by K A Moll
Chapter Six
Coy finished her salad—hungry—for Coby—her eyes, her smile, her scent—for all of her. She climbed the stairs, made her way down the dorm-like corridor, and shut her door. She dropped back against her wall, thinking about how long it had been since she’d been intimate with someone. Let’s see, she thought, it’s been three years since Fergie died. She looked up, calculating. So that means it’s been about six years…a long time. It was a long time for something so important to be missing from her life. She slipped on her nightshirt, trying to pinpoint the last time that she ached, truly ached deep within her being, for intimacy. She couldn’t remember her body ever having a craving like this one. You need to check your hormone levels in the morning, she told herself. With that, she forced herself to think about tomorrow, her first day on a new job—new patients, new colleagues, new procedures, new forms, and the uncomfortable phenomena of not knowing where anything was. She should be worrying instead of fantasizing about Coby Lee O’Brien. What was it that made her different? Why was she like a drug, so exquisitely intoxicating? She was handsome in the way she found her attractive, but there had to be more. Fergie was handsome like that, but not once did she ever have an insatiable craving for her. Maybe it was how Coby’s eyes smiled from her cheeks. Or maybe it was how cute she got when she was nervous. “Mmm, Coby Lee,” she murmured, “you just keep putting this girl in a position where she’s gotta take care of herself.” With that, she lifted the Ecstasy 2020 from the drawer of her nightstand.
***
Coby rolled to her back, groaning and holding her forehead. She had the worst headache ever. It was as if someone had driven a nail between her eyes. As she wallowed around her mouthful of cotton balls, she reminded herself that she didn’t have to be drunk anymore. In high school, maybe, but not since she’d been an adult, not since she’d learned all she’d learned in AA. She tried to get up, but the room spun her back down like a sickening merry-go-round. As it twirled, bile slithered up the back of her throat. She clamped her palm across her mouth, flung her legs over the side of the bed, and made a wobbly run for the toilet. She remembered that she needed to call the clinic for an appointment as she wiped her mouth. She made her way back to her bed, gently laid back, and dialed. “No, I don’t care,” she said, “put me with whoever you want to. Just not today,” she added. No way she was having a physical with a hangover. “Yeah sure,” she continued, “tomorrow morning’s good.”
***
“Go on and get dressed,” Doc Harmon said with a warm smile. “You’re as healthy as a horse.” He was going to be a great guy to work for.
“You marked down to check my hormone levels, right?” Coy clarified.
Doc Harmon lifted his iPad and pointed. “I did,” he responded, “but I don’t expect to find a problem” He lifted his shoulders and met her eye. “But, you’ve clocked more OB/GYN hours in the last decade than I have in twenty-five years of practice,” he continued, “so if you want your hormone levels checked, you got it.” He cocked his head. “You aren’t having symptoms that you forgot to tell me about, right?”
“No, not really,” Coy responded. “I’m just getting to that age.”
“That age,” the Doc chuckled as he took hold of the doorknob, “I don’t think so.”
When he was gone, Coy shook her head and closed her eyes. Thank God he didn’t ask her to expand on what she meant by ‘not really.’ If he’d asked, she’d have had to share the details of her recent surge in horniness. Now that would’ve been an uncomfortable conversation to have with a new boss. Patients minimize and withhold information all the time for a variety of reasons. Asking for clarification would’ve been the thing to do, and she’d have done it. “Thank God he didn’t ask,” she muttered. She laid her paper drape aside as she reached for her pile of clothing.
***
Kiley was standing just outside the exam room door when it opened. “I’m all yours,” she chirped with extended arms and a broad smile. “I can’t believe our luck.”
“Luck?” Coy asked with a tilt of her head.
“Yeah, getting to work together,” Kiley clarified. “I mean we’re the newbies,” she continued. “I expected to have to work with one of the more experienced Docs for a while.” Another huge smile and a couple of pats to Coy’s upper arm followed. “Sweet, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Coy said with a quiet breath and exhale. “But I’m a PA, not a Doc,” she corrected.
