My Christmas Doctor

"I'm glad." He glanced at the table with the legal pad and pen. "Didn't manage to get any writing done?"

"No, after that call I just went to sleep. Guess I needed it."

"Well, you're still recovering, your body is going to need sleep more than normal." He patted the covers where my shin was. "For now, why don't you go ahead and order your dinner and then we'll move you afterward. Do you need a menu?"

"It's under the legal pad, but can you plug the phone back in? Lara unplugged it after my mom's call." I could feel my cheeks heating again.

He chuckled. "Sure." He put the cord back in the socket and then moved the table back over me. "Now remember, high-potassium foods."

"I will." I nodded as I looked over the menu. There was a vegetable mix with broccoli and mushrooms, so I got that along with the grilled chicken and rice.

After I'd eaten, Jennifer returned, unhooked me from the heart machine and gathered up all my things, setting them on my bed. She had already attached the IV to the bedframe, so she didn't have to move that. "Are you ready?"

I nodded. "Sure."

She unlocked the wheels and then maneuvered me out the door and down the hall to the elevator. We went up four floors and then into another room. She relocked the wheels and then set my purse and clothes on the guest couch. She moved the table with the tv remote on it over me again and put my legal pad and pen on it, along with a new menu. "Tomorrow you'll be able to have a wider variety of food."

"Good to know."

"Yeah, the menu is smaller down in the intensive care unit." She attached a new heart monitor to my chest, and then crossed the room to the bathroom door and picked up a marker and wrote down some of my information on the wipe board along with her name and the last time they had given me medication along with my blood pressure and temperature. "Okay, you're all set, anything else I can get you?"

I shook my head. "No, I think I'm good."

"Okay, well you're in room 2427, just in case you need to let your family know. I'll be here until eleven, and then Kelly and James will be on duty with you. You'll like them. They're a good team."

"Thank you."

"No problem. If you need me, just hit the call button, okay?"

"Oh, before you go, can you hand me my purse? I want to use my cell to text my mom the room number."

"Sure. Just don't make any calls from it, okay? It can interfere with your medical equipment."

"Okay. I don't want to call her. She'll just stress me out again." I sighed.

"I'm sorry, it stinks that some moms are like that."

"Yeah." I pulled my phone from my purse and sent Mom my room number, then told her I was going to sleep.

"Anything else you need?"

"No, thanks though."

Jennifer nodded and left me alone. I set my phone aside and picked up the remote. I flipped through channels and found a good murder mystery show on the ID channel to watch. While I watched, I scrolled through the various texts on my phone, answering questions from my agent and editor, assuring them that I was okay. Apparently, Mom had gotten a wild hair up her butt and called everyone who knew me and informed them that I was in the hospital. I supposed I was lucky that a news crew hadn't shown up. God, I hope they haven't! Surely someone would have mentioned if they had, right?

There were also several texts from Aaron, but I deleted them without reading them, and then blocked his number. I should have done that months ago, but he hadn't made a nuisance of himself till now. Then I read the texts from Ellie and they made me grin. She was planning to come by later to check on me, so I sent her a return text, telling her I was fine and what room I was in. The room phone rang as I finished typing and I answered it with a sigh, fearing it was Mom.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Adams? This is Maria Halifax in reception, there is a young man down here claiming to be your husband and wanting to be let up to your room, however, we restrict visitors to those listed as next of kin, or requested by the patient, which you haven't filled out yet, and he isn't on any of your emergency contact information."

"Who is it?"

"His ID says his name is Aaron Hill? He is acting rather belligerent and insisting that we allow him up to see you because he is extremely worried about you."

"No! He is not my husband! He's my ex-boyfriend! You can't let him up here!" I exclaimed, my heart doing that crazy stress dance again started the monitor beeping again in an agitated manner. I knew the man was just trying to manipulate me, get to me when I was vulnerable.