by Jordan Marie
My cell phone rings, and I pick it up, glancing at the number. Great. He woke up early.
“Hello?” I answer, trying to interject cheerfulness into my voice.
“Doc, where the fuck are you?”
“I’m headed to work, honey.” I tell him, and I’m distracted by his anger. His anger irritates me. I was trying to do something nice for the dumbass. Besides, I’m a grown woman!
“Damn it, Doc! You told me you didn’t have to go in until six this morning. It’s barely five!”
I take a deep breath as I top the hill, and try to remember he’s only being an ass because he cares about me. He said he loved me. That thought feels me with warmth.
“Walter called and asked me to come in before rounds for a meeting.”
“I bet that sorry sack of shit wants a meeting. Why in the fuck didn’t you wake me, Doc?”
“You had barely slept. I’m sure it’s nothing, and I’m perfectly safe.”
“You weren’t safe when he tried to force himself on you, and did you forget about the fucking notes?”
“Bull, for gods-sake, I’m going to be in public at the hospital, I’ll be fine.”
“And the fucking notes?”
“Will you give it a rest? I’m sorry I even told you about them. If the police aren’t worried about them, I don’t know why you should be!” I yell back, upset with him, and that’s bad because I forgot two very important things. I didn’t gear down when I started going downhill. That might not have been horrible in and of itself, but the more agitated I get, the more my foot presses on the accelerator. I’m going much faster than I do normally, let alone when I’m worried about my brakes.
“The police are morons, and I’m worried, because someone has been targeting my woman! Damn it, Skye! You better call me the minute you get to the hospital, and make sure you tell me what that fuckwad wanted. I have to go meet with Freak this morning, but I’ll be…”
“Bull!” I stop him, because this time when I press the brake pedal nothing happens. Instead of slowing down, the car picks up speed.
“I’m sorry, Doc. I shouldn’t have yelled. It’s just I love…”
“Bull! My brakes aren’t working!”
“What? What do you mean? Where are you?”
“I mean, I’m pumping the pedal and nothing happens! I just keep picking up speed!”
“Fuck, where are you Skye?”
“Coming down Crawford,” I tell him, fear thick in my voice. I can feel the tears spilling from my eyes. I ignore them, trying to think of what to do. I’m a damned medical school graduate. I can do this. I hold human hearts in my hand while they’re beating for Christ’s sake.
“Fuck! Okay sweetheart, press hard on the brake pedal, does anything happen?”
“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”
“I need you to lift the lever for your emergency brake, Skye. Do it slowly, but get it up all the way.”
Emergency brake. Why the hell didn’t I think of that? I do as he says. I don’t know what I expected. On television when someone does this, they usually fishtail in some kind of cool smoking doughnut, parking lot stunt. I’ve got the steering wheel gripped tight, waiting for that. It never happens.
“Why the fuck isn’t it happening?” I cry out.
“Skye? What’s going on?” Bull asks, and I don’t know if it’s just because I’m terrified, or if he is but, all I can hear is you’re going to die, in his voice.
“Nothing! Bull! Why did nothing happen?”
“It had to slow down some, sweetheart. Now, I need you to gear down into low gear. Can you do that?”
He’s talking so cool and calm, and that should reassure me, but right now it doesn’t. Still, I do what he tells me. My speedometer at one time read eighty, but now I’m in the curviest part of the hill. I do what he says, and notice my speed is down to sixty now. The hand on my RPM dial is way in the red. I decide I don’t care if I do blow up my car—I may never drive again. My wheel’s screech as I slide sideways around a steep curve. My speed is now fifty-five, and that’s great! It would be awesome—except I’m not on an open road. No, I’m halfway down the mountain, and going into the largest switchback curve of them all. My car slides again. Half of it goes air born when I cut the wheel too deep. My cellphone goes flying through the air, as I use both hands on the steering wheel, trying to get it back under control.
“Skye, sweetheart you have to talk to me.”
I hear Bull’s voice from somewhere in the car. I know he can’t hear me, and I don’t know where the phone is, plus the squealing of my tires is deafening. A horn blows, adding to the noise, because just as I do a one-eighty spin in the curve, another car is coming in the opposite lane, on the other side of the road. They are going slow, and they do their best to steer their car out of my path, but it’s no use. I’m going too fast; my car is too out of control. I’m sideways and taking up entirely too much road.
“I love you, Bull!” I tell him, uselessly. Then, there is the screaming sound of metal against metal, as my car collides with the other. The air bag explodes, my head is thrown backwards…and then…blackness.
32
Bull
If I live to be a hundred and one, I never in my lifetime want to relive those last few moments on the phone with Skye. Jesus fucking Christ, my body is still shaking a day later. She had her seat belt on thank God, and somehow—miraculously, she came out with just a mild concussion, some cuts, a few stitches, and bruised ribs. The paramedics and medical staff were all amazed, and I guess I need to start praying more, because the way I look at it, I owe the big guy upstairs for still having Skye in my life. She lost consciousness for a little while, but she came through and was able to talk to me and Matty last night, before she went back out. I stayed with her. I had Blair and her man take Matty with them, but I put two prospects outside their home. I’m not taking any chances from here on out. I’m going to find who this motherfucker is, and when I do, I’m going to tear them a part piece by piece.
