Don't hate me.
Enjoy.
...
Without further ado, the days passed and October quickly arrived.
A Monday, early in the morning.
Like any other day Gabe and I woke up with the alarm. Changing our clothes in a comfortable silence before leaving the house after our short pre-run routine, we ran against the cold autumn breeze covering the same daily route.
Keeping a calm pace long enough for our muscles to warm up properly, we chatted about nothing in particular, greeting the neighbors we crossed paths with.
With our leg muscles properly warmed up, we picked up our pace until we reached one we could barely maintain. Or at least Gabe could, who, since he started keeping track of his times, pushed himself day after day trying to improve.
Some time later, on returning home. In the front yard facing the entrance door. Completely soaked in sweat and gasping for air. Gabe immediately stopped the timer on his watch and with great effort, thanks to his labored breathing, tried to steady his arm enough to be able to read the small number on his digital watch's screen.
Like my brother, sweaty and gasping to catch my breath, I waited expectantly for Gabe. Because like him, for me improving, or getting closer to improving the time, had become a goal.
Not for the personal achievement of running our route in less time, but for the excitement it gave my brother.
Unfortunately, without Gabe needing to say anything once he finally managed to read the time on his watch, I saw in his expression the same portrait of disappointment I had already been seeing for days.
We hadn't come close to improving the time.
Clearly unaware that his body language and expression had already told me everything, Gabe raised his face shaking his head at my expectant expression. "Not even close" he said, distressed.
Shrugging my shoulders carelessly. "It's fine, it'll come" I assured him calmly.
Without saying anything, annoyed as much as disappointed, my brother walked toward the entrance of the house, shaking his head, downcast.
Managing to stop him before he could get much farther, forcing him into a hug under my left arm. "Come on, don't be like that" I said ignoring the boy's attempt to escape my grip, "maybe tomorrow" I added, raising my eyebrows.
"Yeah right, tomorrow" Gabe declared sarcastically.
Snorting, amused, I pressed his body even more against mine.
Frowning with distaste. "You're all sweaty" Gabe complained. Pushing himself once more against my torso, in another attempt to get away from my side.
Laughing incredulously, I shook my head. "And you're not?" I asked just before pushing his head at the same time he tried to pull away by pushing my side, causing Gabe to have to take several quick steps to keep from falling, "don't be pessimistic" I urged, walking toward him, "it's impossible for us to improve the time constantly, it's just a matter of consisten-"
Gabe, who thanks to my little 'help' was a couple of steps ahead of me, opened the door of the house, immediately revealing the living room, and in it Diane sitting on the couch next to mom and Teddy.
Such was my surprise at seeing Diane awake at that hour that, embarrassingly, it took me a very long second to come out of my initial shock. "-Hey" I finally said, still in disbelief, walking into the house past Gabe and catching the attention of the three women.
Diane, who was not at all a morning person, much less in the relatively low autumn temperatures. Smiling cheerfully, even though I could see she was still incredibly sleepy, was the first to stand up, quickly coming toward me.
Mom and Teddy, who reacted only a heartbeat later, jumped to their feet. "Happy Birthday!" they congratulated me hurriedly, together.
Surprised to remember what day it was, I received Diane who, walking quickly toward me, collided with my chest wrapping her arms around my torso with surprising strength. "Happy birthday" she said softly.
Still at my side. "Is it your birthday?" Gabe asked, incredulous.
Snorting, partly because of my brother's nerve and partly because of the impact of Diane's head against my chest. "It looks like it" I answered.
I knew, obviously, that October tenth was my birthday.
But to be honest, with no one having mentioned anything the previous days, plus not keeping precise track of the days going by and, given how early it was, along with the temperature that morning, I had completely forgotten it was my birthday.
Hugging Diane back. "Thanks" I answered, rubbing one of her shoulders.
Nodding, Diane took a step back. Releasing my torso in the process. "You're soaked in sweat" she said matter-of-factly, raising her arms, showing her sweater which was wet, "it looks like you just got out of swimming" she declared, completely devoid of distaste, shaking the sleeves back down to the right height on her arms.
Touching my shirt noticing how wet with sweat it was. "Yeah, sorry about that" I snorted, amused.
