Chapter 9 - Strike Out
Jordan watched the strange nurse carefully, following her movements as the woman walked casually around her room. Frankie was off-duty that night, and she had sent this cold nurse to take care of Jordan. Pushing her food tray away from her, Jordan caught the attention of the nurse at last.
"You're not going to eat?" the nurse said, her voice sending shivers down Jordan's spine - she didn't have that friendly tone Frankie had. Jordan started to cough in response but surpressed it, surprised by the odd tickle she felt in her chest. "Fine with me, not my life your ending," the nurse muttered, picking up the food tray and putting it on the cart. "Frankie told me you wouldn't eat, so she told me to hook you up to the IV today," the nurse said, and Jordan glared angrily at her.
The nurse looked up and returned the glare, starting to set up the IV. "So Frankie said you don't speak to anyone but Dr. Romano," the nurse commented, and Jordan looked up at her warily. "Don't know why you made that choice - he's a little prick," the nurse hissed. Jordan felt her face start to grow scarlett in anger, and she clenched her fingers in her right hand into a fist - she was so angry she didn't realize what a huge accomplishment that was for herself. "Anyway," the nurse continued as she connected the IV, "if you ask me he deserves what happened to his daughter."
Without warning Jordan swung her arm towards the nurse. She put her arms up to protect herself, but she was too late; Jordan's fist connected with her face forcefully. With a cry the nurse stumbled backwards, leaving Jordan fuming in her bed.
"Jordan!" Dr. Ross shouted, hurrying into the room from the hallway. He put his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from sitting up, his eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing?" he asked harshly, looking over at the nurse. She had her hand over her eye, and was bending over in pain. Walking away from Jordan, Dr. Ross, put his arm around the nurse's shoulder. "I'll be back for you later," he said strongly, turning and walking out of the room. Jordan just glared after him angrily, unable to stop the hot tears from streaming down her face.
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"I heard you attacked some other nurse, eh?" Frankie asked, putting Jordan's chemotherapy down before her. The girl just stared up at her tiredly, sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah, word gets around here quickly. Doesn't seem like you though, she must've said something or other," Frankie mused out loud, and Jordan's eyes flashed.
"Alright," Frankie changed the subject, sitting down next to Jordan. "What is it going to take to get you to eat?" she asked her, and Jordan paused. Reaching over, she picked up her own chart and circled something. "Dr. Romano," Frankie read outloud as Jordan handed the chart to her. "Why am I not surprised," she said dryly, sighing and putting the chart back. "Okay.you really want him down here?" she asked, and Jordan nodded vigorously. "Let's write him a little note then, shall we?" she suggested, taking out a piece of paper and pen. Jordan looked at her carefully, unsure of what Frankie was planning. "Dear Incompetent Dumbass." Frankie started, and Jordan snickered quietly.
"Your presence is requested in room 726, where Princess Jordan is impatiently awaiting your return. Come visit her soon, and all will be forgiven. Yours sincerely, Princess Jordan and her minion Frankie."
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Picking up Jordan's chart, Romano studied it as he strode into her room. "Hey Hissy Pissy, I hear your not eating anymore," he said, not bothering to look up.
"Hey Jerkoff I hear you're not visiting your favorite patients anymore," Jordan shot back, her quiet voice cold and distant.
"Now that's now true, I've just been really.busy.wow," Romano's voice trailed off as he finally looked up. "You're a skeleton," he said in a surprised voice.
"Were you born an asshole or is it a skill you've developed?," Jordan sneered, looking away.
"Well, I was born an incompetent dumbass, apparently, but I've managed to hone my skills and move up to level Asshole," Robert replied dryly.
"You got my note?" Jordan asked with fake cheer, rolling her eyes.
"No, I call myself an incompetent dumbass all the time," he said sarcastically. "When's the last time you've eaten?" he asked her, walking forwards.
"You have the chart if you care," she snorted, and Romano frowned.
"Don't be like that," he said, and Jordan just rolled her eyes. "You know that I'd love to visit you more often, but I've been really busy lately."
