by Barbara Ebel
“Not now,” Jae said to the dog. “Can’t you see I’m busy? You and Curley do a lousy job at rodent control, so I have to do it myself.”
The dog cocked his head. Jae took off his brown leather work gloves and wiped his forehead. He took a stick and threw it several feet.
“All right, already. Go fetch and hang out over there.”
Jae slipped the gloves back on and leaned back down into the pile.
But slowly, like a wispy cloud taken away by a breeze, the vision in his head ebbed away.
He again listened to sounds he’d heard before. “Beep, beep. Beep, beep.” And a “whoosh, whoosh” correlated with the rising and falling of his chest. That much he had figured out.
Over and above those sounds, however, was something much more familiar and pleasant to the ears. Much more heavenly to his senses.
Music.
A pop song played. Something from real life. Not like the other noises, which enveloped him when he was more lucid. He couldn’t make it out, but it had a rhythm and a beat.
The music gave him joy and he tried to make that lost connection. The circuitry between his brain and his body. He dwelled on the movement that comes with a likeable song and he forced his foot to move.
He heard something else. Voices. Low but discernable. The lovely voices of women.
He remembered … his partner was a woman. Patty Caye. She was all right. They stood by each other. Maybe he underappreciated her. Maybe he had feelings for her. What to do about that?
The voices close by were different but not totally unheard of before. Then the background music changed … to country music. Yes, that was what was playing. A male singer, crooning about lost love, beer, and a pickup truck.
Ha! He owned one of those. A pickup truck. He remembered his Silverado; he had hauled a buck out of the woods in it.
The song continued to slide into his consciousness. He moved his feet, struggled to open his eyes.
The women’s voices faded away.
-----
Annabel rushed around the corner and bumped into her teammates.
“You’re running late for rounds,” Dr. Schott barked.
“I’m sorry,” Annabel said. “I was with Dr. Enno at Jae Nixon’s bedside.” Her eyes were wide; she was dying to spill the news about her patient.
“I swear,” Dr. Burg said, “you might as well be the resident on his case.”
“I’m sorry again, Dr. Burg. I don’t mean to be stepping on your toes. Dr. Enno shows up early like a medical student and tells me things before I even have a second cup of coffee in the morning.”
“Go ahead and tell us,” Donn said. “Before you have a canary.”
“Mr. Nixon does have a virus … an RNA virus related to St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus. It is really rare and deadly, despite the fact that a patient’s bloodstream concentration can remain low after an infected tick bite. The name of it is POW or Powassan virus.”
Donn stroked his beard. “We figured we were dealing with a deviant infectious disease, but this sounds freaky.”
“It is and there’s absolutely no treatment.”
“How’d she find out?” Stuart asked.
“From the CDC. They detected antibodies made against the virus in Jae’s immune system. Dr. Enno had sent them blood and spinal fluid samples.
“But, can you believe it? Mr. Nixon wiggled his toes. We think … maybe …. there’s hope for him.”
“Let’s go,” Donn waved. “I want to see this for myself.”
Once inside the room, Donn walked over to the radio and shut it off. Annabel glanced at the bed, where she detected no limb movement from Jae.
“Dr. Schott,” Annabel said, “would you mind reconsidering not shutting that off? If he’s coming out of his coma, the music might stir his senses.”
Donn turned the dial back on. Now the lyrics were about two lovers dodging a no trespassing sign and going skinny dipping in a river. Donn shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose it can’t hurt.”
The team stood around the bed. Melody turned the ventilator setting down to a lower rate. A ray of optimism made her believe Jae would pick up the slack himself.
Within a few minutes, after they left, Jae moved his toes and then turned his feet towards each other.
-----
Annabel left the V.A. earlier than she anticipated and she had to deliberate where she was headed. Nowadays, she was such a gypsy, she couldn’t keep up with herself. She lived between the hospital, her apartment, Bob’s place, and even Dustin’s. On top of that, she went back and forth using two methods – Uber or her car.
Well, she thought, she had enough time to go back to her place, change, and go for dinner at Dustin’s. She dragged her stuff up the staircase and first knocked on her neighbor’s door.
The door swung open. Travis grinned in the doorway, his eyes alert as usual.
“Yo. Thanks for monitoring my place. There shouldn’t be too many footsteps up there lately.”
“Yup. You’re not up there or you’re ‘dead-fully’ quiet.”
“I’m alive and well and studying all over the place.”
“Yeah. Right.”
“I owe you. Thanks.”
Travis nodded and Annabel went upstairs. Inside, she texted Bob.
You better be studying and taking care of yourself.
Big news today about my ICU patient. Dr. Enno should talk about him in her lecture on Monday.
Annabel swung open her closet door and deliberated what to wear while a ding came back on her phone.
I studied twice today between naps. More to come.
I can’t wait to hear. Aren’t you going to tell me?
No, she responded. No way have you heard about his disease!
Have it your way. (As usual!)
She smiled. There was some truth to that.
