Playing Doctor

"Oh, well maybe just through dinner, then I have to get home and feed Bella."

Kristi already knew all about Bella, as Aurelia had shown her pictures the last time she'd been her nurse. "Okay, give the little cutie a cuddle from me." She smiled. She got everything attached to Aurelia that she needed to and then headed off to take care of talking to security for her.

"She is so nice. I'm glad she'll be your nurse tonight."

They ate dinner and then Kelly left saying she'd return in the morning.

Aurelia had to call into work the next day, since she was still in the hospital. "Sarah, I am so sorry about this," she murmured into the phone.

"Aurelia, it's okay, you finished the Jacquard file yesterday in record time, and everything else is handled this week. You have got to recover. I did want to warn you, there was a man who came in looking for you after you left yesterday, he seemed a little high strung. He said he was your husband, but I know for a fact you were never married, so I'm going to guess he was your ex. We didn't give him any information, but I want you to be aware he's searching for you. If you hadn't called, I was going to recommend you work from home or check into a hotel. He didn't seem like he was playing with a full deck."

"Oh my gosh, he came into Fuller and Hoffman? Sarah, I'm so sorry!"

The heart monitor started beeping erratically, and Kristi came rushing into the room. She pulled the phone from Aurelia's hand. "I'm sorry, Ms. Carson cannot speak anymore right now, she's becoming stressed—" She paused and looked at Aurelia, then nodded. "I see. I'll let her know. Thank you for understanding." She hung up the phone and put her hands on her hips as she frowned at Aurelia. "You, ma'am, need to calm down." She pushed several buttons on the monitor and the noise stopped.

Aurelia nodded as she did her breathing exercises, to slow her heart down again. "What did she say? Did I get fired?"

"No. Your boss was super sweet. Apologized for causing you to stress out and she explained about the ex-boy-fiend showing up there, so I get why it happened, but Dr. West is going to be pissed if I don't keep you calm, and I don't want him mad at me."

"Did she say anything else?"

"Just that you have the rest of the week off and to rest."

Aurelia sighed. "I can't keep doing this to her."

"Well, then you need to get better."

Aurelia nodded. "I'll try to stay calm."

Three hours later, Kristi came into her room again, closed and locked the door as security alarms went off in the hospital.

"What's going on? Why are you locking the door? What's that alarm for?" she asked.

"I was headed off shift when I noticed a commotion downstairs, and then security got involved and the alarm was triggered. I came straight here."

Aurelia's pulse picked up and the monitor started to beep faster. "What…"

Kristi rushed over and turned off the machine, sat down on the edge of the bed and took Aurelia's hands. "Breathe with me. If you promise to remain calm, I'll show you what I caught on my phone."

Aurelia breathed with her, slowing her heart back down. Now that she knew she was going to see something troubling, she could do the breathing while she watched, knowing Kristi wasn't going to let anyone in.

"Okay? Ready?" Kristi handed Aurelia the phone and hit play.

"But I'm her husband! You have to tell me!"

Aurelia hit pause and took a few breaths. "That's Marcus," she said as calmly as she could.

"Yeah, but you aren't going to have to worry about him for a while anyway, keep watching."

Aurelia nodded, licked her lips, and then pressed play.

"Sir, do you have proof of your marriage to Ms. Carson? Or a Power of Attorney? Or a Medical Proxy?"

"No, but she's my wife! I have every right to see her! I demand you tell me where she is, right now!"

"Sir, you need to calm down. We cannot give out that information without the patient's express consent and you are not listed as her emergency contact. You need to leave. You are disturbing other patients."

"I will fucking see her and take her ass back to Portland! Fuck this place! If you won't tell me where she is, I will fucking find her myself!" Marcus' face was bright red, and he was sweating profusely as he attempted to march past the information desk.

The alarms started to blare and then two guards grabbed a hold of him as the angle on the camera moved, like the person holding it was running. The camera tilted toward the ground and then it was shut off.

Aurelia blew out a breath and then took several more. "They aren't going to let him get up here, are they?"