"Excuses won't get you anywhere."
"Giving nurses black eyes won't get you anywhere either."
"Don't bring that up now."
"Why not? It's not exactly respectable behavior."
"Because you weren't here," Jordan snapped. "You don't know why I punched her, and you have no goddamn right to judge," she said, her voice raising dangerously.
"You're right, I wasn't here," Robert replied calmly, a sharp edge to his eye. "I was informed that when the nurse put you on IV, you decided to give her a nice shiner - good shot by the way, I like your work," he said, but Jordan gave no hint of a smile. "So if that's not the case, then why don't you inform me exactly of what happened?" he asked. After a pause, Jordan looked away and crossed her arms over her chest. "What, you're not going to talk to me now?" Robert asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed as he glanced over her chart again.
"She called you a prick," Jordan muttered, not looking up.
"So? I am an prick," he replied with a wry grin, but Jordan shot him a withering stare. "Just because some nurse insults me doesn't mean that you have to try to take her eye out, although I appreciate the thought," he said, standing up. "Listen, I need to run, but I promise you that I'll be back in a couple of hours," he said, patting her shoulder. "Try not to beat up anymore nurses," he said as he walked towards the door.
"She said that you deserved what happened to your daughter," Jordan's voice caused him to stop in his tracks.
"What?" he asked, turning back around. A new fire lit in his eyes, and he looked at Jordan in shock. "She said that?" he asked, and she glared angrily at him.
"You think I'd really go after her if she just called you an asshole? I call you one every day," she said, an insulted tone hidden in her undertones. Robert walked back over to his bed, his anger evident but carefully controlled.
"How does she know about her?" he demanded, and Jordan looked up with a snort.
"How would I know? I certainly didn't tell her," she said with a bitter laugh that turned into a violent cough. She held back the cough with some effort, but not before Robert's eyes fell curiosly upon her face. "Anyway I doubt she'll say anything anymore," she continued, crossing her arms over her chest. Slowly the fire dimmed in Robert's eyes as he glanced at the broken angry girl, and he frowned.
"Oh Jordan, I'm sorry," he said gently, and she looked at him with sharp eyes.
"Glad to know your opinion of me is so high," she continued angrily, and Robert's eyes flared up again.
"I said I was sorry."
"I don't care."
Robert was taken aback by her angry tone, and he tried hard to contain his own anger. "Listen, there isn't anything else I can do," he said.
"Get me off of this IV," Jordan demanded, and Robert shook his head.
"Not until you start eating again," he said, and Jordan glared at him. He glared right back, crossing his arms over his chest in mockery.
"Fine," she snapped. "Go get me some crackers," she muttered in defeat, and with a dry smile Robert produced some from his jacket pocket.
"I knew you'd see things my way," he said, the angry expression leaving him. Jordan looked up at him flatly, not allowing his pleasant mood to alter her expression. Taking the crackers reluctanly from him, she frowned.
"Well?" she asked, motioning to the IV.
"Eat one first," Robert said, and Jordan narrowed her eyes. "Eat it," he said warningly, and Jordan stuck out her tongue at him. As she nibbled on the cracker, he slowly unhooked her from the IV that had been feeding her nutrients. He watched her angry, defiant expression, and after a moment he leaned close to her ear. "Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?" Jordan asked, not looking at him but not moving away either.
"For being a friend," he mummured, leaning back and putting the IV away. "I really am sorry," he said, his gentle tone faded slightly. She looked up at him, and shrugged after a pause.
"Not your fault you think out of your ass," she muttered, and Robert had to smile.
"See, now that's the girl I'm used to," he said as he walked towards the door. "See you in a couple of hours, oh Queen of the Bratty Children," he winked at her.
"Thanks for the crackers, King of the Assholes," she shot back. Although she still didn't smile, he knew that she was no longer upset. With a wave of his hand he disappeared around the corner. Putting the cracker down, Jordan sipped the water at her bedside. She closed her eyes and leaned against the pillow, her head swimming from exhaustion. After a moment's pause, she sighed defeatedly and picked the crackers up again, nibbling on them slowly.