"It's fine, I was the one who started the hug" Shaking her head immediately, Diane raised her hands carelessly.
Seeking my attention, literally vibrating on her feet in place. Mom was smiling so much she looked about to burst. "She wanted to be here early to congratulate you" she said, practically spitting the words out unable to hold them back any longer, "isn't that the cutest thing ever?" she asked, touched.
Smiling at Diane who looked embarrassed by mom's words. "It is" I declared.
Laughing as if she were high on some drug, mom practically ran up to me. "Happy birthday sweetheart" she said, hugging my torso for a fraction of a second, since practically immediately, regretting it, she pulled away from me pushing off my chest. "You're soaked in sweat" she declared with distaste, pulling her arms away from her body in an attempt not to 'contaminate' her clothes.
Behind her, Teddy was smiling just the same. "Happy birthday" she said, raising one of her hands, "I'll do the whole hug thing when you're not gross anymore" she added with a much more forced smile.
Raising an eyebrow. "Oh, this again?" I asked slowly, shaking my head with exaggerated disappointment. "We've been through this" I said as I slowly opened my arms, "when are you going to learn?"
Obviously knowing what I meant, Teddy shook her head desperately. "No!" she screamed, terrified, practically jumping over the couch to try to use it as a shield against me.
Arriving down the hallway that led to his room carrying Charlie in his arms. "What's going on?" Bob asked, surprised by Teddy's screams, "oh, did I miss it?" he added a moment later, surely upon seeing me in the room.
"Yes" mom answered, sighing, "and the usual, your kids" she added sarcastically a moment later.
"Is this the usual?" Diane asked, interested.
Snorting. "Oh honey, you have no idea" mom answered, amused.
Still using the living room couch as a barrier between her and me. "Stop! I'm serious" Teddy screamed desperately.
"It's my birthday, I just want a little hug" I said, making as if I would come around one of the ends of the couch.
Pulling on my shoulder, pretending he didn't mind the sweat, even though I could feel his reluctance to fully bring his body close. "Come on, let your sister breathe and come here" Bob said, laughing while patting my shoulder, "happy birthday son."
Snorting. "Thanks dad" I murmured, affectionately patting the man's side.
Maybe feeling like he wasn't getting enough attention, from Bob's other arm. "Bah bah bah!" Charlie exclaimed with an excited babble.
Amused, I gently pinched one of my sister's cheeks. "Well thank you too."
Smiling, amused, mom took Charlie from Bob's arm. "Go take a quick shower so we can eat cake before school" she told me.
At that instant Gabe, who had disappeared at some point during the whole interaction into the kitchen, came out drinking desperately from a glass of water. "Cake?" he asked, tearing the glass away from his face, coughing scandalously a second later.
Looking seriously at my brother. "Yes, but after a bath" mom warned.
Completely losing the bad mood he'd had before entering the house. "All right" my brother exclaimed, smiling excitedly, immediately leaving the glass on the dining table before hurrying toward the bathroom in our parents' room.
Snorting, amused by Gabe's change in attitude. "I should go take a bath too" I said, smiling at Diane, "thanks for the surprise, it's a great birthday gift" I added, taking one of her hands.
Nodding with a bright smile on her face, Diane stopped abruptly upon registering the second part of my thanks. "I still have a gift for you" frowning, she assured me hurriedly.
She seemed worried that I might think otherwise.
Trying not to laugh. "Really?" I asked, pretending to be surprised, "but the surprise is more than enough, I mean I got to see you early in the morning" I added, smiling softly at the tinge of embarrassment on Diane's face.
Snorting proudly, Bob patted my shoulder reminding me that the rest of the people were still in the room. "All right, come on" he said, practically dragging mom and, a moment later, Teddy with him to the kitchen, "let's give them a little space."
Silently thanking the man, I watched, amused, the reluctance with which mom and my sister walked away from us.
Still embarrassed. "Me waking up early isn't enough of a birthday gift" Diane said the moment my family disappeared behind the kitchen door.
Bringing her hand to my lips. "Agree to disagree" I said, murmuring softly.
Blushing as she pulled her hand back, gently biting her lip in a clear attempt to avoid smiling widely. "Well, I still have your gift ready and you're going to get it" Diane insisted flatly.
