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…One Teardrop at a Time…
…Chapter Three…
Previously on One Teardrop at a Time: The girls learned some information about the hospital, after a light scuffle in the hospital locker room. They are both excited to be working with Dr. Brewer, but Kim suddenly feels nervous about greeting him again. It's been a long time since she has last seen him.
Kim stopped at the red sign and, exhaled a deep breath before walking into the East Wing of the hospital. The area was fairly large; two hallways and about ten rooms per hallway. There was a break room in the very back. The walls were beige colored with various paintings of islands and nature scenery. And there were diplomas, displaying the credentials of the medical staff on the walls, too.
Well, I don't see Jack anywhere…Maybe he's in the break room, or he could be with a patient.
Her face lit up with joy when she seen him leaving a room. He had a clipboard in his hands and was wearing dark blue scrubs that fit him quite well. Kim had to mentally shout at herself to stop drooling over him. Then, the nerves in her stomach began twisting and turning.
Kim looked directly at Jack, opening her mouth to say something to him, but no words could come out. That's when he lifted his head up from reading the clipboard and smiled at Kim. She instantly smiled back at him and the nerves in her stomach disappeared.
"Hello, Miss Crawford. It's nice to meet you. Welcome to the staff." Jack greeted her cheerfully.
What did he call me? Why is he acting like he doesn't even know me?
"Hi, Jack… Is everything okay?" Kim asked, as he approached her.
He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Miss Crawford, we are not on a first name basis, yet."
Kim felt her heart sank in her chest. Why was Jack treating her like that? Her eyes filled with tears, as she continued listening to him talk. But, she refused to let them fall in front of Jack.
"You get one lunch break if you work half a day, and you get both a lunch break and a dinner break if you work a full day. Everything you'll need is in the break room: Schedules, a refrigerator for packed lunches, and a TV set." Jack replied, "I will show you where the laboratory is located. That is the place we get test results."
He motioned with his hand for Kim to follow him down the hallway. They walked through some automatic double doors that open only with a code number and identification card scan. Once inside the laboratory, he showed her the machines and microscopes.
"From now on, you will clock into the laboratory instead of the main desk." Jack continued, placing his clipboard on a rack above the counter. "Do you have any questions? I'm always here to answer them."
"How do I know which patients to take care of?" Kim asked.
"That's a great question! I apologize. That slipped my mind…"
That's not the only thing that has slipped your mind. How can he not remember me?!
"You will be assigned to patients on the schedule in the break room, but the assignments could be changed during the day. I will be there to help you."
"Okay. Thanks, Dr. Brewer." Kim replied, quietly.
"No problem, Miss Crawford." Jack smiled, patting her on the shoulder. The touch of his hand surprised her and she flinched. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
"You'll get used to how things work around here in no time." He added in a friendly tone, "Well, see you around. I have a patient that needs me."
"Okay." Kim answered, forcing an unwanted smile on her face. She really didn't feel happy anymore.
"Hey, Kim! You're one of the new nurses. That's awesome!" She heard another familiar voice from behind her. She quickly turned to face him.
"Jerry!" She smiled, wrapping her arms around the Latino.
"It's good to see you, too, Kim." He replied, choking for oxygen.
"OH. I'm sorry." Kim said, releasing Jerry. "You remember me!"
"Why wouldn't I?" Jerry grinned, inserting a labelled, vile of blood into a machine.
"Jack doesn't know who I am. He's acting strange." Kim replied, devastation was evident in her voice.
"He's probably joking with you." Jerry laughed, holding to his abs, "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!"
"NO, I don't think he is joking. He calls me 'Miss Crawford.' I'm worried about him." She nervously, tugged at the ends of her blonde locks.
"Jack has to be kidding. There's no way he'd forget his childhood friend and first love." Jerry reassured her. He pressed some flashing buttons on the machine in front of them. Kim smiled when Jerry said 'first love'. It made her feel warm inside and she really wanted to believe him. That this was just an April Fools prank.
Kim walked into the break room and read her schedule. She was assigned to the patient in room 334. The clipboard read in bold print: FLYNN JONES, 8 YEARS-OLD, OBSTRUCTION IN LEFT EAR.
