Recovery
Part 18
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian
Anything written in between ** is in Dave's dream sequence
Kerry continued to work on her new patient, Vincent. She waited for the results of the EKG and blood work. Vincent started look around the room to see if he could find his ex-daughter in law. People came and went but none of them were Jing-Mei.
Kerry: When did the chest pains start?
Seeing how inattentive he was, Kerry cleared her throat and tried again.
Kerry: Excuse me, Mr. Malta, the chest pains when did they begin?
Vincent: Uh, about an hour ago.
Kerry(to Yosh): Let's give him 10cc lidocaine for the pain.
Carter walks in with the results of Vincent's tox screen and showed them to Kerry.
Carter: Here's his tox screen?
Vincent: Tox screen? What did you need that for?
Kerry: Standard procedure. Let's see what we have?
Kerry looks them over and stares back at her patient. Vincent, looks into the hall trying to see if he can find Jing-Mei, awaiting to hear the wrath of his doctor because he knows what she found in his tox screen.
Kerry: Mr. Malta, among other things it says they found cocaine in your system.
Vincent: Just a small amount is all. I tried, really tried hard to quit.
Kerry: It also says that you have traces of Neoral in your body...Mr. Malta, have you had a transplant?
Vincent: A kidney transplant, yes.
Kerry: You should know better than to use in your condition.
Vincent: I don't need a lecture, besides I'm not here about my kidneys or drug habits. I'm here because of this nagging, fucking chest pain.
Kerry: Hey, watch the language! Let's just take a look at the EKG.
Chuny hands her the EKG and she reads it.
Kerry: Well, you aren't having a heart attack.
Vincent: I'm not. Then what's wrong with me?
Kerry: At best, I'd say it acid reflux disease.
Vincent: What's that?
Kerry: Excessive amounts of acid in your stomach that the digestive system isn't able to break down.
Carter: In other words, you have heartburn.
Kerry: Just stay and rest and I'll going to start you on 30mg of Prevacid.
Vincent lays back on the bed and relaxes as Kerry heads out of the room. Carter stops her before she can get very far.
Carter: Uh, Kerry have you seen Jing-Mei?
Kerry: Upstairs, uh her patient Erik Evad just came out of surgery and she went to check on him.
Vincent concentrates and strains to hear their conversation.
Carter: I need her to cover a shift for me. I'll go up and see if I can catch her.
Kerry: No, you don't. No visitors with that patient, uh, this soon after surgery and she'll probably be up there for awhile. You can speak with her later. Now, check the board. It's starting to fill up.
Vincent(to himself and snapping his fingers): Damn it! I'll have to pay another visit here.
Up on the sixth floor, Jing-Mei entered Erik's room. Erik was laying in bed, barely conscious. He had a ventilator hooked back into his trachea and he was on a heart monitor. Jing-Mei stared at the monitors for awhile to make sure everything was alright. Jing-Mei walked over to Erik's bed and held his hand. Erik started to stir.
Jing-Mei: Erik, Erik, can you hear me?
Erik turned his head towards his wife and smiled at her. Jing-Mei swept the sweat covered hair from his forehead. He pulled his hand from her grasp and pointed at the vent.
Jing-Mei: You want me to take that off you?
Erik nodded and Jing-Mei turned around and saw Elizabeth standing behind her. She didn't have to say a word to Elizabeth, her eyes asked the question for her.
Elizabeth: Sorry, not just yet. We want to give your lungs a chance to rest. The last thing you need to do is strain to breathe. Your heart is very weak. Let's just give the muscle a chance to heal and strengthen.
Jing-Mei looks back at Erik and shrugs her shoulders.
Jing-Mei: Sorry Erik, but she's your doctor and I can't overrule her. Don't worry baby, it won't be long. If you do everything your doctors tell you and get plenty of rest then you'll have that nasty tube out in no time.
Erik: Bbbuttt...
Jing-Mei places her finger on his lips to shush him.
Jing-Mei: Shhhh!!! Just rest now and we can talk later.
Erik closes his eyes and Jing-Mei continues to run her hand through his short jet black hair and hold his hand as he drifts off to sleep.
Back at an apartment across town, Vincenzio walks in and slams the door. Pincard comes running out from the kitchen.
Pincard: What happened?
Vincenzio: Get me a fucking beer!
Pincard goes into the kitchen and in a minute returns with a beer that Vincenzio snatches out of his hand.
Pincard(sarcastically): Good news?
Vincenzio: Don't fucking start with me.
Pincard: Did your idea work? Did you see her?
Vincenzio takes several gulps of beer and looks at Pincard before crashing on the couch.
