by Kay Edwards
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dalton stretched and felt something beside him. He opened one eye to peak and then busted out laughing. "What are you doing?"
Misty giggled. "I'm watching you sleep. Your door was open, so I walked right on in."
Dalton pulled the blanket over his head. "I'm not done sleeping yet. You can’t just come in and watch a guy sleep."
Misty started poking his side. "I think you should be awake. It is a beautiful day, and I want to go to the zoo."
Dalton groaned. He kept his face under the covers as he asked. "What time is it?"
"It is time for you to get up." She said with a smile.
"You are a cruel woman Misty Adams." He pulled back the blanket and looked at her sparkling eyes.
"Does that mean you're getting up?" she asked hopefully.
"I guess it means I'm getting up." He said with a smile.
"I'll go make breakfast. I was thinking French toast bacon and eggs." Misty said as she walked out of the room.
"I don't have any of those things." He said as he sat up.
"I figured that out already and went shopping." She said loudly from the hallway.
Dalton shook his head and headed for his bathroom to shower. He was not really tired and had actually been getting awake when Misty had started teasing him. He could smell the bacon in the air. His stomach growled. He got out of the shower and dressed and then allowed his nose and stomach to follow the aromas coming from the kitchen.
Wyatt looked up from his coffee and smiled at Dalton. "How did you rest?"
Dalton walked over and poured himself some coffee as he answered. "I slept great." He watched Misty as she worked on breakfast. "Do you need any help?" he asked.
Misty looked over her shoulder and smiled. "I've got it. You two sit and talk."
Wyatt smiled at his sister. She had been so adamant about coming yesterday. He looked over at Dalton. "She knew you needed her. She was stubborn about getting here."
Dalton spoke truthfully. "I actually did need friends yesterday. It was a really long one."
Wyatt remembered what he had told them the previous night. "Are you going to ask for the nurse lose her job?"
Dalton shook his head. "I'm not sure that would be right. I think what I may insist on is an evaluation by a mental professional before she works with patients again. There are people with these challenges that are fine, and I would hate to ask for her to lose her job based on what she tried to do. If an expert says she is fine when she is on her meds again, I will trust that."
Wyatt nodded his head. "You are a very forgiving person. I'm not sure I would want to continue working with someone that did that to me."
Dalton looked up at Misty's back. He had not told anyone about the offer in Austin. Maybe this was the time. "I've been offered a position in Austin."
Misty turned from the stove and looked at Dalton. "You have?"
Dalton nodded his head. "The head of the ER told me the job is mine in two months. All I have to do is let them know if I want it."
Wyatt knew Dalton was gauging Misty's reaction. He could have told him he had nothing to worry about. Misty's smile lit up her face. "You are going to say, yes right?"
Dalton smiled. "I was thinking I would say yes. I just needed to make sure it would be the right move."
Wyatt laughed. "I think you just realized it is the right move."
Misty turned back to her cooking as she asked. "Which hospital is it?"
Dalton laughed. "The one you frequent."
Wyatt roared as he heard Dalton's answer. "I guess she will become a VIP every time she visits now."
Dalton couldn't resist. "I'll make sure her picture is on the doctor's board."
Misty turned and walked toward Dalton. Her smile was so sweet. He got up and ran. She caught up to him in the living room. "You are in big trouble."
Dalton took a step toward her. "I think I can handle it."
Misty frowned at him. "I do believe I just saw you run. That does not seem to me like a man that can handle it."
Dalton grinned. "How about I pay for the zoo and lunch? Will that soothe your temper."
Misty walked up to him and grinned. "Food is always a great peace offering."
Dalton winked at her. He had planned on paying for her anyway. She didn't have to know that, though. His cell rang, and he walked over and answered it. He watched Misty go back into the kitchen as he heard Kim's voice.
"Hey, Dr. Nelson I forgot to have you sign one of the orders from yesterday's MVA. It is entirely my fault, but they wanted to know if you would be willing to stop by and sign them. I tried to tell them you lived in Katy but…"
Dalton laughed. "I'm actually going to the zoo today, so I can stop by on my way there. You are there kind of early aren't you normally second shift with me." He said as he walked into the kitchen.
Kim laughed. "I am, but they talked me into doing a sixteen-hour shift today."
Dalton sobered. "Kim, you need to make sure they let you rest. You got off the same time I did last night. Those shifts are brutal without adding that fact to it."
