would just like to discuss a few things with you that's all if that ok with you."
"Sure."
"can we step outside please." she asked him as he stood up and followed her outside the door, please Mr. Carr over here, umm… what I would like to talk to you about is Ms. Young and letting her see you son, I know that you feel that its not in your son best interest but she has been here all morning waiting for you to come so that she could see him, we had to explain to her that we couldn't give her any information on his condition or let her in the room with out your permission I do understand the circumstances that's involved here but doesn't it show you just a little bit how much she really cares about him she here she just wants to see him and know how he's doing I can have nurses Kelly bring her in and stay if your uncomfortable with just the two of you in the room with your son Kelly will stay until your ready for her to leave and the officers will still be right out side the door.
"your right and maybe her just seeing him wont hurt, ok you can tell her that its ok and yes I would like nurse Kelly to stay with us, I would really like to thank her for looking after my son."
"Thank you Mr. Carr I really appreciate you doing this." She told him as she stood up and shook his hand again and headed to find Kelly.
"Hey Kelly, can you come with me please."
"Sure Christina"
"I need you to do something." she told her as they made there way over to the Ped's family waiting room, "Mr. Carr that's Theodore's father is willing to let his mother see him only if someone other then the two of them are in the room. Ms. Young."
"Yes what did he say?"
"He agreed to let you see him only if Nurse Kelly is in the room with you all is that ok with you?"
"Yes that's fine thank you so much."
"You're welcome so please come with me," she told her as they all made there way over to the young boys room. "are you ready just to let you know he's hooked up on a few monitors so try taking a deep breath." she told her as her pager started to go off.
"Ok I'm ready."
"Kelly's going to walk you in, hey Kelly if you need me page me."
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh Mrs. Hawthorne thank you again."
"Your more then welcome take care." she told her as Kelly walked her into the room and she headed down to the ER.
"Hey Bobbie did you page me I'm just headed to that meeting?"
"Yeah I did, did you eat?"
"Yes Bobbie I did now I need to go, hey if you see Tom will you tell him that Camille is here looking for him she was headed to my office about an hour ago."
"Will do."
"Thanks Bobbie I'm headed for the meeting."