“I know,” Kiley responded, “I just lump the ones who do the exams into the same category.”
“You shouldn’t,” Coy explained, “because a patient could overhear you and as a result be provided with misinformation.”
Kiley’s emotional balloon deflated, and she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I won’t do it again.”
“That’s good,” Coy said kindly. She smiled and tried to lighten the mood. “I hope you’re rarin’ to go because we’ve got a full schedule—a pelvic before lunch and four health assessments this afternoon.”
“I’m rarin’ all right,” Kiley responded with a whopper of a smile. They talked for a couple more minutes about Coy’s expectations and her process. “So, you’ve done this before?” Kiley asked hesitantly, “I mean elsewhere? Because you sound like you know what you’re doing.”
“Well, I should hope so,” Coy answered with a suppressed smile. When Kiley’s brow furrowed, she added, “Don’t worry. I have ten years of practice under my belt. We’ll be fine.”
“Good,” Kiley responded with a relieved sigh and a bobbing nod. “Being a PA takes a master’s degree, right?” Kiley asked. If there was any doubt that this was her first job out of nursing school, by this point, it was gone.
“Yes,” Coy responded. She didn’t bother to mention that she’d been a stone’s throw away from becoming a doctor when she dropped out of her program.
***
Kiley held out the first medical chart. “Here you go,” she chirped.
Coy took it with a “thank you” and a nod across the hall. “Don’t forget to put her in exam room two,” she said. “We’ll need stirrups.”
“I won’t,” Kiley responded. She took a couple of steps and paused. “You want me to take her vitals?”
“Yes,” Coy said. “Always. Standard practice.” There was no coincidence in the fact that the new physician assistant had been assigned the task of breaking in the newbie nurse.
“Body temperature, pulse rate, respiration, and blood pressure,” Kiley chirped with another broad smile.
“That’s right,” Coy said with a breath, deep and slow. “I’ll join you shortly.” She allowed ten minutes before knocking on the exam room door.
“Come in,” a woman’s voice called out.
Coy opened the door a sliver, peeking in, and making eye contact. “Hey there,” she greeted with a warm smile.
The young woman responded, “Hi.”
Coy settled onto the stool and introduced herself. For a while, they chatted about nothing in particular. She was waiting for her patient’s blinking to slow and her leg to cease bouncing on the exam table. When that occurred, she rolled closer. “So, you were just in a month ago for your health assessment,” she said with a glance at the chart, “and it looks like everything was fine.”
“That’s what they said,” the patient responded. “Too bad I didn’t know then that I was gonna need a prescription for birth control.” She smiled, shyly. “I never expected to meet someone here at McMurdo.”
“You just never know, do you,” Coy responded with a return smile. Hormones, she thought. It has to be hormones. It has to be that they get all screwed up with the time differential.
“No, I guess you don’t,” the woman chuckled. “Sometimes relationships just up and surprise you.”
“Yes, they do,” Coy responded. Hormones...It has to be hormones. “So,” she continued, “I like to do a pelvic and breast exam before I write a prescription for
birth control.”
“I figured as much,” the patient responded. “I was on the pill a few years ago.”
“Good, you know what to expect then,” Coy answered with a touch. “Alright, let’s get started by having you remove your arms from the sleeves of your gown.”
When her patient responded with “okay”, there was a quiet quiver in her voice.
Coy smiled. “So you met someone here?” she asked as she observed her patient’s breasts for asymmetry and checked for abnormalities.
“Sure did,” the woman answered. “He’s a scientist in chemical oceanography.” Her eyes took on a twinkle. “I never even knew what that was until four weeks ago.” She shook her head. “I’m just support staff, you know.”
“You’re not just support staff,” Coy said with extended eye contact. “We all do a job, and the way I see it, no one job is any more important than another.”
