Page 65 of Wish I Were Here
“Help,” I mouth at him.
Luca was in the elevator last night, too, but he stood toward the back, and this guy was really directing his attention at me.
“I’m Luca Morelli,” Luca says, his voice conspicuously loud in the small room. “Over here.” He waves his arms like he’s directing a plane in for a landing.
The doctor nods and approaches the bed. “I’m Dr. Kohler, the resident on call.”
Luca clutches his stomach. “Uggghhhhh…” he moans.
“I heard we’re dealing with a case of food poisoning?” Dr. Kohler’s gaze swings to mine. “The nurse said it was gas station sushi?”
I tilt my head down and press my fingers to my temples, hoping to hide my face from him. “That’s right,” I murmur into my hands. “Gas station sushi.”
“We probably get three cases of it a week in here,” Dr. Kohler confirms. “If you could just lie down, please, I’ll examine you.” Thankfully, he turns away from me to face Luca.
Luca flops back against the pillow, and I shrink against the wall, hoping to blend in with the beige hospital paint. Why did I choose today of all days to wear this blue dress?
While Dr. Kohler lifts Luca’s shirt to press on his abdomen,my eyes find Luca’s, and I hold up my hands. “What do I do?” I mouth at him.
He gives me a slight shake of his head and discreetly lifts a palm. “Act natural,” he mouths in return.
Act natural? How am I supposed to do that?
“Does this hurt?” Dr. Kohler asks, pressing on a dandelion stem growing out of the dip in Luca’s hip. I close my eyes and look away.
Luca throws his head back and lets out a low moan. “It huuuuuurts.”
Dr. Kohler presses a few more times, listens with his stethoscope, and then flips Luca’s shirt down. “I do believe the gas station sushi is the culprit. Some anti-nausea meds and IV fluids will fix you right up. But I’ll have Dr. Jankowski come in to examine you and see if she wants to do a scan or any further tests.”
“This Dr. Jankowski, she’s a skilled practitioner?” I murmur.
“She’s the head of our department, actually,” he says, turning to me. “Our very best.”
I shrink back against the wall.Damn it.At the mention of my mother, I forgot I was supposed to be blending in.
Dr. Kohler cocks his head. “Have we met before?”
“No!” If I press my head any farther back against this wall, I’m going to give myself a concussion. “Absolutely not.”
“You look familiar.” He takes a step closer. “I swear it was just recently…”
Behind us, Luca moans loudly and thrashes around on the bed. I brush past Dr. Kohler and hurry to Luca’s side. “Can we please get Dr. Jankowski in here?” I keep my back to thedoctor, reaching down to fluff Luca’s pillow so I have something to do with my hands. “My friend is in a lot of pain.”
Behind me, Dr. Kohler hesitates, and I know his eyes are on me. I hold my breath. Finally, he says, “Of course. She’ll be right in.” He heads out of the room, pulling the curtain behind him.
I turn to Luca. “This was a terrible idea.” Pushing away from the hospital bed, I thread my hands in my hair, pacing across the room to the sink. “What were we thinking coming back to this hospital? What if Dr. Kohler puts it together that I was the one in the elevator impersonating a doctor?” I traipse back and forth. “What if my mother has us arrested for faking your illness?”
“Don’t worry.” Luca shrugs. “Uncle Vito will bail us out.”
I stop pacing and look at him. “I suppose Uncle Vito has a powerhouse defense attorney, too?”
Luca nods. “My cousin Bianca.”
“Oh my God, how is this my life?”
“Listen,” Luca says, grabbing my hand the next time I pace past the bed and tugging me to a stop. “You don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to. Fabrizio can send someone to break into your mom’s place and steal your birth certificate back. Just say the word.”
I admit the idea is appealing, which just goes to show how utterly off the rails my life has gone. But I can’t. My mother is down the hall, and after thirty years, this is my chance. “Thanks.” I shake my head. “But if I do that, I’ll never meet my mom. And I’ll always wonder who I really am.”