Vincenzio: Shit no! She was no where around. She was up visiting some patient---Erik something or other. The fucking point is I went all through that for nothing.
Pincard: Are you going back there?
Vincenzio: Unless I can think of some other way to get my little grandsons and train them my way. At least, I know the lay out of the hospital and if I go back I'll know exactly how to find her and who to ask about her. One way or another, I'll have my grandbrats and you'll have your little Asian beauty. Vincenzio crushes his beer can with his hand causing some of the remaining beer to splash out and cover him and Pincard.
The next day, Jing-Mei came into Erik's room. He was conscious but still very weak. Dr. Romano was examining him so she waited back at the door. When it looked that Romano was completing his examination of Erik, Jing-Mei approached only to be stopped by Romano. He took her by the shoulder and led her back over to the other side of the room.
Jing-Mei: Is something wrong with Erik?
Romano: No, he's doing fine. The surgery went well, with the exception of his crashing on the table. This isn't about Erik.
Jing-Mei: You did say that there was something you wanted to talk to me about before you left for your medical seminar. Is that what this is about?
Romano: Yes, it is.
Jing-Mei: Sounds serious.
Romano: It is.
Jing-Mei: Alright, I'm ready. Let me hear it.
Romano: I need to know...well, I have to know uh, well...
Romano starts to pace the floor making Jing-Mei more nervous than ever.
Jing-Mei: Just say it.
Romano: Now that Erik is back with us, will you be bringing your puppy back here to visit him.
Jing-Mei raises an eyebrow and throws a confusing look at Romano.
Jing-Mei: I was hoping too. Will it be alright?
Romano: Sure, no problem. It's just I would like to borrow the puppy at some time.
Jing-Mei: Rascal is hardly a puppy anymore.
Romano: Even better. My little Henrietta is ready to start having a litter and as I told you when I first saw the dog, he would do just fine.
Jing-Mei releases the breath she's been holding on to for so long and tries to hold back a laugh, but fails too.
Romano: May I ask, what is so funny?
Jing-Mei: Nothing. Is that all you wanted to know? You had me scared to death. Of course you can borrow Rascal. I'll have to clear it with Rusty, but I don't think it will be a problem.
Romano: Very well then. Continue with your visit and I'll be back later. We can make arrangements for the dogs' date.
Jing-Mei continues to laugh as she walks over to Erik. He watches her sit down.
Erik: Pppuuppy.
Jing-Mei: Oh, so you heard us. That would be okay with you, wouldn't it? I mean Romano is going to let Rascal come up and visit with you again but he wants to borrow him temporarily. Okay?
Erik: Ppppuppy cccome.
Jing-Mei: Soon, baby. But Romano does bring up an interesting point. You and I haven't consummated our marriage yet.
Jing-Mei starts to stroke Erik's hair. He stares at her.
Jing-Mei: You do know what that means, don't you?
Erik doesn't answer her which she automatically takes as a no.
Jing-Mei: It means you and I have to start acting like a married couple. I mean I realize we can't do it here in the hospital, but you are not going to be here forever. When you are discharged and come home then I want you to be certain before we do anything. I don't want to pressure you but we have our own bedroom with a king-size bed in it.
Erik's eyes start roaming the room completely uninterested in what Jing-Mei is saying.
Jing-Mei: You are definitely not the same guy as you were before...the old Dave would have jumped at that chance to sleep with me.
She moves closer to Erik and starts to kiss him on the lips. He starts to fight her and then gives in to her seductiveness. She starts to let her hand roam down to his lower half and as he feels pressure on his genitals, he panics. He uses all the strength he can muster up and pushes her away. At first she's shocked, but seeing the terror in his face, she realizes what's wrong and goes over to comfort him.
Jing-Mei: Erik, I'm so sorry. I'm going too fast. I know small steps. It's just that when I look at you I keep seeing the old horny Dave that use to flirt with anything in a skirt. I have to remember that you are different and it's going to take some time before we can be an actual married couple. I'm sorry.
She walks closer to Erik but he sinks down into his bed and his heart rate increases. She immediately backs off and his pulse returns to normal.
Jing-Mei: Alright Erik, I'm going back to work so you try to get some sleep and I'll be back to see you later.
She starts to walk out of the room when she turns back and watches him as he falls asleep.
Jing-Mei: I am very sorry, my dear Da..Erik.
Erik starts to dream:
**Davey is eight years old. He and Sophie come home from school to an empty apartment. He sits Sophie on the couch and has her start her homework while he searches the house for food to start dinner.
After ripping the cabinets and cupboards apart, all he can come up with is a can of tuna fish and some stale bread.
Davey: I hope you like tuna, Sophie.
