Page 68 of That First Flight

“I’m sorry. I saw you come in and thought it was you and Mackenzie, but I wasn’t sure since we’ve only met through texts. I’m Emiline.”

“Oh my god.” I cry harder as I squeeze her into me. “I’m so happy you’re here. Mackenzie. She’s sick. I-I don’t know what to do. She’s never been this sick before.”

“Shhh.” Emiline holds the back of my head to her chest and my tears stain her scrubs. “It’s okay. She’s in the right spot to figure out what’s going on.”

She’s right. I know she is. But that’s my baby girl.

“Can you stay with me for a little longer? Or do you need to get back to your patients?”

“I asked my manager if I could sit with you for a little bit because you’re family.”

Family.

That’s the only way to describe the friendship I’ve found in these girls. Despite only ever speaking to Emiline via text messages, she and those girls are more like family to me in my short time here than my own parents were in all the years I lived with them.

“T-Thank you,” I choke out.

For the next ten minutes, the doctors and nurses keep checking her and run even more vital signs on her. They ask me if they can give her some pain medication that will help her feel more comfortable while we wait to see what the doctor wants to do next.

I ask Emiline what she thinks and went with her best judgment since she’s the one almost graduating nursing school and knows a little more than I do about all of this.

There’s a knock on the door and the woman announces herself as registration.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

“I’m just filling out your paperwork and I noticed two things were missing. We don’t have health insurance for you and we don’t have an emergency contact.”

“I… uh… don’t have health insurance.”

“That’s no problem.” She smiles. “We can get that squared away at a later date. Do you have an emergency contact I can put on file?”

“I don’t have one of those either.”

“It doesn’t have to be family. It can be a friend. I just have to put someone down,” she says.

I think about it for a second, wondering if Oliver would be okay with it if I used his name for that. I mean, we’re roommates so I don’t think he would mind. It’s not like they’ll call him or anything unless something happens to me.

“My roommate. Oliver Ford,” I finally tell the woman. I reach into my bag to pull my phone out to get his number and realize I must have left it on the counter when I ran out the door in a panic. “I just don’t have his number on hand. I left my phone at home.”

“I have it,” Emiline announces before she writes it down for the woman.

After she gets all the information she leaves us be.

“Does he know you guys are here?” Emiline asks.

I shake my head.

“You should let him know. I know he’s going to be worried.”

“That’s exactly the reason why I shouldn’t,” I reply quickly. “He’s getting on a plane as we speak for his conference. He’s so excited for his presentation and to have this opportunity to help other bloggers out. I’ll tell him about it the second he gets home.”

She doesn’t reply, and just nods her head in understanding.

Before I can continue, the doctor enters the room.

“Good evening, Ms. Evans. I’m Dr. Stark, your daughter's doctor for tonight.”

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