Kim chuckled. "Dr. Nelson I have three children at home all under six. I can handle this."
Dalton laughed. "How is…" he looked up and remembered he had guests. Not wanting to give away patient privacy he changed how he asked his question. "How is our little girl from yesterday? When I left, she was still holding her own."
Kim was happy to deliver the news. "They are pretty sure she is going to make it now. She has a huge road ahead of her, but her grandparents and aunts and uncles are here with her. I'm not sure if you know, but she is the only survivor other than the drunk driver. The passenger of that car died early this morning."
Dalton closed his eyes and hoped that the man had been ready to face eternity. "I'm sad to hear about the passenger. Thanks for letting me know about the girl."
Kim told him it was no problem before hanging up the phone. Dalton hung up and looked at Misty and Wyatt. He smiled as he told them the little girl was doing well.
Wyatt had seen the news that morning. He was surprised anyone had survived the accident. "The cars were demolished. I don't know how an eight-year-old could have lived through that."
Dalton looked at him surprised. "She is eight? We were not sure how old she was. All we could do was guess, to be honest, I could not have told you her name until an hour after she left my table."
Misty had seen the news too. The fact that this man was able to save that little girl gave her a new respect for him. "Her name is Bella. The picture they showed of her and her family was heartbreaking. She is a beautiful little girl."
Dalton looked at his guests and chuckled. "So much for HIPPA…you two seem to know more than me. I do need to go sign a couple of orders though before we head to the zoo."
Wyatt asked. "Do you have to go in a lot on your days off?"
Dalton shook his head. "Not that often. When we have a really nasty trauma, I don't actually write the orders. I kind of shout them, and one of the nurses will write them down. If they happen to miss something, I have to go in and sign off on it. I'm a doctor that for sure recognizes my nurses and other co-workers. We are all a part of a puzzle. It is almost impossible to do my job without the staff that supports me."
Misty walked over and sat a plate down in front of him. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You are a special kind of crazy doctor."
Dalton was surprised by Misty's affection. It was not that she was not affectionate, but she had never kissed him in any manner. He was usually the one that did that. "Thanks, Misty." He said thoughtfully.
Wyatt rolled his eyes. These two were hysterical. He knew it was just a little too soon for Misty and Dalton to be more than friends but also knew that with each passing day his sister's heart was one step closer to being ready for Dalton's love.
Misty watched Jamie come into the kit
chen. She smiled at the men as she said. "I guess Rachel is awake."
Wyatt laughed. "We could have skipped the monitor with that dog. She does not like her little angel upset."
Dalton watched as Misty left the kitchen. He looked over at Wyatt and asked. "She got me a plate of food. Would you like me to grab you one too?"
Wyatt laughed as he stood up and headed toward the counter. "I can get my own. She wants to pamper you right now, and we should probably let her. The truth is if she is doing that then there is a good chance she won't end up in the ER here too."
Dalton laughed. "Your family is anything but dull. I'm trying to figure out how you three managed to make it to adulthood."
Wyatt sat back down at the table. "I have only been to the ER once, and that was because of Brock."
Dalton laughed. The men bowed their heads and blessed the food before they continued their talk. "What did Brock do?"
Wyatt answered with a chuckle. "He was furious about something and kicked me off a horse. I was only nine at the time and landed just right. My arm was in a cast for six weeks in the middle of a Texas summer."
Dalton grimaced. "That would not be fun." He glanced up as Misty walked back in with Rachel in a sling.
Looking at Dalton Misty grinned. "This thing is so nice to have. I can eat while Rachel eats."
They finished breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen before they headed for the zoo. Dalton pulled into the parking garage at his hospital. The three got out and headed for the entrance of the ER. Dalton watched as a little lady he didn’t know walked up to him
“Dr. Nelson?” she asked.
Dalton took the hand she held out to him. Her grip was tight as she said. “Thank you for saving our Bella. Our hearts are a little less sad because she is alive.”
Dalton looked down at the woman. “You are welcome. I’m glad I could help.”
The little lady looked up at him. “May I kiss the cheek of my hero?”
Dalton leaned down and let her kiss his cheek. He smiled at her gently. “Tell Bella I said ‘hi.'”
Misty, Wyatt, and Dalton watched the lady walk away. Dalton felt Misty take his hand and he looked down at her. She had tears streaming down her face. “You are something else, Dalton.”
They continued toward the ER. Each of them lost in their own thoughts.
