Wrecked (2 page)

Dr. James nodded, put on his doctor face and walked into
Elizabeth Williams’ room.

Her chart had listed an address a couple of states away. Ms.
Williams wasn’t a local. Ethan would have known her if she was. She was under
eighty and listed as single. Yes, he certainly would have known her if she’d
lived in town.

As he walked into her room, Ethan immediately noticed her
staring out the window, a look of helplessness in her expression. The instant
desire to wrap her in his arms made him stop dead in his tracks, a feeling so
foreign to him he felt a sense of panic. He took several calming breaths and
his professional doctor demeanor returned.

“Good Morning, Ms. Williams. I am Dr. James. I treated you
when you first arrived in the Emergency Department. Tell me, how are you
feeling today?”

She looked up at him with sad eyes and again, the feeling of
wanting to envelope her in his embrace took over.

“My head hurts.” She spoke softly as she lifted her hand to
the bandages that wrapped her head. “But other than that I’m fine.”

Ethan pulled the stool away from the wall and sat down next
to the bed. “I have a few questions for you. Are you up to answering them?”

Bess nodded.

“May I call you Elizabeth?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I go by Bess.”

“Bess it is then,” he smiled. “What brought you to our neck
of the woods?”

“I…I just needed a change…to start fresh,” she stammered,
her head down and her fingers fidgeting with the blanket.

“This is a great place to get away from the hustle and
bustle of the metro areas,” Ethan acknowledged. “So, how were you feeling
before you fell?”

“Fine,” Bess replied without any obvious thought.

“No nausea? Fatigue? Anything out of the ordinary?” he
persisted.

“Well,” Bess shrugged. “I had some flu bug thing that
wouldn’t go away.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. It kept me home from work a lot. I worked at a
daycare facility and I couldn’t be there if I was sick.”

“That makes sense,” Ethan agreed. “When did you start to
feel better?”

Bess looked up at him through her long lashes that did their
best to hide her eyes. “I guess I never really have.”

“You’re still experiencing symptoms?”

With a nod, Bess looked back down at her hands.

“Okay. I need to run a few more tests and we’ll get to the
bottom of it,” he smiled and patted her hand in a gesture of support, but the
searing spark of electricity that jolted up his arm forced him to yank his hand
back. He glanced up to see Bess’s reaction, but she still looked down at the
blanket, seemingly oblivious to him.

Dr. James left the room quickly wondering what the hell had
just happened.

*****

Bess was in the hospital for two more days while Dr. James
ordered blood to be drawn and more tests to be run. She was feeling much like a
pin cushion. Yet, in a strange wave of relief, she was content to be in the
hospital bed, three meals being delivered to her each day, and the pain in her
head lessening with each dose of pain killers as the hours ticked by. She slept
better than she had in weeks and almost felt human on her fifth day under
Regina’s care.

As it was a small hospital, many of the emergencies were
transferred to better equipped facilities in nearby cities. There were only
three wards: maternity, pediatrics, and everything else. Regina was the head
nurse of the third floor, where Bess was. There was only one other patient
besides her, so Regina spent any of her extra time sitting and chatting with
Bess, allowing them to get to know one another.

Regina was several years older than Bess, and happily married
with four children. The stories she told about them had Bess laughing
uncontrollably. It was strange to think that she felt happier than she’d been
in years, lying in a hospital bed, in the middle of nowhere, her head bandaged
and the threat of a more serious illness looming. Yet, she considered Regina a
friend and she felt safe, a much better situation that she’d had only a few
days before.

And as promised, the owner of the diner had contacted his
insurance company and they would be taking care of Bess’s hospital bills since
the injury occurred at his establishment. There was one more thing that she
didn’t have to worry about, but the nagging anxiety remained of where she would
go after she was released. She still had a little bit of money, and she had her
car. All was not lost…
ye
t.

Ethan James loved being a doctor, especially when he used
his knowledge and skill to heal someone. It was a feeling that never got old.
Sadly, however, there were cases and patients that did not get the results he
wanted.

