A/N: Thank you guys so much for the reviews. I'm so impressed at how deep all of you are and how you catch on to the subtle life changing messages scattered throughout this story. Hallelujah.
Thanks Twike and Profmom 72. Profmom72 and HMonster4 have a new story called The Fates. It cool and different and based off of my life as a social worker (at least that's what I told them). Check it out already.
I also got married today. To Daisy. She told me I'm her ficwife till death do us part. I can't write anything without saying, "Is this funny enough?" and sending it to her. We are going to write a story together soon with the help of JaneAustenlover. It will be wild. Stay tuned.
Good Enough Chapter 5
The only good thing that distracted me from thinking about Emmett and Bella that night was finally talking to my dad on the phone. My mom was going to be furious about missing my call, but Alice was still being unreasonable about giving them clearance to come see me. She was on some sort of power trip or something.
I told him my version of what happened and tried to reassure him that we were just taking precautions, and that there was no real danger. I think we both knew I wasn't being completely honest, but I was confident he could at least convince my mom. He seemed a little choked up at times, and it was a difficult conversation to have with him. I hated that I'd made my parents worry or caused them any pain.
My dad told me he'd had a chance to review my charts and that it looked like I'd been extremely lucky not to be worse off. At that moment I was feeling anything but lucky. I couldn't move around without getting exhausted. Everything hurt. All I did was sleep and watch TV or pretend to be asleep while Jessica was on duty, and there was a pretty decent chance that some really scary people wanted to kill me. Lucky guy – that's me.
"So how do you like Dr. Newton?" my dad asked. I could tell his question was loaded.
"Geez Dad, he's a complete prick."
My dad laughed loudly. "I wondered if you'd notice. He might be some sort of prodigy and God's gift to medicine at this hospital, but he makes my skin crawl."
"He's the poster boy for sexual harassment too. He's making one of my nurses absolutely miserable. If I had the strength, I'd like to take him down a notch or two."
"From what I hear, he doesn't have to do much harassing. I guess he's quite popular with the nurses."
"Not with this one. She can't stand him. I think you know her, Bella Swan."
"Oh yes! Bella! She's a lovely girl and has an excellent mind for medicine. I heard she was thinking about becoming a doctor," my dad said.
"She's getting ready to take the MCATS in a couple of weeks. I guess she hasn't filed a complaint about Newton, because she's counting on his recommendation for school."
"I'm glad you told me. I'm going to see what I can do to help her out with Dr. Newton, and please tell her I'd be happy to write her letter."
"Wow Dad, you don't have to do that."
"I know that, son. I'm not doing it for your sake. Is there some other reason you're so interested in her career?"
"No, nothing like that. I just don't like him treating her like that."
"She's good at what she does. I would have no reason not to want to recommend her to any program she's applying for, and this isn't the first time I've heard about Dr. Newton acting unprofessional. I'm actually quite glad she's taking care of you. There are very few in our profession who strike the perfect balance between intellect and compassion, and she has it."
"I've noticed that too, now that you mention it. Thanks Dad. I'm sure that will mean a lot to her."
"Take care of her too, son. I don't want any reports of you being a difficult patient," my dad warned.
My dad and I talked a little longer. I sent my love to my mom. I really felt terrible about how she must be feeling. Alice was going to have to find a way to get my parents up here soon. My mom has always been my biggest fan. She supported me in everything I did from dressing up like a crazed fan at my high school football games to weeping tears of joy at my graduation from the academy. Her opinion meant more to me than any other single person. I also had the greatest admiration for her relationship with my dad. She treated him like he hung the moon, and he looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. That's what I wanted. That's what I knew was out there waiting for me, if I could only find the woman that made me feel like that.
The next day I had to suffer through my time with Dr. Dork, but I was relieved to see Bella. Emmett and Alice visited frequently, every now and then the officer on the floor would come in to say hi, but most of the time I was bored and lonely. Bella's friendly face was a welcome distraction from the monotony of sleeping and sitting around. I was already growing to respect her, and that was an honor I bestowed on few people.
"So, Nurse Bella, spill it," I said once we were in the room alone together.
"Spill what?" she asked avoiding my smirk.