Sophie: It's good, Davey.
Davey: The only problem is no mayonnaise. I'll go see if I can borrow some. You wait right here, I'll be right back.
Sophie remains on the couch while Davey leaves and heads down to Mr. Santini's apartment. He knocks on the door but didn't get an answer. So, as he heads back upstairs he sees his neighbor's three-year old wandering the hall.
Davey: Gino, what are you doing out here? Come here.
Davey takes the little boy's hand and brings him back up to his apartment. He knocks on the door. Gino's mother answers the door.
Mrs. Orlanti: Hello, how may I help you...Davey and Gino, thank god. You had me so worried.
Davey: I found him wandering around downstairs.
She takes her little boy from Davey and puts him inside. She comes back to the door and gives Davey a big hug.
Mrs. Orlanti: Thank you so much, Davey. I just turned my back for a minute and he got out. Thank you for bringing him back to me.
Davey: No problem. I've got to go now.
Mrs. Orlanti: If you need anything, just come over and ask.
Davey: Well, actually I could use some mayonnaise.
Davey goes back into his apartment and starts to make dinner for him and his sister. After they finish, Davey takes the remains of the tuna fish and heads down to the basement and feeds the puppies that he's been hiding downstairs.
Davey: I know this is cat food, but it's the best I can do, little fellows. Luciano, would have loved it. I promised him that I would take care of all his little friends. Remember guys, what ever I have is yours. Now eat. I have to get back to Sophie.
Davey checks out the blanket bed that he set up near the heater for his puppies and fills their water bowl up then he went back upstairs. An hour goes by and Davey makes sure he and Sophie had their baths and brushed their teeth and then head into their bedrooms.
Around about 2am, there's a noise in the apartment. By the sound of the door slamming and staggering, the children know it's their father who's finally home.
Both children are wide awake, but remain in their beds. Davey hears his father mumbling and throwing things. Then he hears footsteps coming towards his room. Davey gets prepared for a spanking, knowing that's the only time his father steps foot near his room. The drunken, high man walks into Davey's room and Davey pretends to be asleep.
Vincenzio: Get your fucking ass out of that bed, boy! Now!
Davey remains under his blankets. Furious at his son's lack of respect, Vincenzio rips the blanket off of Davey and before the boy could run, Vincenzio grabs him and holds him facedown on the bed. The boy starts squirming. Vincenzio pounds his head to calm him down. Davey tries to relax and prepares for the soldering iron. Only that's not what comes. Instead of having his shirt lifted up, his pants are pulled down. Then the little boy feels the weight of his father on him at the same time as he feels pressure and force in his anus. He starts to whine.
Vincenzio: Shut the fuck up, you little wuss or I'll stick a sock in your mouth.
Davey tried to quiet down but he couldn't prevent the tears from running down his face and soaking his sheets. After fifteen minutes, Vincenzio stopped. He left the little boy, crying in his room.
Vincenzio: Don't think this is over yet. I'll be back in for another go around. And you'd better improve next time or else we will keep doing it until you satisfy me, you little faggot.
And Vincenzio was true to his word, every half hour on the half hour, he was back in Davey's room. He would give it to him up the ass mostly but sometimes he would lay him on his back and play with Davey's front package. He would start to caress Davey's penis and fingering his balls. Not being able to take it any longer, Davey started to scream...***
Erik woke up, screaming to the top of his lungs causing Romano and Jing-Mei to run in. Romano, seeing how upset Erik was and from the numbers on his heart monitor knew if he didn't calm down he would be having another heart attack, he gave him a sedative. Jing-Mei ran over to Erik's side and stroked his head. She held his hand as he drifted in and out of unconsciousness. He looked at her with complete fear in his eyes.
Jing-Mei: Erik, Erik what is it? What happened? What's wrong?
Erik slowly tried to calm down and catch his breath but the longer the image in his head appeared the more upset he got.
Erik: Ddddr. Cccchin-hhhe mmee...
Jing-Mei: Take it slow, Erik. What are you trying to tell me?
Erik: Hhhhe mmmme.....hhhe tttoucched mmmee!
Erik started pointing down to his lower half.
Erik: Mmmmee...hurrt no, hhhurt mmmmee.
Stunned, Jing-Mei kept her composure as she continued to question her hysterical husband.
Jing-Mei: Who did, sweetheart? Who touched and hurt you?
Erik(crying): Mmmmy ppp..appa.
Jing-Mei turned to Romano, who was for the first time in his life speechless. She had tears running down her own face.
Jing-Mei: Dr. Romano, I think it's time Erik had his psyche evaluation.
To be continued. Please read and remove.