"All right, all right" I gave in with exaggerated reluctance, "where is it then?" I asked, raising my hands in front of my chest.
It was obvious that whatever the gift was, unless it fit inside the pockets of Diane's sweater, it wasn't there at that moment.
I was only asking to see her reaction.
I expected her to react with some embarrassment over her earlier outburst, followed, maybe, by her classic dry wit pointing out the obvious, ending with Diane's characteristic innocence at not realizing when I was making a joke, but that's not what I got. Instead Diane reacted exaggeratedly.
With a deep blush, much more than I was used to seeing, Diane immediately avoided looking in my direction. "I don't have it here" she said stiffly, as if she'd been caught stealing something.
Puzzled, I studied Diane for a second, theorizing what the gift could be to deserve such a reaction. Unable to help it, my imagination immediately took me to all those dates that ended in her dorm room at college.
I knew that, like me, Diane enjoyed our moments of intimacy but, I knew even better, how complicated it was, outside of very specific circumstances, for her to be proactive beyond letting me know she was interested.
In a strict sense of the word we enjoyed each other's company in a very conventional way, monotonous in a good way.
But with Diane hanging out with Kat and Mandela, getting to know my friends, especially Mandela. I could imagine the kind of advice Diane got when she asked about good gifts for me, her boyfriend. Leaving almost no doubt at all about the kind of gift I would get, at least considering Diane's reaction.
Unfortunately, even though my train of thought took no more than a second to reach that conclusion, I couldn't try to get any more information out of Diane because, from the same hallway Bob had come from earlier. Gabe appeared wrapped in a towel, still soaked, walking carelessly toward our room.
Immediately checking my watch. "Hey!" I stopped him, "not even two minutes have passed" I said, frowning, "go back and take an actual bath" I ordered seriously.
"But-"
"Nothing" I interrupted him, "come on dude, the cake can wait" I added, incredulous.
Fortunately Gabe listened to me, going back to the bathroom a second later, downcast. Unfortunately, Diane, still visibly blushing, had moved to the front door of the house, away from any possible interrogation.
"I called Mr. Walker yesterday, you have today off so we can go have dinner" Diane said hurriedly, "so I'll see you after you go to the hospital" she added before practically running out.
Walking up to the open door, I watched Diane walking back to Meemaw's house, as fast as her legs would allow her without breaking into a jog.
Snorting, incredulous, I closed the front door a second after Diane disappeared into the other house. I knew that, even though I was very sure of my deduction, I would think about it all day.
After a slice of chocolate cake and receiving a couple of gifts from my family. Teddy and I arrived at school listening to one of the new records my sister had forced me to buy.
Barely a moment after I turned off my car's engine. "All right, see you" Teddy said, immediately getting out of the car.
Snorting, incredulous. "Bye" I said, amused, as my car door closed.
Watching my sister walk confidently to school, waving to friends she passed. I laughed softly as I got out of my car. It seemed like it had been only yesterday when she was nervous at the mere idea of going to school.
Wiping off a small buildup of dust on 'Debbie's' hood, I carefully leaned against her side thinking, while I waited, about how much it would cost me this time to get Gabe to clean the car.
Fortunately I only had to wait a little more than a minute before the noise of an old car engine and music at full blast broke the partial silence of the parking lot. Tires screeching as she parked her car next to mine, like Teddy, Bianca got out of her sister's car the moment the engine had been turned off.
"Hey PJ" the girl greeted me as she hurried toward the school.
Getting out of her car, Kat snorted, amused. "You always look like you're posing for a magazine ad" she teased, pointing at me, "how many times have I told you that you don't have to wait for me?" she asked as she closed the car door.
Shaking my head. "It's one of my only pleasures in coming to school" I carefully pulled away from my car, "besides, I need to make sure you don't crash into Debbie" I added, joking.
I might have said it as a joke, but, to be honest, there was some truth to it.
Keeping her face completely expressionless. "Ha ha" Kat said, adjusting her backpack in front of her, "here" a moment later she pulled out what I imagined was a gift, poorly wrapped in newspaper.
"Oh Kat, you didn't have t-"
Pressing her lips into a restrained smile. "I know, I know, you don't deserve it" she said, obviously joking, "happy birthday" she added a moment later, rolling her eyes as she held out the box.
