And I do. I would have been waiting for hours at any other imaging center to get the MRI, but Jeff got me right in and introduced me to Cherisse, who is obviously my soulmate because she told me she blackmailed Jeff for cheese danishes. Then I had a radiologist read me the results only moments later.Please. Like that ever happens in real life. All of it was because of Jeff. I smile and push the car door shut.
I’m surprised when I hear the driver’s side door shut and footsteps behind me. I turn and he’s beside me, matching my stride.
“Dr. Devita made you a disc of the imaging,” I tell him, pulling out the CD from my purse and handing it to him. He snatches it from me like I might pull it back.
“Easy boy. Are you meeting your friend again?” I ask as he presses the button for the elevator.
He clears his throat a little and looks at his apple watch.
“I was thinking of coming up—with you—if that’s ok?”
Is it ok with me?
“Why wouldn’t it be ok?” I shrug. I mean I’ll get an excited earful from Syd about it for sure. And the girls might swoon at his feet, but who am I to deprive them of the simple joys in life?
He follows me to the elevator and presses the arrow, then holds the door open for me. I lean against the glass and watch him select the floor for the tunnel. My gears are grinding now, and I can’t get them to stop. I understood Jeff’s run across town to check on my ankle. He just isn’t the type of guy to ignore anyone’s call for help, especially if it’s in his area of medicine. And escorting me to Jefferson? Yeah, I get that, too. He works there and could pull the strings. But this? Few people want to spend their day off from the hospital in a hospital.
“Jeff?”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t want this to come out wrong or anything, but why are you coming with me?” And like most things that come out of my mouth it sounds too direct. Sugar-free and sharp.
“I’ll tell you that if you tell me what happened last night,” he says softly, his eyes on the side of my face.
Shit. Never mind. He’s not getting any more of my crazy until he shows me a little of his. If it exists.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Too much tequila.” It’s not a total lie. I risk a glance his way and find him studying me.
He nods once, a small smirk playing on his lips. “Alright, then. I guess we’ll both be left in the dark.”
The doors open and he gestures with one arm for me to lead the way. I narrow my eyes at him as I pass. This just makes him smile wider.
Syd is standing against the glass windows on the right side of the light-filled waiting room. She looks up and sees me approaching and her smile fills me with warmth. But then she sees Jeff beside me, and I understand the true meaning of the phrase second fiddle. If I thought what I got was a smile, there’s no word in the dictionary for what her face does when she sees him.
She tugs my arm forward and leans into me, attempting a whisper, “You brought Dr. Hotass! The girls and Sean are gonna freak.”
I turn to Jeff hoping he didn’t hear, and he lifts his brows at me and asks, “Did you come up with Dr. Hotass? I like it a lot better than Dr. Dick.”
“No. Your ass isn’t hot to me,” I tell him, taking the visitor tag Syd’s holding out to me and slapping it on his chest with more force than necessary. He barely blinks. I turn to the receptionist desk and sign him in beneath our names while he asks Syd how she’s doing.
On our way down the hall, Syd squeezes between Jeff and me and loops her elbows around ours.
“Alright, Jeff. Here’s the dirt. Kayla is a veteran. She’s been in and out since I was here two years ago. I love the girl, but you can’t believe a thing she says. Sean’s new to treatment. This ishis first stint and he still doesn’t understand why he’s here in the first place. Denial isn’t just a river in South America?—”
“Africa,” I correct.
“Yeah. That’s what I said.” Syd throws me a look. “Anyway. Abby shares a room with him. She hasn’t spoken a word to anyone since she was admitted three weeks ago. The nurses have no choice but to NG tube her because she’s silently refusing.” Syd takes a breath when the elevator arrives.
“The NG tube feeds them through their nose,” I tell him, and he looks at me like no shit Sherlock. It’s easy to forget he’s a doctor when he’s wearing a Space Jam t-shirt and a pair of Chicago Bulls basketball shorts.
“I told Kayla I’d help her with her pre-calc so you two can chill in Sean and Abby’s room or see if the nurses need anything,” I say, knowing Syd prefers to spend her time with Sean. He responds well to her. All of the patients respond well to Syd. She’s a force.
“Stick with me, kid,” Syd tells Jeff with a nudge. And he gives her a smile that would have knocked me out at 17. But she’s still standing.
The elevator door opens to a space that takes my breath away every time I step into it. Natural light pours over the floor and walls like syrup. There are deep plush couches and barnwood tables and white shelves lined with books of every color like a beaded friendship bracelet stretched across the interior walls. It’s quiet and warm—a safe-place I imagine whenever I need a break from my fast paced, out-of-control life. I breathe in the clean scent of lemons and wave to three nurses at the bay.
“Hey, Devon. Syd.” Gina steps out from behind the counter. “And who is this?” Her eyebrows disappear into her dark curly hair as she wraps her arms around Sydney and eyes Jeff over her head. I hear Syd attempt a whisper into Gina’s ear. “Dr. Hotass.” The girl needs serious help in the volume control department.
