Chapter Fifteen #3
“Would you get me leggings and a tunic? Underwear, too. I can sleep in that and still be presentable walking through the hotel.”
“Not your nightie?” He dangled the transparent scrap on his finger and then retrieved the clothing she’d asked for.
“Ha. Ha. You don’t need to spend the night with me. You’ll be more comfortable here.”
“Alone? Worrying about you? No. I want to be with you.” Only the doctor banning him from the clinic could keep him away. Michaela still seemed out of breath, and her face and neck remained swollen—although the swelling had subsided some.
He left her to dress and went to talk to the doctor.
“Everything’s arranged,” Adanna confirmed.
“Great, thank you. If none of the food caused her allergic reaction, then what did? What is she allergic to?” he asked.
“I don’t know. The clinic is small. We don’t have the equipment to do a full analysis and diagnostic. I recommend she get a full medical workup when you return to your planet.”
“I’ll see that she does.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Adanna nodded. “Until the allergen is identified, my concern is that she could have another attack at any time. She had a stronger reaction this time and did not respond to the bronchodilator and the adrenergic receptor agonistic as quickly either. It should not have taken more than one dose.”
“You are not making me feel better, Doc.”
“I’m sorry, but I must be frank. I will prepare a report to give to her physician.”
“I’m ready.” Michaela entered the sitting room. She was slightly less puffy, but the swelling, hives, and redness weren’t decreasing as fast as they had before.
“I took a look at myself in the mirror,” she said. “I look like a toad.”
“It’s going to recede,” he said, hoping his optimism wasn’t misplaced.
“I’m pretty confident, much of the swelling will be reduced by morning.
I’ve given orders to the nurse to monitor you and deliver another injection if you don’t hit certain markers.
But, as I was telling Ruyn, you need to see your own physician,” she said, and reiterated all the concerns she had expressed to him.
Michaela nodded. “I will.”
The doctor ushered them out the door and down to the first-floor medical clinic. The nurse, a silver-haired Andrian male with four arms, settled Michaela in a hospital bed in one of two patient rooms. “We don’t get many overnight guests,” he said with a pleasant smile.
“You were probably asleep. I’m sorry to disturb you,” Michaela said.
“No problem. This makes me feel useful, like I’m earning my salary.
” He pointed out a call button and the monitor enabling him to watch over her.
Then he directed Ruyn’s attention to a cushioned chair.
“It reclines somewhat. Since we don’t have other patients, you’re welcome to take the bed in the other room if you prefer. ”
“The chair will be fine,” he replied, unwilling to leave her side. He doubted he’d sleep—bed or no bed.
“By the way, my name is Jabir. I’ll check in with the doc and be right back.”
“He seems nice,” she said after he left. “I’ve caused a lot of trouble.”
“You could have died!” She’d come close to suffocating, but he didn’t want to say so.
He dragged the chair closer and sat. “Saving your life is worth any amount of trouble. And that’s what they’re here for.
If they didn’t want to deal with middle-of-the-night emergencies, they shouldn’t have chosen medicine as a career. ”
“Maybe they assumed working at a vacation resort would be a cushy gig.”
“I’m grateful the hotel has a doctor and that she responded so quickly,” he said. “You shouldn’t feel guilty about using the services provided by the hotel.”
“You’re right. Do I still look like a toad?”
“I’ve never seen a toad.”
On her data tab, she called up an image and handed him the device. He looked at an alien creature with bumpy, brown skin and a balloon sac around its throat. “No,” he lied. Michaela was red rather than brown, but it was hard to ignore the resemblance.
The doctor and nurse entered the room. “I’m going to leave you in Jabir’s capable care,” Adanna said. “Do you have any questions for me before I go?”
“No,” she said. “Thank you.”
“You’re looking better, but be sure you see your own physician!” Adanna wagged her finger.
“I will.”
“Jabir will update me in the morning, and I’ll send a medical report to your data tab.”
“Thank you.”
The doctor left.
“I’ll keep an eye on you on the monitor, and if everything proceeds uneventfully, I’ll check on you in the morning, and you should be good to go. If you have any issues at all, don’t hesitate to use that call button,” Jabir said. He dimmed the lights, leaving them in shadowy darkness, and departed.
“Thank you for staying with me,” she said.
“There’s no place I’d rather be.” He held her hand until she drifted off, and her hand relaxed in his. Then he adjusted his chair, prepared to settle in and wait out the night. The chair only sort-of reclined, but it was more comfortable than the beds at home.
He didn’t think he’d sleep, but he did.