Chapter Fourteen
Adam
I was whisked from the ambulance straight to a room in the ER, where Brian was already waiting with a doctor. The two were chatting like they knew each other, which I’m sure they did.
They were probably on the same softball team or some shit.
I wasn’t sure if all their emergency patients were treated this quickly or if I was getting the VIP treatment because of my association with Brian.
Or Shawn. Or because I’d been hit in the head with a baseball bat and the only other emergency that seemed to be going on at the moment was a twelve-year-old boy who’d fallen off his bike and possibly broken his arm.
“Lieutenant Callahan, I’m Dr. Brady Williams. I understand you’ve sustained a head injury that might need closing up.”
“And a CT scan, maybe an MRI,” Brian interjected.
The doctor looked over at the sergeant with a patient smile. “Why don’t I take a look before we make that determination.”
Brian took a step back. “Oh, yeah. Of course.”
I asked, “Can we also make sure my nose isn’t broken? I don’t think it is, but let’s double check.”
I’d prefer to keep my nose straight. I knew more Marines than I could count with crooked schnozzes because they didn’t get them put back in place after they’d been broken.
The EMT had jammed gauze up my nose to stop the bleeding, but broken nose or not, I knew I was going to roll into Lancastle with two black eyes tomorrow.
Eh, it’d make my return home that much more dramatic. Give the people something to gossip about over their morning coffee at Kate’s Café.
The doctor pulled the gauze from my nostrils and felt my cheeks then the sides of my nose. I braced for him to snap it in place, but he released his hold and said, “Not broken. But you’re going to be bruised tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
“Let’s take a look at your head.”
I felt him poking around, then he picked up a bottle that I hoped was water and poured it on my head. I assumed so he could rinse away some of the blood and get a better look.
“Well, you need six staples. And I agree with Brian. We should perform a CT scan to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”
My new friend wore a smug smile when he stood up a little straighter.
“Thought so.”
“How long is that going to take?” I grumbled.
“I’m not sure. I’ll need to check their schedule after I suture you up.”
“Can’t I get one in Lancastle?”
The doctor shrugged. “I mean, you can do anything you want. But you run the risk of your brain swelling, falling asleep, and not waking up again. Or waking up mentally incapacitated.”
Goddammit.
“My bus leaves at three ten this afternoon.”
“I’ll try my best to get you out of here by then. But if it were me, I wouldn’t want my brain to swell while I was in the middle of a bus trip. Something to consider.”
The nurse brought him in a tray with all the necessary supplies to close my wound, and he asked, “Do you want something to numb the pain?”
“Hell yeah, I do.”
I was a Marine, not a masochist.
“I was asking because some people say the lidocaine shot is worse than the sutures.”
“I’m not excited about the idea of a needle being jammed into my head, but I’m even less excited about a staple gun shooting into my scalp, so let’s go with the shot first.”
He ripped open an alcohol wipe with a smirk.
“Well, lucky for you, I’m not going to jam a needle anywhere.”
“Sorry, Doc. Just a figure of speech. I didn’t mean any offense.”
He unfolded the wipe. “None taken” He got his revenge anyway. “This is going to sting a little…”
****
Lainey
My phone rang as I was nursing Conor after the breakfast rush.
Brian’s name flashed on the screen, and I quickly answered the call and put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Lainey. It’s Brian.”
“I know, silly. You’re in my phone book. Your name shows up when you call me.”
“Right. Anyway, I’m calling to give you an update. Adam needed six staples, and he’s waiting to get a CT scan to make sure he doesn’t have a concussion or anything.”
“How’s his nose? Is it broken?”
“Nope, but the doctor said he’s going to be bruised tomorrow.”
“That comes with the territory of a broken nose, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. There won’t be any disguising he was in a fight.”
“Is he going to be okay to travel today?”
Please say no.
“The doctor is discouraging it, but I think it will depend on what the CT scan says.”
Was I a terrible person for wanting him to have a concussion so he’d have to stay in town a little longer?
“Well, if he needs a place to stay tonight—”
Brian cut me off with a snarl. “He can sleep in my guest room.”
“Relax. I simply wanted to make sure he had somewhere to go and didn’t want to assume you’d volunteer your place.”
“I’m volunteering.”
“Good. Although, I did appreciate his help with the baby last night. You’re right; I need to try to get Conor to use a bottle, too.”
I could hear the humor in his voice. “I should jot this date down. I’ve already been told twice that I was right today, and it’s only eleven o’clock.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.”
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me.
“Let me know about his test results and what he decides to do.”
“I will. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Thanks for the update.”
“I told you I would.”
“And you’re a man of your word.”
“Like Shawn was.”
I wasn’t sure why he had to bring Shawn into the conversation, but I replied with a wistful, “Yeah,” then ended the call.