"MVA coming into the ER," a nurse said to Conrad as he finished typing notes on a computer outside his most recent patient's room.
"I know. I got the page. I'll be right there," he said.
"I heard someone say it's your sister."
Conrad's widened eyes looked up at the nurse and then he took off for the elevator. He called out, "Talk to me," before he reached bay 3 where Nic and Dr. Pravesh were working.
"Three car accident. . . Isabelle was driving. . . airbag deployed. . . couple of broken ribs. We need a line in her!"
The nurse who had been struggling said, "I can't get it. She won't stay still."
"Let me try," Nic pushed in beside the nurse.
Conrad placed his palm on Belle's check in an attempt to calm her and keep her still. He smiled and said, "Hey, kid. You're ok." Isabelle's frantic eyes darted around the room. "Hey," he said again, moving his hand to her forehead, "look at me." When she complied he said, "You're going to be ok. Calm down."
"I'm in," Nic said.
"Push fluids," Dr. Pravesh said. "Possible pneumothorax. We need a chest x-ray and CT scan."
"I want to go home," Belle said.
"You can't go anywhere just yet," Conrad said. "This is my friend Dr. Pravesh. I taught him everything he knows. He's going to take good care of you."
"Don't call Marshall. Promise me. I don't want to see him." Belle's agitation rose.
Conrad knew his father would want to be informed that his only daughter was in the ER, but Marshall and Isabelle had a complicated relationship. "I won't do anything without your say."
"I can't breathe." She tried to gasp for air but failed when the pain tore through her.
"I know, honey. Take it nice and slow."
The monitors began their rapid beep which drew everyone's attention. "She's tachycardic and O2's dropping. Give her .5 Halcion."
All the professionals knew what needed to happen and commenced the dance that practice had perfected. Nic grabbed an intubation tray from the cabinet and Conrad lowered the head of Belle's gurney. He switched places with Devon and squeezed his sister's hand hard, hoping to draw her attention there, away from everything else that was happening to her. Leaning close and gaining eye contact he smiled and spoke in the soft voice reserved for patients. "Isabelle, you broke a rib. We think an edge of it punctured your lung. That's why you're having so much trouble breathing. We're going to sedate you now." Belle shook her head back and forth as tears made tracks down her face. "You're going to be ok. While you sleep Dr. Pravesh is going to put a tube in your throat so you can get oxygen."
"No, please. Take me home." Her voice was small.
"I'll be with you the whole time. I promise. I won't leave you." He saw her eyes close as the drug took effect. "She's out," he said and Dr. Pravesh began the intubation process.
Transport arrived to take Belle, sedated and intubated, for her tests. Devon and Conrad tore the gloves off their hands. Before Conrad could speed up to his sister, Devon caught his shoulder. "Your sister?" he said when Conrad turned to him. "How did she not get mentioned before?"
A broad grin took over the resident's face. "You didn't think Marshall Winthrop only let one slip past the goalie, did you? She's a sophomore at GSU. Doesn't like my dad, as you may have heard. Nic and I try to take her to dinner once every month or so." They walked as they talked.
"She seemed pretty agitated, even for an MVA patient," Devon said.
"Yeah. She's had a rough time."
DBDDBDDBD
.
"Are you going to call your dad?" Nic asked. She managed to get herself assigned to the nurse's station outside the room where Belle had been admitted. She planned on keeping as close an eye as possible on her boyfriend's sister. After all Nic had been through, she valued family. And Conrad's family was her family.
"You heard her in the ER. He's the last person she wants to see right now."
"She wasn't exactly thinking clearly."
Conrad continued typing information into the tablet as he answered her. "I can't betray her, Nic. She trusts me and she does not trust another soul on this earth. She's fragile."
"I get that, but she needs as much support as she can get right now. Your dad will give her that. You know he will."
"I know. But she doesn't. I'll convince her to let me call him. Until then," he pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts. When he found what he was looking for, he looked up at Nic with a twinkle in his eyes and finished, "I'm calling her mom."
DBDDBDDBD
Isabelle's eyes opened when big brother walked through the door. He smiled and sat on the edge of her bed. He pulled the stethoscope from around his neck and listened to her chest. She closed her eyes again and he took the opportunity to examine her complexion and the monitors. She was holding her own, but pale and weak. Doctoring done, he took her hand in his and ran his thumb across the back of it. Her eyes opened.