Why does my first case have to be this? He's probably in a mountain load of pain. I have to stay calm for the little boy.
By the time Kim reached the correct room, she could hear the child screaming. It broke her heart in half to hear his terrified voice filling up the hospital. Someone was already in Flynn's room and they had shut the door closed, muting the noise.
She cautiously opened the door and walked inside. Jack had been the person who had shut the door. Then, she aimed her gaze toward the little boy. He had dark brown hair and he was small. His face was red from crying and tears were pouring down his cheeks. It was a heartbreaking sight.
"Buddy, lay on your side for me." Jack said, calmly.
Wow. He's really good under pressure.
"It's moving! It's moving in my ear!" Flynn screamed, turning onto his right side so that his left ear was positioned up toward the ceiling.
"Kim, get me some towels in the cabinet." He instructed.
He called me Kim!
She joined Jack by his side and handed him two white towels. "Keep him calm while I do this."
"Okay." Kim replied. She bent her legs a little so that she was at Flynn's level. "You're going to be okay, little guy."
"There's a bug in my ear!" Flynn cried, looking directly into Kim's eyes, "It really hurts!"
Meanwhile, Jack had spread the towels under the boys' chin and around his neck and chest.
"We're going to get it out and you'll feel better soon." Kim said, softly.
"I'm really scared. What if it eats my brain?" Flynn asked.
Maybe me talking to him is helping. He seems to have calmed down a lot.
"No, hun. The bug can't reach your brain. It will be out in a second." Kim promised.
"How are you going to get it out? It's really deep in my ear." He sniffled, rubbing his eye free of small tears with his left hand.
"Don't move your arm." Jack said.
"Why?" Asked Flynn.
"Just keep really still for me. You're doing great, kid." Jack replied, mixing some clear liquids in a cup.
"What's that?" The little boy wanted to know.
"It's medicine to help remove the bug." Kim answered.
"You're going to pour that into my ear?!" Flynn's eyes went wide.
OH NO. He's going to panic again… What do I say to make him feel better?
Uncertain what to say next to the little boy, Kim decided to gently rub his hand, but Flynn jumped up and backed up away from them. Jack quickly grasped Flynn's arm, preventing him from leaving the bed. The towels surrounding the boy fell from his chest.
"Let go of me!" Flynn panicked.
"Buddy, I need you to lie back down on your right side." Jack coaxed, gently. Flynn didn't reply as he tried to squirm out of Jack's strong grasp, but he soon gave up and set still. Silent tears travelled down the boy's face.
"Is it gonna hurt?" Flynn's lower lip rolled up.
"No, you will just feel some minor discomfort. It will be over quick." Jack promised. The boy lied back down on his side and Kim rearranged the towels around his chest, so the medicine wouldn't spill on his blue shirt with a dinosaur print on the front.
The boy whimpered, biting his nails, when Jack carefully poured the clear liquid into his ear canal. Flynn squeezed his eyes shut and screamed as the medicine filled up his ear, and burned a little bit.
"Hush, you're doing fine." He said, caressing the boy's trembling arm. Flynn's screams turned into small whimpers as he tried to compose himself. It really didn't hurt after that.
"Okay, now tilt your head to the side." Jack instructed. The mixture of water and peroxide drained from Flynn's ear and soaked into the white towels.
"Is it out now?" Flynn asked.
"Yes, the bug drained out. We're all done here." Kim smiled. It was a small, crunchy bug that was obstructing his ear. Now it was lying on the towel with its body intact, or Jack would've had to remove any detached parts left behind after the rinse.
"Wow, I feel better. Thanks!" Flynn grinned, setting up and letting his legs dangle off the side of the bed.
"You're welcome, bud." Jack smiled, tossing the bug into the trash bin with a tissue. Kim collected the wet towels and slid them down the laundry chute.
Kim was having her lunch break in the break room. She had bought a pizza in the cafeteria and came back here to watch TV while she ate.
I wonder where Eddie was at? I didn't see him at the cafeteria. It could be his day off. I cannot believe how sweet Jack was when he was taking care of that little boy. He could've been a lot rougher with him. It made me want to say 'aww' but that would've been the wrong time to say that. He's going to be a great dad someday.
"Hi, Kim." She looked up from her mushroom pizza and a huge smile formed across her face.