She put down the phone and opted for a sexy look – a chest-hugging sweater, pair of black pants, and oval-shaped earrings alongside her natural curls.
-----
Dustin lived north and on the same side of the interstate as Annabel and several miles east of Bob’s apartment. The area, with small lots and houses, was more residential and his house wore a fresh coat of dark navy paint.
Annabel pulled in behind the car port. The front door opened quickly after she knocked.
“Welcome,” he said.
She stepped in to a warm atmosphere with a narrow staircase to the right and a small room to the left with a cane chair and settee sofa.
“Thank you,” she said, slipping off her light jacket.
He draped it over his arm and followed her gaze. “Antique pieces from my mom’s chair collection. My dad died and Mom downsized from their house to an apartment. She collected many pieces over the years, but we only kept a few.”
“They’re pretty. Does your mom live nearby?”
“Forty miles from here, which is perfect for both of us. We visit each other a few times a month.”
Annabel nodded and they went down the short hallway. The kitchen was modern yet compact. Two pots were on the stove and a bowl of salad greens sat on the counter.
“It smells wonderful in here,” she said.
He took the lids off and let her peek inside. The chicken with broccoli smelled like ginger and soy sauce.
“How about a glass of wine?”
“I’ll settle for a half glass.”
“I’ve been here a few years. Redid the kitchen, as you can tell. The place is only two thousand square feet, split between here and upstairs. Plenty big for just me.”
He popped the wine cork and poured. “Owning my own real estate gives me something to take care of when my head isn’t buried in police work.”
She held her glass up to his and, at the same time, a couple of “meows” sounded from somewhere nearby in the house.
“Do I hear a cat?”
Dustin took her hand. “Come meet Solar.”
He stepped her over to the corner of t
he family room as the “meow” changed to a “woof-woof.”
It was no cat; nor was it a dog.
On top of a wooden perch, walking back and forth, was a bird.
“What’s your problem?” it said.
“Annabel, meet Solar. He’s a yellow-naped Amazon parrot.”
“What’s your problem?” Solar repeated.
“Sorry. That’s his favorite thing to say … because I say that to him.”
Annabel smiled with amusement and then the joy spread all over her face. And she thought that if Bob and she split ownership of a dog, that would be a big deal. As far as she was concerned, for a single guy, this was one heck of an exotic pet. He must know what he’s doing.
“Dustin Lowe,” she said, “you are full of surprises.”
“Full of surprises,” Solar said.
CHAPTER 28
Annabel sat at the dark wood table facing the rec room so that Solar would continue amusing her.
“He sure is handsome,” she said. “His green hues, his yellow highlights, and his vigilant, vibrant eyes.”
Dustin scooped more rice on his plate. “He’s also a conversation piece.”
“Hmm. For the ladies you entertain?”
“No ‘ladies.’ There’s only one woman I’ve been courting. The few people who ever come over are a few cops and we watch football. That’s where Solar gets his occasional trashy mouth from.”
“He seems to be behaving himself.”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “Just wait.”
Annabel put down her fork. “You are a better cook than I will ever be. My best creations come from stirring ingredients into a crock pot.”
“Help yourself to more.”
“No thanks. But if you’re finished, I’m washing the dishes.”
Dustin carried the plates over and Annabel grabbed both the wine glasses. She rinsed and washed while Dustin dried and put dishes away. As she stood in front of the window, the light from the hanging fixture caused the highlights of her hair to glisten.
Dustin gathered one side of her curls in his fingers and tucked them behind her ear.
“Where’d you get such shiny hair?” He leaned in, letting his fingers inch her head closer.
“Where’d you get that dimple in your chin?”
“I asked my question first,” he whispered.
Annabel wrapped her arms around his firm shoulders and went straight for his lips. As he returned her embrace, their tongues met, and Dustin’s manhood stirred against her. They both scrambled to peel off their lower clothing, then he tightened his grip and raised her off the floor.
Taking a step while holding her in his arms, Dustin moved a pottery bowl off a short sideboard and lowered her. Their foreheads touched and they looked down as he easily went inside her.
Several thrusts later, Annabel arched her neck with sheer pleasure. Dustin grappled for her lips once again and soon they slowed their pace, their desire spent.
She glanced up in time to see the bird alight on the top of the cabinetry. The two front toes on both his feet were hooked on the edge and he bobbed his head as if wondering what they were doing.
Annabel tapped Dustin to look up. “Before Solar says anything, tell him you don’t have a problem,” she said.
Dustin chuckled.
“Do you want to stay the night?”
“I would love to,” she said, “but not tonight. A big test is coming up as well as the end of my rotation. I better not mess up my sleep time any more than is needed. Can I take a rain check?”
“I suppose,” he grumbled.
“And may I see you the next weekend … when it’s all over and I can relax and celebrate?”
“Let’s plan on it.”
After each of them came back from the bathroom, Dustin pulled a plate out from the refrigerator.
“One more thing. Would you like to share, or would you like your own?”
