Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 72401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Cleo made a understanding sound and said, “Got it. Love you.”
I blinked rapidly as the sound of the dial tone rang in my ear. He didn’t say it that often. Only every now and then, and only when I least expected it.
So when I did get graced with hearing those words, I cherished them.
Walking away from the nurse’s station with a pep in my step, I came into the room of one Mr. Bowen Bloodsworth, and had to hold back the grimace that threatened to overtake my face.
The guy looked downright gross.
It was more than obvious that he hadn’t had a bath in a while, and to add insult to injury, he gave me the creeps.
“How can I help you, Mr. Bloodsworth?” I asked him as I barely breached the inside of the door.
I wasn’t comfortable going that close to him.
Not only did he smell horrible, but he was obviously juicin’ on some drug of choice, and I didn’t want to be close to him when he heard what I had to tell him next.
“I’m hurtin’ doc,” he groaned.
I rolled my eyes. I’d told him I wasn’t a doctor nearly ten times now.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Bloodsworth. What’s your pain on a scale of 1-10?” I asked.
Earlier he’d said it was a seventy two. I’d bet now was going to be even worse.
“At least an eighty,” he groaned pitifully.
My left eye started to tick. “Did the medicine you were given not touch the pain at all?” I asked tiredly.
He shook his head. “No, doc. Not at all. I told you those drugs wouldn’t work on me. Only Dilaudid and Morphine work. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, hydrocodone’ll work, too.”
I suppressed the urge to snort. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. However, we can no longer prescribe you any narcotics. You’ll have to see your regular doctor to obtain your prescription. However, with that being said, I saw that you just had the last prescription filled only six days ago, so he’s probably not going to give you another one for another twenty four days.”
He lifted his lip in a snarl. “Listen, bitch. I need that now. The doc’s office isn’t open until Monday. And besides, I ain’t got no money to pay for that again.”
I squeezed my hands into fists to keep myself from throwing my hands up in the air and yelling, ‘dumbass’ out loud. What did he think? That when he came here it was free?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Bloodsworth,” I said again. “Your doctor is in the middle of signing your discharge paperwork, and you’ll be free to go soon.”
“I want to see my doctor now,” he snapped.
I turned without another word and found Doctor Norwood with dread.
Normally telling a patient that he wouldn’t be getting any narcotics would’ve been the doctor’s role. However, Dr. Norwood still lived to give me shit and found joy in making my day as bad as he could possibly make it.
I found him in his usual spot next to the corner, and stepped up to the counter so I was facing him. “Dr. Norwood, Mr. Bloodsworth would like to speak with you.”
“Here, tell him I have him ready. Thanks,” he said as he shoved a stack of paperwork in my direction.
I ignored the paper work. “He’d like to see you,” I repeated.
He looked up at me and glared. “Did you hear what I said?”
I suppressed the urge to growl at him. Where was Cleo when I needed him?
“I realize that, Dr. Norwood, but he’d like to speak with you,” I said tightly.
He stood with barely contained impatience and made his way into Mr. Bloodsworth’s room.
“Can I help you?” He asked him coolly.
Bowen Bloodsworth looked even worse in the three minutes I’d been gone.
“Yes, you can tell this other doctor that I’m allowed to have some drugs. My toe hurts somethin’ fierce,” he hissed.
Dr. Norwood grimaced. “You won’t be getting any narcotics. Here’s your discharge paperwork. Follow up with your primary care provider come Monday,” he hissed back.
Very helpful, Dr. Norwood.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
Then proceeded to shit his pants.
“Did you seriously just do that?” Dr. Norwood asked in flabbergasted surprise.
Bloodsworth shrugged. “Yes.”
“Call security,” Dr. Norwood said.
I did. Gratefully.
A very upset Bowen Bloodsworth was escorted out moments later, and I, for once, was happy with Dr. Norwood.
Then he had to go and ruin it.
“It’s illegal to impersonate a doctor,” Dr. Norwood said snidely.
I ignored him and walked away. If I said something to him, I’d probably get written up, and nobody wanted that.
“Dick,” I said under my breath.
Then proceeded to have a very, very shitty day.
It consisted of puke, shit, temper tantrums from both fellow nurses and patients, and finally, I tripped and fell. With a specimen cup of pee in my hand.
Yay, me.
Then, for the icing on the cake, I now had to testify on the stand tomorrow morning, and I had a no good, very bad, craptastic day.
Hooray.
***
Rue
“Are you drunk?” Cleo asked with a smile in his voice.
I ignored him and filled my coffee cup back up with the boxed wine I’d begged Silas to stop and get on the way home from work.
I was a little mad at Cleo, because I felt that maybe he had a hand in getting me to testify tomorrow.
Usually, it wouldn’t bother me in the least to testify on a rape case.
Normally, though, I didn’t have my life threatened on a daily basis with bodily harm if I did testify.
I knew his intentions were good.
I knew he’d protect me. But still. I was a tad bit miffed.
Taking a sip of my wine, I stared at the television and tried (and note I said try) to ignore the beautiful man.
It was only my second…or third… cup.
I really needed to stop, because it probably wouldn’t help to get on the stand drunk, but if I didn’t, I’d start worrying about the what if’s.
What if whoever was threating me was serious?
What if something happened to Cleo while he was trying to protect me?
What if something happened to one of The Dixie Wardens?