"Come on, how was your date last night?"
"I'm not even sure I would call it a date," she said avoiding my scrutiny. "I think I would call it more of a hang out."
"Details... I want details." She wasn't getting off that easy.
"Well, he picked me up on a motorcycle, and I was wearing a skirt, so that was … well awkward." She blushed again. This girl was always blushing. I wasn't sure if it was cute or just sad.
"Oh, I bet Emmett loved it," I replied but instantly felt irritated at the thought of Emmett treating her like just any other girl. I wasn't sure why I even cared, but Bella had been taking care of me. I guess you automatically bond with someone you depend on to help you hobble to the bathroom every time you need to piss. It was strange though, I felt protective of her. She had an innocence about her that I wanted to shield.
"I guess," Bella shrugged. "We went to that sports bar over on 5th, he ordered a bunch of appetizers, we played pool, and then he took me home. It was fun."
"So do you think you'll go out again?" I asked not sure of how I wanted her to answer.
"Well, I don't think I'd mind being friends with him, maybe even friends with benefits, but I don't think he's really my type."
"Friends with benefits?" Surely she didn't mean what I thought she meant.
"Yeah, you know, make out and stuff. He's an attractive man, even if he does talk so much it makes my head hurt and burps a lot."
"I didn't think you were like that," I admitted. I had a sudden irrational hatred for Emmett.
"I'm not," Bella chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you were the kind of person who can't take a joke."
I breathed out a sigh of relief. "So let me get this straight…Emmett didn't romance you with his talent of being able to belch the Star Spangled Banner, but you still had fun and wouldn't mind the occasional lip lock."
"Something like that," Bella smiled and I found myself smiling back with my own goofy grin.
"What do you think about Emmett and Rosalie? The whole night I just kept thinking that they would be perfect for each other," she said. "Did you tell him about her?"
"I don't think I mentioned her. I've stopped disclosing all the details about my love life to him and Alice lately, because they give me such a hard time about it. But, you know, I think you might be on to something. I'm just worried she might find him guilty of being a jerk by association."
"That's a possibility, but I think I can convince her you're not too much of a jerk. She usually trusts my opinion."
"Careful there, Bella. The ladies don't seem to go for nice guys, and I wouldn't want you to tarnish my reputation."
"Oh, don't worry. It'll be our little secret that you're actually a decent human being."
"How do you know that? What if I'm not so good? What if I'm the bad guy?"
"You're not. I can tell you're a good egg." She patted me on the head like five-year-old. We chatted a little longer before she left me alone to rest.
Alice stopped by to check in with me just after noon. She looked tired, and I instantly worried about my friend.
"Whitlock, you look like crap."
"You're not looking too hot yourself." She sank down on the bed next to me and put her feet up.
"What's the matter?" I asked taking her hand in mine.
"I just need this case to be rock solid. It's not like I'm glad you got shot, but I'll be honest it was very helpful. I'm just so glad you're going to be okay. I don't know what I'd do without you." She rested her head on my shoulder. Alice and I became fast friends when we met at the academy. I'm thankful she was already dating Jasper, or I probably would have tried to date her and screwed things up like all the rest.
"Now you know how I felt that time you got shot. I couldn't breathe I was so scared, and all I could think about was killing that bastard." I felt my muscles tense just thinking about that day.
"Okay, okay, enough of all this mushy PTSD crap. I need some retail therapy to deal with all this stress. Too bad you're stuck here."
"Yeah, too bad," I said sarcastically.
Just then Bella poked her head in the door to tell me she was heading to lunch and to push the button for Jacob if I needed anything while she was gone. Alice looked down at Bella's shoes, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. She was forming a plan, and once she made a plan, there was no stopping it.
"Bella, I was just about to get something to eat myself. Why don't we go together?" Alice asked sweetly.
Bella looked to her right, then to her left, and shuffled her feet.
"Did you already have plans?" Alice asked oblivious to the fact that anyone could feel uncomfortable about lunching with a stranger.
"No, I was just going to go to the deli across the street to get something. I hate the cafeteria food here."
"Perfect! I'll go with you!"
"Okay, I'll just go get my purse," Bella said looking like she didn't know what hit her.
