Page 23 of Healing Hope

Paul was reclining on the bed next to his daughter. He shifted down and draped his arm over her little body. “They want to keep me for observation because of the knock on my head, so go ahead and close your eyes, if you’d like,” Paul murmured, voice soft.

Jess didn’t need any further encouragement. Drawing her knees up, she let her eyes drift closed.

* * *

Paul didn’t like beingon this side of the curtain, so to speak. He’d talked the ambulance drivers into delivering him to his hospital, La Jolla, but almost immediately he regretted the decision. Maybe it would have been better to be an anonymous amputee that had been in a fight at another hospital.

Because now he had to deal with his own personnel. He looked around the circle of faces, all people he knew and respected, and just wanted to scream at them to get out of his room. They were arguing about whether or not he needed an MRI. Paul knew he didn’t need one, but at least part of the medical staff argued otherwise.

“Hey, guys…” he held up his prosthetic to get their attention.

But they continued to debate.

A piercing whistle shattered the conversation. Everyone arguing stopped and stared at the woman in the gauzy dress in the corner of the room. Paul grinned when Hope’s mouth fell open in surprise.

Jess looked angrily at every person in the group. “You’re arguing about the man like he doesn’t have a choice on the matter, and we all know he does. Right?” She nodded theatrically, and most of the group copied her action. “Why don’t you ask him?”

All eyes turned to Paul. He looked at Max, one of the best doctors he’d ever met, and a fantastic personal friend. “No MRI. I appreciate the concern, guys, but I’m good. I’m getting out of here in about 2 minutes, and nothing you guys say is going to stop me.”

They’d heard that tone in his voice before, because they all backed off.

“I am going to take a few days off, though. Pitrelli, you’ll be in charge until I get back early next week.”

The gray-haired man gave him a salute, though he’d been out of the military more than thirty years. Petrilli was a good man and he knew how to run a hospital. Paul had taken over as his successor when Petrilli wanted to return to patient care.

His staff filed out of the room. All but Jane. His no-nonsense assistant held a tablet against her chest, and Paul knew it contained his schedule as well as a dozen other pertinent items he probably had to deal with before she could be at ease. Tipping his chin at her, he motioned her forward.

As she read off a list of items, he tried to answer her as succinctly as possible. If he was going to be gone for a few days, he didn’t want to leave anything extra for Petrilli. Some items seemed frivolous, though, and he scowled at Jane. “I think you can weed out some of those for him, Jane.”

The older woman gave a tight nod. “I can. I’ll have the board reschedule their meeting to late next week. They’ll understand.”

Stepping forward, she folded the tablet in her arms and gave him a small smile. “I’m very glad you’re okay, sir.”

“Thank you, Jane. Try not to let Petrilli ruin anything in my absence, okay?”

The older woman gave him a wink. “You just take time for your family and I’ll keep him in line. Maybe if you get a spare minute you can look at that list of potential nannies I sent you.”

Turning, she strode through the door, leaving the three of them alone in the room.

Jess was the first to move, pushing to her feet. She still wore the same gauzy dress and tank. They were just a little bedraggled now from sleeping in a chair. “You get your paperwork signed and I’ll pull the Jeep around. I checked on Sophie about an hour ago and she says she’s ready to go home and get in Hope’s bed.”

Hope giggled, making them all smile.

* * *

Jess feltlike she’d traveled around the world in the same clothes for three days. And she knew that feeling from experience. Her eyes were sore from grit and she wanted to curl up and sleep for five hours. The chair had been comfortable at first, but restraining. Her hips hurt from laying in the same position all night.

Determined, she put one foot in front of the other and got everything done. She drove them all home, got Sophie and Hope tucked into bed for a late morning nap, then hopped into the scalding shower to try to feel human again. Once she redressed in shorts and a tank, she went to Paul’s room.

He was sitting at the edge of his own mattress now, and he looked to be in pain, if the grimace on his face was anything to go by. “Did they give you pain pills?”

“Of course. And anti-inflammatories. And a sedative. Not that I’m going to take them.”

She shook her head at his stubbornness. “What are you going to do, then?”

He barked out a laugh. “I’m not sure exactly. I guess just sit here and wait for the pain to ease.”

“You know if you took the meds you wouldn’t have as much pain,” she told him sarcastically. “Funny how that works.”

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