One Sure Thing (Mamma Lou Matchmaker Series) (21 page)

“What’s your ETA?” Maxine asked.

“Seven minutes,” came over the speaker. Scott nodded pointedly and the trauma team instantly swung into action. Hope hurried off right behind them.

Minutes seemed like hours from the time the EMTs called in. The anxiety of what was to come shadowed the faces of those hurrying to prepare.

Seven minutes later three ambulance gurneys burst through the ER receiving doors. In ordered chaos, the dance of patient triage commenced.

The gurney rolled in with paramedics running along either side. A third paramedic was straddled atop the patient on the first gurney pumping his chest. “Victim one,” the EMT shouted breathlessly above the excitement. “We lost his pulse again while in transit.” She continued CPR. “Still no pulse,” she yelled as she burst through the operating room doors.

One minute later the doors burst open again and a forth gurney rolled in. The onslaught had begun.

Based on the severity of their injuries, critical patients were ushered directly into the OR. Those who were stable were treated and kept overnight for observation.

Calm and cool in the middle of the ER chaos, Hope went about treating the incoming patients with efficiency, composure and compassion, never once losing her focus.

Despite the ER staff’s best efforts, Hope’s room went silent. The team was exhausted and drained of emotion. They stared at each other. “Call it,” Hope said. She looked up at the wall clock and pronounced the young man lying still on the gurney dead at 5:04 p.m.

She pulled the blood soaked gloves from her hands as they began to shake. A second’s glance at the patient was all she could take.

Hope emerged from the ER weary and mentally drained. She had lost. She pulled the wrap from her head and took the lonely walk to the family waiting area.

She entered and braced herself for the screams and sobs she’d heard many times before. The quiet weeping and prays of the families still tore at her.

Hope walked over to the nurse’s station and gathered her charts. While getting a quick update, she looked over, surprised to see Raymond standing there. He was looking directly at her. She frowned, picked up the charts then walked in his direction. She nodded curtly and walked past him into the nearest examination room. It was dark and empty. Raymond followed her inside. She turned to see him blocking the doorway.

Raymond looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry about your patient.” He spoke in hushed tones barely audible to anyone passing by.

She nodded her head slowly accepting his condolences. “Yeah, so am I. Massive internal injuries and brain trauma. There wasn’t a whole lot we could do.” She looked away. “Kinda makes the case for mandatory helmet laws doesn’t it.”

His heart propelled him to comfort her. She stepped back and looked away then back at him. “Is there a problem Dr. Gates?” The sadness and exhaustion in her eyes was overwhelming.

“No.” He looked at her strangely. “Hope,” he moved closer as she backed away.

“Last I checked your grandmother was feeling much better. I still have no idea what brought on this new attack of hives.”

“Hope.” After the evening they’d had he was confused by her aloofness.

She looked at him oddly. “Why are you still here?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

“I want, I need to talk to you.”

“About?”

He produced a small powder blue Tiffany box. He offered the box to her. “I saw this and thought of you.” She backed away.

“Dr. Gates,” he looked at her sternly, “Raymond, Please don’t buy me anymore gifts. It just complicates things.” She began to walk away.

“What things?”

She reached up and touched the scar uneasy with the direction of the conversation. “You know the drill, doctor. I’m sure you discourage your patients from giving you any personal gifts or gratuities.”

“I’m not your patient Hope. And last I heard there’s nothing in the Hippocratic Oath that prohibits two consenting adults from getting personal.” He took her hand and held it gently in his then brought it up to his lips and kissed the two fingers that had just stroked the scar. She looked up at his face just as his mouth began to descend. He kissed her, gently brushing his lips against hers, barely touching, yet passionate enough to leave them yearning for more. The sudden and intense heat they generated could have set the room on fire.

After a few seconds, Raymond leaned back, not knowing what to expect. Hope looked at him but didn’t speak. Moments passed, and then finally she opened her mouth. “You do that again without permission, and I’ll personally perform my first lobotomy on you.”

Raymond smiled. His dimples emerged and his tender laughter brought a slight smile to Hope’s stern expression. Still holding her hand, he gave her the small blue box. “You’re a hell of a woman Dr. Adams. I have a feeling that I’m going to enjoy our time together. I’m on my way to the fifth floor. I’ll see you later.” He kissed the hand that held the box, then turned and walked down the hall. Hope stood in the dimly lit room pondering what had just happened. She shook her head as if to clear it of the cobwebs put there by Raymond.

She was just in a hospital exam room kissing a doctor. What was she thinking? Someone could have easily walked by and… Hope slapped her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes.

How could she explain what happened?
Maybe it was the full moon. Maybe it was the trauma of the accident. Maybe it was low glucose levels. Maybe temporary insanity?  
No, she had to admit that what she felt for Raymond was different, and every time she saw him she wanted to rip his clothes off. Yes.
She leaned back against the bed.

After five minutes of chastising herself for her behavior, Hope walked out of the examining room. She stopped briefly to look in on several patients and to get update on others.

