NYC Angels: The Wallflower's Secret

by Susan Carlisle

  On the ride upward, they stood close enough that the heat of his body warmed her down one side. It was the first time in months that the Arctic cold buried deep within her had melted even for a second. The numbness returned the moment the elevator doors opened and he moved away. She stepped out behind him, then paused.

  He stopped and looked at her. “Something wrong?”

  “No, I’m just always amazed at how completely different patients’ areas are from the business parts of the hospital. These bright yellow walls are like coming into sunshine after being in gloom.”

  “I’ve never noticed.”

  She wasn’t surprised.

  “Can you get to your office from here?”

  She glanced around, recognizing a framed picture of a child’s artwork on the wall. “I know where I am now.” He turned to leave and she asked, “So how’re we going to handle this coordinated care plan, Dr. O’Doherty?”

  Stopping, he turned back to her. “I’m going about it like I always have. Check the charts, Ms. Edwards.”

  “Mr. Matherson made it clear that wouldn’t do. You might not like the idea but I expect you to do your part. Your patients are now mine also. I’m determined to give them the best care possible.”

  Dr. O’Doherty stepped a pace closer, leaned forward and pierced her with a penetrating blue stare. “And you don’t think that’s what I do?”

  “I’m sure you’re a more than capable surgeon, but there’s always room for improvement where patient care outside the OR is concerned.”

  “Ms. Edwards, are you questioning my ability to be professional?”

  She met his look squarely. “No, but I’ll not let you dismiss me or my abilities either. I was approached by this hospital to do a job so someone must have thought I had something to offer the hospital and the neuro department in particular. I expect you to at least recognize that.”

  His attention remained on her long enough that her knees started to shake. Had she stepped over the line? With a huff, he said, “I do rounds at five. Promptly.” With a curt turn he went down the hall as if he’d spent all the time he deemed necessary on her.

  Lucy passed a number of patient rooms, rounded the large corner nurses’ station and dodged a child in a wagon with a parent pulling it. Her heart tugged. Every small child she saw made her think of Emily. With relief, she finally reached the hall her office was on. Maybe going back to work in a children’s hospital hadn’t been one of her best ideas. But it had been the only job available when she’d needed to leave.

  As bright, open and modern as the patients’ floor was, in contrast her office was little more than a cubby hole. She shared the area with two other family counselors assigned to the neuro floor. Three desks were lined up side by side against a wall and if all three were working at the same time, they wouldn’t be able to get to their desks without one of them stepping out into the hall. That didn’t concern her. It was a fairly typical arrangement for support staff. She was happy to have her position and she’d work in whatever space provided.

  Lucy checked her watch. There were a few hours before she had to meet Dr. O’Doherty for rounds. That gave her time to review his patient load and familiarize herself with each child’s diagnosis. She’d make sure the doctor didn’t have anything to complain about in regard to her work. It was her goal to make this partnership as stress-free as possible despite his opposition of the plan.

  When she’d learned about this job she hadn’t thought twice about taking it and had every intention of succeeding in it. She needed this position if she was going to survive and get her life back on track.

  One of Lucy’s officemates, a woman with pepper-colored hair and a generous smile, was coming in the door as Lucy was heading out. “Hey, how’s it going?” Nancy asked.

  “Fine.”

  “I heard you were teamed up with Dr. O’Doherty.”

  Lucy gave her a questioning look.

  “Learned it from the hospital grapevine. Even from the basement news travels fast.”

  “I see.” Lucy picked up her notepad.

  “Ryan’s such a cutie. We all love working with him. Kind of keeps to himself but he’s a favorite among the nurses. More than one of them has a crush on him.”

  Lucy didn’t know how to respond to that statement so she remained silent. She didn’t see that ever becoming an issue for her.

  “You know the kind of patients we see on this floor often break our hearts, but with Ryan around it sure makes it easier. That goes for the patients and us. He’s a brilliant doctor. Not hard to look at either.”