“Never met a doctor who felt like that,” the woman responded.
“Well, I guess you still haven’t,” Coy said, “because technically I’m not a doctor. I’m just a—” Her words froze in mid-air. “I’m not just anything,” she corrected with a thin smile, “I’m a physician assistant.”
“And a good one if you ask me,” the patient said.
With a “thank you” Coy asked her to lie back so that she could palpate her breasts. She looked up and away, to better see with her hands. When she did, she inadvertently caught her nurse’s eye.
Kiley’s face turned beet red, and she looked away.
Coy’s eyes narrowed. She made a mental note to check with her about her reaction when they finished. With that, her attention returned to her patient and the job at hand. “So far, so good,” she said. “Now let’s have you scoot down and place one foot in each stirrup.” Once again she had the feeling of being watched. When she lifted her gaze, she noted that Kiley wasn’t paying attention to their patient or her exam. Instead, she was lost in the scoop of Coy’s sweater. She buttoned her lab coat and waited. What was it about this place? When her nurse looked up, she glared.
Kiley’s eyes glistened, and she dropped her gaze.
Coy took a breath, needing to settle before completing the most intimate part of the exam. She smiled at her patient. “Are you ready?” she asked softly.
“Yes,” the patient said with a swallow. “Go ahead.”
“Alright, here we go,” Coy said. “I’m going to insert my finger into your vagina.” With gentle downward pressure, she encouraged her patient to relax. “Now...I’m going to insert the speculum, the instrument I just showed you. Let’s have you take a deep breath...exhale...and relax.” She removed her finger. “You’ll hear the sound of the speculum opening.” She rotated the blades of the instrument into a horizontal position. “And we’re almost done,” she added in a quiet, steady tone. “Good job.”
***
Coy dropped into the chair behind her desk, exhausted. It was only lunchtime, but it had already been a very long day. She sat for a moment, settling, before initiating a FaceTime session with her parents. In the long run, this may or may not be the best time to call them. She’d have to see. Her mama answered on the second ring. “Hey there,” she greeted.
“Hey there, yourself,” Marigold responded. Her eyes took on a sparkle and she grinned. “Just a minute,” she added as she turned to holler up the stairway. “Cyrus Tobias, come quick,” she said. “It’s your daughter, and she’s in her doctor jacket.”
“I love you, Mama,” Coy cooed. Without even trying, she had lifted her spirits. She heard her daddy’s footsteps on the stairs, and for that second, it was almost like being there. “Hey, Daddy,” she said. “It’s been a crazy day, and I just have a couple of minutes.” She stood with her iPad in hand and pointed its camera away from her. “I thought ya’ll might like a tour of my clinic. So this is my office. It’s small but I like it.”
“It’s real nice, honey,” Cyrus commented. “Ain’t it, Mama?”
“Sure is,” Marigold agreed. “She’s got a nice big desk and everything.”
Coy smiled as she opened her door, turning left to make her way down the main hallway. “So our clinic is similar to the urgent care facilities that we have back home,” she said with a couple more steps. “There’s some of our diagnostic equipment,” she continued, “and our mobile x-ray machine...And there’s the exam room that I just vacated.” She smiled and beckoned with her hand. “Oh, and here come’s Doc Harmon, my boss, and my new doctor.” She made eye contact with the tall silver-haired gentleman, saying, “This is my mom and dad, Cyrus and Marigold.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Doc Harmon said. “Your daughter has just made a fine addition to our staff.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Coy said as she flipped the camera around to make eye contact. “So, Doc Harmon just gave me an exam this morning,” she continued, “says I’m healthy as a horse. How about you, Daddy? Did you make an appointment to see Doc Stevens?”
“Five minutes,” Cyrus responded with a sly smile and a shake of his head, “that’s all you chat with your daddy before you start nagging him?”
“So you didn’t,” Coy said.