Jordan watched the strange nurse carefully, following her movements as the woman walked casually around her room. Frankie was off-duty that night, and she had sent this cold nurse to take care of Jordan. Pushing her food tray away from her, Jordan caught the attention of the nurse at last.
"You're not going to eat?" the nurse said, her voice sending shivers down Jordan's spine - she didn't have that friendly tone Frankie had. Jordan started to cough in response but surpressed it, surprised by the odd tickle she felt in her chest. "Fine with me, not my life your ending," the nurse muttered, picking up the food tray and putting it on the cart. "Frankie told me you wouldn't eat, so she told me to hook you up to the IV today," the nurse said, and Jordan glared angrily at her.
The nurse looked up and returned the glare, starting to set up the IV. "So Frankie said you don't speak to anyone but Dr. Romano," the nurse commented, and Jordan looked up at her warily. "Don't know why you made that choice - he's a little prick," the nurse hissed. Jordan felt her face start to grow scarlett in anger, and she clenched her fingers in her right hand into a fist - she was so angry she didn't realize what a huge accomplishment that was for herself. "Anyway," the nurse continued as she connected the IV, "if you ask me he deserves what happened to his daughter."
Without warning Jordan swung her arm towards the nurse. She put her arms up to protect herself, but she was too late; Jordan's fist connected with her face forcefully. With a cry the nurse stumbled backwards, leaving Jordan fuming in her bed.
"Jordan!" Dr. Ross shouted, hurrying into the room from the hallway. He put his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from sitting up, his eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing?" he asked harshly, looking over at the nurse. She had her hand over her eye, and was bending over in pain. Walking away from Jordan, Dr. Ross, put his arm around the nurse's shoulder. "I'll be back for you later," he said strongly, turning and walking out of the room. Jordan just glared after him angrily, unable to stop the hot tears from streaming down her face.
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"I heard you attacked some other nurse, eh?" Frankie asked, putting Jordan's chemotherapy down before her. The girl just stared up at her tiredly, sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah, word gets around here quickly. Doesn't seem like you though, she must've said something or other," Frankie mused out loud, and Jordan's eyes flashed.
"Alright," Frankie changed the subject, sitting down next to Jordan. "What is it going to take to get you to eat?" she asked her, and Jordan paused. Reaching over, she picked up her own chart and circled something. "Dr. Romano," Frankie read outloud as Jordan handed the chart to her. "Why am I not surprised," she said dryly, sighing and putting the chart back. "Okay.you really want him down here?" she asked, and Jordan nodded vigorously. "Let's write him a little note then, shall we?" she suggested, taking out a piece of paper and pen. Jordan looked at her carefully, unsure of what Frankie was planning. "Dear Incompetent Dumbass." Frankie started, and Jordan snickered quietly.
"Your presence is requested in room 726, where Princess Jordan is impatiently awaiting your return. Come visit her soon, and all will be forgiven. Yours sincerely, Princess Jordan and her minion Frankie."
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Picking up Jordan's chart, Romano studied it as he strode into her room. "Hey Hissy Pissy, I hear your not eating anymore," he said, not bothering to look up.
"Hey Jerkoff I hear you're not visiting your favorite patients anymore," Jordan shot back, her quiet voice cold and distant.
"Now that's now true, I've just been really.busy.wow," Romano's voice trailed off as he finally looked up. "You're a skeleton," he said in a surprised voice.
"Were you born an asshole or is it a skill you've developed?," Jordan sneered, looking away.
"Well, I was born an incompetent dumbass, apparently, but I've managed to hone my skills and move up to level Asshole," Robert replied dryly.
"You got my note?" Jordan asked with fake cheer, rolling her eyes.
"No, I call myself an incompetent dumbass all the time," he said sarcastically. "When's the last time you've eaten?" he asked her, walking forwards.
"You have the chart if you care," she snorted, and Romano frowned.
"Don't be like that," he said, and Jordan just rolled her eyes. "You know that I'd love to visit you more often, but I've been really busy lately."
"Excuses won't get you anywhere."