Giving my friend a quick hug, I accepted the gift excitedly. "I love gifts" I said, carelessly tearing off the 'wrapping,' finding, not much to my surprise, a couple of new records in their cases.
"They're great" Kat said, "that one just came out" she added, pointing at one of the records in my hand.
Shaking the gift. "This is awesome" I said, "thanks" I gave her another hug.
Walking to school beside me. "What else have you gotten?" Kat asked me.
"Mom and Dad got me this watch" I raised my hand showing a digital Casio watch, new for the time, "and Teddy got me a nice new pair of shirts."
"Nice" my friend murmured, "and Diane?" she asked a moment later, glancing at me sideways.
Without changing the pace of my walk, studying Kat's poor attempt to hide the expressions on her face. "She gave me a book" I lied without being able to help it, looking for any reaction, however tiny, from my friend.
And I immediately got what I was looking for.
Truth be told, Kat's question alone confirmed my suspicion was correct, it was obvious, but the reaction upon hearing my lie told me, without a doubt, that she in fact knew specifically what the gift was, and that it possibly involved something bought. Knowing that last weekend, as had become routine, Diane had gone out with both her and Mandela, it wasn't hard for me to guess that my other friend surely also knew what the gift was and that they had possibly bought it then.
Snorting, I shook my head. "I'm just joking" I admitted, "it's a surprise, she said it'd be after dinner tonight."
Pretending to be surprised. "Really?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, I could see she was making a huge effort not to smile.
Nodding, amused, I stayed quiet. Even though the curiosity of knowing what the gift was was eating me alive, I wouldn't ruin Diane's surprise with information from her friends.
Continuing with a different conversation, Kat and I walked through the school hallways. Greeting those who greeted me as we crossed paths and accepting congratulations from people who, somehow, knew it was my birthday.
In front of the lockers we ran into Georgie who, after congratulating me and giving me a magazine, to Kat's displeasure, a magazine my friend thought fitting for me since it had a woman barely dressed as a nurse on the cover. Told us about some kind of study his siblings had been enrolled in. Apparently a psychological study on twins.
While I listened to Georgie butchering what was surely a well founded and properly conducted study, at least for Sheldon to agree to be part of it, Mandela arrived next to us, immediately greeting me with a hug.
"Happy birthday" my friend said, "here" she added, pulling away from me as fast as she had arrived, holding up a box perfectly wrapped in wax paper.
Unable to do the whole show like before when receiving a gift, being forced to take the box in my hands. "Thanks" snorting, I could only say thanks.
As I opened the box. "I hope you like them, I picked them out myself" Mandela said, smiling, amused.
Pressing my lips into a thin line, avoiding laughing outright. "Socks, nice" I said with exaggerated excitement. Lifting up a pair of socks, which were different colors. "I just happened to have an unmatched yellow sock, thanks" I declared, holding up one of the two socks, "but now I have an unmatched red one" I added, frowning with conflict on my face.
"Really?" Georgie asked, visibly surprised.
Impressed by my friend's 'innocence,' Mandela, Kat and I looked at him for a second, in complete silence.
Shaking my head a second later, accepting Georgie just as he was. "I'm glad you like them" Mandela said, smiling broadly, "I even checked that they were the same size."
Comparing the two socks, I nodded, smiling, impressed.
Arriving from the hallway to his locker. "Nice socks, PJ" David teased as he greeted the rest of us.
"Thanks" I snorted ironically.
Before anyone could say anything, walking down the hallway with no apparent worry, Veronica Duncan came up to me completely ignoring my friends, openly chewing gum. "Happy birthday, cousin" she said, putting a flirtatious emphasis on the last part. And without waiting for any response, after popping a bubble with her gum, she walked off smiling with the same predatory smile from the day I met her.
Pressing my lips together, a bit uncomfortable with the way Veronica addressed me. "Thanks" I said stiffly to the girl's back.
Immediately, coming out of the shock caused by the sudden interaction with the other teenager. Kat and Mandela, frowning, visibly annoyed. Stared at me. Silently accusing me.
Completely on the other end of the spectrum from my friends, Georgie and David, dumbstruck with their jaws hanging open, could only watch in complete silence the direction Veronica had walked off in.
