Travis
“Besides work, what have you been up to lately?” Tracie asked, twirling her fork around her pasta.
“Not much,” was my sarcastic reply. “It’s hard to make plans when you’re working eighty plus hours each week.”
“Why do you do it then?” she asked, her perfect ski slope nose wrinkling with a squinch. “I mean what’s the point of slaving away if you never get to enjoy all the money you’re making?”
“It’s not about the money,” I pointed out. “I like to help people.”
“Well, you won’t be much help if you work yourself to death.”
The thing was, my sister had a point. Even if she had no work ethic of her own, Tracie was right about this. There has to be room for life, love and happiness, even if right now, the light on the other side of the tunnel seemed dim and far away.
But with a sigh, I tried to explain my way of seeing things.
“With the hospital understaffed, I don’t have much choice. I can’t just abandon them, and I mean staff or patients.”
“Can’t they just find another doctor?” She took a bite of her food, ruby lips wrapping around her fork in an almost sensual manner. My sister’s eyes skirted across the room, resting on a well-dressed man who predictably, kept looking her way.
“Hello, Earth to Tracie,” I growled. “Have you been listening? No, they can’t just find another doctor with a snap of their fingers. It takes a lot of time and training to create a physician, thus the long hours we put in.”
“Okay,” said my sister, not bothered at all. “That’s fine. Don’t get your panties in a scrunch.”
“They weren’t,” I answered, cutting into my steak. “So, what about you? How have you been?”
She shrugged. “Things have been pretty dull. Nothing to report.”
“Really? I find that hard to believe. You were always the source of excitement when we were together.”
“I was younger then,” she said dismissively.
My brows raised.
“You act if you’re already an old woman at twenty-five.”
“I’m certainly not a teenager anymore, Travis.” She pointed her fork at me. “Besides, you have to understand my business. Modeling is hard work, believe it or not. It looks like we just stand there, but there’s more to taking a good picture than gazing at the camera. You have to emote through your eyes and body language so that in 2-D, your image leaps from the page. Besides, I’m actually old for modeling,” she said carefully, looking down at her plate. “Most of the girls coming up are sixteen or so, so I’m practically a grandma now.”
I was about to make a funny quip because how could Tracie be “old” at twenty-five? She was just a baby. But before my mouth could open, a sudden crash made us turn around in our seats.
To my horror, I saw Janie sprawled on the ground. My eyes widened before my body kicked into action, propelling me to her side.
“What happened?” I barked at the woman standing beside her.
“I don’t know!” There was panic in the blonde’s voice. “One second she was fine and the next she just collapsed. Is she okay?”
Quickly, I took my best girl’s pulse. It was erratic. “We need to get her to the hospital. Now.” Gently, I eased my arms underneath that curvy body and picked her up, cradling that soft form against my chest.
“Ambulance is on its way,” the hostess hissed, phone in hand.
“Is she going to be okay?” the blonde woman asked tearfully. She looked to be in her early twenties, despite being heavily made up. “She’s my friend, and I’m really concerned!”
I held Janie a little tighter to my massive form. “I’ll make sure of it.”
My sister stepped in then.
“Don’t worry.” Tracie placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “He’s a doctor. The best I know. He won’t let anything happen to your friend.” But the words were already receding because as Tracie worked to calm the blonde, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Janie, praying that everything would be okay.
For weeks, anticipation had roiled my mind, counting down the days where I’d have the time to take her out for coffee – maybe even a movie. Why did things have to end up this way?
I placed my hand on her forehead. The brunette was burning up, her skin feverish to the touch. “You’re going to be okay,” I whispered, gently kissing her forehead. “I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The ambulance took an eternity to arrive, sirens wailing in a weird “weee-ohhh.” As soon as I saw the flashing lights through the window, I rushed outside with Janie still in my arms. The paramedics took over then, placing the curvy girl on a stretcher and taking her vitals while pummeling me with questions.
Janie’s friend was a mess, barely able to speak through her sobs.
“She just fell over,” the blonde blubbered. “Is Janie going to be okay?”
Meanwhile, I sprang into action, tossing my car keys at my sister. “Meet us at the hospital. I’m going to ride with her.”
“Wait!” a voice cried out.
“What?” I turned back to look at the friend, growing impatient with all these delays. Janie needed to get to the hospital now – we didn’t have time for all of this.
“Shouldn’t I go with her?” she asked tearfully. “I’m her friend. I don’t even know who you are…?”
“I’m Travis. I’m a doctor actually, so you don’t need to be worried.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait a minute. Are you really …?
This girl was getting on my nerves.
“Am I really what?” was my impatient reply. “Am I really an MD? Do I really have a license to practice? Yes and yes. I’ll see you at the hospital.”
The blonde nodded feverishly then, but I didn’t see. Because time was of the essence, and my big form had already disappeared into the waiting ambulance, desperate to be with Janie again.
“How’s she looking?” I asked the paramedics in a sharp, demanding tone.
“Dr. Travis?” asked the female EMT, her look stunned. “What are you doing here?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” I snapped. “Just tell me how she’s doing.”
The woman snapped to attention then.
“Vitals are a little elevated, but they aren’t posing too much of a risk right now. But she’s completely unresponsive, breathing rapid and shallow. I think she may have fainted. Worst case, she’s fallen into a coma.”
No. This couldn’t be happening. Not to my Janie.
“Tell your driver to hurry up,” was my urgent rasp. “On the double.”
The woman shook her head.
“He’s already doing his best. Don’t worry, Herman’s a great driver, been doing this for years. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Fuck the speed limit. I’m not fucking losing her, you hear me?” I growled at the young paramedic. “Now, step on it.”
Thankfully, the driver overheard and did as I asked, speeding down the highway. Lights whipped by, so fast that they were a blur. If St. Luke’s hadn’t closed, we would already be there.
Goddamnit. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours as we kept driving.
I took Janie’s hand in mine, squeezing it gently. “You’re going to be okay.” Her hand felt ice cold in mine. “I promise, you’re going to be okay sweetheart. Stay with me, you hear?” My heart ached seeing the brunette limp and lifeless like this, her skin pale and wan. This was a girl who was shy yet vivacious, bouncy and yet demure at the same time. Seeing her stretched out like a corpse, her pulse faint like a flutter, brought bitter regrets into my mouth. Why hadn’t I made the time to knock on her door? Why did I ignore her for these past two months? Guilt wrapped around my chest, squeezing like a giant polar bear. And then the worst thought crossed my mind: What if I never got my chance to tell Janie how much I wanted to spend time with her? How much I wanted to know her better? How sweet she was, a balm to my soul after a long day’s work.
Shit, I missed my opportunity. And maybe for keeps, too.
The guilt and shame rushing through my chest were enough to make me bend over double, real pain wracking my frame.
Finally, we pulled into the hospital. The paramedics rolled the gurney out and I quickly followed, keeping pace with them, never daring to let go of Janie’s hand.
Inside the ER, Harper looked up blinking and surprised. But he didn’t say anything, merely running over to help.
“We have to save her,” was my urgent pant. “Put everything we’ve got on it.” But the problem was, would that be enough? Did we have enough to keep Janie with us? Or was I about to lose my chance with the sweet girl forever?