"Giving nurses black eyes won't get you anywhere either."
"Don't bring that up now."
"Why not? It's not exactly respectable behavior."
"Because you weren't here," Jordan snapped. "You don't know why I punched her, and you have no goddamn right to judge," she said, her voice raising dangerously.
"You're right, I wasn't here," Robert replied calmly, a sharp edge to his eye. "I was informed that when the nurse put you on IV, you decided to give her a nice shiner - good shot by the way, I like your work," he said, but Jordan gave no hint of a smile. "So if that's not the case, then why don't you inform me exactly of what happened?" he asked. After a pause, Jordan looked away and crossed her arms over her chest. "What, you're not going to talk to me now?" Robert asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed as he glanced over her chart again.
"She called you a prick," Jordan muttered, not looking up.
"So? I am an prick," he replied with a wry grin, but Jordan shot him a withering stare. "Just because some nurse insults me doesn't mean that you have to try to take her eye out, although I appreciate the thought," he said, standing up. "Listen, I need to run, but I promise you that I'll be back in a couple of hours," he said, patting her shoulder. "Try not to beat up anymore nurses," he said as he walked towards the door.
"She said that you deserved what happened to your daughter," Jordan's voice caused him to stop in his tracks.
"What?" he asked, turning back around. A new fire lit in his eyes, and he looked at Jordan in shock. "She said that?" he asked, and she glared angrily at him.
"You think I'd really go after her if she just called you an asshole? I call you one every day," she said, an insulted tone hidden in her undertones. Robert walked back over to his bed, his anger evident but carefully controlled.
"How does she know about her?" he demanded, and Jordan looked up with a snort.
"How would I know? I certainly didn't tell her," she said with a bitter laugh that turned into a violent cough. She held back the cough with some effort, but not before Robert's eyes fell curiosly upon her face. "Anyway I doubt she'll say anything anymore," she continued, crossing her arms over her chest. Slowly the fire dimmed in Robert's eyes as he glanced at the broken angry girl, and he frowned.
"Oh Jordan, I'm sorry," he said gently, and she looked at him with sharp eyes.
"Glad to know your opinion of me is so high," she continued angrily, and Robert's eyes flared up again.
"I said I was sorry."
"I don't care."
Robert was taken aback by her angry tone, and he tried hard to contain his own anger. "Listen, there isn't anything else I can do," he said.
"Get me off of this IV," Jordan demanded, and Robert shook his head.
"Not until you start eating again," he said, and Jordan glared at him. He glared right back, crossing his arms over his chest in mockery.
"Fine," she snapped. "Go get me some crackers," she muttered in defeat, and with a dry smile Robert produced some from his jacket pocket.
"I knew you'd see things my way," he said, the angry expression leaving him. Jordan looked up at him flatly, not allowing his pleasant mood to alter her expression. Taking the crackers reluctanly from him, she frowned.
"Well?" she asked, motioning to the IV.
"Eat one first," Robert said, and Jordan narrowed her eyes. "Eat it," he said warningly, and Jordan stuck out her tongue at him. As she nibbled on the cracker, he slowly unhooked her from the IV that had been feeding her nutrients. He watched her angry, defiant expression, and after a moment he leaned close to her ear. "Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?" Jordan asked, not looking at him but not moving away either.
"For being a friend," he mummured, leaning back and putting the IV away. "I really am sorry," he said, his gentle tone faded slightly. She looked up at him, and shrugged after a pause.
"Not your fault you think out of your ass," she muttered, and Robert had to smile.
"See, now that's the girl I'm used to," he said as he walked towards the door. "See you in a couple of hours, oh Queen of the Bratty Children," he winked at her.
"Thanks for the crackers, King of the Assholes," she shot back. Although she still didn't smile, he knew that she was no longer upset. With a wave of his hand he disappeared around the corner. Putting the cracker down, Jordan sipped the water at her bedside. She closed her eyes and leaned against the pillow, her head swimming from exhaustion. After a moment's pause, she sighed defeatedly and picked the crackers up again, nibbling on them slowly.