  Lucy had to agree with the latter. Even so, he’d not made a great first impression as far as she was concerned. She had a new life to build and being a groupie of a doctor who already had a posse of female admirers didn’t fall into her “need to do” list.

  “Well, I’d better review some charts before rounds.” Lucy gave her co-worker a wary smile and left the office.

  She’d never been one for hospital gossip and actively stayed away from it when she could, but her office-mate’s chatter had caught her interest. The more she knew about Dr. O’Doherty the better off she’d be.

  She slipped into a vacant chair behind the nurses’ station desk. Facing the state-of-the-art computer screen, she typed in her password and queried Dr. O’Doherty’s in-house patients. A list containing five names came up. One by one she reviewed the patients’ charts and made notes. She’d just finished scanning the last chart when a deep-throated laugh followed by the high-pitched giggle of a child came from down the hall.

  “Dr. O’Doherty is at it again,” the nurse standing beside her said with a smile.

  Seconds later, he slow-galloped into view with a young girl on his back. His white lab coat had been discarded. The light blue knit shirt he wore stretched tautly across his broad chest. The man either had good genes or he worked out regularly. The child had a happy smile on her face and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck. Her head was bound in white gauze.

  He stopped at the nurses’ station where Lucy and the nurse stood watching. “Ms. Edwards, I’d like you to meet Princess Michelle.”

  The girl giggled.

  “She buttoned her shirt all by herself today and got to make a wish.” He glanced back at the girl. “Princess Michelle,” he said.

  The girl giggled again.

  “Can you tell Ms. Edwards what your wish was?” Ryan asked.

  “I want a horsy ride,” the girl said with a shy grin.

  “Well, that sounds like a fine wish.” Lucy smiled up at the child. “So how far are you going on this ride? Over the mountain? Across the river?”

  The girl snickered and pointed. “End of hall.”

  “I see.”

  “This horse can’t go too far away from the barn.” He winked at the young nurse and she blinked and grinned.

  The sting of pain Lucy experienced when she’d not been included in the flirtatious action surprised her. It was a visual reminder he didn’t consider her part of his circle. She was once again an outsider.

  An easy lilt in his Brooklyn accent became more prominent as he continued to speak. “I’d better finish this princess’s ride and get her home. It’s almost supper time.” He turned his head toward the girl, “What do you say to get the horse to go?”

  “Giddy up,” Michelle said with another round of giggles and off they went.

  A smile covered her lips.

  “Why, Ms. Edwards, is that a smile I see?” Dr. O’Doherty asked with a brow raised. “I wondered if it was possible.”

  To her amazement, she was smiling. Something that had happened rarely in the last few months. How had that exasperating man managed to make her smile? Maybe there was more to him than she had originally given him credit for. His bedside manner might not extend to her but apparently he cared about his patients.

  The horse and rider set off down the passage then returned, and she waved. Her chest constricted. It wouldn’t be long until Emily would be
the same age as Michelle. Sadly, Lucy would never hear the sounds of Emily’s childhood delight.

  Half an hour later, Lucy asked one of the nurses which end of the hall Dr. O’Doherty usually started his rounds on. The nurse pointed to the right and Lucy headed in that direction. A group of six led by Dr. O’Doherty exited a patient’s room as she approached. The crowd circled around him. Lucy stopped just outside the ring.

  He looked over the head of a female intern wearing a lab coat, with her head elevated in a worshipful manner, to glower at Lucy. “Everyone, this is Ms. Edwards.”

  The assemblage turned to inspect her. She shifted uneasily under the scrutiny.

  “She’s our newest family counselor. Please introduce yourself later. We have patients to see.” His mouth tightened briefly but his words didn’t falter. “Please see that she stays in the loop on all cases.” His intense blue gaze pinned her again. “I’ll have to get you up to speed later on the patient you missed.”

  She looked away.

