Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
Chapter 5: Lu's Strange Behavior
Lu splashed cold water on her face, then leaned against the bathroom wall.
"I've got to pull myself together." She scolded herself.
"You talkin' to yourself?" Lana emerged from one of the stalls.
"Uh...Lana. I didn't know you were in here." Lana smiled.
"Well, that's a bit obvious. So what was Harry doing here? He want to rekindle an old flame?" Lu slowly shook her head. "Uh...no....I don't think so. He..."
"Did you tell him? About the rape?"
"Yeah." Lu answered slowly. "I told him."
"How'd he take it?" Lana questioned.
"Lana, I really don't feel like talking about it right now, okay? I just..." At that moment Lu's beeper went off. She quickly glanced at it. "Damn. I'm wanted in ER." With that, she ran out of the bathroom. Lana stared after her, shaking her head.
"Who paged me?" Lu asked as she rushed into the ER.
"I did." Answered Dr. Warren Gayle, who had only been at Rittenhouse Hospital for a couple of weeks. "Rape victim, exam room #8." Lu suddenly felt as if her feet were glued to the floor, and a large lump formed in her throat. A sudden touch on her shoulder caused her to jump. "You okay, Lu? Want me to page Dana?" Nick asked, concerned. Lu slowly shook her head. "Uh...no. It's okay, Nick. I'll...I'll take it." Nick nodded as Lu disappeared into the exam room.
When Lu arrived in the exam room, she found a young woman seated on the table, her blonde hair messed, and tears streaking her pale cheeks.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Lu Delgado. And this is Nurse Donovan, victim's advocate here. You were raped?" The young woman nodded. Lu went over to the cabinet and pulled out a rape exam kit. With trembling hands, she opened the box and began removing its contents.
"Full name?" Lu asked.
"Raelynne Kristyne Bridger."
"Date of birth?"
"June 19, 1972." Lu quickly wrote down the answers as Raelynne answered them. "Relationship to victim?" Lu asked.
"Acquaintance." Raelynne answered. When Raelynne looked up at Lu, Lu saw herself weeks earlier, sitting on that very table, being asked those very questions by her partner, Dana. Lu took a deep breath, trying to keep control of her own emotions and hide her own pain from this young woman.
"I'm scared, Dr. Delgado." The woman whispered. "I'm afraid that I could be pregnant. I'm not on birth control. What if I am? I can't have a baby. Not now. I just can't be pregnant. I can't raise a baby alone." By now, Raelynne was crying, almost hysterical.
Lu started to speak, then stopped. What could she say? She had the exact same fears. How could she comfort this young woman? Nurse Donovan glanced at Lu, who had suddenly seemed to go into a trance. The color had drained from her face, and she was trembling.
"Who paged me?" Dana asked as she arrived in ER a short time later.
"I did." Nick answered. "I wanted you to be down here in case..."
"In case what, Nick?" Dana questioned. Nick nodded towards exam room #8.
"Lu is in there treating a rape victim. I offered to page you, but she said that she would take care of it. But the look on her face...I'm sorry if I bothered you."
"It's okay, Nick. I'm glad you did."
"I think maybe it is too soon for her to be handling cases like this. It will just bring back the memories." Dana nodded in agreement. "Yeah. But you know how Lu is. She won't let anything stop her if she can help it." At that moment, Nurse Donovan approached them, a worried look on her face. "Dr. Stowe, something's wrong with Dr. Delgado."
"What?" Dana questioned.
"She is doing a rape exam. She seemed okay until the woman started crying and asking if she could be pregnant. Dr. Delgado went into a trance or something, like she is frozen in place or something." Dana looked at Nick, then at Nurse Donovan. "Okay. I'll take care of it." Dana hurried to room 8. By now, Lu had managed to continue with the exam. But Dana could see that her friend was shaking, and knew that Lu was having a difficult time.
"Lu, why don't you let me take over?" Dana asked softly. "You look like you could use a break." Lu nodded slowly, then rushed out of the room.
"I'm Dr. Dana Stowe." Dana introduced herself to Raelynne.
"Is something wrong with that other doctor? Why did she leave like that?" Raelynne questioned, wondering if she had maybe done something to upset Lu.
"Is it me? Did I do something?" Dana shook her head. "No, of course not. Dr. Delgado is just going through a difficult time right now. Believe me, she knows exactly what you are going through right now."
After Lu had left ER, she rushed back to her office, almost colliding with Lana. "Lu, I need you to..."
"Not now, Lana." Lu went into her office, slamming the door shut behind her. Lana shook her head.
"There she goes again." Lana went back to the reception desk, once in awhile glancing towards Lu's office and wondering if she should go check on her friend.
Lu sat down at her desk and rested her head in her trembling hands. She couldn't stop the tears that fell freely down her cheeks. She had never before allowed herself to choke in front of a patient. And certainly not in front of her co-workers. She had always been strong. "What is happening to me?" Lu asked herself.
"Dr. Stowe, may I talk to you for a moment?" Dana had finished with the rape exam, and was leaving the ER when Nurse Kelli Donovan caught up with her. Dana stopped and turned around. "Sure. What is it?"