Misty and Wyatt sat down in the waiting area while Dalton went back to sign the orders.
Kim looked up from the nurses' station. "Hey, Dr. Nelson thanks for doing this."
Dalton looked at Kim and Dr. Huff. "Like I said I was on my way to the zoo."
Dr. Huff gave him a funny look and asked. "You are going alone?"
Dalton chuckled. "No Misty and Wyatt are in the waiting room."
Kim and Dr. Huff looked at each other. Dr. Huff said firmly. "I'm thinking they need to come back here so we can meet them." He picked up the phone on the desk and called the front receptionist.
Dalton rolled his eyes and then sat down and waited for Kim to get the chart. He laughed at his coworker's eagerness to meet Misty. He looked up to see Wyatt but not Misty. "Where is Misty?"
Wyatt winked at Kim and answered. "She is checking her side arm in with security."
Dalton's face paled. "She brought a gun?"
Wyatt laughed. "I'm just kidding. Rachel needed to be changed."
Kim wagged her finger at Wyatt. "You need to behave."
He winked at her as he said. "Yes, Mam…"
Dalton signed off on his orders. He handed the chart to Kim and asked. "Does it look like anything else is missing?"
Kim shook her head. "Not that I see. Thanks for coming in. I really do appreciate it."
The group turned as Misty walked toward them. She smiled at the group. Dalton took Rachel out of her arms and asked. "Are you all clean little miss?"
Misty smiled at them and then turned toward Dalton's coworkers. The shocked look on their faces made her frown. She turned toward Dalton and put her hands on her hips. "Dalton Nelson, what have you told these people?"
Wyatt laughed at Dalton's look. "I'm thinking he told them what a handful you are."
Dr. Huff laughed. "I believe the words he used were 'Texas-sized handful.' Your brother Brock was very informative too."
Misty was just getting ready to give her opinion on that when Dr. Huff took her arm and started looking at the scar from her last set of stitches. "How did you do this again?"
Kim winked at Misty as she answered. "I believe Brock said she was standing on her horse's back so she could get on a roof. At least that was what we gathered from the phone conversation. Your brother calls often."
Misty shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I can be a bit accident prone."
Kim smiled at Misty. "I don't think we were expecting such an innocent looking package. You look like you couldn't hurt a fly."
Misty whirled back around and faced Dalton. She looked mortified as she asked. "You told them I shot Brock?"
Dr. Huff started choking. "You shot your brother."
Dalton raised an eyebrow as he looked at Misty. "Nope but you just did."
Misty frowned at Dalton as she walked over and started patting Dr. Huff's back. The poor man was unable to catch his breath. "It was an accident. He walked right in front of me."
Kim could not wait for Miriam to come in. If she thought the phone calls were golden, this was platinum. She smiled at Misty and asked. "How exactly did it happen?"
Dalton shook his head. Kim was so obvious, but Misty really did want to clear the air. He kissed the side of Rachel's head and whispered. "Your mommy is crazy."
Misty explained the rules. "Brock didn't follow the rules. It wasn't my fault he walked right out in front of me. Who does that?"
Dr. Huff looked at Dalton incredulously. "She shot her brother in the butt?"
Misty took the older man's hand and started to pat it. It seemed this man needed just as much soothing as Dalton. "Dr. Huff you need to pay attention. I said it was an accident."
Dr. Huff looked at Misty and smiled. "Do they give you weapons often?"
Misty's eyes narrowed. "I am not that bad. The only gun accident…"
Dr. Huff started coughing again. Misty glared at the older man as she began whacking his back again. "Seriously Doctor you need to calm down. I was going to say the kick put me on my butt. It wasn't my fault there was a sharp piece of glass on the ground. Wyatt, could you please stop laughing? Dalton, are you going to help me explain? "
Dalton shook his head. “I’m thinking you are doing an excellent job of doing that yourself.”
Wyatt managed to control his laughter long enough to say. "Misty, you need to throw the shovel down. You are digging this hole yourself."
Kim took pity on Misty. "The zoo sounds like it will be fun. Is this Rachel's first time?"
Misty took the life saver for what it was. "It is Rachel's first time."
Dalton held out his hand. "Are you ready to go?"
Misty gave Dr. Huff a firm look as she took Dalton's hand and answered. "I guess I'm ready."
Kim watched them go. "That is hysterical."
Dr. Huff had to agree. "I would never have guessed."
