Page 4 of Summer with a Doctor
“If you want to have blue lips and a blue tongue, go right ahead. I’ll be fine with a water.”
The last time we’d stopped off for something cold to drink, they were out of the pina colada flavor and the clerk had talked us into trying the blue raspberry. I won’t argue that it was certainly very tasty, but it had taken two days for the coloring to go away. Even after I’d brushed my teeth three times. Mr. Hillman’s daughter got a good laugh out of it the following morning—seeing the two of us sitting at the table eating breakfast. I must admit, we were certainly an eye sore.
“I don’t know who designed this parking lot, but you’ve got one more step to get over—”
Mr. Hillman’s hand slips from my arm the same time his legs go out from underneath him. He lands on the ground with a hard thump and curls into a fetal position. “Ughhh!” he moans.
I immediately drop to my knees beside him.
“Oh, God. Mr. Hillman, are you okay?” Tears pool in my eyes almost immediately. His painful groans send me into a wave of panic. I look both directions to see if anyone is close by, but my car is between us and the highway, preventing us from being seen.
I’ve spent years studying how to tend to accident victims and situations like this, yet, I can’t remember what I’m supposed to do next.
“Liz—”
A pool of blood begins to collect on the pavement—his injuries far worse than I originally thought. I slide my phone out of my back pocket and place the dreaded phone call for help.
While we wait for the ambulance to arrive, I grab a bottle of lukewarm water out of the car. I hate to leave his side, even for a few seconds, but I know he’s dying of thirst. I’m afraid to move him, considering the pain he’s in, and end up spilling a good bit of the water on the both of us of as he attempts to take a few swallows.
“Help should be here any minute.” I manage to say, my voice almost unrecognizable. Grabbing hold of his wrinkled hand, I gently rub the top of it. “I’m so sorry that you fell. I should’ve been paying better attention. I could’ve parked in the middle of the lot so we wouldn’t have to cross over those stupid curbs.” I sound like a muttering fool, knowing this could’ve all been prevented.
The paramedics work swiftly to examine Mr. Hillman and to get him loaded onto a stretcher. I help hold the gauze above his eye and walk beside them to the ambulance.
“Are you planning to ride with us to the ER, ma’am?” The senior medic asks before closing the back door.
“I can, yes. Let me grab my purse.”
Chapter Four
Dean
Instead of going directly home, I stop off at the grocery store to pick up a few things. I’ve got some projects I’d like to work on around the house and since I’m off the next two days, I’d rather not leave if I don’t have to.
I grab a loaf of bread and head to the checkout. As I place everything onto the conveyor belt, I realize my haul isn’t too bad. In fact, I can probably carry everything to my car without having to use a cart. The clerk gives me the total and I reach for my wallet to pay.
“Dang it,” I mumble under my breath.
“Is something wrong, sir?” the clerk asks.
“Yeah, I left my card at work.” At least I’m pretty sure that’s where it is. I’d given my card to Jazmyn earlier when she’d gone to the cafeteria to get lunch for us, and I’m willing to bet it’s still sitting on my desk, right where she told me she put it.
“We can keep your stuff in the back if you’d like to come back for it later.”
I look down at the sacks full of food then up at the clerk. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour. I apologize for this.”
“It’s no big deal. These things happen, sir. We’ll be glad to hold it.”
This is one of the reasons I like shopping at the little mom and pop grocery store here in Love Beach. Tourists tend to go to the bigger chain stores, but I’m happy doing business right here.
“I’m closing tonight, so just look for me when you get back.”
I hurry out to my car, silently cursing myself the whole way. Just wait til I tell Jazmyn on Friday. She’s forever telling me I need to set up my phone so I can use it to pay for stuff, but I’m not sold on the idea. No doubt, she’ll give me another lecture about it.
I notice three ambulances parked outside of the emergency room as soon as I turn in at the hospital. Looks like I escaped at the right time! Rather than pull around to the backside of the hospital reserved for employee parking, I grab a spot up front, closest the front door. I’ll only be a minute and if I’m lucky, no one will even notice I’m here. Grabbing a Carolina Sunrays baseball cap out of the backseat, I slip it on before heading inside.
A young woman standing on the sidewalk looks up as I approach the sliding doors and I come to a quick halt when I recognize who it is. “Liz?”
The pretty face I vividly remember from the plane looks nothing like that now. She takes a few steps towards me then collapses in my arms.