  Dr. O’Doherty made a few more comments as they moved down the hallway to the next patient, then the next, stopping in front of another door. He paused. His attention focused on her again. “This is Brian Banasiak. I removed a blood clot three days ago. This is one case I believe that it might be beneficial to have you involved in.”

  Might? Lucy wasn’t sure she needed his seal of approval but she didn’t say so. Neither was she certain how she felt about the left-handed compliment. In her last position she’d been considered the “go to” person when a family was having a difficult time coping with their child’s illness or injury. Her role was seen as important in overall patient care.

  Apparently Dr. O’Doherty viewed her work as a sideline to his godly power. She’d do her job effectively then maybe she could change the narrow-minded man’s opinion.

  “I understand his head trauma occurred during an auto accident,” she said quietly. “I’m going to discuss the benefits of therapy at home with the parents. Also assistance with home schooling. These parents have a long road ahead of them. The adjustment of having gone from a perfectly normal child to one who needs help eating and dressing will be difficult at best to accept.”

  Dr. O’Doherty’s look of surprise along with similar ones from the others made her want to pump her fist in elation. She’d managed to wow the man. Why it should matter she didn’t know, but it felt good.

  He pursed his lips and nodded as if he might be impressed. “Thank you, Ms. Edwards. You’ve obviously done your homework.”

  “The family clearly cares about their child and I gather are willing to do what it takes for Brian to recover. I’ll be speaking with them first thing in the morning to determine any additional needs.”

  Dr. O’Doherty gave her a quick nod and with a rap of his knuckles on the door entered the room. Along with the rest of their group, Lucy moved to stand next to the boy’s bed.

  The parents of the boy came to stand across the bed from the group. Dr. O’Doherty paid them no attention.

  “Brian, how’re you feeling today?” Dr. O’Doherty asked.

  The eight-year-old boy offered a weak smile. His entire head was swathed in white gauze. His eyes had dark circles under them and there was puffiness about his face that lingered from having surgery.

  “Okay, I guess,” the boy said with little enthusiasm.

  “Well, from all I hear from your nurse, you’re my star patient,” Dr. O’Doherty stated. “So give me a high five.”

  That managed to get a slight smile out of the boy. He raised his small hand and met the doctor’s larger one with a smack.

  Dr. O’Doherty pulled his hand back. “Ow! See, you’re already getting stronger.”

  Brian’s smile broadened.

  The doctor did have a way with kids.

  “I’m going to take a look at your head. Maybe we can give you a smaller bandage.”

  “It’s itchy.” The boy wrinkled his nose.

  “Yes. That means you’re getting better. I’ll see if we can’t help with that problem.”

  As he removed the gauze, Lucy watched the parents’ faces to gage their reactions. Death wasn’t the only time people experienced grief. A major life trauma could bring on the emotion. Lucy knew that all too well. She’d run to get away from hers.

  “Will he be able to ride a bike?” the boy’s mother asked. “Do we have to worry about him falling?”

  Dr. O’Doherty didn’t look at the mother as he said, “Ms. Walters, my clinical nurse, can answer those questions for you.” He continued to unwrap the bandage.

  The mother looked like she’d been struck. She stepped back from the bed.

  He continued to examine the surgical site then spoke to the floor nurse standing next to him. “I believe we can place a four-by-four bandage over this.” He looked at the boy. “You’ll look less like a pirate but it won’t be so itchy.”

  That statement brought a real smile to the boy’s face.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Dr. O’Doherty said, before turning to leave. He shook the big toe of the boy’s foot as he moved toward the door

  The mother followed him out into the hall. “Dr. O’Doherty, we were wondering what to expect next,” the mother said, tears filling her eyes.

  “My nurse will answer all your questions.”

  Lucy compressed her lips. Where had all the charm that had oozed from him seconds before gone?

  “Will he ever be like he was?” The mother’s eyes pleaded to know.

  “I don’t make those kinds of promises,” Dr. O’Doherty clipped.

  The mother looked stricken again.