"How's your pain?" he asked.
"It's fine-" A dry cough choked her words.
Conrad gave her a sip of water. "The intubation tube was removed a little bit ago. That's why your throat is scratchy. It'll feel better soon." He returned the cup to the table and tilted his head a bit in the opposite direction of his crooked grin. "Back to your pain. Scale of 1 to 10?"
Belle inhaled and considered. "Maybe a three?"
"Ok," he said, his hand remained on hers. "The meds you're on should keep it there. Let me know if it gets any worse and I can increase it. Ok?"
She shook her head. "You're not my doctor. You're supposed to be my brother. Can you just do that?"
He laughed, "Probably not, but I'll try. It's kind of who I am."
When a few moments passed and he had not spoken again, she considered his eyes and the small smile that remained on his lips. "You have bad news," she said. "Am I alright?"
"For the moment, you're doing fine. Dr. Pravesh will be in soon to talk to you. Ya know, since I'm not your doctor. It's going to take some time before you're one hundred percent."
Her mind raced to decipher his expression and panic rose. "You called Marshall."
"No," Conrad was quick to respond. "You asked me not to. I won't betray you.."
"Then what is it?"
"I called your mom."
Belle attempted to laugh but coughed again instead. When she recovered she said, "Yeah? How'd that go?"
Conrad remained silent.
"Please stop looking at me like that, Conrad. I don't need your pity." Conrad obliged by standing and walking across the room. "I've been dealing with my mom my whole life. She's not coming here. She doesn't do sick people. And she's got her own shit going on."
Conrad turned to face her. "Ok, but we need to call dad now."
"I do not need you to call Marshall," she said with a failed attempt at a laugh. "I've never needed him before and I don't need him now." Belle closed her eyes. The conversation, plus the coughing, was exhausting her.
"You're a tough cookie, huh? You take care of yourself. Don't need anyone else."
She did not bother opening her eyes. "Yeah, Conrad. That's the way it is. The way it's always been. If you don't want to be here, you can go, too. I'm fine on my own."
Conrad moved to the foot of her bed and stood with his hands on his hips. He spoke through gritted teeth. "I'm not going anywhere. And that's not the way it has to be."
Dr. Pravesh and Nic entered the room together and felt the tension. Nic shifted her eyes between the two and guessed their current topic of conversation.
"Hey," Dr. Pravesh said to his patient, whose eyes opened a bit. "How are you feeling?"
"Sleepy," she said. "And Conrad thinks he's my doctor."
Devon didn't dare sneak a peek at his mentor. "Well, that's what happens when there's a doctor in the family."
Nic stood next to her boyfriend and hoped her presence would calm him. "Come on," she said, giving his arm a tug.
Conrad pulled away. "I'm staying."
"Belle needs to be with her doctor. Let's go." She took his arm again and led him out of the room.
Dr. Pravesh examined his patient as Belle spoke. "He thinks he has to take care of me. He doesn't."
He sat on the edge of her bed and spoke. "You broke two ribs. One of them made a small puncture in your lung. We inserted a catheter, like a small tube, into your chest cavity to remove the air." He paused for a moment to let that information sink in. "Do you have any questions?"
She was not quite clear on what he had said, but her mind fogged over and a question would not formulate. "Not right now," she said.
Medical business settled for the time being, Devon switched topics. "Now, let's talk about Conrad. Two things I know about your brother: he loves taking care of people, and he doesn't do much that he doesn't want to do. Why not let him take care of you? You're going to need help for a little while so you can heal properly." When she didn't answer he continued, "Are you mad at him? Are you trying to hurt him?"
"No. He's literally the only person I have."
He rubbed her leg. "Then maybe let him help."
DBDDBDDBD
Conrad, hands on his hips, paced the hallway outside his sister's room. "I should be in there."
"No, you shouldn't. She needs to be with her doctor. You're the one who said she doesn't trust anyone. Let her build some trust in Devon."
Conrad stopped short at her comments. "You know I didn't mean to exclude you in that. She trusts you, too."
"I'm not worried. Belle and I are working on our relationship. It will come along."
Author's Note: I only own Belle. Thank you for reading. Please review.