I called Dragon, and instead of staying with Crusher until after Christmas, they’re all coming back after Thanksgiving. I hated asking, but I need my brothers around me. I need to find out who this motherfucker is and get rid of them. I had thought it was Melissa, but I don’t think she’s dumb enough to try this stunt. Plus, I think my calling her out for talking about the Savage MC scared her, because the bitch has disappeared. Now that Skye has told me about all of the notes, I’m starting to think some man has her in his sights. The problem is, he is definitely a few bricks shy of a full load.
“Hey you,” I jerk my head up, and lock eyes with Skye. Her poor face is bruised, scraped, and she has a hell of a cut on the side of her forehead. It took six stitches to sew it up. She’s never been more beautiful to me, though.
“Hey, Doc,” I tell her, my voice hoarse. I squeeze her hand and she tightens her fingers against mine briefly.
“You been here all night?”
“I’m not leaving you, Doc.”
“You should have gone home to rest. You’re going to bring on another one of those headaches.”
“I’ll sleep when I get you home in my bed,” I tell her, and I’m not kidding. There’s no way I will be able to sleep, until she’s with me.
“When will that be?”
“Well, I see you’ve decided to wake up and join the world.”
I look up and the doctor who has been taking care of Skye comes through the door.
“Hey, Scott,” Skye says, with a genuine smile, and I try to ignore the hint of jealousy that I feel.
“Hey yourself. I didn’t realize you were into fast cars. It’s always the quiet ones you have to look out for.”
I grit my teeth to keep from telling him to let go of her hand. It bothers me, even if he is just taking her pulse.
“When do I get out of here?” Skye asks the doctor. My hand shakes with the need to pull his hand away from her chest, as he uses his stethoscope. He doesn’t know how c
lose he’s coming to losing that fucking hand.
I hear a giggle. Skye is watching me. She knows what’s going on in my head, and she’s shaking her head. I just shrug, because hell—I am who I am.
“If all your test results come back okay, you can go home this evening.”
“Thank God! And work?”
“No fucking way!” I interrupt.
“Ignore him, he gets grumpy when he hasn’t had sleep.”
The doctor looks at me and then back at Skye. “At the risk of taking my life into my own hands, you can actually return to work Monday. I want you to rest this weekend and do absolutely nothing, but as long as your ribs aren’t giving you pain, and you feel up to it, you can resume normal duties Monday.
“Yay!” Skye says, and I just bite my tongue.
“As long as those duties don’t include pretending you’re Mario Andretti,” the doctor adds.
Skye laughs and they talk a few more minutes, while I quietly stew by the window. I look out, not really seeing anything. I’m mad. Skye doesn’t take this threat seriously and she needs to. I’m going to have to work double time to keep her safe, because for some reason the woman refuses to see danger.
“Bull?” Skye asks, and it’s only then that I notice the doctor has left.
“I don’t want you to go back to work, Doc. Someone out there is trying to hurt you.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“I do, every brake line on your car had been fucked with.”
She takes that information in and her complexion goes white.
“Then you can have one of your men follow me around.”
“Doc…” I start, because that’s not good enough, at least not for me.
“He can follow me around, Bull. I won’t even argue. The one thing I’m not going to do, is give up my life.
“Someone has a special delivery.” That chick Judy comes in carrying a vase of red roses, two dozen to be exact. She’s been in more than anyone to check on Skye.
“Judy! You shouldn’t have!” Skye says, reaching for the vase.
“Don’t look at me girl, I can’t afford this shit on my budget, especially after the house.”
“Bull?”
“Wasn’t me Doc, but I can tell you right now, if they’re from that fucking Walter, I’m going to march them in his office and make him eat them.”
Judy starts laughing. She probably thinks I’m kidding. I’m not.
“Bull. I doubt Walter would buy me flowers, especially after his last run-in with you.”
“For his sake, Doc, I hope you’re right.”
She takes the card and reads it, and then her eyes find mine. Fear deep and thick stares back at me, and I know before I read the damned thing who they are from.
“Bull…”
Goddamn, I’m starting to hate that tone coming from my woman. I reach for the card and the flowers.
The strongest ties are forged in fire. Do not make me hurt you again. We’ll be together soon—AW.
I throw the flowers, vase, and all in the trash. Grab my phone and call Freak. The motherfucker ordered flowers. This time there has to be some kind of paper trail—something. He doesn’t know who the fuck he’s dealing with. But he will. I’ll make sure he knows, right before I end him.
AW
He’s staying by her side like a guard dog. He is foolish enough to think she belongs to him. Skye has further punishment coming. She has let the sins of the flesh seduce her. I must cleanse her. I was hoping she would have learned her lesson, but as I stand outside her hospital room, watching her kiss another man, it is clear she has not.
I cannot stop the tears that fall from my eyes. She was so clean once. Now, I will have to chase the blackness out of her soul. I hope she survives the fire.