"I was wondering about Dr. Delgado. I know I haven't been here long, and I've never worked with her before. But I really don't think her behavior is very professional. She blanked out while treating a patient. What if it had been a life or death situation and that happened? I think I should talk to Dr. Jackson about it." Dana shook her head.
"No, that won't be necessary. Maybe you..."
"And how could you tell that young woman that Dr. Delgado knows exactly what she is going through? No one could know that unless they've been there themselves. How could you lie...?" Dana took a deep breath, trying not to allow herself to become upset with the new nurse.
"Nurse, you're right. You haven't been here very long. And to come in here and call Lu unprofessional and me a liar...maybe you should learn the facts before you pass judgement on the staff here." Kelli was taken aback by Dana's sudden outburst. "I don't think..." Kelli started, but Dana interrupted. "Six weeks ago, Dr. Delgado was raped by the chief of surgery here. Within a week he was out of jail and back here at work. When they went before the grand jury, he was acquitted because of insufficient evidence. Dr. Jackson forced her to take a leave of absence because he didn't think she was fit to care for her patients. This is her first week back. Do you still think that she is unprofessional? Lu is one of the most professional staff here." Dana concluded.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know." Kelli said softly. "I won't talk to Dr. Jackson."
"I'm glad to hear it, Nurse. I just think it's too soon for her to be treating rape victims." Kelli nodded in understanding as Dana excused herself and went back into the clinic.
Dana sat back in her chair, thinking about the incident that had just taken place in the ER. Thinking back, she realized that during the past few weeks she had noticed Lu behaving in ways that weren't normal for her.
The morning of the grand jury hearing weeks earlier, Lu had refused breakfast, stating that she wasn't hungry because she was nervous. Was it just nerves or was it something else? And twice this week Lu had been late for work, saying that she hadn't been feeling well, but then seemed fine the rest of the day. And several times Dana had noticed that Lu hadn't even touched her lunch, saying that she wasn't hungry.
Dana was puzzled. It was quite obvious that there was something going on with her partner, but what could it be? She just knew that it had to be more than the rape itself. Something else was bothering Lu, and Dana was bound and determined to find out what it was. She somehow had to get Lu to talk to her, to open up to her, to let go of some of her pain.
Dana hurried out of her office and approached the reception desk. "Lana, where's Lu?" Lana shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine. She left a few minutes ago without a word. I don't know if she's coming back or what. She has been actin' mighty strange this week." Dana nodded.
"Yeah. If she comes back, tell her I'd like to see her in my office."
"Sure, Dr. Stowe." Dana went back to her office, now more puzzled than before.
Chapter 5: Lu's Strange Behavior
Lu splashed cold water on her face, then leaned against the bathroom wall.
"I've got to pull myself together." She scolded herself.
"You talkin' to yourself?" Lana emerged from one of the stalls.
"Uh...Lana. I didn't know you were in here." Lana smiled.
"Well, that's a bit obvious. So what was Harry doing here? He want to rekindle an old flame?" Lu slowly shook her head. "Uh...no....I don't think so. He..."
"Did you tell him? About the rape?"
"Yeah." Lu answered slowly. "I told him."
"How'd he take it?" Lana questioned.
"Lana, I really don't feel like talking about it right now, okay? I just..." At that moment Lu's beeper went off. She quickly glanced at it. "Damn. I'm wanted in ER." With that, she ran out of the bathroom. Lana stared after her, shaking her head.
"Who paged me?" Lu asked as she rushed into the ER.
"I did." Answered Dr. Warren Gayle, who had only been at Rittenhouse Hospital for a couple of weeks. "Rape victim, exam room #8." Lu suddenly felt as if her feet were glued to the floor, and a large lump formed in her throat. A sudden touch on her shoulder caused her to jump. "You okay, Lu? Want me to page Dana?" Nick asked, concerned. Lu slowly shook her head. "Uh...no. It's okay, Nick. I'll...I'll take it." Nick nodded as Lu disappeared into the exam room.
When Lu arrived in the exam room, she found a young woman seated on the table, her blonde hair messed, and tears streaking her pale cheeks.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Lu Delgado. And this is Nurse Donovan, victim's advocate here. You were raped?" The young woman nodded. Lu went over to the cabinet and pulled out a rape exam kit. With trembling hands, she opened the box and began removing its contents.
"Full name?" Lu asked.
"Raelynne Kristyne Bridger."
"Date of birth?"
"June 19, 1972." Lu quickly wrote down the answers as Raelynne answered them. "Relationship to victim?" Lu asked.
"Acquaintance." Raelynne answered. When Raelynne looked up at Lu, Lu saw herself weeks earlier, sitting on that very table, being asked those very questions by her partner, Dana. Lu took a deep breath, trying to keep control of her own emotions and hide her own pain from this young woman.
"I'm scared, Dr. Delgado." The woman whispered. "I'm afraid that I could be pregnant. I'm not on birth control. What if I am? I can't have a baby. Not now. I just can't be pregnant. I can't raise a baby alone." By now, Raelynne was crying, almost hysterical.