Her mouth watered just looking at it. “A napoleon. What a way to top off sex.”
“Top off sex,” Solar mimicked.
Dustin looked up. “Don’t go saying that!”
Annabel turned and took two forks out of the drawer. “How about we share?” They went to the table again and she dug her utensil into the layered custard. With each bite, they grinned at each other. By the time they finished, Annabel wanted to take back what she said about not staying over, but she knew she needed to be on her way.
At his front door, they kissed, embraced, and said good-night. She tilted to the side and spoke louder into the back of the house. “Nice to meet you, Solar. Be a good bird for Dustin.”
How ironic, she thought, stepping to her car. She wasn’t going to sleep over tonight with the guy she was dating, but she’d been staying over at the apartment of the guy she studies with.
And … at least there had been no mention of her study partner while she was at Dustin’s.
-----
Annabel was as prepared as possible. Whatever weak areas of internal medicine she possessed, the only way she was going to find out what they were was by missing questions on the test. After the date at Dustin’s, she crammed as much as she could when not on the wards.
Bob also assured her that he did a solid overview of their notes and his handbook in the remaining hours. The only thing he wanted, or had left to do after the test, was to finish the remaining time on the wards that he had missed.
She texted him one more time on Sunday night. He promised to sleep a solid ten hours before showing up in the department the next morning.
Which was easy. He still realized that he was in the throes of recuperation and needed more rest because of Ehrlichiosis than under normal circumstances.
Besides being test day, the team was on call. Annabel used an Uber driver and dropped her overnight bag in the front of the test-taking room. She pulled out her iPad. The room was wider than it was deep and she took a seat off a carpeted aisle. Students were peppered throughout the room, with or without their white jackets on.
She waved Bob over as he came into the room and dropped a paper cup in the basket. In a pair of blue jeans, she could tell he had dropped a few pounds. He came around her seat and sat next to her, placing his device forward and plugging it in.
“Are you up to it?” she asked.
“I’ll try my best. Because of your help, I think I’ll pull through.”
They tapped each other’s knuckles. Stuart passed across the front of the room and nodded and Annabel glanced around for Jordan, who sat at the end of a row.
“We’re going to get started,” a man said, standing underneath one of the screens. He was a university doctor … not in an independent practice. “Does anyone not have their own student-owned device?”
When he received no answer, he closed the remaining open door to the lecture hall. “You may all now open up ExamSoft’s secure test site and log in.”
Within several minutes, not a peep could be heard. Annabel maintained a steady pace. She reread certain questions and mulled over the answers, but others she answered quickly. She was soon halfway through.
Your patient is a 42-year-old overweight woman you send for ultrasonography. The results confirm gallstones. She comes back in a few months after eating a low-fat diet and presents with a 101 degree F fever, nausea, and right upper quadrant pain. You suspect:
An acute gallbladder perforation
Acute cholangitis
Acute cholecystitis
Acute pancreatitis
Annabel chose the third option and rubbed her neck to relax for a moment. She glanced toward the side of the room and her eyes fell on Jordan. She caught a flash of the small handbook he used … off to the side of his lap … his fingers holding it open. Just as quick, he tugged the side of his lab jacket to rest over it.
She felt anger rise in her throat. There he was again, using his own method to wiggle his way through medical school. She looked back down at her next question. There was no way she would allow his behavior to distra
ct her.
With only twenty-five percent of her test still remaining, Annabel again paused to take a break. A woman to the right, slightly familiar to her, rose from her seat and passed the two rows in front of her. She halted next to Jordan and addressed him in a low voice. His head jolted backwards and after she said something and wouldn’t go away, he rose and followed her. Out the front door.
-----
Annabel waited for Bob outside the lecture hall. When he came out, they walked shoulder-to-shoulder to the staircase.
“What was that all about with Jordan?” Bob asked with a hushed tone.
She swung open the door. “I don’t know. And that woman from the back of the room? She was not one of us. I think she works in the department.”
“He couldn’t have finished his test.”
“He was cheating again. I’m sure of it. Some compact medicine book hanging out on his lap.”
“You serious?”
“I believe so. Anyway, enough about him. How’d you do?”
“Hard to say because my brain still isn’t up to speed.” He dragged behind her on the steps.
“You go home to your apartment and nestle into bed again before coming back downtown this afternoon for Dr. Enno’s lecture. However, I hitched an Uber ride this morning. Can you drop me off at the hospital?”
“Anything. I owe you and I promise to pay you back. Especially if I passed.”
“Like two minus two, you owe me nothing.”
“I’ll think of something.”
Bob drove her right under the awning of the front entrance. She pulled her bag from the back seat. “I’ll go by the office after call in the morning. I’m sure they’ll give me your test results if you want. I can call or text you.”
“Okay. I’d appreciate that. In one way, I’m sorry our test is over with.”
She gave him a quizzical look.
“You won’t be staying over any more nights at my place.”
“That sounds like something is going on between us. Other than studying.”