Chapter 8
Christy fell into a cab Monday afternoon and made her way to County. Although it was by far the easiest approach, she thought it best not to enter through the ER. Instead, she had the driver help her up to the main doors.
With many pauses to catch her breath, she made her way to Rose's office. Stopping outside the door to compose herself, Christy thought,
'God, Kim, this had better be worth it.'
She knocked and went in.
Dr. Carrol waited considerately for the other to settle herself in a chair. That done, the two women sat in silence for a moment, Christy sizing up her prospective ally, and Rose, as always, assessing her new patient.
The doctor saw a successful professional of about her own age. She didn't look in immediate pain, although there was something in the blonde's eyes that Rose could not quite identify.
Looking across the desk, Christy felt her spirits lift. Her whole plan hinged on this woman's appearance - and in that, she was not disappointed. The old Kim would never have refused her.
Clearing her throat, Dr. Carrol picked up a pen and began.
"Good afternoon Miss Thomas, how can I help you?"
"Afternoon Doctor. And please call me Christy. "
The other smiled,
"OK, then I'm Rose. - Now you said you were in an accident?"
"Yes, on the freeway. And as you can see I'm still having trouble walking.
"Uh -huh..." Rose was a little puzzled. "Did your Doctor not tell you what to expect?"
Christy opened her mouth to answer, but felt uncomfortable taking this charade any further. She frowned and looked down at her hands.
"Look, to be honest, this wasn't the real reason I called."
Rose raised an eyebrow, coolly holding the other's gaze.
"Oh?"
"No." She took a deep breath and continued.
"You know I said a friend recommended you -"
"I was wondering who that was."
"It was Kim, Kim Legaspi."
"Ah."
Still the doctor had no idea where this was going. She looked to Christy for explanation.
"We've been friends for years - she told me you've met."
"I don't see how this affects your injury."
She looked at her watch, growing impatient.
"Please, let me finish. You have seen her, right?"
"Yes, we've met here several times. I was just being friendly!"
She wondered if Christy's interest in Kim was more than that.
"I know, Rose, I'm not accusing you of anything."
A pause.
"Did she seem a bit down to you?"
"Well yes - her friend was in a coma!"
"I was, true." Rose shot her a surprised look. "But there's more to it than that. I'm very worried about her."
Unable to read the bemused woman's reaction, Christy was characteristically direct.
"Do you want me to leave? Or shall I go on."
"I'm sorry." She held out a hand in submission. "Please - "
"As I said, I really am worried. Kim never wanted to come back to Chicago. And now she's here - she's not coping well. She won't talk to me, she hardly eats, she's out all day god knows where..."
Concerned but confused, Rose asked,
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I know her. She won't listen to me, or Kate - or anyone. She'll just sit back and let her life fall apart. But I'm not gonna let that happen!" she finished fiercely.
"I see. And you want me to...?"
"Help me give her - " she tried to put it tactfully, " - a push in the right direction. I wouldn't ask but with this," she indicated her crutch leaning against the desk, "I'm pretty much useless."
Christy smiled winningly.
"OK - I'll do it."
"Great! You won't regret this."
"I'd better not." Rose sat back, now all ears. "So why did she leave town?"
"Well, there was this Doctor..."
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
Filling her in on the Kerry situation took up the rest of the appointment. Their time over, the two women exchanged business cards.
"You really are a lawyer," smiled Rose.
"Yeah." She grinned sheepishly, "That part was true."
"And your foot?"
"It'll be fine. I'm sorry, but I had to see you."
"Forget it - as long as you're straight with me from now on."
Christy fell into a cab Monday afternoon and made her way to County. Although it was by far the easiest approach, she thought it best not to enter through the ER. Instead, she had the driver help her up to the main doors.
With many pauses to catch her breath, she made her way to Rose's office. Stopping outside the door to compose herself, Christy thought,
'God, Kim, this had better be worth it.'
She knocked and went in.
Dr. Carrol waited considerately for the other to settle herself in a chair. That done, the two women sat in silence for a moment, Christy sizing up her prospective ally, and Rose, as always, assessing her new patient.
The doctor saw a successful professional of about her own age. She didn't look in immediate pain, although there was something in the blonde's eyes that Rose could not quite identify.
Looking across the desk, Christy felt her spirits lift. Her whole plan hinged on this woman's appearance - and in that, she was not disappointed. The old Kim would never have refused her.
Clearing her throat, Dr. Carrol picked up a pen and began.
"Good afternoon Miss Thomas, how can I help you?"
"Afternoon Doctor. And please call me Christy. "
The other smiled,
"OK, then I'm Rose. - Now you said you were in an accident?"
"Yes, on the freeway. And as you can see I'm still having trouble walking.
"Uh -huh..." Rose was a little puzzled. "Did your Doctor not tell you what to expect?"
Christy opened her mouth to answer, but felt uncomfortable taking this charade any further. She frowned and looked down at her hands.
"Look, to be honest, this wasn't the real reason I called."
Rose raised an eyebrow, coolly holding the other's gaze.
"Oh?"
"No." She took a deep breath and continued.
"You know I said a friend recommended you -"
"I was wondering who that was."
"It was Kim, Kim Legaspi."
"Ah."
Still the doctor had no idea where this was going. She looked to Christy for explanation.
"We've been friends for years - she told me you've met."
"I don't see how this affects your injury."
She looked at her watch, growing impatient.
"Please, let me finish. You have seen her, right?"
"Yes, we've met here several times. I was just being friendly!"
She wondered if Christy's interest in Kim was more than that.
"I know, Rose, I'm not accusing you of anything."
A pause.
"Did she seem a bit down to you?"
"Well yes - her friend was in a coma!"
"I was, true." Rose shot her a surprised look. "But there's more to it than that. I'm very worried about her."
Unable to read the bemused woman's reaction, Christy was characteristically direct.
"Do you want me to leave? Or shall I go on."
"I'm sorry." She held out a hand in submission. "Please - "
"As I said, I really am worried. Kim never wanted to come back to Chicago. And now she's here - she's not coping well. She won't talk to me, she hardly eats, she's out all day god knows where..."
Concerned but confused, Rose asked,
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I know her. She won't listen to me, or Kate - or anyone. She'll just sit back and let her life fall apart. But I'm not gonna let that happen!" she finished fiercely.
"I see. And you want me to...?"
"Help me give her - " she tried to put it tactfully, " - a push in the right direction. I wouldn't ask but with this," she indicated her crutch leaning against the desk, "I'm pretty much useless."
Christy smiled winningly.
"OK - I'll do it."
"Great! You won't regret this."
"I'd better not." Rose sat back, now all ears. "So why did she leave town?"
"Well, there was this Doctor..."
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
Filling her in on the Kerry situation took up the rest of the appointment. Their time over, the two women exchanged business cards.
"You really are a lawyer," smiled Rose.
"Yeah." She grinned sheepishly, "That part was true."
"And your foot?"
"It'll be fine. I'm sorry, but I had to see you."
"Forget it - as long as you're straight with me from now on."