Chapter 23
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
ELLERY
Irush into the emergency room with my coffee in hand.
“Sorry. Sorry.” I jog to the staff locker room and hurriedly get out of my coat, replacing it with my white doctor’s coat. The door opens, and I don’t take time to see who it is, instead slipping off my boots and putting on my clogs.
Slamming my locker shut, I turn. I thought that maybe Dr. Murphy followed me, but it’s my dad.
His hands are stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. “You’re late,” he says, as if I don’t already know.
“The train was behind,” I lie, but my dad stares into me as if he knows it was something else.
“I came in early to chat with you because I’ve heard you’ve been distracted lately. Imagine my embarrassment when you show up late.”
The door opens, and Hayes stands in the doorway with a breakfast sandwich in his hand. He doesn’t react right away, his eyes shifting between my dad and me. “I…”
“Leave,” my dad says, and Hayes steps back into the hallway, allowing the door to swing shut.
“Jesus, Dad,” I say, attaching my badge to my coat.
“Your mother wants you to come over for dinner.”
“Okay.”
“You and Cooper,” he says. “And I wouldn’t mind a conversation with him.”
Oh god, no.
I narrow my eyes. “Why?”
“This. You being late. Him showing up here from what I hear. The deliveries. This is a hospital, not a social club.”
“Who’s reporting to you?” I ask, already knowing exactly who it is.
“Dr. Murphy? He has it out for me. Always making comments…” I stop myself because I can handle my problems on my own.
I don’t run to Daddy. But if Dr. Murphy thinks he’s going to run to my dad every time he thinks I’m out of line, he’ll come to regret it.
“It doesn’t matter. Cooper has stopped in since I started here, the entire staff gets deliveries, and you’re only being like this because I’m your daughter. ”
“Damn right, I am. Can’t you see what you’re doing? I saw you after his game on Sunday. Kissing and hugging, being referred to as his girlfriend instead of Dr. Ellery Wallace.”
“I can be both,” I say, even though his words are playing to my insecurities.
“You worked hard for that title, you should make sure they use it.”
I blow out a breath. “Tell Mom to text me about dinner. I have to go start my shift.” I walk steadily past him, but he grabs my upper arm and brings me back in front of him.
“I didn’t say this conversation was over.
Don’t embarrass me or yourself. You have a lot of promise here to move up and eventually take over my position when I move up the chain.
But if word is reaching me, people won’t refrain from telling others.
” His jaw clenches for a second. “And since when did I not teach you to put this career first? It will reward you and give you a life you can enjoy afterward with Cooper. You’ll get there, but you have to sacrifice.
Being known as Cooper Rice’s girlfriend isn’t going to get you the respect you want or deserve in this industry.
” He releases me and steps out of the room.
I take a small reprieve to inhale and exhale a few deep breaths. There really is no pleasing him. No matter what I give, it’s never enough. I blink back my tears, collect myself, and open the door.
“Thank you for joining us, Dr. Wallace,” Dr. Murphy says when I reach the group.
Hayes gives me a sympathetic look that I hate. I don’t need anyone’s pity. I’m the one who chose to follow my dad to this hospital.
“And Dr. Wallace Senior is joining us this morning. I’m sure you’ve all already met him. Especially Dr. Wallace.” The group laughs at Dr. Murphy’s lame joke.
Dr. Mendez isn’t here today, so it’s Dr. Lim who Dr. Murphy is relieving today, so he runs through the physician handover and gives us the status of each of the patients.
There were some shootings last night, and we have two injured teens who have been sent up to surgery.
I’m semi-relieved I wasn’t here, but I’m thankful they’re recovering upstairs instead of being sent downstairs to the morgue.
After that, my dad says he’s going to head back to his office for the day.
I’m thankful because I could see him staying here all day just to keep an eye on me like I’m a child.
I go in to see my first patient for the day after being prepped by Dr. Lim. It’s a little boy who broke his arm and is waiting for the orthopedic surgeon to take him into surgery.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Wallace, I’m just checking in since we had a shift change.”
The mom sits on the bed with the son, and the dad is on the chair.
“Hi,” they all say in unison.
“Do we know how much longer?” the dad asks, clearly nervous.
I scan my ID on the computer. “It should be soon. How long have you guys been waiting?”
“Feels like forever,” the mom says.
I give them a sympathetic smile because it can be rough here at times.
“Let me call his office,” I say. “I can’t feed you because of the surgery. Do you want some ice chips?”
“Sure,” he says, looking at his mom. “I’m starving.”
“Soon. This will all be done soon.” She runs her hand through his hair, her eyes looking a little misty.
“I’ll step out and see if I can get some answers.”
I walk out into the hallway and come to a stop when I see Cooper standing there, holding up my lunch that I forgot in my mad dash out the door. Today is not the day for my dad to see him.
“Thank you,” I say, going to the phone and dialing up the orthopedic surgeon’s office. “Give me a second.”
Then it dawns on me that Cooper can do something while he’s here, and it might just make this kid’s day.
