The Doctor Who Made Her Love Again

“This way,” the nurse said, and directed them to a space.

With Pete’s help they were able to get him on the bed and settled.

The E.R. doctor on service that evening entered the room. “What we got here, Payton?”

“Hey, Rick. This is Pete and he had a fish hook in this finger. He needs an x-ray to find the tip.”

China was already in the process of removing the bandage as they spoke. When she had it off both men looked at it.

“Well, you’re in luck. We aren’t busy tonight and therefore neither is X-Ray. Should be able to do one right away. We might want to finish getting that hook out first, though,” Rick said.

“Hey, Doc.” Pete looked at Payton. “I’d like you to do it.”

Payton looked at Rick. He shrugged. “Sure, Pete. If that is what you want.”

“I’ll get the supplies,” China said, and started across the room to the cabinets.

“When’s the last time you had a tetanus shot, Pete?”

“Heck, I don’t know.”

“Then you’ll need one before you’re released. I’ll add it to the chart.”

China joined them again and placed what Payton would need on the stand beside the bed. Payton picked up the needle with the lidocaine in it. “Pete, I’m going to deaden your finger then we’ll get this hook out of it.”

Pete flinched and moved away. “Hey, I don’t like needles.”

“You’ll like the alternative less. I need you to lay your hand on the bed and look out into the hall. And don’t move.”

Slowly Payton pushed the thin needle under Pete’s skin near the hook. To Pete’s credit he didn’t cringe and Payton was soon finished. Picking up the pliers China had brought from the supply cabinet, Payton said, “Okay, let’s get this done.” Payton seized the angry end of the hook with the nose of the pliers and pulled.

As soon as the hook was removed, China placed one of the alcohol pads over the wound.

Pete flinched but didn’t jerk away.

Payton dropped the hook in the red biohazardous box. “How are you doing, Pete?”

“Fine.” There was a thin white line around Pete’s lips.

“Now off to X-Ray. Hopefully we got it all.”

“If not, what happens then?”

“I’m afraid surgery.” At the puckering of Pete’s lips, as if a complaint was forthcoming, Payton said, “Let’s not worry about that until we see what an x-ray shows.”

The X-ray tech wheeled Pete off.

Twenty minutes later Payton entered the exam room, where China was bandaging Pete’s finger. “Well, the radiologist says everything looks great. No foreign objects visible.”

Pete’s buddy entered the room with a searching look and wide eyes.

“Well, I see your ride is here. When the desk nurse is finished with the paperwork you’re free to go.”

“Thanks Doc,” Pete called, as she and Payton were going out the door. “You ever want to go fishing, me and my buddy are the ones to come to.”

Payton waved a hand above his head in acknowledgment.

“No way I’m I getting on that tub again,” he whispered to China.

“Thank goodness. I was afraid you might invite me along.”

They laughed. Minutes later, Payton opened the car door for China and she slid into the seat. An air of uncertainty settled over her as he drove through the almost empty parking lot. Would he ask her to come home with him? Did she want to? At the exit Payton paused and looked at her for a long moment before he said, “China, I won’t assume but...would you come home with me?”

All that confidence Payton had shown just a few minutes earlier as he’d handled the removal of the hook had gone out the window. He was as insecure about their relationship as she was. Somehow that reassured her.

She nodded. A huge smile covered his face as he took her hand and placed it on his thigh before he pulled out into the traffic.

Somewhere after midnight Payton rolled over and kissed her shoulder before his mouth found hers. His hand cupped a breast, teasing the nipple. This time their lovemaking was slow and easy. Later, much later, China curled up next to his warm body and inhaled deeply. Her eyes slowly closed on an exhalation.

Life could be safe and secure.

* * *

“So, do you want to go parasailing with me today?” Payton asked, as he placed kisses across her belly midmorning of the next day.

“What?”

“You know, where someone pulls you behind the boat and you’re attached to a parachute and you go up in the air.”

She rolled her eyes and said in a sarcastic voice, “I know what parasailing is. I just wanted to know why you would want to do it.”

“Because I never have.”

“Do you have a death wish or something?”

Payton tensed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think. It hard for me to imagine you having had cancer. You seem so hearty.”

“I am hearty.”

“You know what I mean.”

Payton sat up and looked at the majestically beautiful woman before him who had no idea how much she affected his world. “I know. I just like giving you a hard time.”

“Will you tell me about it?” she asked softly.

Payton hesitated. Did she really want to know all the gory details? She deserved to. With a resigned release of a breath he said, “I worked long hours in the E.R. in the largest trauma center in Chicago. I didn’t mind. I loved what I did. Everything gave me an adrenaline rush. I’m from a long line of doctors. In fact, my great-grandfather was on the board when the hospital opened. My father sits on the board today.”

“You were headed that way, too,” China said, as a statement of fact.

“Yeah. I was on the fast track with the in-crowd ticket. But I got sick. I didn’t see it coming or maybe I didn’t want to admit it. I started feeling tired. Then I found the lump in my neck.”

He couldn’t miss the soft intake of China’s breath. To her credit, she didn’t say anything.

“I couldn’t ignore any longer that something was seriously wrong. If I had been one of my patients I would’ve chewed me out for not going to the doctor sooner. I went to see my best buddy and...” Payton grinned “...he did chew me out. There was a biopsy, the bad news radiation and chemo. My parents came unglued. My fiancée handed my ring back.”

“Not much of a person, in my opinion.” She sounded like a warrior fighting for her family. He liked the sound of it.

“Thank you. I agree. It hurt at the time but in hindsight I don’t think we would’ve made it anyway. She was far more interested in my family name and its influence than me.”

China smiled at him. “Well, I’m glad she let you go, otherwise I might not have met you.”

He gave her an appreciative kiss. “Thank you. I feel the same way about you.”

“So how did your family react to your diagnosis?”

“The same way they do to everything. He’ll overcome this.’ My mom became my major caregiver. I’ll forever be grateful to her

.”

“I hear a but in there.”

“Well, Mom almost became oppressive with her help. She was worried about losing me and I understand that, but when I began to get better she had a hard time accepting I needed her to back off.”

“I’m guessing she didn’t take it well when you decided to move down here.”

“No, and neither did my father. They wanted me close because they love me and are concerned about me but they were also upset that I would give up all they considered important, like my position at the hospital, my influence in the community, to move down here to nothing.” When China stiffened he was quick to say. “Sorry, those are their words, not mine. To say they didn’t understand I had changed or I needed to move my life in a different direction would be an understatement.”

“I know that this isn’t any of my business but are you seeing someone regularly for check-ups?” The note of concern in her voice didn’t escape his notice.

“Yes, Nurse China. I’m taking care of myself. I have regular bloodwork done. I’m going to Chicago next month for a checkup.” His look met hers. “Hey, why don’t you go with me?”

China was surprised to find at she rather liked the idea of meeting Payton’s family. “How about we see when the time comes?” If she made that step, she would be trusting that there was something more between them than just being bed friends.

“Okay, I’ll let it go for now but what about that parasailing?”

“How about I watch you?”

“It would be a lot more fun if you went up with me. We could make out, maybe try a little something else.”

China laughed and swatted him playfully. “You’re trying to live dangerously again.”

Payton ran a hand from her foot up along her calf and smiled when she shivered. “Yes, maybe I am, but it sounds like fun, doesn’t it?” He dropped his voice to a sexy persuasive tone.

She smiled. “I could just kiss you before you go up.”

“That’s not the same. Come on, China. I think it would be fun.” He gave her a pleading look.