My hand shakes as I continue down the hall. Why must they all choose the hard path? I had such hopes for Skye. I thought she was different.
I wanted her to be different.
33
Skye
“Dr. Walker, if I might have a word.” I look up at Dr. Eldridge, and I want to scream. I don’t have time for this idiot. It’s Thanksgiving, and I had to work. Holidays for a doctor, kind of suck—especially when you’re the low man on the totem pole. Plus, I took Monday and Tuesday off so Bull would calm down. That meant when Walter fixed the rotation, he put me on duty yesterday and today—most likely because he’s a douchebag. Still, I put in my time, and if I hurry home I will still get to have leftovers. Bull and Matty are already at Blair and David’s. They get to have dinner with them and while that lessens the guilt of not being able to cook dinner for my family, it doesn’t make me feel any better for not being there.
Family. I know there’s a goofy smile on my face as I let that word repeat in my mind. Matty and Bull are my family. For so long it’s just been me and Matty. Now, everything feels different. One look at Doctor Asshole, and the goofy smile is gone.
“Is there a problem, Dr. Eldridge?” I ask, trying to keep the hate out of my voice. I don’t think I succeed.
“Cut the sarcasm, Dr. Walker.”
I start to point out, I haven’t used any yet, but it’d be pointless.
“Were you aware that you prescribed Mrs. Case in Room 402 the wrong antibiotic?”
“Excuse me?”
“You prescribed Bactrim for her infection. She’s allergic to sulfa based drugs, if I hadn’t caught it, the results could have been disastrous.”
“There were no notations in her chart about a sulfa allergy. I checked and asked the patient myself if she had any allergies,” I tell him, reaching for the file.
He holds the file away from me, and then puts it under his arm, looking down at me.
“I read it myself. The notation is there, and Ms. Case is in her eighties. You know better than to rely on a patient’s word. Especially, with her age and the symptoms she was presenting.”
“I’m telling you, when I had the file, there were no drug allergies listed.”
That’s when he whips out the file and opens it to the correct form. Sure enough, under known allergies, sulfa antibiotics is listed. The only problem is, that form was not there earlier today, and that handwriting is definitely Dr. Eldridge’s. I’m smelling a rat, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I apologize Dr. Eldridge, I can only reiterate that, the allergy form was not in Ms. Case’s file earlier today.”
“So, it just appeared out of the blue?”
“Or someone put it back in after the fact.”
“Good Lord, Dr. Walker, at least own up to your mistake, don’t go trying to lay the blame at another’s feet. What possible reason could anyone have for doing something as heinous as that?”
“Make themselves look good? Ruin my career? I’m sure there are any number of reasons.”
“Really, Dr. Walker. I’m afraid I have no recourse, but to report this to Dr. Reynolds.”
Of course you don’t. Normally it wouldn’t bother me, but I already know I’m not on Walter’s good list. There’s little I can do here though. I turn to leave without saying another thing.
“Have you nothing to say for yourself Dr. Walker?”
“I have plenty to say, I just know it wouldn’t help. Do whatever you want Dr. Eldridge, we both know you will anyway. Just be very careful, because believe me when I tell you, I will make it my life’s mission to make sure you reap what you sew.”
“Are you threatening me, Dr. Walker?”
“Whatever do you mean? I just said I wanted to make sure you got every reward you’ve worked for. Right? If I was threatening you, I would have said something about knowing the right combination of drugs to use so that your tiny pencil dick, that seems to be the talk in the nurse’s lounge, never gets hard again. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a family to get home to.” I leave with my parting remark. Dr. Eldridge is yelling, demanding to know what I’m talking about. I feel like my work here is done.
“Fucking bastard,” I mumble, and th
en laugh.
If Bull heard me, I bet he’d reward me. I may have to let him know tonight after dinner. Lord knows, I’m going to need something to help me relax. Because, despite my bravado in front of that asshole, I know my meeting with Walter will not go well. Shit, maybe I should transfer out to another hospital? There’s one in Corbin, I just hate the thought of the extra hour commute it will add to my day. My time with Matty is already limited. With a weary sigh, I exit the hospital. Time to be like Scarlet again, I decide. I’m just going to think about it tomorrow.
34
Bull
“Why are you carrying mom?” Matty asks, as we go through Skye’s front door.
“She’s worn out and full of turkey,” I joke, laying Skye down on the couch. I use her favorite afghan to cover her, then go back to make sure I locked the door. “Hey little dude, can you stay here with your mom while I check the house out?”
“Sure, whatever,” Matty says, I get the feeling something is bothering him. I’ll have to try and figure that out a little later.
Right now, I need to make sure the house is clear. I’ve had prospects watching the place all day, but you can’t be too careful. It’s a one story house, so it’s relatively easy. I save Skye’s room for last. It all seems fine, and the tension in my body eases slightly.
“All’s good buddy,” I tell Matty, when I come back in. He doesn’t answer me for a minute, then nods. Without saying another word, he walks towards the hall. I have zero experience with children. But I do know that something has Matty upset. We’ve had a really good relationship, and I don’t want anything to get in the way of that. “Do, you want to tell me what’s wrong?” I finally ask.