| Megan sighed as she looked at the clock. Twenty hours at work, and she finally got to go home and sleep. “This is hell on the body,” she muttered to herself. “I wonder why doctors go against everything they tell their patients.” She imitated herself giving advice to a sick patient, “’Get plenty of rest, take two aspirin, and call me in the morning.’” She giggled to herself. “Oh God, I’m giddy,” she said, laughing even harder. She was laughing so hard she couldn’t even unlock the car. Hysterical, she slid to the ground beside her car, tears streaming down her face due to the laughing. Every time the laughs would subside, she would regress and laugh even harder than before. She straightened up when she heard approaching footsteps in the parking garage, and her head snapped up when she saw a white lab coat appear from behind her car. She looked up at Kelli and threw her hands in the air pathetically, the laughs returning. “What the hell happened to you?” Megan shook her head, unable to speak because of her laughter. Kelli bent down and picked Megan up off the ground. “I was just making fun of myself and found it extremely funny. That’s all.” “Aahhh,” Kelli said. “Sleep-deprivation?” Megan nodded, the laughs finally subsiding for good. “Well, go home, get plenty of rest, take two aspirin, and call me in the morning.” Megan was tossed into another fit of laughter, joined by Kelli. “I’ll drive,” Kelli said between giggles. “You’re too far gone to drive. You sure you didn’t drink before you left?” Megan nodded, laughing even harder now. Soon, Kelli pulled into their neighborhood and parked in Megan’s driveway before walking over to her own house, a few doors from Megan’s. “I’ll see you on Thursday.” Megan waved, still laughing, and entered her house, collapsing in a fit of laughter right inside the door. She kicked the door closed and fell asleep. An hour later she awoke, disoriented and disillusioned. She picked herself up out of the floor and shook her head. “I really need more sleep,” she said to herself. She went to her bedroom and changed into her pajamas, glancing at the clock. “Good morning,” she said to herself. “It is now nine o’clock in the morning. One hour after you got home from work.” She sighed and went into the kitchen, searching for food. She settled on the couch with a bowl of cottage cheese and peaches and clicked on the television, to the news. She shook her head at all of the goings-on in the world and became entranced in the report. Slowly she fell asleep again. *** “How’re you, sleeping beauty?” Stapp asked Mark as he shuffled into the room. Mark muttered some unrecognizable syllables and collapsed onto the couch. He had dark bags under his eyes, which were puffy and bloodshot. “Did you drink last night before you went to bed?” Mark shook his head. “Did you sleep?” “No.” Mark winced as he rubbed his sore arm. Stapp looked down at Mark’s arm, his eyes growing wide. “You gotta get that checked out, man,” he said slowly. “It looks a lot worse than it did last night, and evidently it hurts worse.” Mark shook his head. “C’mon.” Scottie entered the room and gaped at Mark’s arm. Mark looked up at him and saw his expression. “Fine. But if they kill me, ya’ll are coming with me,” he threatened. Stapp laughed and picked Jagger up out of his lap and placed him on the floor. Mark got to his feet and looked at his shoes in the doorway, sighing. “I’ll do it,” Scottie said, bending down to pick up Mark’s tennis shoes and put them on his feet. Mark rolled his eyes, feeling like a baby, and grumbled to himself. “What’s that, Mark?” Stapp asked, eyes twinkling. “Nothing.” Mark scowled at the world as they drove to the hospital, the van silent all the way there. They checked him in and headed to the waiting room. *** Megan was startled to consciousness by the phone’s annoying ring. She groggily picked it up. “Hey Meg, I need a favor.” “I’m off today, Brian. No.” “It’s not for me. Michelle went into labor an hour ago, and we need someone to cover her shift.” “Brian,” she whined, “I’ve only gotten six hours of sleep in two days. I can’t work.” “Just take an AM300 and I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?” She reluctantly agreed, swearing as she hung up the phone and headed to her room to get ready. She scowled at her reflection as she pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail. With every step she took toward her car, a swear word escaped her lips. She pulled into the parking garage and dragged herself towards the hospital as she clipped her ID onto her lab coat. *** “Mr. Tremonti?” Stapp nudged Mark, waking him. He mumbled to himself and shifted in the chair, not attempting to rise. “Mark, they called you,” he said right into his ear. Mark turned his head toward Stapp and scowled. “If they kill me…” he trailed off. Stapp shook his head and assured him everything would be all right. Scottie walked behind them, smiling slightly. The older nurse led them down a hall and into an isolated room. Once she was gone, Mark sniffed and wrinkled his nose. “Stinks,” he observed. “Smells sterile,” Stapp said with a hearty laugh. “Geez… you’d think he was a kid again.” Mark’s scowl deepened. There was a knock on the door and an attractive young doctor entered the room. “Mark?” Mark nodded, still scowling. “Hi. I’m Megan.” Megan stuck out her hand, then looked down at his arm. She retracted her hand with a slight smirk, then extended her right hand instead. Scottie and Stapp laughed, but Mark sighed, reaching out to shake her hand. “How’d you break your arm?” she asked, leaning against the wall. “It’s not broken,” Mark insisted. “It’s just bruised.” Megan shook her head. “You big baby,” she muttered as she reached out to inspect Mark’s arm. She carefully pressed against the bruise, working from the outside of the bruise to the inside, watching Mark’s face for a reaction. She didn’t get very far before he pulled his arm away with an intense wince. “It’s broken. Do you believe me or do you want to do an X-ray to prove it?” He looked up at her and sighed. “X-ray.” She laughed at him and nodded, telling him to stand and follow her. Once they had left, Scottie looked over at Stapp. “That’s her.” “Who?” “That girl we saw running yesterday.” “Is it?” Scottie nodded. “She probably lives near me.” Stapp’s eyebrow rose involuntarily. “Why don’t you ask her?” Scottie shrugged. “Maybe.” Mark and Megan re-entered the room. Mark heaved a sigh as he sat down on the examination table again. Megan winked at him and announced that she’d be right back as soon as the X-ray was ready. She returned quickly and clipped up so they could see. The break was evident, and Mark swore, then quickly apologized to Megan. “I don’t care if you swear, Mark. Just be nice to your arm from now on, okay?” He forced a sarcastic laugh and continued pouting. “All I want to know is how you managed to break it this badly without putting the bone through your skin,” she said. Mark winced. “Guess I’m lucky, huh?” “Extremely. I’m gonna have to set it.” “You mean a cast?” Scottie and Stapp’s heads snapped up, horrified expressions on their faces. “Yes,” Megan said slowly, trying to read their expressions. “Look, Mark, I know this sucks, but you’ll be able to play again in a few weeks. I promise.” Mark’s eyebrow furled, and he looked at Stapp. |