Laurie Bradford checked the chart on her next patient. This was the one the day shift had warned her about. As she opened the door and quietly approached him, she could see that he was facing away from her, twitching in his sleep. Unwilling to startle him, she assessed him from a few feet away
He was a tall, fit man and Laurie eyed the restraints with professional detachment to be sure they would hold. Carefully she stepped around until she faced him and then spoke just loudly enough to gain his attention.
Mr. Gibbs, I need you to wake up.
Instantly his eyes flew open and she was startled by the transformation in his face. While he dozed he had looked almost relaxed, now there was a hard wariness to him, mixed with a touch of confusion. Having dealt with concussion patients before, Laurie was used to the confusion, perhaps even the wariness. But the hardness in this man's face and eyes spoke of things she was uncomfortable with.
Mr. Gibbs, my name is Laurie and I'm the night nurse here. I need to ask you a few questions. Do you remember what happened to you?Car accident. Only it was no accident. His voice was scratchy and dry.
Laurie merely nodded and made a note on the chart. Do you know what day it is?What day it was Thursday when I had the accident. How long have I been asleep?
She smiled. Not that long. We don't let the concussion patients get any rest. It's still Thursday. How many fingers am I holding up? three. As she noted his correct answer, she watched as he tried to lift a hand and found the restraints still in place. How long do I have to stay tied up? She could hear frustration creeping into his voice.
That's up to the doctor. You were thrashing about pretty good earlier. We needed to be sure you wouldn't hurt yourself, anyone else, or, she looked him directly in the eye, try that escape you kept threatening.My head is killing me, he complained quietly.
I don't doubt it. You took quite a blow from what your chart says. Unfortunately, concussion victims have to tough it out. No pain med for you, doctor's orders. She smiled to take the sting out of the words.
Setting aside the chart, she leaned closer. Speaking of concussion, let's take a look at that lump on your head. She brushed his hair aside with one hand and was about to lift the other from its position at his side to check the bandage. She was unprepared for the hand that suddenly imprisoned her wrist.
Please, you have to help me. I need to get out of here! The intensity of his ragged whisper and in his piercing blue eyes pinned her in place. Just release one wrist, I won't tell anyone.
At the word wrist', Laurie's eyes dropped to the strong fingers encircling hers, but her gaze was caught by what his movements had exposed. The protective pad for the leather restraint had shifted and in his struggles he'd carved a bloody line into his own wrist. Her nursing instincts took over instantly.
Mr. Gibbs, you've injured yourself. Let me see to this. She deftly peeled his surprised fingers from her arm and set about assembling the necessary items to bandage the laceration while she continued to talk to him.
What's out there that's so important that you cannot allow yourself to heal? She began by carefully loosening the restraint one notch and swabbing the raw and bloody cut with a pre-moistened alcohol swab.
She felt his arm tighten at what surely must be a stinging sensation, but her patient's voice was steady as he answered her. A man. A man of evil. She could feel his blue eyes study her, but she did not take hers off her task.
Deftly layering gauze over the length of the damaged skin and adding extra for padding, she taped it down securely, continuing the conversation. And what is so evil about this man that makes you risk your life?
She repositioned the manacle over the blood-red bracelet and expertly tightened it down so that it could not move and chafe. Then she met his eyes, waiting to see if he would answer.
At the renewed pressure, Gibbs tried to yank his arm back from her fingers. He murdered a woman. Another agent. A member of my team.
She watched him cover his pain with fury and said simply, You need to heal, before you can chase a murderer. You have a severe concussion, two cracked ribs and on top of that you seem to have given yourself an overdose of caffeine. You need to allow your body to process that and stay where you can be safely monitored for the time being. Now, I'll be back to check on you in an hour. Try to rest, Mr. Gibbs.Wait! If you won't help me out of here and I can't have anything for the pain, can you at least help me get a drink of water? I'm thirsty and I can't reach anything.
Laurie approached him warily and poured a cup of water. Then she gently held the cup to the patient's lips while carefully cradling his head so he could drink slowly. When the cup was empty, Laurie lowered his head back to the pillow and was pleased to note that he seemed to be calming slowly.
Mr. Gibbs, you are seriously injured and you need your rest. I know you're still wound up from the caffeine and I'm going to be waking you up every hour because of your concussion, but I want you to try your best to get some sleep.
What about getting rid of these restraints?As soon as we're sure you're not going to hurt yourself or take off on us. In case they didn't tell you caffeine overdoses sometimes produce psychoses. Laurie watched her patient grimace.
You're saying I'm psychotic? he exclaimed.
I saying, if you get some rest and let your body heal, then we can take these off. Get some sleep Mr. Gibbs. I'll keep an eye on you. She gave a faint grimace of her own as she left the man to find some comfort between the bonds and his body's torment.