Ignoring the two troglodytes and imagining what Kat and Mandela might be thinking. "What?" I asked them, offended.
Snorting with distaste. "Nothing" they both answered at the same time.
"I only know her because-" I tried to defend myself
Coming out of his trance. "You know Veronica Duncan" Georgie exclaimed, interrupting me. Fortunately the noise in the school hallway drowned out his voice completely.
Much more focused than I had ever seen him before. "You have to introduce me to her" David urged seriously.
"No, to me" Georgie immediately protested.
Staring at each other in an intense battle of glares, neither Georgie nor David noticed the distaste on Kat's or Mandela's faces.
Crossing her arms. "What is wrong with you two?" Kat asked rhetorically.
Pulling his gaze away from Georgie, and judging by his reaction, conceding the battle. "You don't get it, Veronica Duncan is the easiest gir-" David spoke without thinking first, but fortunately stopping himself in time upon seeing the growing distaste on Kat's and Mandela's faces, "I said nothing" he said in a surprising act of self-preservation.
Not giving my friends time to tell David some home truths. "For your own good you'd better not" I warned, frowning, "what's my last name?" I asked.
"Duncan" David answered easily.
As if it were a comedy movie, slowly and as one, David and Georgie widened their eyes as they connected the nonexistent, but surprisingly useful, dots.
"Is she-"
"Related to you?"
Crossing my arms, keeping my face completely serious. "Didn't you two hear her call me cousin?" I asked, with no intention of confirming or denying anything.
Really, aside from basic human empathy and respect for others, I had no special feelings toward Veronica, it seemed wrong to me for her to be labeled in such a derogatory way and, with that, it was more than enough reason to defend her. Even if she hadn't asked for it.
Being the first to react. "You're gross" Georgie spat, glaring with distaste at David, who reacted as if he'd taken a hit to the stomach, "I just think she's a beautiful woman" he added, smiling innocently in my direction.
Snorting, incredulous at Georgie's lack of shame, I shook my head.
"I can't believe you two" Mandela murmured, disappointed.
Shaking her head. "I can" Kat declared, "men" she added with distaste, walking off together with Mandela.
Still staring at the ground, after such a flagrant betrayal by a close friend. "Wait" David suddenly said, turning his attention back to me "is it your birthday?" he asked me.
The day went on as normal, and thanks to Diane's mysterious gift occupying my mind, before I knew it the final school bell rang.
After saying goodbye to everyone, including Teddy, who would be going to the Stratfords' house, I left the school.
Arriving at the hospital, used to the parking lot being partially empty, I drove in puzzled, seeing a little more than twenty trucks, school buses and regular passenger vehicles, occupying the spots. Fortunately one of the many perks I had thanks to my 'contributions' to the hospital was that my spot was in the reserved area.
Parking without any trouble I got out of 'Debbie' and started walking toward the hospital entrance. On my way I studied the buses looking for any clue that would tell me the reason the hospital had so many visitors that day.
I knew, thanks to the small number of ambulances, and the fact that we weren't a large hospital with a level one trauma center, that it was unlikely, almost impossible, that it had been a mass casualty incident. And since it was improbable, even impossible, for that many buses to arrive over separate incidents without needing ambulances, it had to be something that didn't prevent those affected from driving, after all, there wasn't a single bus driver in sight.
Food poisoning. It was common enough for the hospital to fill up and it made sense given the volume of people. A restaurant, a wedding, contaminated food at some event and the hospital would be full of people seeking relief. The problem was that it didn't add up, if that were the case, inside the hospital's closed doors there would be dozens, if not hundreds of people vomiting and, at least one or two people not affected by the infection would want to step outside for air. Outside the hospital there was no one.
Ruling that out. The last thing I theorized before opening the hospital doors was an infection, maybe bacterial. Something fast spreading, that thanks to gradual symptoms would allow people to arrive on their own, and it also had to be worrying and well known enough for all the possibly infected to want to go to the hospital on their own.
Meningitis maybe.
Opening the hospital doors, the first thing that greeted me in the lobby was the noise of dozens of people talking at once, immediately followed by the smell of chlorine. Without wasting time, and by that point almost second nature to me, I studied everyone and everything I could see.
