A/N: Just a quick note to clarify that this story is set in London. Two reasons: one, the thing which inspired me referencing the Whittington which is where Regina is in this chapter, and two, I'm British and I went to London for the first time since February 2020 on Wednesday and I've missed it so much! Therefore, anything in relation to healthcare and immigration will be written in that context.
Her fingernail scrapes the side of her thumb, scratching absentmindedly at the damaged skin as she looks around the empty room. There's not much to distract her. A couple of posters on the wall with smiling doctors and patients, warning of common signs of various illnesses. The computer screen where the nurse had been sitting showed the NHS logo and Regina was sure that if she clicked the mouse, she'd be presented with a login screen. Not that she needed to use the computer. Although she was curious to see what her patient records said. Would there be a comment or note beside her previous visit? Probably not. That doctor had accepted her lie, no questions asked.
She absentmindedly allowed her fingers to drift up to her top lip, the gouge in her flesh still pronounced enough to be felt beneath their tips. If only she'd been lucky enough to see that doctor again. He wouldn't have pushed for answers; he had no interest in how she'd got hurt and instead focused on doing his job which was to stitch her up. She wondered if he'd even recognise her. She'd changed so much in the past year. Heroin did that to a person. It aged you, far beyond your years.
Twenty-one. Had it not been for that text from her mother, she might well have forgotten it was her birthday. It wasn't like there was anyone to celebrate with. It would have just slipped by, another day, nothing special. Because she was nothing special, nothing to celebrate. God knows she's learned that over the eighteen months. She'd been told it often enough, reminded of it on a daily basis. And yes, she now accepts it, recognises the truth behind those words. They hurt the first time she heard them but now they just describe who she really is. Worthless, unloveable, slut.
The door opened, jerking Regina from her thoughts. In walked a tall blonde woman who smiled broadly at her. "Hello, Regina. My name is Doctor Fisher. How are you doing this morning?"
"I'm fine but I'd like to get these strips finished so I can leave. I have to be somewhere in an hour." The lie came smoothly out. She was used to lying by now. It was second nature.
"Ok, let's see if we can get you moving then. Nurse Swan just asked me to assess your jaw. She wanted to ensure there were no broken bones," Doctor Fisher explained. "Are you happy for me to take a look?"
"It's not broken, I'm fine," Regina grumbled but obligingly turned her head slightly so that the doctor could take a look.
Doctor Fisher crouched down so she was level with Regina's jaw and repeated Emma's request for the woman to open her mouth steadily wider. Regina stoically remained silent through the pain as the skin stretched taut once more. Doctor Fisher was at least tender when she touched the area around the damaged skin. Briefly Regina wondered when the last time she had been touched in such a gentle way had been. Well, aside from Nurse Swan a few minutes earlier.
It didn't take long for the doctor to make her assessment. "Well, I think an x-ray just to be safe would be a good idea. It's possible a bone fragment has been chipped."
While it wasn't what Regina wanted to hear, she knew if she protested too much, it might arouse suspicion. "Ok, will it take long?" Regina asked, glancing at the clock. She was also conscious to the fact that while she didn't actually have anywhere to be, her absence from her crummy accommodation would be noticed in a few hours.
"No, not long at all," Doctor Fisher reassured. "Just sit tight and I'll go and get you booked in. Nurse Swan will be back soon to finish off the steri-strips."
Regina nodded her understanding, deciding not to say that she'd rather not see Nurse Swan. The woman was too nosy and she got the feeling the blonde wouldn't back off until Regina was out of the hospital and she didn't have a choice but to drop her inquisitive behaviour. But at least she was one healthcare professional down, Regina mused as Doctor Fisher left, closing the door behind her and leaving her alone once more.
She pulled out her mobile and swiped open that message from her mother. She read it three times before responding. Her fingers tapped out the letters; she knew the right words to say, she knew what would be expected. She'd had enough experience pretending everything was going wonderfully in London and telling her parents what they wanted to hear. They didn't suspect anything was wrong. In a weird way, Regina was proud of herself for how good she'd become at lying to them. Because she knew that if they knew the truth, it would kill them.
She slid her phone back into her pocket and reached into her handbag to pull out a book. But only a few pages in, the door opened once more. The meddling nurse was back. "Hi Regina, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine but I'd really rather skip this x-ray and just get those steri-strips finished. I have somewhere to be."
Emma's smile faltered at the abrupt words. "Right, well, I can get the steri-strips done for you but Doctor Fisher told me she did want you to have an x-ray. If you left now, it would be against medical advice."
"But I can leave?" A glimmer of hope rose inside her as she put her book back into her bag.
"I mean, yes, we're not going to force you to stay here but, Regina, I really do recommend you have the x-ray. It's free, you know."
"I know that," Regina spat. "I've been here for over a year. I know how the NHS works."
"Right, sorry," Emma nodded, cheeks reddening. "Well, let me finish the strips and then you can decide what you want to do, ok?"
"Fine," Regina replied.
Emma sat back down in her chair and gathered together the discarded strips which she'd left on her desk when she disappeared to find Doctor Fisher. "So, you've been here for over a year?"
