Chapter 29
Audrey
“Is that a smile I see?” Gianna’s voice rang through my ears. I was sitting at the nurse’s station, typing up some notes from my last patient when I heard her.
I glanced up over the counter to see her leaning her elbows on it and staring at me with a sly smile of her own. “Leave me alone.”
“Mhm.” She walked around the counter and took the empty seat beside me. “You’re over here glowing. Something was cracked all right, and I bet it was that back.”
“Gianna!” I exclaimed.
“What? Girl, it is chaos down here. Nobody is paying any mind to us. And I’m not even going to ask questions because everything I need to know is written on your face.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “That dick was good, wasn’t it?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks.“Oh, my god, Gianna!”
She giggled mischievously.
Before I could scold her, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket.
My stomach clenched as I dug it out. Unless I was on break or lunch, I usually kept my phone on Do-Not-Disturb during my shifts.
Only calls from my fathers were allowed to go through when it was on.
And even they tried not to call unless it was an emergency.
The knots in my stomach tightened as I saw Papa’s name at the top of the screen. I stood up from my seat and took a few steps away from the desk to answer the call.
“Papa, is everything alright?” I asked.
A grave sigh was my response. “Not really,” Papa admitted, his voice small. “Benny fainted at work. The staff called an ambulance. They’re taking him to the hospital now.”
“Alright, I’ll meet you there.”
I hung up the phone and hurried back to the nurse’s station.
Gianna frowned as she watched me furiously type some last touches on the file I was working in. “Are you okay?”
“No,” I said. “I have to go. My dad…” I didn’t want to say the words aloud. Didn’t want to make them real.
Thankfully, Gianna was able to read between the silence. Nodding, she said, “Text me if you need anything.”
“I will. Thanks.” I closed the patient file and logged out of the computer. I rushed off to find my supervisor to let them know I needed to leave before jogging out to my car.
Every worst case scenario flew through my head. What if Dad hit his head when he fell? What if his fainting was caused by his organs failing? Or his heart stopping?
I tried to shake the thoughts, and the tears it brought with them, away.
The doctor side of my brain reminded me that now was not the time to be freaking out.
I didn’t know anything about his condition yet, but the good news was he was in the hands of qualified paramedics.
They were going to do everything they could to save his life.
And I needed to hope he was going to pull through.
I drove a few miles over the limit and sped through nearly every yellow light to get to the hospital. Once I arrived, I rushed through the parking lot and made a beeline for the reception desk in the emergency room.
The clerk at the desk glanced up at me as I approached. “Hello, how may I help you?” She asked as she offered me a small smile.
“Hello. My name is Audrey Davis. My dad, Benjamin Davis, was recently picked up by paramedics, and this is the hospital he’s supposed to be transported to.”
She murmured his name as her fingers clicked against her keyboard. “Yes, I have his file here. He’s been checked in and is currently being moved to an examination room as we speak. You’re his daughter, correct?”
“Yes, and his husband is on the way as well.”
“I will let the staff know so they can talk to you about any updates.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I walked away from the desk and took a seat on one of the empty seats on the other side of the room. My leg restlessly bounced up and down as I watched the door, waiting for Papa to walk through the threshold.
It was only a few minutes before I spotted his gray-streaked head walking through. He glanced around the waiting room. His shoulders visibly fell as he spotted me. Hurrying towards me, he opened his arms wide for a hug.
I flung myself into them and squeezed him tight. Tears I’d been holding back pricked behind my eyes. I squeezed my eyelids tight to keep them from falling.
“It’s alright,” Papa said as he wrapped his arms around me. “He’ll be alright. Don’t worry.” He led me back to the chairs and sat down beside me. “Have any of the doctors come out yet?”
I shook my head. “He’s still getting checked out. Did you talk to the manager on shift? What’d they say happened?”
“Shelly said they were talking in his office when it happened. She said one minute they were laughing and joking, and the next he was falling out of his chair. Scared her half to death.”
“At least he was with someone who could help,” I murmured.
“Yeah,” he said, though it came out more like a sigh.
Frowning, I reached over and grabbed his hand.
I wished there was more I could do than be present for him.
Having degrees in medicine and not being able to utilize them hurt like hell.
All I wanted to do was treat Dad’s illness the way I was able to treat everyone else’s.
After all he’s done to heal my wounds, the least I could do is work on his.
Papa and I waited for a long while before Dr. Wayans came out.
“Hello, Mr. Davis, Ms. Davis,” he greeted us. “It’s nice to see you both again. I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”
“How’s Benny doing?” Papa asked.
“He’s doing alright. We checked his vitals and it looks like his blood sugar levels are low.
That would explain the fainting. Low blood sugar levels are common for patients with pancreatic cancer, but still a concern that could lead to other complications.
How has Benny’s eating habits been lately? ”
“Not as great as they usually are. He’s been experiencing more nausea lately, so he’ll start a meal, but won’t finish it.”
“I understand. We should look into incorporating glucose tablets into his diet so his body can still get those sugars even if he doesn’t finish his meals. You can buy them over the counter at your local pharmacy. I can print out some brands I recommend if that’d be helpful.”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
Dr. Wayans nodded. “Of course. In the meantime, we have him on an IV dextrose to boost his sugar levels. I’d like to have him stay overnight for observation, but if his vitals look better by tomorrow, he should be able to go home then.”
“When can we see him?” I asked.
“I can take both of you back now.” He turned on his heel and led us down the hall. “He’s conscious, but still a little groggy.”
We followed him to the upper level of the hospital and down another long hall. We stopped outside one of the rooms. Dr. Wayans knocked softly on the door before slowly pushing it open. “Mr. Davis,” he called as he walked inside. “You have visitors.”
As he stepped aside, I caught a view of Dad laying in the hospital bed. A gown covered his torso and a thin blanket was tucked around his legs. A pale veil was thrown over his skin, lightening it a few shades. He didn’t look as bad as he could be, but the sight broke my heart all the same.
A small frown was pasted on his lips before his gaze went to us. He instantly replaced it with a wide smile. “There’s my favorite people!” He cheered.
Papa’s chest fell in relief. “Jesus, Benjamin,” he said as he approached Dad. He wrapped his arms around his head and pulled him close against his chest. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry,” Dad murmured. His free arm wrapped around Papa’s waist. “I should’ve called out of work today. I knew I didn’t feel well, but I thought I could push through it like I do every other day.”
“Your days have been looking different lately. On the bad ones, you need to take it easy.”
“I know.” Dad looked at me as Papa released him. His brows creased together at the sight of the moisture in my eyes. “Come here, baby girl,” he said, opening his arm.
I immediately went into them. I pressed my wet eyes into his shoulder as I squeezed him tight.
He rubbed his hand up and down my back. “Don’t be upset. I’m right here. Everything’s alright.”
His soft tone and touch made the tears fall from my eyes.
His words reminded me of the one he’d give during the first few nights I spent with them.
I used to have terrible nightmares and accidentally woke them up from my whining and groaning.
I’d wake up to their concerned gazes and assuring words.
Dad used to hold me tight as he whispered those same words.
It was the first time I remembered feeling safe since being separated from my mother.
My chest tightened at the fact that now, as he faced his own nightmares, I couldn’t offer him the same comfort.
The other side of the bed sank as Papa joined us. One of his arms went around my back while the other embraced Dad.
We sat, huddled together, for a long while. Although we were thankful Dad was going to be alright, sadness over the decline his health took still lingered. There may have been a solution to the symptom today, but there may not be for the one he might experience tomorrow.
Our fear of the unknown was never going to go away. Still, in the little moments like this, we did our best not to let it take our gratitude away.