“You’re going to have a nice bruise there soon,” she said. “Probably will cover most of your chest.”
“That’ll be attractive,” he said.
“Only if you’re into that kind of thing,” she said, obviously having taken his comment seriously.
“I’m not.”
“Oh, you were trying to be funny.”
“With an emphasis ontrying, apparently,” he said.
She nodded without smiling and moved around the examination table so she could see his back.
After she finished there, she said, “You can get dressed.”
He did so as she wrote something on a tablet.
“Are you on any medication?” she asked.
“No.”
“I’ll write you a prescription for extra-strength ibuprofen. Only use it if you really feel it’s necessary.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Can I ask a question?”
She looked at him expectantly.
“There was someone else in the accident with us, named Fred Flicker. He was brought here before we arrived. Do you know how he’s doing?”
“No clue,” she said. “I just started my shift.”
“He was taken straight into surgery,” the nurse said. “But that’s all I know.”
“Thank you.”
Stone’s prescription was brought to him a few minutes later, along with several forms he needed to sign.
He was scrawling his name on the last page when Dino poked his head into the room. “There you are.”
“Here I am.”
“Are you free or are they keeping you overnight?”
Stone crossed thetin Barrington and laid the pen on top of the papers. “Now I’m free.”
He exited the room. “Have you seen Tamlyn?”
Before Dino could answer, a nearby examining room door opened, and Tamlyn stepped through.
“Yes, I have,” Dino said. “She’s right there.”
“How did it go?” Stone asked her.
“Clean bill of health. Though I’ve been told I might be sore tomorrow. You?”
“My seat belt left a few marks, but nothing time won’t erase.”
“Any word on Fred?” she asked.