As the buses outside suggested, the lobby was full of people, most of them, if not all, wearing face masks. Lined up in different rows that stretched past the hallways up to nurses handing out medications I couldn't identify given how far away I was. And confirming my last theory, I could see that at the front of each line patients were being physically examined using disposable thermometers, thermal strips, and small head movements.
Bacterial meningitis.
What mostly populated the floor were adults, no correlation between them outside of the physical exams they were undergoing, ages ranging from the late thirties to the early sixties, dressed completely casually which gave me no clue as to where they might have been before arriving at the hospital. Fortunately, I noticed among all the people several teenagers standing out, with ages across a wide range, from a couple of years older than Gabe up to my own age, who unlike the adults, wore athletic uniforms distinctive by group.
Thanks to that and the smell of chlorine. It wasn't hard for me to deduce that it was a school convention, obviously a swimming competition or something similar.
Interrupting my train of thought, which in hindsight had only lasted a couple of seconds. A nurse I didn't recognize came up to me. "Have you already been checked?" she asked me, without waiting for an answer, guiding me to one of the lines, pushing me on the shoulder with much more force than would be polite, "now you won't be able to leave without a doctor's approval first" she warned me sternly.
Before I could say anything, from the reception desk a few steps away from us, Florence, the head nurse, called the other nurse's attention with a sharp whistle. "He works here, let him pass" she ordered.
Widening her eyes for a second, visibly embarrassed as much as surprised. "Oh sorry" the nurse said, releasing my shoulder.
"No harm done" I assured her, smiling calmly, before walking away from the line I had been placed in.
Arriving in front of the reception desk, Florence, whom I hadn't seen in a while, greeted me while keeping her gaze fixed on the nurse who had intercepted me at the entrance. "I'm sorry about that honey, this temp nurses doing more than they were told to" she said, turning her attention back to me, "they think that if they show initiative they'll be able to get a full time job, but they only show that they don't know what they're doing" she added, exasperated, raising the volume of her voice, clearly trying to make sure the nurse heard her.
Nodding for a moment upon discovering why I hadn't recognized the first nurse. "It's fine" I assured her, "she wasn't rude or anything" I added, trying to keep the other woman out of any more trouble.
Narrowing her eyes with amusement, the head nurse shook her head. "You're too good for your own good" she snorted, exasperated, "people are going to try to take advantage of you."
Smiling with no intention of responding, I pointed behind me. "So, what's going on?" I asked even though I was fairly sure I'd already figured it all out.
Raising her eyebrows at all the chaos in her reception area. "There was an outbreak of bacterial meningitis at a state diving competition, two thousand four hundred people were spread out to nearby hospitals" she answered, pressing her jaw, "we got eight hundred" she added with fake excitement.
Effortlessly keeping the pride I felt at having deduced correctly off my face. "Really?" I asked, again turning my attention back to watching the people.
"Yeah, it's going to be a fun day" the woman murmured wearily, an expression she wiped completely off her face a moment later, smiling at me happily. "fortunately someone won the hospital a hundred million dollars, so administration can afford to hire a couple of temp nurses."
Exaggerating surprise. "Who?" I asked, interested, "you know, to thank them personally" I joked.
Ever since the moment I walked out of Dr. Cuddy's office so many days ago, I knew that the news of my 'involvement' with Vogler's donation to the hospital would become common knowledge absurdly fast. Fortunately aside from the occasional mention of it in the hallways, I didn't have to constantly hear about it.
Laughing openly. "Oh I had missed you honey" Florence shook her head softly, "how have you been?" she added, genuinely interested.
"Well, now that I've seen you, definitely better" I smiled playfully.
Pressing her lips into a restrained smile, Florence shook her head while rolling her eyes in fake exasperation. "What do you want?" she asked.
With exaggerated offense. "What, can't I tell my favorite nurse how happy it makes me to see her without it being to get something in return?" I asked.
Raising one of her eyebrows with glee, Florence crossed her arms. "Your favorite nurse huh?" she asked, "what would Fryday think if she heard you?" she asked softly.
She had me there.
Smiling triumphantly at having left me speechless. "That's what I thought" the woman murmured with exaggerated arrogance, "You're such a flatterer" she declared, shaking her head, amused.
Lowering my head in a gallant flourish. "Guilty as charged" I raised my hands.
