Wishing on a Star
Chapter 3 – Familiar Faces
Ruth was beginning to feel reassured. It was nice knowing Jay had her back although he had laughed hysterically for a good five minutes when he had come around the day following their conversation and spotted her living room was covered with hand written notes on how to treat problems such as a dislocated elbow or asthma. Thankfully the cheeky nurse had quickly redeemed himself by pointing out that it was good idea even if it was a little comical that her bland living room was decorated with nothing besides notes about how to treat a patient. It was working though, going back over some of her more basic textbooks had helped her refresh her memory.
It wasn't long until she found herself facing a much bigger challenge than the slow paced world of cubicles. It was a particularly quiet shift. Ruth had been watching from a distance as Jay challenged Noel to a game of 'throw the scrunched up bit of paper into the bin from the furthest distance possible' when Nick approached her.
"Doctor Winters, just the person I wanted to see!"
Ruth turned around to see Nick stood eying her intently.
"How do you fancy doing something a bit more challenging for a while?" he enquired
"I…" Ruth immediately bit back the nerves remembering Jay's words of reassurance "Sure." She liked to get into good books and knowing she would be winning brownie points by doing whatever Nick asked certainly made her keener to say yes.
"I have to do some paper work, I would like you to be in charge of resus for a couple of hours." He said simply "Ok?"
"Yes Mr Jordan." Ruth replied robotically despite a sudden wave of fear and nerves flooding her body.
"It has been quiet today so it shouldn't be too busy." He stated simply
"Ok." Ruth nodded
"It's about time this paper work got done, let me know if you need me!" he said simply and Ruth nodded as he vanished.
She took one look at the double doors and bit her lip. She could do this couldn't she?
Ruth turned to see if Jay was still loitering hoping to catch him alone to tell him what Nick had asked and hopefully gain his support but her heart fell as she spotted Tess dragging him off to cubicles obviously looking displeased about the fact he was doing nothing when he could have been doing something. She sighed. It would be much simpler if everyone knew about their relationship, she still wouldn't know what to say if she did chase after him but she could do it without worrying about what her colleagues would think.
She looked back down at the patient's notes in her hand tapping them so the pages were all level. It couldn't be that bad anyway. Mr Jordan wouldn't have asked her to do it if he didn't think she could and he had said it was quiet.
Famous last words. It was only five minutes later the double doors crashed opened and in came Dixie and Jeff wheeling a trolley. Ruth bit her lip took as deep breath and stepped forwards only to be shocked to recognise the patient in front of her.
"Maryam Shakiba, suspected broken arm and bruising from a fall at home." Jeff explained
Ruth was speechless she waved her arm to direct Dixie and Jeff to put Maryam into bay two as Charlie and Scarlett joined them.
"She seems a bit shaken…" Dixie started as they all helped move Maryam onto the bed.
"I am here you know!" Maryam croaked irritably
"Thank you Dixie." Ruth nodded before turning to Scarlett "Get Staff Nurse Faldren."
"Nurse Summers?" Maryam enquired as Ruth stepped closer trying to focus on what to do first.
Ruth nodded and Charlie looked slightly bemused as she began to remove the temporary support the paramedics had applied to Maryam's arm. It was surprising that as soon as she got stuck in her mind instantly clicked into action telling her things to look for and ask. However Ruth couldn't be more thankful that Maryam was not in a critical state, partially as she was sure her brain would instantly freeze at the sight of a critical patient and she was terrified she may kill someone and partially because she didn't want Maryam to be critically ill for Jay's sake.
"How did this happen?" Ruth enquired as she checked Maryam over
"I just tripped over my own feet, such silly old fool!" he chuckled slightly before breaking down into a mini coughing fit
"Did you fall unconscious or anything when you fell?" Ruth checked as she took her pulse. "Do you remember it all?"
"Every last detail, my body may be that of an eighty year old but my mind sharp as a teenager!" Maryam said simply as Ruth instructed Charlie to arrange an x-ray
"And how is the COPD?" Ruth asked
"Gradually getting worse but that is to be expected." Maryam said simply and factually, Ruth was a little shocked with how blunt she was about the situation but not completely surprised Maryam obviously knew her time was limited and she didn't want to dwell on it or lie to herself "How about you dear, how are you doing?" she asked as Ruth tried to focus on examining the arm deciding it was definitely broken
"Ok thank you." Ruth nodded guessing Jay might have told his Nan she had been ill too. She stopped. Initial check-up over she was suddenly unsure of what to do next.