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the attempt to make small talk, Regina nodded. "Yeah just over eighteen months."
"And you're from Puerto Rico?"
"Yes."
"I've never been. What's it like?"
"Hot. There are good beaches."
"I love the beach," Emma said as she applied another strip to Regina's jaw. "Why did you come to London? Not too many beaches near here plus the only time the weather is good enough to enjoy it, half the country turns up on about five hundred metres of sand and you can't move for other people."
"Yes, well, not everything is about beaches."
Emma was silent for a few seconds, unsure exactly how to respond to Regina's comment. "So, um, what do you do here?"
"I'm a librarian," Regina replied.
"Really?"
"You sound surprised."
"Sorry, it's just not what I was expected you to say."
"Not every librarian wears cardigans and horn rimmed glasses."
Emma laughed. "Yeah, ok, you're right. Sorry, I was definitely stereotyping. So, is that why your English is so good?"
"Excuse me?"
The blonde had the good grace to look sheepish. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."
"Don't believe everything you read in the Daily Mail," Regina replied tersely.
"Hey, I don't read the Mail!" Emma exclaimed, so affronted at the notion that she forgot she had just been accused of racist assumptions.
"Well, you could have fooled me."
Regina watched as Emma pressed her lips together, clearly wanting to say something but not quite knowing what. She felt rather pleased with herself for getting the blonde to shut up for a moment. For almost half a minute, the nurse worked in silence.
"I'm sorry," Emma murmured as she attached the penultimate steri-strip. "I really didn't realise I was saying anything wrong."
Despite herself, Regina felt a little sorry for the woman who was clearly feeling guilty for having upset her patient. She decided to put the nurse out of her misery.
"My mother is American," Regina offered. "I grew up speaking English at home."
"Oh, right, that makes sense."
"Puerto Rico is a US territory. I'm a US citizen."
"Yes, I remember when Trump said he was the best thing to have happened to Puerto Rico."
Despite everything which had happened that day, Regina laughed. But then winced as her jaw protested at the movement. "Shit, don't make me laugh." As she said it, she tried to remember the last time she had laughed. She couldn't.
Emma offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I … ok, this is going to sound weird but it's nice to see you happy."
There was an awkward pause. Regina didn't know what to say to that because the nurse was right; it did sound weird. What investment did she have in Regina's happiness? Maybe it was why the woman had become a nurse. Aren't they supposed to be some of the most compassionate people in the world? Regardless of why it was said, Regina didn't know the appropriate response.
"Sorry," Emma said. "Again. I seem to be saying that a lot to you."
"It's ok," Regina replied. "Um, are you finished?"
"Almost. One more strip. Hold still." Emma got to work and finished off closing the woman's wound. Once in place, she checked the rest of them and sat back, satisfied that the cut was now going to be able to heal. "Ok, you're good. And Doctor Fisher will be back in a moment to take you to x-ray. She should have booked you in now, let me check the system."
Hoping the action would stop Regina from walking out, she tapped her computer to life and entered her password to pull up Regina's records. Cross referencing her NHS number, she found her patient and clicked open the files connected to the woman's medical history. "Yeah, you've got an x-ray booked in for fifteen minutes time. It'll only take a few minutes and it's painless but it might help us treat your jaw better."
"How?" Regina asked. "It's not as if you can put it in plaster like a broken arm."
"It's still important we know what's happening. If it's a serious break, we might need to do surgery."
"Surgery? I don't need surgery. I'm fine."
"Probably but it's better to be safe," Emma replied, still looking at her computer. "Um, you were here last summer too?"
Regina bristled. "So?"
Green eyes scanned down the screen. "Your lip. You had it stitched?"
"Yeah, I did."
Emma turned to look at her patient, defiance radiating off the brunette. "Got hit by another door?"
The accusation hung heavy in the air. Regina refused to break the intense eye contact the nurse had locked on her. She wasn't going to even answer that. It was none of her business and Regina didn't owe her any explanation.
"Thank you for your help today. I appreciate it and I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave now."
She got to her feet, sliding her bag up her arm and turning towards the door.
"Regina, stop, please." The hand on her wrist was what stopped her, not the words. Her body froze as the fingers closed over her skin. Emma sensed her reaction and released her at once another apology slipping from her lips. "Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"You didn't hurt me," Regina replied. "But I'm leaving now."
"Regina, no, you can't. Not yet, please."
"Not yet? I told you, Nurse Swan, I don't want the x-ray."
"No, it's not that, I -"
Regina turned around. "You what? You want to get involved in something that doesn't concern you? You want to be my saviour? Well, I don't need to be saved, Nurse Swan. So back off and leave me alone."
"I … I can't," Emma declared.
"Why not? Got some sort of white saviour complex?"
"No," Emma pushed back. "But my dad is outside this room right now, and he wants to speak with you."
"Your dad?" Regina frowned. "Nurse Swan, what the hell is going on?"
A/N: for anyone who isn't aware, the Daily Mail is a horrible newspaper over here which supported Brexit and often writes anti-immigrant pieces. Don't read it (or their online site - they get ad revenue from views/clicks). Have a wonderful week!