Snorting, amused, Florence leaned back in her chair. "Who even taught you to be like that?" she asked, interested, a moment later.
Believe it or not, a Nobel prize winner.
Shrugging my shoulders. "It's just how I am, I can't help saying what I feel" I lied, unconcerned.
Pressing her lips together, Florence shook her head, amused. "How's that girlfriend of yours, Diane right?"
Smiling instinctively. "Yeah, Diane's great" I answered, "we're actually going to dinner latter today" I added and only a second later, upon seeing Florence's reaction, I regretted it.
"Really, are you going to celebrate a special occasion?" she asked, raising her eyebrows meaningfully.
Yes, it was clear it was going to happen.
In general I didn't mind talking about my life, much less with the nurses, after all my friendly relationship with all of them wasn't an exaggeration, they cared about me and I returned the feeling.
But openly revealing my birthday, risking House finding out, wasn't at the top of my list of priorities.
"Yeah" I murmured, drawing out the word and causing the nurse to lean toward me, clearly intending to hear more. Debating internally whether hiding my birthday would be an unpleasant thing to do, defeated, I accepted my fate. "It's actually my birthday" I admitted, waiting for the nurse's reaction.
Not disappointing, Florence took half a second to register what I'd said. Comically widening her eyes, she looked at me, surprised. "It's your birthday?" she asked, strangely disappointed.
"Yes, every year on the same date" I murmured, joking.
Ignoring my joke. "Why didn't we know before?" she asked herself, "we didn't get you a cake or a gi-"
"It's not necessary" I interrupted her.
Frowning. "Of course it's necessary" the woman exclaimed, fortunately not loud enough to catch the attention of everyone else, "it's your birthday" she declared as if it were obvious.
"But-"
"But nothing" this time she interrupted me, "I have to make some calls" she added, picking up the phone on her desk, "House got here not long ago, and Dr. Cuddy sent him to the clinic" she said, moving her hands practically shooing me away from her desk.
Watching the phone in the older nurse's hand, imagining what was about to happen and knowing there was nothing I could do about it, defeated, I nodded, ready to walk away.
I had only taken one step when. "Honey" Florence stopped me.
Turning my attention back to the woman. "Yeah?" I asked.
With her phone pressed to her ear. "Take this" she said, picking up a small container of medication, surely rifampin.
"Than-"
"Hey" she interrupted me, turning her body to talk to someone on the other end of the line, "today's PJ's birthday" she declared, once again shooing me away from her desk waving her hand as if I were a dog, "yeah I know, where can we get a cake?" I managed to hear as I walked away.
Now it was just a matter of time before House found out.
Speaking of House, it didn't take me long to find the man at the front of one of the many lines in the hospital. Outside the clinic office, I crossed paths with a woman who was leaving, immediately noticing her expression of complete mortification, it wasn't very hard to guess it was thanks to something House had said.
In the small fraction of a second we crossed paths it wasn't hard for me to notice how neat her outfit was overall, from her perfectly shined shoes, to her skirt and shirt recently dry cleaned without a single wrinkle in sight, everything was meticulously kept except, oddly, her jacket which had a barely visible makeup stain, probably a couple of days old and of a different shade than her skin tone.
It was obvious that someone else had worn her clothes without her knowing, and it was even more obvious that knowing that affected the woman greatly.
Silently apologizing to the people at the end of the line, I walked into the office. "New cane" I commented, surprised upon seeing House, while cleaning my hands with the antibacterial gel stuck to the wall of the room.
Turning around, visibly annoyed at having to do his job. "Ah, finally" he exclaimed with irritation upon seeing me.
"Yeah, yeah" I murmured, "daughter?" I asked, pointing behind me.
Not needing any kind of explanation. "Husband" House clarified immediately.
Raising my eyebrows. "Uh" I murmured, remembering the expression on the woman's face.
Nodding slowly. "Yeah" House murmured, uninterested, "now" he clapped, picking up a magazine before taking a seat in his usual chair, "you know the drill, take their information, do a physical exam for meningitis diagnosis, blue slip, pills and they go home" he pointed to the metal table in the office where there were dozens of pills in little disposable paper cups, "yellow slip? whop whop they go to the second floor" he added with fake pity as he opened his magazine, unconcerned.