  This man had a sterling bedside manner where his patients were concerned but he sure lacked finesse with the parents. Why was he suddenly so cold?

  Lucy stepped forward, not looking at Dr. O’Doherty for permission. She placed an arm around the woman’s shoulders. “Mrs. Banasiak, I’m Lucy Edwards, the family counselor. I think I can help answer some of your questions.”

  The mother sagged in relief. She shot a look at Dr. O’Doherty and then said to Lucy, “Thank you, so much.”

  Dr. O’Doherty progressed on down the hall with his group in tow without a backward glance. Lucy hung back to speak to the parents further. The watery eyes and fragile smile of the mother touched Lucy’s heart. These were the type of people who needed her. It felt good to be using her skills again.

  Ryan paused in front of the last patient-to-be-seen door. Turning, he waited for the group to join him. Ms. Edwards was missing. Should he really be surprised? He discussed the patient, while his frustration grew. She could speak to the parents on her own time.

  “We’re glad you could join us,” he said when she finally walked up.

  Her eyes didn’t meet his. The woman didn’t like having the spotlight on her. By the way she dressed and spoke so softly, he guessed she spent most of her time in the shadows. “I needed to reassure the parents,” she said quietly.

  Pushing the door of the patient room open, he stepped in. “Hi, Lauren,” he said to the ten-year-old sitting up in bed, watching TV. “I believe you’ll be ready to go home tomorrow. How does that sound?”

  The grandmother, who was the girl’s caretaker, stepped to the bed. “That’s wonderful. What do we need to do about getting her back in school when the time comes?”

  A soft but strong voice beside him said, “I’ll help with that.”

  “This is Lucy Edwards,” he said to the grandmother. “She’s my family counselor.”

  The only indication that Ms. Edwards didn’t appreciate the word “my” was the slight tightening around her lips. That had been entirely the wrong thing to say. He didn’t know how to repair the faux pas gracefully in front of a patient’s family so he continued speaking to the grandmother. He’d apologize to Ms. Edwards later.

  This quiet, gentle-voiced woman wasn’t his anything. She wasn’t even his type. He was used to dating freer-spirited women, who thought less and laughed more. Those who were loud and boist
erous and were not interested in emotional attachments. Ms. Edwards had already demonstrated she was the touchy-feely type.

  He left the room while the grandmother rattled off a list of questions for Ms. Edwards.

  After answering a page, he returned to the nurses’ station in search of Ms. Edwards. Not seeing her, he was forced to ask where her office was located. He’d never paid much attention to the family counselors. He knew they had a job to do and as far as he was concerned they did it. Rarely did he interact with one outside other than when they asked him a question or left a note on a chart.

  He knocked lightly on the nondescript door with a small plate that showed he was in the correct place. The door was opened by a woman he recognized. “Hi, Ryan. What’s up?”

  “Hello, Nancy. I was trying to find Ms. Edwards.”

  “Yes-s-s.” The word being drawn out came from inside. He’d found the right place. Ms. Edwards put far too many syllables in a word. He glanced around the woman in front of him. Ms. Edwards looked at him with wide, questioning eyes.

  “I’ll get out of your way. It’s time to head home anyway,” the older woman said. “Nice to see you, Ryan.”

  “You too.” He smiled as she left and stepped into the doorway, holding the door open. “Do you mind if I come in a minute?”

  The new counselor looked unsure but nodded her agreement.

  He’d received warmer welcomes but guessed he couldn’t blame her, considering their less than congenial start. She sat at the desk furthest away from the door. Her eyes resembled those of a startled animal as he pushed the door closed behind him. The look eased when he sat down in the chair furthest from her. Was she afraid of him? He conjured up one of his friendliest smiles.

  She gave him an inquiring look.

  “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for the comment about you being my family counselor. I misworded the statement. It won’t happen again.”

  Her bearing softened. “Dr. O’Doherty—”

  “Please call me Ryan. I’m a pretty casual guy generally.” She looked unsure about the idea. “May I call you Lucy?”