He stands at the counter, his eyes on me, as if he’s ready for another round after this morning.
I really do have to put my foot down about there being no more sleepovers when I have the early shift.
The surgeon is supposed to be on his way, so I hang up and tell Cooper to wait a second while I peek my head into the room. “Mason, are you a Grizzlies fan?”
His mom lights up, and the color in her cheeks deepens. “Honestly, we did recognize you from last night. You’re Cooper Rice’s girlfriend, right?” the mom asks, and she’s being respectful, but those three words still grate on me.
“I am.”
“Well lucky for you, Mason, I forgot my lunch this morning.” I step to the door and wave Cooper in. I’ve done this enough over the years that he has an idea of what he’s walking into.
Cooper comes into the room, and all three of their mouths drop open, blinking like they’re not really seeing him. I wonder what that feeling is like for Cooper.
“Hey.” He shakes the dad’s hand. “Cooper Rice,” he introduces himself.
“Todd.”
The mom says, “I’m Jessica.”
“And this is Mason.” I gesture to the little boy. “I’ll leave you guys to it. I have to check in on another patient. Good news, the surgeon is on his way.”
Cooper nods, sitting on the stool beside the bed. “So, tell me, Mason, do you play football?”
Knowing he has this handled, I go to the next room and sanitize my hands again. “Hello, I’m Dr. Wallace.”
I continue my rounds, and once I have all my patients in various degrees getting out of the emergency room, the surgeon finally arrives with his resident.
We walk into the room, and Cooper has them all laughing, telling a story about Damon. “Oh, it looks like you’re ready.” He stands up and fist bumps Mason. “You’ve got this, and you’ll be up playing again in no time, don’t worry.” After he shakes their hands, he leaves the room.
“Shut up, you’re the doctor from Mercy dating Cooper Rice?” the surgeon asks me, his eyebrows raised.
“Yes.” Damn, how far has this gossip chain gone?
I leave the room and walk Cooper out to the intake area. “Thanks for that,” I say. “And for bringing me lunch.”
“Anytime. I love to help out when I can.” He leans in and gives me a chaste kiss. “See you tonight?”
I nod. “Yeah, but no sleepover. I was late today.”
A sly smile lands on his face, and I shake my head.
“After the season, we’re going on a long vacation.” He pulls me into him, going in for a kiss.
“I’m at work,” I whisper.
Just then I hear a code over at the intake desk about a stabbing victim being en route.
“I’m gonna be late to work out. See you tonight. Love you,” he whispers and releases me without kissing me.
“Coop.” I stop him. Rushing over, I give him a kiss on the cheek. “Love you.”
His smile is so big, I melt for a moment before heading in the back to get prepared for the stabbing victim.
Mason is already being wheeled out of the room to go up and get ready for surgery when I return. “Good luck,” I tell him.
His dad rushes over. “You made his day. Please tell Cooper thank you.”
“He was happy to do it, but I’ll tell him. I’ll try to stop by later, but you’re in excellent hands.”
It’s the one part of emergency medicine that I don’t always enjoy. The lack of follow-up. Not knowing how the patient does once you treat them and transfer their care elsewhere. Many times, I try to check in, but oftentimes the day gets away from me.
The code comes in again that the stabbing victim is four minutes out.
Dr. Murphy comes over to where the team and I are getting organized. “Me and Wallace are on this one,” he says, putting on his disposable gown. I put my own on, and we wait by the ambulance doors.
I can’t hold back now that it’s just the two of us standing here, the rest of the team a few feet behind. “If you have a problem with me, why don’t you just tell me?”
He glances at me and then back to the ambulance area. We can hear the sirens approaching.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Wallace.”
I turn to him. “The tattling about me not being on my game. I fell asleep once, and yes, today I was late, but I’m not the only one.
And Cooper has always dropped in no more than other people’s family members.
And we get sent a lot of food, I’m not sure why you think it’s disruptive to the staff.
” My attempt to keep my anger at bay doesn’t work, it’s definitely there, and now we’re supposed to treat a case together.
“Listen, I know I give you shit, but it’s not my style to go tell Daddy. If I have a problem with you, I’ll tell you.” He turns back to the street again.
I hate this part, waiting to see what kind of case we have. How injured are they, and will we be able to help them? Even with the information from the paramedics, you need to be face-to-face to really see.
“It wasn’t you?”
He shakes his head. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“It doesn’t disappoint me,” I say, though begrudgingly.
“It should.” He looks back into the ER. “Because if it wasn’t me, it was someone you trust more than me. Maybe even one of your friends.”
Just then, the ambulance comes in. No way would anyone do that. I have no problems with anyone. Backing into the spot, the doors of the ambulance open, and we take the stretcher out. The paramedic is in the back, straddling the patient and doing compressions.
Shit.
We wheel the gurney into the hospital, and I was concentrating so much on the information the paramedic was passing on that I didn’t notice who the patient was.
Mr. Euing.