As he reviewed the results from Elizabeth Williams’ CT scan
and blood work, the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach actually made him
feel ill. Her initial results confirmed she had walking pneumonia, a relatively
serious illness on its own, especially if not treated and allowed to
progressively get worse. Ethan was stunned that none of her visits to the
low-income clinic had even listened to her lungs. If they had, more tests would
have been ordered and she would have been prescribed antibiotics to help her
get better. And if that was all that was wrong with her he would have no
hesitation in laying it all out for Bess and how he was going to treat her and
make her better. However, here was a beautiful young woman with her whole life
in front of her and he had news that would be difficult to tell her. If only it
were just the pneumonia. But he couldn’t put it off. If he was going to have a
chance to save her, he needed to act quickly. After making a few phone calls,
talking with some of the hospital staff, and reviewing some drug trials online,
he headed for Bess’s room.

He’d only told four people during his career that they had
cancer. Bess made number five. And all five had reacted the same way – shock
and then tears.

Ethan sat on the edge of the bed and held Bess’s hand. She
had no family and no friends. She was in a new town without any support
whatsoever. He knew he couldn’t give her the worst news of her life and then
walk out.

“I’ve done some research, and while I am not an oncologist,
there is real hope that you will beat this and come out the other end good as
new. But we need to not delay.”

Bess just stared at him with a blank expression.

“Dr. Ryder will be here this afternoon to see you.
He knew
 He is a great doctor, and an oncologist, a
good friend of mine, and will be able to answer all of your questions.”

“Will you be here too?”

“Uh, sure I can,” Ethan nodded. “I’ll be here, too.”

At precisely three o’clock, Ethan and Dr. Eric Ryder walked
into Bess’s room and saw the panic in her face. Once again, Ethan sat on the
edge of the bed and Eric on the stool. After the introductions were made, the
explanation began.

“There is a mass on your left ovary… a tumor. While we are
not one hundred percent certain at this point that it is malignant, it is more
likely than not. In any case, we need to remove it because of its size. The
pneumonia explains all your symptoms and the irregularities in your blood work.
And because Dr. James ordered a CT, the tumor was discovered. In some ways, you
could say, the pneumonia may have just saved your life. Now,” Dr. Ryder
continued, “if we remove the tumor and it is benign, no further treatment is
needed. But, if it isn’t, after we remove it and make sure it hasn’t spread,
there are some new drugs that we could try that could prove to be very
beneficial for you.”

“And,” Ethan expounded, “if you qualify, all of your medical
bills will be paid by the pharmaceutical company that is funding the trial. But
that is getting a little ahead of ourselves. What we have to focus on right now,
is removing the tumor and sending it to pathology.”

“And when would that happen?” Bess asked.

“Tomorrow,” Dr. Ryder replied. “It needs to come out and the
sooner the better.”

“Where?” Bess asked.

“Here,” Dr. Ryder said. “I have privileges here.”

“You would be doing the operation?” Bess inquired of Dr.
Ryder, but looked up at Ethan.

“He is a great surgeon,” Ethan explained. “You’ll be in good
hands.”

“I just need you to sign here,” Eric said as he handed her a
clip board. “And date it too.”

Bess did as she was told, her hand shaking as she wrote her
name on the line at the bottom of the page. She assumed she’d be discharged in
a day or so and now all that had changed. Her stomach was churning and she felt
sick. It seemed that things were only going from bad to worse.  

Dr. Ryder shook Ethan’s hand and said something about seeing
him tomorrow and then he was gone, leaving Ethan still beside her on the bed.

“I know this must come as a huge shock,” he sympathized. “Do
you have any questions?”

Bess shook her head, but her emotions got the best of her
and she bit on her lip as her chin began to quiver, her eyes filling with tears
and a lump forming in her throat.

“You can cry if you want,” he said gently.

That did it. It all bubbled out in great sobs and loud gulps
as Bess allowed herself to be swallowed in despair.

