Chapter 10 #2
“Because I’m at work and a lot of patients prefer to be called by their last names.” I explained. “It’s protocol as well.”
His dark eyes were piercing through me, but I kept my face professional as I checked around the bandage.
There wasn’t any fresh drainage, no redness spreading past the dressing, and nothing that made me need to call anybody in right away.
He winced when I pressed lightly near the side, and I paused.
“Is it sharp or sore?” I asked.
“Sore.”
“Burning?”
“Nah.”
“Pulling?”
“A little when I move.”
“That’s expected.” I pulled the blanket back over him and made another note. “Now give me a number for the pain at this site.”
He took a breath like he needed to think about whether he wanted to lie or not. “Six.”
I glanced up. “You love that number. Is it a real six?”
“A real six,” he said, sounding almost offended. “Damn, y’all don’t believe nobody in here.”
“Not when they’re trying to impress people.”
“I’m trying to impress you?”
I looked at him long enough for him to see I wasn’t about to play that game with him. “I’m going to check when your next dose is due.”
He smiled like he knew exactly what I’d done. “You smooth.”
“No, I’m working.”
“Same thing.”
I shook my head and turned toward the computer mounted near the wall, logging into his chart while feeling his eyes on my back.
I didn’t have to look to know he was watching me.
Some men had a presence even when they were sitting still, and Marvelous was one of them.
Even hooked to machines he still carried himself like he wasn’t used to being helpless.
His pain medication wasn’t due for a little while, but he had the PCA pump if he needed it, and from the way he was trying not to touch the button too much, I could already tell what kind of patient he was going to be.
“You know you can press this when your pain starts climbing, right?” I asked, walking back to the bed and pointing to the button clipped near his hand. “You don’t have to wait until it gets unbearable.”
The way he kept looking at me almost made me nervous but maybe it was my own consciousness as well.
“I know.” he told me.
“You sure?”
He looked at the button, then back at me. “I don’t like feeling all out of it.”
“That makes sense, but pain can slow your breathing down too if you let it get too bad. Then you won’t move, won’t cough, won’t take deep breaths, and that turns into another problem.”
He didn’t say anything right away. He just listened, and for a second I saw the seriousness underneath all the slick comments. That made me soften my tone a little, not much, but just enough.
“You’ve been through a lot. I’m not saying stay knocked out all day. I’m saying don’t sit here trying to prove something to yourself while your body is trying to heal.”
His eyes stayed on mine in that intense gaze. “How many of your patients you giving lectures too? Damn.”
“Only the hardheaded ones.” I said with a chuckle because he was a trip.
I turned back toward the computer before he could pull me into another conversation and finished documenting the rest of my assessment.
His pain medication wasn’t due for another thirty minutes, but nothing about him looked like he needed me to call the doctor early.
He was uncomfortable, which was expected, other than that he was good.
When I logged out of the system and turned around, he was still looking at me, only the playful expression had disappeared again.
He had that same look he wore when he asked about the surgery, like there was something else sitting on his mind that he’d been waiting to bring up.
“You was there when they brought me in, right?” he asked.
“I was,” I answered, pulling the rolling table a little closer so his water and call light were within reach.
“Nah, I know that part now.” He shifted his eyes toward the television before looking back at me. “I’m talking about when they took my clothes and all my shit.”
My hand stopped on the edge of the table for half a second, and although it probably wasn’t long enough for him to notice, it felt like I had frozen in place for a whole minute and there it was; the one conversation I’d been hoping nobody would ever have with me, and of course it had to come from the same man whose room I’d been assigned to today.
I forced myself to keep moving, sliding the plastic cup closer to him before straightening the straw even though it didn’t need to be straightened.
I then ignored a call from Rome and focused back on him.
“Everybody’s belongings are inventoried after a trauma,” I explained, keeping my tone as normal as possible. “Anything the emergency room receives is documented, sealed, and either secured or released to the proper person.”
He stared at me like he was waiting for more. “You the one that did mine?”
My stomach dropped, but I kept my face neutral as I looked back at him.
Lying to Tasha about where the money came from had been one thing because she wasn’t standing there asking me a direct question.
This was different. Marvelous wasn’t accusing me of anything, at least not yet, but the fact that he even remembered having belongings made me wonder how much else was coming back to him.
“I helped,” I said carefully. “There were several people handling your care that night.”
His eyes had a weird look in them, but it wasn’t in a threatening way, but like he was searching through whatever pieces of memory he had left. “My chain and watch made it upstairs to me though.”
“That’s good.”
“My wallet too.”
I nodded again. “Then everything they received should be listed in your property record.”
He ran his hand down his face while staring toward the window. “That’s what they keep telling me.”
The room suddenly felt warmer than it had when I walked in, and I hated that my mind immediately went to the rest of the little money left hidden inside my new apartment.
That fifty thousand dollars had already turned into deposits, rent, furniture, dishes, towels, hell, wardrobe, necessities and everything else.
I couldn’t put it back even if I wanted to, and truthfully, I didn’t want to.
Rome had backed me into a corner, and that money had opened the first door I’d seen in a long time.
Still, standing here looking at the man it belonged to made the whole thing feel different than it did when he was unconscious and covered in blood.
“Is something missing?” I asked, forcing myself to meet his eyes instead of looking away like a guilty fool.
Marvelous studied me for a second before he slowly shook his head. “I’m still trying to figure that out.”
I tried to have a concerned look on my face and play the role.
I prayed like hell that I was doing a good job too.
“Well, my only suggestion is if you have anything missing you may want to speak with the charge nurse, doctor, or security of this floor to see who may be able to assist. Has the police spoken with you?”
He frowned so hard, it looked like he smelled some shit when he looked at me.
“Police? Hell nah… well… yeah they did but it don’t matter because I’m not no police ass nigga.
I tell them what’s missing and how much, next thing I know, they investigating me and all my people so fuck no.
I mean; I may have been out of it but damn, I look like something slow and green to you? ”
He asked me that like it was supposed to be a trick question. “Slow and green?” I asked.
“Yeah nurse, slow and green, because if that’s the case you might as well go talk to a turtle.” He said with smirk.
I couldn’t help it but the way I laughed should’ve been a crime. I tried my best to keep it as professional as I could with him. “Now that was funny.” I said using the back of my finger to wipe underneath my eye.
He smiled showing all of his gold teeth. “I knew I was gone get it out of you.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I warned. “I’m not your nurse. I’m just here floating today because of the shortage.”
“Well, as long as I have to be here, I’m requesting you every time Navy.” He replied while focusing on my name printed across my badge.
I didn’t even bother to ask him why me? I was just glad that he wasn’t suspecting me of taking anything from him.
I was more pleased at myself for playing it this cool on the outside because Lord knows I literally wanted to puke.
Before I could say anything else to him, the room door opened without such as a knock and the tall, handsome, brown skin with a fresh cut, deep waves, gold teeth, and tattoos, walked in filling the entire room up with his cologne.
He looked familiar and I instantly remembered he was the same guy I saw the day I was leaving to get my keys, only he was with two other dudes.
This time, he was alone and his eyes locked onto mine as soon as the door closed.