Chapter Ten
They pulled up outside of the Emergency Room and the back door instantly opened. Several people reached in for the gurney she lay on.
He hurried after them as they rushed her into a cubicle.
“You need to wait out in the visitor’s room, sir.”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“But—”
“Stacy, he needs to be with her because she gets agitated if she can’t see him, and you’d have to have his body carried out because he needs to be with her, too,” the paramedic said.
“Fine. Just stay out of the way.”
Cesar stood off to the side. “Thank you.”
The guy nodded. “Good luck.”
“I’ll need it.”
“What have we got?” the doctor asked as he came in.
The paramedic went over Amber’s stats and told the doctor what he knew.
“And who are you?” the doctor asked.
“I’m her fiancé.” Cesar didn’t bat an eye at lying, and telling them that they were engaged made it nearly impossible for them to try to throw him out.
“Can you tell me anything more?”
“I know she fell down the stairs three days ago.”
“And why wasn’t she brought in then?”
“That’s a good question. She lives with her mother. When I couldn’t get in touch with Amber, I went over there. The mother told me she was out, but I had a gut feeling she was in the house. So, when I caught the housekeeper’s concerned look, I drove down the road and called the house. The housekeeper told me she hadn’t seen Amber in several days, and she was worried. So, I broke into the house and into Amber’s room, which was locked. That’s when I found her in this condition. I called the cops and ambulance. Amber’s the one who told me she fell down the stairs, but I think there’s more to the story.”
“I’d like to know, too. Let’s get an IV set up, Stacy.”
The doctor pulled back the blanket and undid the robe. Several curses came from everyone in the room when they saw the bruises all over Amber’s midsection.
“I need an X-ray machine brought in immediately,” the doctor yelled. “Nurse, I want pictures of all of her injuries.”
“I’ll grab the camera.”
The doctor went to her head, felt around her skull, and then checked her pupils.
“Cesar,” Amber cried and tried to jerk her head away from the doctor’s grip.
He walked to the head of the bed and took her hand. “I’m right here, honey.”
“Hello, Amber. My name is Dr. Wilson. Can you tell me if you hurt your head when you fell?”
She shook her head. “No, just my stomach mostly, although my arms and legs ache.”
“I can imagine. No headaches?” the doctor asked.
“No,” she said.