Lu started to speak, then stopped. What could she say? She had the exact same fears. How could she comfort this young woman? Nurse Donovan glanced at Lu, who had suddenly seemed to go into a trance. The color had drained from her face, and she was trembling.
"Who paged me?" Dana asked as she arrived in ER a short time later.
"I did." Nick answered. "I wanted you to be down here in case..."
"In case what, Nick?" Dana questioned. Nick nodded towards exam room #8.
"Lu is in there treating a rape victim. I offered to page you, but she said that she would take care of it. But the look on her face...I'm sorry if I bothered you."
"It's okay, Nick. I'm glad you did."
"I think maybe it is too soon for her to be handling cases like this. It will just bring back the memories." Dana nodded in agreement. "Yeah. But you know how Lu is. She won't let anything stop her if she can help it." At that moment, Nurse Donovan approached them, a worried look on her face. "Dr. Stowe, something's wrong with Dr. Delgado."
"What?" Dana questioned.
"She is doing a rape exam. She seemed okay until the woman started crying and asking if she could be pregnant. Dr. Delgado went into a trance or something, like she is frozen in place or something." Dana looked at Nick, then at Nurse Donovan. "Okay. I'll take care of it." Dana hurried to room 8. By now, Lu had managed to continue with the exam. But Dana could see that her friend was shaking, and knew that Lu was having a difficult time.
"Lu, why don't you let me take over?" Dana asked softly. "You look like you could use a break." Lu nodded slowly, then rushed out of the room.
"I'm Dr. Dana Stowe." Dana introduced herself to Raelynne.
"Is something wrong with that other doctor? Why did she leave like that?" Raelynne questioned, wondering if she had maybe done something to upset Lu.
"Is it me? Did I do something?" Dana shook her head. "No, of course not. Dr. Delgado is just going through a difficult time right now. Believe me, she knows exactly what you are going through right now."
After Lu had left ER, she rushed back to her office, almost colliding with Lana. "Lu, I need you to..."
"Not now, Lana." Lu went into her office, slamming the door shut behind her. Lana shook her head.
"There she goes again." Lana went back to the reception desk, once in awhile glancing towards Lu's office and wondering if she should go check on her friend.
Lu sat down at her desk and rested her head in her trembling hands. She couldn't stop the tears that fell freely down her cheeks. She had never before allowed herself to choke in front of a patient. And certainly not in front of her co-workers. She had always been strong. "What is happening to me?" Lu asked herself.
"Dr. Stowe, may I talk to you for a moment?" Dana had finished with the rape exam, and was leaving the ER when Nurse Kelli Donovan caught up with her. Dana stopped and turned around. "Sure. What is it?"
"I was wondering about Dr. Delgado. I know I haven't been here long, and I've never worked with her before. But I really don't think her behavior is very professional. She blanked out while treating a patient. What if it had been a life or death situation and that happened? I think I should talk to Dr. Jackson about it." Dana shook her head.
"No, that won't be necessary. Maybe you..."
"And how could you tell that young woman that Dr. Delgado knows exactly what she is going through? No one could know that unless they've been there themselves. How could you lie...?" Dana took a deep breath, trying not to allow herself to become upset with the new nurse.
"Nurse, you're right. You haven't been here very long. And to come in here and call Lu unprofessional and me a liar...maybe you should learn the facts before you pass judgement on the staff here." Kelli was taken aback by Dana's sudden outburst. "I don't think..." Kelli started, but Dana interrupted. "Six weeks ago, Dr. Delgado was raped by the chief of surgery here. Within a week he was out of jail and back here at work. When they went before the grand jury, he was acquitted because of insufficient evidence. Dr. Jackson forced her to take a leave of absence because he didn't think she was fit to care for her patients. This is her first week back. Do you still think that she is unprofessional? Lu is one of the most professional staff here." Dana concluded.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know." Kelli said softly. "I won't talk to Dr. Jackson."
"I'm glad to hear it, Nurse. I just think it's too soon for her to be treating rape victims." Kelli nodded in understanding as Dana excused herself and went back into the clinic.
Dana sat back in her chair, thinking about the incident that had just taken place in the ER. Thinking back, she realized that during the past few weeks she had noticed Lu behaving in ways that weren't normal for her.
The morning of the grand jury hearing weeks earlier, Lu had refused breakfast, stating that she wasn't hungry because she was nervous. Was it just nerves or was it something else? And twice this week Lu had been late for work, saying that she hadn't been feeling well, but then seemed fine the rest of the day. And several times Dana had noticed that Lu hadn't even touched her lunch, saying that she wasn't hungry.
Dana was puzzled. It was quite obvious that there was something going on with her partner, but what could it be? She just knew that it had to be more than the rape itself. Something else was bothering Lu, and Dana was bound and determined to find out what it was. She somehow had to get Lu to talk to her, to open up to her, to let go of some of her pain.
Dana hurried out of her office and approached the reception desk. "Lana, where's Lu?" Lana shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine. She left a few minutes ago without a word. I don't know if she's coming back or what. She has been actin' mighty strange this week." Dana nodded.
"Yeah. If she comes back, tell her I'd like to see her in my office."
"Sure, Dr. Stowe." Dana went back to her office, now more puzzled than before.