“Is there anyone that I can call for you?” he whispered.

Bess shook her head. “There’s… there’s no one,” she choked.

Ethan felt sad as he thought about her being all alone in
this dreadful situation. “It’s okay. I’m here.” He took her in his arms and
held her as she cried wet tears into his white coat. He held her close until he
heard shallow whimpers and then released her. She laid back on the pillow,
rolled to her side facing away from him, and curled into the fetal position.
Within ten minutes she had cried herself to sleep, so Ethan quietly crept from
the room.

Regina was waiting for him at the nurse’s station. “That
poor girl,” she sighed. “She has no one and now this.”

“Cancer doesn’t care who you are.”

“But this girl has been through so much already, and she’s
so young.”

“What do you mean?” Ethan was curious.

“Her stepfather tried to rape her when she was sixteen.”
Ethan gasped in horror but Regina continued. “The next morning, she packed her bags
and left. She said she’d never told anyone what happened and she’s never gone
home. She’s been on her own ever since trying to make ends meet and struggling
every inch of the way. And now this.”

“You seem to know quite a bit,” Ethan noted.

“She doesn’t have any friends,” Regina admitted with another
sigh. “I think she needed a shoulder to lean on.”

“Now more than ever,” Ethan said, more to himself than
Regina. He glanced over his shoulder and through the window into Bess’s room.
She was still curled in a ball and appeared to be sleeping. “I’m going home to
get some sleep and then I’ll be back to check on her.”

Regina raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She already
knew that the good doctor never spent this much time with a patient, but she
still kept quiet.

*****

At 11 the following morning, Elizabeth Williams was wheeled
down to pre-op and was readied for surgery. Ethan stopped by for a quick visit
but had already started his shift in the ER and said he’d be back later to
check on her. Somehow it gave her a feeling of assurance that she wasn’t
expecting, and she was saddened when he left her alone. But Bess didn’t have
time to think about it. She was taken into the operating room and Dr. Ryder
held her hand while the anesthesiologist had her count backwards from ten. Then
there was nothing.

Awaking in the dark had Bess, once again, in an instant
state of panic, unable to remember where she was or why she found it difficult
to move. When she heard his voice, the terror receded and she was able to take
a deep breath.

“You’re doing great,” Ethan whispered and smoothed her hair
away from her eyes. “The surgery was a complete success and we are just waiting
on the final pathology report, but that will take a few days.”

“So… cancer?” Bess squeaked, her throat dry and raw from the
intubation.

“Cancer,” Ethan frowned. “But Eric got it and it hasn’t
spread to any lymph nodes. That was fantastic news.”

“But… cancer.” A lone tear escaped and dripped off Bess’s nose.

Ethan’s heart broke as he saw the sadness in her eyes. “You
are going to be just fine. If you’re going to get cancer, this is the best
possible outcome.”

Dr. Ryder approached them as Ethan spoke, taking Bess by the
hand and nodding in agreement. “I only had to take one ovary. That leaves you
one perfectly healthy one.”

“So,” Bess gulped, “can I have… babies?” The last word sent
her emotions over the edge and she burst into tears. She hadn’t given much
thought to having children of her own, although she loved working with the
babies in the daycare center. But to have that choice taken away from her in
such a cruel way would be devastating.

“There’s no reason why you can’t,” Ethan soothed.

“Really?” she choked.

“Really,” Eric assured her.

After Bess had calmed down and the recovery nurse was
helping her drink some water, Ethan and Eric went to get a cup of coffee.

“You know, if she weren’t a patient,” Eric grinned.

“What?” Ethan snapped.

“She’s gorgeous.”

“Just back off, dude,” Ethan warned.

“Whoa! I’m not doing a damn thing. She’s a
patient,
”
Eric repeated.

“Good,” grunted Ethan.

“Do I need to remind
you
that she is a patient?” Eric
asked, realizing where his friends’ hostility was coming from.

“No, you don’t.”

Eric chuckled. “Sure.”