Watching House with his feet up on another chair resting shamelessly in view of everyone in the line right outside the door, I sighed, mentally preparing myself to do the man's job.
Taking a pair of new gloves from the metal table with everything needed. "Next" I said, calling the next person in line, a visibly irritated man, "now, mister-" I stretched out my hand waiting for the form one of the nurses must have filled out with the man.
"Jackson" the man answered, glancing at House sideways as he handed over the document.
Checking the relevant information. "All right Mr. Jackson, this is a thermometer, we're going to check that you don't have a fever" I said, having the man put the disposable thermometer in his mouth, "while I check your neck for inflammation" I explained, raising my hands to his face.
As time passed the line outside the office shrank with each blue and yellow slip I handed to the people passing through, or at least that's what I hoped since, really, I couldn't see the whole line.
Handing the pills to the last patient. "So, take this two right now" I said, "and this slip" I handed over the blue form, "and you can go home" I finished, smiling at the woman.
"Thanks"
Smiling stiffly, waiting long enough for the woman to leave, without needing to look at the office door. "Next" I repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time since I'd arrived, knowing someone else was waiting to come in.
Irritated. "Finally" a girl said, walking decisively up to the exam table, without me asking her to, putting her information document in my hands.
Being the same age as Gabe, possibly a couple of years older, the girl, like many others I'd seen in the lobby, wore an athletic uniform which, given its chlorine smell, surely covered a swimsuit.
Yeah, twelve years old. "So, Mary" I said, reading her name off the form, "this is a thermo-"
"Yeah, yeah, it was on the door I already saw it" she said, opening her mouth.
Surprised by the girl's attitude. "All right" I snorted, continuing the exam. "Now let's check if you have a rash" I said some time later, "come on" I said, raising my hands, urging the girl, who didn't seem to want to cooperate
Frowning, Mary lifted her jacket. "It's from my new bathing suit. I've had it a week" she said, while I used my body to block the view from the door.
Worried she'd spit the thermometer out of her mouth. "Don't talk" I said, studying the rash closely.
Satisfied, I nodded at the girl, waiting only a couple more seconds before taking the thermometer. "Two for two" I said upon seeing the temperature.
"Fever?" the girl asked, "does that mean I have it?" she asked without a trace of worry.
Unable to answer her question. "Does your neck hurt?" I asked while writing the information on one of the yellow slips.
Making a small movement, clearly trying to see what I was writing beside her. "Oh" the girl complained, catching my attention.
"It's nothing" she quickly excused herself, "I pulled it trying to do a three-and-a-half tuck."
"Yeah?" I asked, staring at the girl, surprisingly this time it wasn't a lie.
"Yeah, I was about to land it but on contact with the-" she was saying, but I interrupted her by suddenly snapping my fingers in a quick motion directly on her other side, right in front of me.
Achieving what I was after, Mary, surprised, turned her face. "Ah" she complained almost immediately, unable to turn.
"Where are your parents?" I asked, noticing there was no one waiting outside the door.
"We live in Dallas" the girl answered with irritation, "I'm here with my coach" she added, pointing to a man who was waiting, who upon noticing our attention raised his hand in greeting.
"All right" I murmured, turning my attention back to the girl, "turn this way" I said, urging the girl to turn to face me, "House" I called the man beside me.
Without lowering one of his magazines. "What?" he asked.
"Fever, rash and neck pain" I listed the symptoms.
Lowering the magazine to hold his chin. "Uhm..." House murmured, pretending he had to think about it "Meningitis!" he suddenly exclaimed, "that was a hard one" he added, with his eyebrows raised, talking to the girl.
Ignoring House, who despite his jokes was actually paying attention to the patient. "Look, do this" I moved my own head up and down as a demonstration, without any trouble Mary did it, "now, like this" side to side.
This time Mary could only move a little before complaining again.
Visibly interested. "Huh" House murmured, taking his feet down from the other chair.
"Yeah, huh" I said, crossing my arms.
Exhaling, exasperated. "Huh, what?" Mary asked.
...
Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin, not McLovin, not Elliot, not Capone, not Tiger Woods and not Sam Fisher.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
Victor_Venegas
RandomPasserby96
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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