Chapter Eleven #2
Nora sat with Hannah’s head on her lap, talking to her softly. They were almost to the main road when Nora said, “She’s starting to have trouble breathing, and her pulse is getting faster. I think you need to give her the injection.”
After stopping, Fallon took the EpiPen, reading over the instructions. “Okay. Hold her leg still.”
“I feel kinda sick,” Hannah wheezed.
Nora turned her head away as Fallon used the device. “You drive,” Fallon said. Her hands were trembling, the aftereffects of sticking a needle in someone, she supposed. “I’ll stay back here with her. Be careful, but hurry.”
Fallon tried to block out the last time she’d rushed someone to a clinic and what that outcome had been, trying to convince herself of the many ways this situation was different.
Hannah was young and healthy. They had given her medication right away, something that should have been helping already.
Fallon didn’t think she could bring herself to accompany Hannah into the examining room, but Nora could.
Hannah groaned, and Nora asked, “How is she?”
Fallon looked out the window, seeing they were approaching the town. “I think she’s breathing better, but her heartbeat is still fast.” When Nora squealed the tires around a sharp corner, she added, “Please get us there without getting pulled over.”
“Sorry. This car has more power than I’m used to.” Nora pulled into the space nearest the entrance and threw the car into park. They helped Hannah inside, and as soon as they explained what had happened, a wheelchair was brought out and Hannah was taken back to an examining room.
“Go with her.” Fallon gave Nora a little push. “Every patient needs an advocate.”
Nora gave her an odd look but did as she suggested.
Fallon went to the bathroom before telling the receptionist she’d wait outside.
She supposed every medical facility smelled and sounded the same, but she couldn’t bear it.
She paced, ignoring the bench near the door.
Later, she watched a woman bring in a young girl who was holding her abdomen.
She was clearly flushed with fever. Fallon closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing.
Such indicators could be anything from appendicitis to food poisoning, which was the problem.
It had to be hard for medical personnel to get an accurate diagnosis with such general symptoms. She resumed her pacing.
Finally, a nurse came out and asked, “Are you here with Hannah?”
“Yes, is she all right?”
“She’s doing much better, but we’d like to keep her for a few more hours, just to be sure.”
Fallon sat on the bench, putting her head in her hands as she exhaled with relief. The nurse gave her a little pat before handing her two twenty-dollar bills. “Your other friend said to tell you to please find something for breakfast.”
Fallon looked up, and the nurse pointed down the street. “There’s a place right there that does great coffee and baked goods.”
The parking lot was much more crowded after Fallon returned fifteen minutes later carrying a cardboard container of four coffees and eight assorted pastries. Nora smiled at her from the bench. “Why aren’t you with Hannah?” Fallon asked, hearing herself sound more cross than she’d intended.
Nora’s pleased expression fell. “The nurse said Hannah’s fine.” Fallon must have looked doubtful because Nora struck a dramatic pose, throwing her arm up to her forehead. “I want nothing more than to watch her sleep for three more hours, but I must have sustenance first.”
“Okay.” Fallon put the food and drinks on the bench before handing Nora her change. “I’m sorry you had to pay. I’ll reimburse you when—”
Nora stopped her with a hand on her arm, shaking her head. “I’m still trying to make us even for that ice cream stunt.”
Fallon grinned as she took a deep drink of coffee. “I liked your other approach better.” Nora smirked and drank without comment. As she selected a lemon Danish, Fallon noticed the crowded waiting area. “What’s going on in there?”
“Apparently, a propane barbecue grill exploded at a family reunion,” Nora reported, patting the bench after she scooted over to make room. “Amazingly, no one was killed, but there are a few burns and maybe a broken arm, along with lots of scrapes and bruises.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Anyway, I told the receptionist to come get us when we can take Hannah home.”
“Home, huh?” Fallon smiled for what might have been the first time since Jade had awakened her that morning. “You better be careful, or someone might get the idea you actually like this gig.”
Nora punched her arm but not hard. “I do like your car, by the way.”
“Yeah? Well, don’t get any ideas. Big Red and I have been through a lot together, and she has sentimental value for me. Plus, she’s a workhorse. I can’t imagine ever parting with her.”
“Then you better get your gas gauge fixed,” Nora teased.
They had finished most of the pastries and coffee when an ambulance without lights or siren pulled up out front.
Fallon stood, shifting her attention to the people inside the clinic.
The nurse moved the family group off to one side as the EMTs entered.
Soon after, they guided the mother and feverish girl inside the vehicle.
Lights and sirens came on as they drove off.
Fallon trembled, turning away. When Nora asked what was wrong, she said, “Ask the nurse if we can take Hannah now. We can watch her sleep just as well at camp.” Nora hesitated, and Fallon looked at her, eyes full of tears. “Please, Nora.”
Fallon had the car waiting at the door when Nora brought out a groggy Hannah. Fallon jumped out, helping them both into the back seat before quickly driving away.
“You should try to avoid getting a ticket too, you know,” Nora suggested.
Fallon couldn’t bring herself to say how critical it was, her nearly uncontrollable need to get away from sickness, from the medical facility, from the echoes of loss in her head.
“Fallon?” Nora asked, as if making sure she’d heard.
Nodding, she slowed to a few miles over the speed limit. Nora was talking to Hannah, but Fallon couldn’t focus on the words. As she turned off onto the dirt road, she did hear Hannah say, “Much better, thank you.”
Her heart rate slowed gradually. There wasn’t another sound for the rest of the drive, but Fallon didn’t care.
She knew what she knew. They didn’t. After they arrived back at camp, everyone rushed to see Hannah, hugging and fussing over her.
Fallon went to her tent, stripping off her clothes and putting on her pajamas.
Curling up on top of her bed, she closed her eyes, a wave of anguish washing over her.
She’d been so excited the day her mother had accompanied her to the high school to register her for the SAT.
After looking at the booklet, she’d been confident about the reading section, but geometry was a puzzle.
The more she’d read over the sample questions, the more confused she’d gotten, and there hadn’t been anyone to ask.
When Fallon had confessed her opinion that the test would be a total waste of time, her mother had taken her back to the high school to find out about tutoring, and they’d learned it started in two days.
Fallon had barely waited until they were out of the office to hug her mother. “You’re the best mom ever.”
Her mom had scoffed. “We both know that’s not true.” But she’d hugged Fallon back.
At the diner that evening, there’d been much commotion and banging of pots in the kitchen, while Roxie had been scrubbing the front counter like she was mad at it.
In addition to explaining that the boss was coming the next day, Mr. Jamar had added that Fallon shouldn’t come around until Mr. Hickson was gone, since she wasn’t officially an employee.
Fallon had spent the day studying, and when her mother had finally come home, she’d headed straight for the shower.
Afterward, she’d described sweeping out the long-neglected storage shed in the back after Mr. Hickson had gone out there first. She’d laughed at the idea that “Those vermin that had set up house in there probably scared him more than he did them.”
Two weeks later, Mr. Hickson was long gone, but her mom had seemed more tired and achy than usual.
She’d begun popping aspirin, hoping it would help the pains and a headache she hadn’t been able to shake.
When she’d started having chills and diarrhea, Fallon had taken her to the local clinic.
The overworked staff had been treating cases of flu for months and offered a rapid influenza diagnostic test, though the nurse had said it could show negative even if her mom actually had the flu.