Spencer hung up the phone. He wasn’t sure whom to believe. But he was beginning to think it really might be Becca. At this point, it didn’t seem to matter. He planned to have nothing to do with Becca anymore. In fact, he could take care of that problem right now. He pulled out his phone and blocked her number. Feeling a sense of relief, he started concentrating on his work. Despite his fatigue, he poured himself into his project, enjoying the respite from his painful memories. Perhaps there was life after Emily Best.
*****
“Hey, Sister.” Charlie’s gold eyes studied Emily from a close perspective. “I’ve been waiting hours for you to wake up.” She smiled. “Well, maybe only about five minutes. But, you slept right through some really loud humming and several throat clearings. Eh-hem!”
“What time is it?” Emily croaked.
“Almost two o’clock. How do you feel?”
“Better than before. My head feels a little better, and I’m not dizzy. But I still feel nauseated.”
“We’ll give you something for that,” said the nurse who entered the room to take vital signs.
“No, I don’t want anything. I really don’t like taking any medicines. They mess with my head.”
“Okay, but the medication would make you feel less nauseous. And I’m also authorized to give you something for pain.”
“I’m not hurting anywhere,” Emily lied, anxious to avoid taking pain medication. “And I don’t really feel that queasy, either.”
The nurse tsked behind her teeth. “Okay. I won’t give you any meds. Let me know if you change your mind.”
“Can I go home?”
“You want to leave already?” asked the nurse. “You just woke up at five a.m. The doctor hasn’t seen you yet, has he?”
“Maybe he came while I was sleeping.”
The nurse shook her head as she checked the patient notes. “Nope. He hasn’t come. But your vitals are fine. It’s possible you could get dismissed today.”
“Can you ask the doctor to come? As soon as he can?”
She chuckled. “I’m betting you’ll see the doctor pretty quickly. You’ve been designated a priority one. Everyone likes to keep Steven Gherring happy around here. He was evidently on a rampage last night.” Then she leaned in as if to tell a secret. “But I’ve seen him come up here and visit with the kids on the cancer wing he built. He’s really a sweet man even though he sometimes looks really stern.”
“Yeah. We’ve seen that side of him more often than not,” agreed Charlie.
“Well, I’ll send a message to the doc and see if he’ll get up here to see you.”
“Thanks. I appreciate your help.”
When the nurse left the room, Charlie said, “So... Let me make sure I have the story straight. My smart, sensible, conservative sister decided to go on a date with an older guy she hardly knew. And she ended up drinking something with drugs in it and almost killed herself. Does that about sum it up?”
“Please, Charlie. I was technically dead less than twenty-four hours ago. Can’t you cut me some slack?”
“Hmmm.” She held her chin, tapping a finger on her lip. “Let me think. What would my dear sister do if the circumstances were reversed? Hmmm... No, I don’t think I can cut you any slack.”
“I would too cut you slack.”
“When I tried that ski jump and broke my wrist, you lectured me on the slope before they even strapped me onto the sled.”
“That was one time—”
“When I wrecked the car, you yelled at me before you even asked if I was hurt.”
“But you weren’t hurt.”
“I could’ve been. You didn’t know.”
“Fine. You might as well yell at me. I’m so angry with myself I can’t stand it. I admit it—I was really stupid.”