She passed the nurse’s station and headed for the small triage area. It was empty. She closed the door behind her and tossed her stethoscope on the desk. She looked at her watch, less than two hours remained in her shift. Slowly she collapsed in the wheelchair. Life in the ER of Golden Heart had a tendency to do that to a person. Life on the graveyard shift was even worse.

“Hope?”

She looked up. “Yes Maxine.”

Maxine smiled broadly. I stopped by earlier to tell you that Mr. Jackson is looking for you, but you and Dr. Gates were,” she smiled even broader, “preoccupied.”

Hope rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Of all the people in the world to see her with Raymond. “Maxine, it wasn’t what you think.”

“Oh, I doubt that.”

“Okay, it was. But I can explain.”

Maxine snickered and leaned back against the counter. “This ought to be good.”

Hope opened her mouth to try and explain, but no words came out. She took a deep breath and began again. Her hands moved wildly, her face was animated but she couldn’t come up with an explanation.

Finally, Maxine couldn’t take it any longer. “I’ll tell you what, since this is obviously going to take the better part of the evening, why don’t I tell you what happened.”

“By all means.”

“You and Dr. Gates have been mutually attracted since the first moment you laid eyes on each other. The arguments you’ve been having were merely a smokescreen, until about fifteen minutes ago, if not before. And that is that he rocks your world and you rock his. So, the passionate kiss I witnessed was merely a prelude to untapped desire. And, in the next few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years, you and the good doctor will experience a love that’s divinely perfect.”

Hope was speechless and simply threw her hands up in defeat. Maxine walked out. Her usual laughter was even louder and more high-spirited than ever.

Hope shook her head smiling to herself as she touched her lips. It was nice. She admitted then turned the wheel chair around and opened the blue box. Two beautifully scripted charms hung from a gold chain. She pulled the sparkling gold from the box and held it up. As the charm spun around against the play of light from the hall, she read the inscription aloud, “
Truth
and
Dare
.”

The man was unbelievable. She returned the jewelry to the box and placed it in her pocket. Then with all determination she opened the first file and devoted the next thirty minutes to her caseload.

“Yes?” She asked without looking up.

“You took my wife. I want her outta here now.”

Recognizing the low, raspy voice and the heavy scent of mechanics oil and cheap beer on his clothing, Hope looked up to see Lamont Jackson standing in the doorway. “This area is reserved for authorized personnel only. You’ll have to leave.”

“You kept her away from me all night long. I want my wife outta here now,” he demanded roughly.

“Mrs. Jackson was admitted for overnight observation.”

“It’s been longer than overnight.”

Upon further observation, we’ve found that her injuries require further study. She’ll be discharged as soon as medically advisable.

“That’s bull. Why you keeping her? You think you smart don’t you. Fancy doctor. Ain’t nothing wrong with her.”

“She needs rest and quiet. And a black eye, bruised ribs and a sprained wrist aren’t exactly what I’d call nothing.”

He quickly averted his eyes. “She’s clumsy, always has been.”

“She’s being physically abused.”

Lamont looked back to Hope. His eyes narrowed threateningly as he glared at her. “She tell you that?” he asked. Hope looked at him as he turned into a coward. “Because if she did, then she’s lying. Ain’t nobody touch her.”

“No. She didn’t tell me that. She didn’t have to. It’s obvious that she’s being abused by someone. Got any idea who that person might be?” Hope’s glare hit the mark. Lamont understood all too well. He’d been found out and Hope wasn’t going to cover for him.

“You got something to say doc, say it.”

Hope opened her mouth to put Lamont in his place, but she realized that whatever she said he would eventually take out on Leanne. And she didn’t want to put her in greater jeopardy. “I don’t have anything to say to you Mr. Jackson,” she sneered.

Lamont nodded his head knowingly. As usual he’d gotten the last word. He puffed his chest out and turned to walk away.

Hope picked up a chart and began to speak out loud. “Coward, abuser, bully, jerk.”

He whipped around and looked back to Hope. “What did you just call me?”

Hope continued reading the chart. “You talking to me?” She looked up stubbornly.

At that moment Maxine came to the doorway. She looked from Hope to Lamont sensing the tension. “Excuse me, Dr. Adams, your patient in exam nine would like a word with you before they leave. Also you got a call from the fifth floor.”

Hope nodded and stood. She folded and closed the file and tucked it neatly under her arm. As she walked out she glared at Lamont making her animosity unmistakably clear.

Chapter Sixteen

Louise smiling victoriously as she sat up in bed and flipped through the channels of the television suspended from the ceiling across the room. She was delighted with the news she’d just heard.

Apparently, Raymond and Hope were back on track as a couple. The rumors were all over the hospital. And if even half of them were true, she was elated. Of course, neither Hope nor Raymond would admit anything, but they didn’t have to. All she had to do was mention the name of one while in the presence of the other and their eyes would tell her everything she wanted to know.