"Hey, Jack. So, are we on a first-name basis now?" Kim asked cheerfully. He sat down next to her with a plate of pepperoni pizza.
"It looks like it." He smirked.
Aww, I think my heart is going to melt if he gets any cuter.
"So. Jack. Were you joking earlier?"
"About what?"
"Not remembering me."
"I'm sorry, but you must have me confused with someone else, Kim." He picked up a large slice of pizza and took a bite, fumbling with the TV remote. Kim sensed the pit of her stomach twist and turn with sadness. Jack wasn't joking after all.
"Have you seen the other nurse that Mr. McKinney hired? She didn't show up today and she was scheduled to work."
Kim's eyes went wide. She had forgotten about Lindsey.
Haha, she must have a few marbles missing, if she's been missing for this long. Wait. I'm kind of worried about her now. How could she have been lost for this long without finding the right area? It's not that difficult to find.
"Yeah, her name was Lindsey and she was with me in Rudy's office this morning." Kim explained.
"Oh, so you're on a first name basis with the Chief of Staff, too." Jack grinned.
Um…yeah. He was our sensei in grade school.
"I'm worried about her." Kim blurted. She couldn't believe that she was feeling that way about Lindsey.
"If anything happened to her the security would have contacted me." Jack said with his mouth full of food. Suddenly, his tiny beeper started making sounds. He looked down and unlatched it from his shirt.
"What does that mean?" Kim asked, quietly.
"Usually it tells me when there are severe emergencies, but this time it just says, 'Lindsey Cannon.' Is that the girl you met in Rudy's office?" Jack said.
"Yes, that's her name." Kim noted.
A large security guard walked into the break room. "I apologize for interrupting your lunch, Sir. I found your nurse working in the West Wing. I leave it up to you to decide on what course of action to take."
"She's fine. It's her first day." Jack replied, nonchalantly.
"But, Sir…She didn't report to any doctor and she picked a random patient to help. That's grounds for punishment." The security guard stated.
"Okay, just leave her with me. I'll take care of the situation." Jack said. The large guard left and Lindsey entered the break room with trails of dry tears streaming from her cheeks. Kim felt really bad for her.
"I'm really sorry, Jack." Lindsey pouted, "The security act like I did this on purpose, but I didn't know what to do. I just started talking to this patient in her room and…"
"You don't have to explain it to me. I'm not upset." Jack replied, "It's your lunch break. You must be hungry. Do you want a slice of my pizza? Oh, and my name is Dr. Brewer."
"Why do I have to call you that?" Lindsey asked, confused. She pulled a chair over next to Jack, "We practically dated when we were in school. Do you remember that movie we went to?
"No…" Jack gave her a puzzled look, "I've never seen you before in my life."
He doesn't remember Lindsey either! What is happening with Jack? Geez, here comes the waterworks.
Tears fell from Lindsey's eyes as she sat there in shock.
"Are you sure that you are emotionally stable for this job?" Jack asked, concerned.
I wanted to get Kim fired, but it looks like I'm the one who's going to get fired!
"This is the worst say of my life." Lindsey sobbed. Another nurse from the East Wing division walked into the break room with a salad, but when she saw the tension in the room, she walked back out.
"Lindsey, don't cry." Kim said, leaning toward the table and looking at her, sympathetically.
"The security guards always overreact when it comes to the safety of the hospital." Jack added, he placed his hand on the brunette's shoulder, "Like I said before, I'm not upset. It's your first day. Now have a slice of my pizza."
"Are you sure?" Lindsey sniffled.
"Yes." Jack smiled, "You look beautiful today. It's not every day I see a girl wearing a French plait."
What did he say?! He better not be flirting with Lindsey.
Kim growled and ripped off a piece of pizza with her teeth, violently.
To be continued...
AN: It looks like a lot of things are happening at Seaford Regional Mercy Hospital!Thank you so much for all the support!
Quick Question- Do you like how I'm using the italics for the character's thoughts? I'm not sure which is better for the italics: align left or align center? I hope that I'm not confusing anyone because, I don't tell who is thinking what. I use context clues to determine that.
P.S. The Quick Question is totally optional. You don't have to answer it :)
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-Emily Jane :D