Chapter Seven
Diego’s legs dangled. His clothes, with the exception of his shorts, lay in a neat pile in the chair next to the exam table, waiting. He leaned over to retrieve his appointment card. It was in the back pocket of his jeans—C.A. Davidson, PA—OB/GYN specialty. Too bad he couldn’t get in to see Doc Harmon. Oh well, this guy was probably okay. When a soft knock sounded on the door, he said, “Come in.”
“I need to draw a blood specimen,” the nurse blurted out as a greeting. She was young and new, but she seemed okay. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she added.
“No problem,” Diego said.
As she snapped on her pair of gloves, he held his arm out for the tourniquet.
“Your name’s Kiley, right?” he asked.
“Yes,” Kiley answered. She took hold of his arm and began to palpate. “I need to find a vein,” she said.
“I thought you might,” Diego responded. “You ought to find a couple in there somewhere.” He smiled, but she didn’t.
“Got one,” she squealed. She cleansed an area on the inside of his arm and asked him to make a fist. “Okay,” she warned, “now you’re going to feel a little pinch.”
When she inserted the needle, Diego winced.
Kiley lifted her shoulders and shook her head. “Sorry,” she said. “I missed.” She palpated and re-cleansed, but didn’t have to ask him to make a fist. “Okay, another pinch,” she said.
“They don’t usually have this much of a problem,” Diego complained with a grimace.
“Oh no, missed again,” Kiley admitted. “I’m kind of new at this.”
“I know, another pinch,” Diego said. He whimpered under his breath as the needle went in.
Kiley apologized again.
“Another miss?” Diego finished.
“Yes, and I’m so sorry,” Kiley said. “But the good news is that was my third stick, and we have a rule that we only get three. I need to go get someone to finish.”
“That’s good,” Diego responded, “do that. I was beginning to think I was a pin cushion there for a minute.”
“I’m so sorry,” Kiley said. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be right here, waiting,” Diego said.
***
Kiley handed Coy the chart for their first patient of the afternoon. “I tried to do the blood draw,” she admitted sheepishly, “but it didn’t work out.”
Coy looked up from her laptop. “It didn’t work out?” she clarified.
“You know,” Kiley continued, “three sticks...our rule?”
“Oh okay,” Coy said. “Just give me a few minutes, and we’ll do it together.”
“Thanks,” Kiley responded.
When she didn’t step away, Coy asked if she needed something else.
&nbs
p; “Yeah...I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t mad at me,” she responded.
“Of course not,” Coy said. “I realize that it takes time to hone your skills.”
“I don’t mean about that,” Kiley clarified. “I know I suck at blood draws. I just need more practice; that’s all.”
“What then?” Coy asked with a tilt of her head.
“You know,” Kiley responded. She flushed and broke eye contact.
“Oh that,” Coy said with a quick intake of breath and pursed lips. “No, I’m not upset,” she answered, “but I do have expectations, especially in the workplace.”
“I’m sorry,” Kiley offered. “It won’t happen again.”
“That’s good then,” Coy said. She took a quiet breath and added, “You want to tell me why it did?”
“I don’t know,” Kiley answered, “I was just feeling bizarre there for a minute.”
“Probably this crazy time differential,” Coy said. “It wreaks havoc on the system.”
“Yeah, probably,” Kiley agreed.
Coy smiled as she reviewed the first page of the medical record.
“What?” Kiley asked. “What’s so funny?” It was like having a new puppy—a new puppy that she was in the process of housebreaking.
Coy closed the chart and stood. “You know what,” she said, “let’s just go on in and do it.”
***
Coy knocked and waited.
“Come in,” Diego said.
“Giving Kiley a difficult time, huh?” Coy asked with a warm smile.
“Not intentionally,” Diego answered. He cocked his head and added, “I didn’t know you worked here.”
“Sure do,” Coy said. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have Kiley step in close so that she can see what I’m doing,” she added. She washed her hands and slipped on a pair of gloves.