Once Bella was gone, Alice turned to me, "I think helping the less fortunate will be just what I need."
"Bella's hardly needy." I took offense at what Alice was insinuating.
"No, I mean those shoes! They're florescent and some sort of plastic rubber combination. Gross! I'm taking Bella shopping. Besides what do you care? You already pawned her off on Emmett."
"I didn't pawn her off. She's a nice girl, just not the one."
Alice rolled her eyes at me. We always argued about the way I treated women. I suspected that deep down she's secretly not satisfied with Jasper and had a little crush on me. The last time I told her about my theory, she nearly broke my nose.
I wondered if I should try to warn Bella, but I knew it was no use. There was no stopping Alice. That's what made her such a great investigator. Once she became invested in a case, she would not rest until she saw it through. If Bella knew what was best for her, she would run screaming for her life. Lord knows my closet was never the same after Alice took me on as one of her projects.
Bella didn't return for nearly two hours. Ginormous Jacob had to help me to the bathroom and checked my vitals. I tried to make conversation, but that got old quick. There is only so much you can learn about a person who only communicates through head nods.
I was getting irritated with Alice by the time they got back. My time with Bella was limited by her work hours, and I didn't appreciate Alice monopolizing my entertainment for the day. The girls walked in laughing and carrying arms full of shopping bags. Apparently opposites attract, because they seemed to be getting along like they'd been friends all their lives.
"Edward, you didn't tell me Bella was so much fun!" Alice gushed. "Oh, and did you know nurses wear ugly shoes because they have to stand on their feet so much, and they need to be comfortable? Bella actually has pretty good taste!"
"Thanks for the endorsement," Bella laughed. I couldn't help but notice the way her eyes danced when she laughed. It was like she was created to laugh like that, to be happy. I got lost watching her for a second.
"Earth to Edward," Alice snapped her fingers in front of my face. "You really should have consulted me before you let Bella go out with Emmett last night. I could have saved them the trouble. They obviously don't work together."
"Hey, what Emmett does with my nurse is none of my business," I shrugged. I noticed Bella's shoulder's slump a little. I wondered if I'd upset her somehow. "But you're right. She's obviously way too good for that jackass."
"True that. True that," Bella said mimicking Emmett and eliciting a laugh from Alice and me.
Alice said her goodbyes and promised to call Bella so they could do lunch again soon. Bella changed my IV bag, made me walk a couple of laps around the floor, and then sat back down to talk to me.
We talked about everything and nothing at all. We discussed movies, books we've read, and our childhoods. I was surprised to find out that Bella had spent her late high school years living with her dad in Forks because she wanted to give her mom a chance to be happy with her new husband. Not many teenagers had the insight or selflessness to put others' needs above their own like that. I also learned that she dreamed of working for Doctors Without Borders after she paid off her student loans. I'd become so jaded by my work and the kind of human scum I was constantly exposed to, that I actually found it refreshing to get to know someone who seemed so genuine.
"Oh Bella, I forgot to tell you. I talked to my dad last night, and he said he would like to write you a letter of recommendation for medical school."
Bella dropped the pen she was holding and stared at me.
"Breathe Bella," I chuckled.
"I – I what? Why? How?"
"I told him you were my nurse, and that you were applying for school, and he said you deserve it."
"I don't know what to say. I mean that's so wonderful. Thank you!" Bella avoided my shoulder but bent down and hugged me. Man, she smelled good.
"You're welcome," I whispered.
That day passed without much focus on how weak I felt or the pain in my body. Bella mastered the art of distraction, and my hospital stay was becoming almost pleasant. There were benefits that came with being her only patient. When Bella was on duty, she fell into the routine of sitting and talking to me for most of the day when she wasn't busy giving me medication or changing my bandages. She would read to me out of her magazines or play cards with me. The hours we spent together passed quickly, and I came to rely on them. The hours she wasn't working crawled by, and I did my best to sleep or pretend I was asleep to avoid having to interact much with nurse flirts-a-lot.
A/N: To beg, bribe, or threaten. OH I know! Let me know in your review if you want me to grovel, give you a teaser, or threaten you. I'll make my responses worth your while. (oh Lord, what did I just get myself into)