Elliot knelt beside her. Her left foot was still in the pothole, and Elliot could see her ankle was already starting to swell.
"It's broken," Liv said through gritted teeth. "I'm sure."
"I am so sorry," Elliot told her, as people started to gather around them. "Liv, I'm just going to pick you up and move you to the sidewalk, so you're out of the street, okay?" She nodded and put her arms around him. He picked her up, trying to keep her ankle as still as possible, but she still groaned in pain. He brought her to the sidewalk and sat down, holding her in his arms until the ambulance arrived. He helped the paramedics lift her onto the stretcher, then sat next to her in the ambulance holding her hand. When she was brought into an exam room, he sat with her while they waited for the doctor.
"I can not believe this is happening again," she said. "I just can not believe it."
"I know," he said, stroking her forehead. "It's so unfair." The doctor did a quick initial exam, confirming that she suspected her ankle was broken and telling them that she'd order pain medication and x-rays.
"Do you want me to call Garland or McGrath?" he asked her.
"Garland," she said. "I can't deal with McGrath." He found her phone and called. "He said he was sorry," he told Liv. "Told you to take whatever time you need and he'll deal with McGrath." Her phone rang a minute later. "It's Fin," he said. "You want me to answer?" She nodded.
"Fin, it's Elliot. I'm with Liv at the emergency room. She stepped in a hole in the street and probably broke her other ankle," he said.
"Not again," Fin said. "Shit. Tell her not to worry about anything here. I've got it covered."
"Thanks," Elliot said, sighing.
He texted Ayanna quickly, who immediately responded to take the rest of the day off.
"I can't believe our wedding is so soon," she said, tearing up.
"I know," he said, holding her until they took her to x-rays.
When they brought her back into the room, as soon as the nurse left, she turned to Elliot and burst into tears. Elliot sat on the bed with her and just held her.
When the doctor came in, she sat down across from Olivia. "Is the pain medicine not enough?" She asked immediately.
"It's not that," Olivia said through tears. "I'm getting married in eight weeks, and I just recovered from breaking my other ankle."
"I'm sorry you're going through this again," the doctor said. "Your ankle is broken, but it's a small fracture. It doesn't need to be set, and you don't need a cast or surgery. You do need to stay off of it initially, but you should hopefully be off crutches in two weeks and out of the boot by six weeks. You should be back to normal activity in eight weeks and starting more strenuous exercise.
"Really?" Liv said, encouraged.
"It's a small, less severe fracture this time, so the recovery will be much easier and faster than when you injured your right ankle. I do want you home and resting as much as possible for at least the next week until your follow-up appointment though."
Olivia turned to Elliot once the doctor had left. "I mean, it's a lot better than I thought, but I still can't believe this is happening again right before our wedding."
"I know," he said, "I'm so sorry. I love you, Liv."
