Chapter 6
Adora
“He’s sexy,” Kera says as soon as she walks into the operatory.
“Who?” I ask.
“Who? What do you mean who? That fine ass man I just rolled into recovery. Mr. Xai-sexy ass-Watts. I know you have eyes,” she says.
“Girl, I did not notice,” I lie because, shit.
Of course, I have eyes and hate how they were being unprofessional as hell as I kept staring at him.
Xai Watts is the first man in a long ass time who has warranted a second glance and I’ve given him several.
His deep rich chocolate skin, thick eyebrows, soul stirring dark brown eyes with lashes curlier than mine, perfectly cut low-Caesar with enough waves for two oceans, and trimmed beard and mustache all had me taking more looks than I should have.
“Please,” she huffs. “Even Miss Lechelle looked and she’s married,” Kera says, referring to the office manager.
“Did you come in here to help or talk?” I ask playfully.
“Both, ’cause he’s fine,” she says and we both laugh.
Xai’s surgery was over twenty minutes ago and I’m breaking down the operatory.
Kera is a dental assistant and I’m an oral surgery assistant.
Our roles are somewhat similar. We both completed dental assistant training.
I’ve just taken my education a step further and specialized in oral surgery.
I work more closely with Dr. Denim. I prepare the operatory before surgeries, assist during the procedure, administer anesthesia and monitor IVs during surgery, and break down the room afterward. Kera usually assists with breakdown.
When the room is broken down and instruments disposed, Kera leaves to check on Mr. Watts and I sterilize the room.
We have another extraction at two. Because I leave at three, I won’t be assisting on this one; the other surgery assistant, Levy, will be assisting Dr. Denim.
I’m responsible for post-operative care and discharge of Mr. Watts before I leave.
Since he’s less than an hour pre-op, he’s pretty groggy and Kera is monitoring until I relieve her.
I have time for a quick energy boost. Between my sleepless nights courtesy of Rush’s goofy ass and my nonstop day, I need something to push me through these last two hours.
I made the girls’ favorite—mini chicken salad croissants—for lunch and packed two for myself.
After washing, sanitizing, and drying my hands, I start a cup of tea and grab my lunch kit from the fridge in our small breakroom.
I take out one of the croissants, wrap it in a paper towel, then pop it into the microwave for fifteen seconds to cut into the coldness.
I eat it so damn fast; it’s gone before my tea pod brews in the Keurig.
With my tea now in my insulated tumbler, I sip it as I walk to the office areas.
Levy and I share a small office. After taking another sip, I leave my tumbler on my desk then head to Mr. Watts’ room.
When I walk into his room, Kera is replacing his gauze in his mouth and he’s alert.
His squinted dark brown eyes reveal he’s still feeling the effects of the anesthetic.
Kera finishes, removes and disposes of her gloves, then washes her hands. She steps over to me and gives me a rundown of his pressure, heartrate, and oxygen levels. Before leaving, she gives me a warning.
“He’s a talker though,” she says with a grin.
After surgery, many patients feel the effects of the sedation for a few hours.
We sometimes hear wild and hilarious things because they are not fully coherent.
That and pain are the reasons we tell patients not to drive themselves.
The other person is advisable for post-op instructions.
A non-sedated individual hears and comprehends better.
I review his chart quickly again on the iPad then wash my hands and glove up.
When I step toward him, his eyes widen and he tries to smile.
I smile back naturally and lightly shake my head.
The moment I got the call about my mom, my smile disappeared and I thought it would never return.
The one I’ve been using these past two months has been wry and forced.
It wouldn’t materialize naturally for anyone or anything other than my daughters.
However, now that the insurance investigation has ended, I’m getting back to me as much as I can.
I walked into the office today with my natural smile but he’s kept it on my face since I saw him in the lobby.
“How are you feeling, Mr. Watts?” I ask as I gently check his mouth.
“Xai, pretty girl,” he says.
To not agitate him, I just go along. “Okay, Xai. How are you feeling? On a scale from one to ten, with ten being extreme pain, what’s your level?”
“You’re a ten all day,” he says and I can’t hold in my laughter. Kera was right. He’s definitely a talker.
“Your pain level,” I repeat, stressing the your.
“Then none. There’s no pain with you around. Won’t you sit next to me?”
“No. I’m good standing,” I assure him.
“Why,” he practically whines as he shakes his head. “I want you next to me.”
He’s really feeling it.