“This conversation is totally inappropriate,” Ethan snapped.
“I’m going back to the ER.”

Eric watched him walk away with a grin on his face. Ethan
had it bad.

*****

Two days later Bess was feeling much better. She was walking
up and down the hall of the third floor and even had sat with Regina at the
nurse’s station for a little while and watched YouTube videos of fainting
goats. She laughed so hard her stomach ached but it had been wonderful therapy.

Dr. Ryder had been back with a bottle of tablets she was to
take twice daily and he’d set up an appointment to see her in two weeks. Bess
was reluctant to make the appointment seeing as though she had no idea what she
was going to do when she was discharged. Regina had sensed her hesitance and
was waiting for the right time to discuss it with her. As she went in to check
on Bess before her shift ended, she took the opportunity.

“So, I know you were just passing through town when you had
the fall at the diner. Where were you headed?”

Bess glanced down at her lap, her fingers suddenly fidgeting
with the blanket binding. She shrugged. “I had no idea. I was driving south and
figured I’d come to water… eventually.”

“And then what?” Regina asked.

“No clue. I was evicted from my apartment and just drove
away with no plans and not much money. I figured I’d find a place that looked
nice and quiet and find a job. But now,” she sighed, “I’m not sure how long it
will be before I can work.”

“A few weeks at a
minimum
,” Regina replied. “You
cannot risk your health. You need to give your body time to heal. What about
going home?”

“Home?” Bess asked. “I have no home to go to.”

The evening nurse stuck her head in the door and called for
Regina.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Regina smiled. “Get some rest
tonight, try not to think about it, and we’ll talk more in the morning.”

But Bess didn’t want to talk more. She’d already said far
too much to the kind nurse that had become her friend. She needed to figure out
what she was going to do next on her
own
. She’d taken care of herself
for this long, she could keep going. What other choice did she have?

Regina walked out to the parking lot and saw Ethan standing
next to his motorbike. “When is Bess going to be discharged?” she asked him.

“If her blood work comes back within normal ranges and Eric
gives the all clear, then probably in a couple of days. Why?”

“She has no place to go. I think she’s homeless.”

Ethan was shocked. “Are you sure?”

With a nod, Regina told Ethan all she knew. “If only there
was a place
here
, in town, where she could go to recuperate.”

Ethan didn’t answer, just got on his bike and rode away.

He drove along the beach highway for two miles and then
turned into the long driveway lined with tall leafy trees. He stopped his bike
when he reached the house and leaned it on the kickstand. He took off his
helmet and then walked to the side of the house where he could see the ocean
waves crashing against the rocky cliffs. And then he turned his head ever so
slightly and saw the house that he’d once lived in while his grandparents were
alive. It was a solid house, warm and cozy… and empty.

*****

Bess’s surgical incisions were healing nicely and her blood
work was looking good. The antibiotics were tackling the pneumonia and Bess
almost felt human for the first time in months. There was no reason for her to
be in the hospital any longer and she knew that the time was coming when she
would need to leave. That day had come.

“The clothes you wore into the ER were covered in blood,”
Regina frowned as she entered Bess’s room. “It is hospital policy to burn them,
but for whatever reason, housekeeping washed them for you,” she added, placing
a plastic bag on the end of the bed.

Bess was grateful for the return of her jeans. They were her
favorite, well-worn and soft. They were more comfortable than sweats.

“As soon as Dr. Ryder signs your chart, you will be able to
get out of here.”

“Mmm,” Bess responded with no excitement.

“Do you know where you’ll go?” Regina looked concerned.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me,” she
assured with a lack of conviction.

“Yes. She’ll be fine,” Ethan agreed as he walked into her
room. “Bess, we need to chat.”

Regina took her cue and disappeared.

“I have a proposition for you,” Ethan said. “I know you
aren’t from around here, but you’ll have to hang around in order to see Dr.
Ryder and continue with the trial. I don’t know what your plans were before you
were… detained, but I have an arrangement that may just work out very well.”