Page 12 of Stone Vows

“What’s your address? I’m calling you an ambulance,” I say, turning around to head back out the front doors of the gym.

I wave at Chad through the glass and point to my phone. He knows what that means. He salutes me in understanding.

“No. No ambulance.”

“If you’re worried about the money—”

“No ambulance,” she says, louder and more insistent this time.

I blow out a frustrated breath. “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

“I . . . you can’t.”

“Elizabeth, you need to get to a hospital.” I hear her crying now. She’s scared. Maybe I’m scaring her. “Listen, maybe the bleeding will stop once you get there, just like before. But for your sake and the baby’s, you need to let someone examine you. Please.”

“But I haven’t even paid my bill from last time.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I say. “They still have to see you.”

“Are you there? At the hospital?”

“No. I’m on my way. I can be there in thirty minutes. Give me your address and I’ll pick you up along the way.” I hail a cab, wondering if it would be faster to walk considering it’s rush hour. But I’m hoping she’ll change her mind and let me swing by and get her.

“I’m only a few blocks from the hospital. I can walk.”

“You shouldn’t be walking, Elizabeth.”

“I’ll see you there, Dr. Stone.”

The line goes dead. I try to call her back but she doesn’t answer.

Chapter Six

“Hurry, please,” I tell the cabbie after rattling off the address of the hospital.

He waves his hand at the traffic, looking at me like I’m stupid. “I’ll do my very best,” he says sarcastically.

Damn it!I remember I’m supposed to start my new rotation today. I check my watch. But that’s not for a few hours. Surely the ER won’t mind if I step in on her case until then. After all, she was my patient the last time she was in.

Thirty-five minutes later—so much for hurrying—I walk into the ER. Before I even change into my scrubs, I ask the charge nurse where Elizabeth is. She directs me to exam room six.

When I enter the room, I see she’s been changed into a gown. I also see a sundress draped over the chair. The same damn sundress I followed home from work this morning.Fuck. Itwasher. I open my mouth to say something, but when I look over at Elizabeth to see her tearful face, I realize she’s terrified and she’s probably already feeling a world of guilt without me adding to it.

As she’s busy answering questions for the admitting nurse, I pick up her chart to read some notes written by Dr. Redman, who will be my attending on my OB rotation.

“Do you have an insurance card?” the nurse asks her.

Elizabeth shakes her head. “No,” she says, looking guilty. “I promise to pay what I can.”

“Your phone number?” the nurse asks her.

Elizabeth spouts out the number she called me from earlier.

“Your home address?” the nurse asks.

“Uh . . .” Elizabeth shoots a quick glance over at me. “Is that necessary?” she asks her. “I didn’t have to give my address after my previous visit.”

“Well, you’re being admitted now, dear, we have to have your address,” the nurse says. Then she studies her. “You do have an address, don’t you?” She raises her eyebrows as if to scold her.

---