“I need to stand to check on you and get you ready to go home. Is your family member or friend in the lobby? What’s their name? I can go get them so we can discuss aftercare.”
“It’s just me. I’m straight enough to drive. I do this,” he says then sits all the way up. “You need me to leave right now?”
“Just you? I can’t let you leave here like this. Is there anyone you can call?”
“Nah, baby. I’m good here with you. Come on, sit down so we can talk.”
I place my hands on his shoulder then lightly push him back. He falls back on our large, comfy dental chair. “You relax and I’ll be right back,” I tell him.
“You leaving me already?” he asks, actually sounding disappointed.
“Yes, but I’m coming back,” I tell him and he nods.
I remove my gloves, wash and dry my hands, then grab the iPad. He definitely can’t drive. I need to reach out to his emergency contacts. When I walk out, I spot Kera walking into our second patient room. We have four patient rooms and two operatories.
“I need to reach out to his emergency contacts. Can you peep in on him?” I ask her.
“I got him,” she assures.
“Thanks.”
When I walk back to my office, Levy is sitting at his desk on the phone. We acknowledge each other with our eyes as I walk over to my desk. Xai’s records have two emergency contacts, Kadean Watts and Merrick Redmond. I call Kadean first.
“Yeah, what up?” he answers.
“Yes. This is Adora from Morris Oral and Facial Surgery. We have Xai Watts here and he—”
“Yo, he good?” Kadean rushes out, cutting me off.
“Yes, he’s fine. He just can’t drive himself home. We need someone here so we can discharge him.”
“Fuck,” he sighs, then quickly adds, “My bad. Um…I can’t come but check it. I’ll see if I can get somebody. Can I call you back?”
“I have another contact. If they are unavailable, I’ll call you back. Is that okay?” I ask, offering an alternative. The loud music in his background sounds like he’s preoccupied anyway.
“That’s straight,” he says, then ends the call.
I try his second contact next, Merrick. He answers after a few rings. “Rick Redmond,” he says and I repeat my standard introduction and tell him about Xai. “Sure. I can be there in about an hour. Do I ask for you when I get there?”
“Yes. Just stop at the desk.”
“Do you know if he drove his ride there?” he asks.
“He said that he did.”
“Got it. I’ll be there.”
“Thank you. I’ll let him know,” I say.
I end the call then finish my tea. As I drink it, I use the time to make all my patient notes for today.
By the time I get Xai discharged, it’ll be time for me to leave and get my babies.
I promised them pizza tonight since tomorrow Averi has her big Rosa Parks speech at the Black History Month Showcase at school.
When I make it back to Xai, he looks a little more alert. His eyes are still weak looking but he’s sitting up. Kera has his discharge folder prepared and on the tray next to the bed.
“You’re up,” I comment as I glove up. “How’s your pain now?”
“All gone, you’re back,” he says. He’s still a little loopy.
“You just had a major extraction. I know that’s not true. Lean back a little,” I tell him and he does. I check his gauze and mouth. “The bleeding is slowing but you will still need to switch out the gauze. Your friend, Merrick, is on his way to take you home.”
“You know my bruh, Rick?” he questions, furrowing his thick eyebrows.
“He’s your emergency contact.”
“That’s it though, right?” he asks but I’m not sure what he means so I simply nod.
There’s a tap on the door then it opens. It’s Kera with a tall brotha standing behind her. “This is Mr. Watts’s ride. I decided to bring him back,” she says before opening the door wider.
“Perfect, thank you,” I say and he walks in. “You’re right on time. I was about to go over his discharge info and I think the meds are still working.”
“Rick, bruh. So you do know Adora?” he asks with a slight frown. “I love you bruh but that’s me. Off limits,” he says and Rick’s eyes get big as hell.
“See,” I say with a wink.
“Xai, man,” he says, then grins. “Chill, I’m just here to take you home.”
“Bet,” Xai says, nodding. “We can go.”
“Not until I go over your paperwork,” I say.
I grab the folder and hand it to Rick. “This has everything he needs. He should be fine and back to normal in an hour or two but the pain is really going to kick in. He already has his pain meds but he can take Tylenol too.” I walk to the cabinets and grab a box of small cold packs.
“He’ll need to apply one to his cheek for ten to twenty minutes today and tomorrow.
His diet and other instructions are inside, as well as his follow up appointment reminder for his appointment Wednesday. ”
“I gotta wait till Wednesday to see you?” Xai questions.