"Are you going to apply a temporary support until we can get up to x-ray?" Charlie asked interrupting Ruth's moment of panic
"Yes, yes I am." Ruth nodded quickly setting to work
"Jamshid never shuts up about you." Maryam confessed as Ruth applied the support
Ruth turned bright red at this comment and was thankfully saved from forming a response by Jay himself bursting into resus.
"Nan? what the hell happened!" He asked his face white as a sheet
"I'm fine Jamshid! That irritating neighbour sticking her nose into everything as usual!" Maryam commented irritably
"Nan you've broken your arm by the looks of things!" Jay pointed out before turning to Ruth "Have you checked her bloods, oxygen, arranged an x-ray…" Jay began to real off the list of treatments his Nan needed Ruth suddenly found herself feeling a little frustrated by his lack of trust when she was treating someone he cared about but she shook it off knowing he was only worried about his Nan.
"She couldn't have been more thorough." Charlie chipped in "X-ray will be ready in five minutes."
"The main injury is her arm, she has some minor bruising and her chest isn't so good but I have already put her on extra oxygen and we couldn't expect it to be any better with the COPD and the shock of the fall." Ruth explained her clinical head firmly in place feeling proud of herself for coping so well despite the patient being familiar.
Jay relaxed slightly and nodded taking his Nan's hand.
"I thought I told you to be careful!" he said simply
"I was being careful Jamshid!" Maryam immediately jumped in "But the chores won't do themselves whilst you are off gallivanting!"
"I should have been there…" Jay sighed as Charlie announced that they were ready to take Maryam up to x-ray
Ruth watched as Jay helped Maryam into a wheelchair. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Jay had been at hers that night, she had never really thought about Maryam having to cope without her grandson whenever he visited her. Was it her fault that Maryam had fallen and hurt herself? Logically Ruth tried to tell herself it wasn't but inside her heart fell unable to think about anything other than her role in the events that build up to Maryam ending up in the hospital.
It wasn't long until Jay, Charlie and Maryam returned from x-ray. a simple fracture had been identified and Ruth found herself bandaging the older lady's arm into a plaster cast whilst Jay announced he was going to fetch her a cup of tea whilst Charlie headed to cubicles to check on a patient.
"You're quiet dear." Maryam commented noting Ruth's change in attitude as she returned to the quiet resus to have her arm bandaged
"Sorry I am just trying to make sure I do a good job." Ruth half lied, she was focusing hard on making sure the bandage was applied correctly.
"Are you sure there's not something else on your mind?" Maryam asked "A problem shared is a problem halved." She pointed out with a small smile
"It's nothing really." Ruth lied
"If it was nothing it wouldn't be playing on your mind." Maryam said simply
"It's my fault you are in here." Ruth confessed looking up from the plaster she was applying "Jay was with me last night."
"Don't be so silly dear." Maryam shook her head "actually I am relieved to hear he was with you. When he started to go out along more I was worried, I was concerned he was out in pubs or clubs with god knows who."
"No he was with me." Ruth confirmed "We're… we're sort of going out again"
"Well it's about time!" Maryam smiled "The way he talks about you, I have not heard him talk about anyone like that."
"We haven't really told anyone yet, we're taking it slow." Ruth confessed
"Well I am happy for you." Maryam smiled "It's been a tough year for both of you hasn't it?" she asked
"Yes it has." Ruth nodded slightly as Jay burst back into resus with a cup of tea in his hand
"One cup of tea fresh from the glorious machines in reception." He announced oblivious to the conversation he had interrupted "Is your arm back in one piece yet?" he asked Maryam offering her good arm the paper cup. Ruth couldn't help but smile at his ability to see the light and make a joke about any situation.
"Not quite but your girlfriend here is doing a good job aren't you dear?" Maryam said simply making Ruth blush a deep shade of red as Jay eyed her up with a small smile surprised but pleased she had felt comfortable enough to confess to his Nan that they were together again.
"She better be!" He smiled as Ruth finished the bandage and wandered over to the counter to tidy up. Jay followed her shuffled his feet a bit looking slightly awkward.
"Sorry for quizzing you earlier." He apologised "I probably didn't help your confidence did I?"
"Well no but it's your Nan and you only wanted the best treatment for her." Ruth shrugged as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek.
"Thanks for taking care of her; she couldn't have had a better doctor." He said quietly with a small smile heading back over to Maryam's bedside. Ruth couldn't help but smile at Jay's words and the scene in front of her. Some people might have thought that Jay was a bit of an idiot incapable of being serious but right now he was showing the world the sensitive grown up side of him that Ruth loved best.