Quid Pro Quo

by Sherryl Hancock

  Kai’s lips curled. “Always?”

  “Well, yeah, I mean… the couple of times I’ve seen you.” Finley looked distinctly uncomfortable all of a sudden. “So what is the other half?” she asked, hoping to distract Kai from her line of questioning.

  The last thing she wanted Kai to know was that she’d thought about the trainer way more than she should have over the past couple of months. She’d even gone to The Club more often in hope of seeing her again. Or how many conversations she’d had with herself about why being interested in this dark-haired butch was stupid, because she didn’t date butches for very specific reasons. And how her mind had reasoned with her that this woman hung out with the likes of Remington and Quinn, and Finley did admire those women, even though they were butches. Also how she’d thought a number of times that someone like Remington LaRoché would likely be worth the trouble of some of the butch traits…

  Kai saw the thoughts play across Finley’s face, not sure what it all meant but filing it away for future examination.

  “Well, my mother’s the Burmese. My father is half Japanese and half American Indian.”

  Finley smiled. “Wow, that’s not a regular combination, is it?”

  “More common than you’d think, for families that are from the plains states here. When the Chinese came to build the railroad, they brought their children. Oftentimes a Chinese girl would be carried off by a band of Indians and she’d end up part of their tribe. In my case, my ancestor was carried off by a band of Lakota Indians and ended up marrying the chief’s son, so…”

  Finley nodded. “Wow,” she said, grinning. “I feel so ordinary right now.”

  Kai laughed. “Trust me, Doc, you’re far from ordinary.”

  “Aw, thanks,” Finley said, rolling her eyes. “So, Cassiana,” she began, and then thought better of asking what she’d been about to.

  “What?” Kai asked, putting another chunk of chicken in her mouth and setting the chopsticks aside.

  “Why do you do that?” Finley asked.

  “What?” Kai said again, not sure what Finley was referring to.

  “You put the chopsticks down after every bite—why?”

  “Yeah,” Kai said, grinning a bit self-effacingly. “Habit.” She continued when Finley seemed to be waiting for more of an answer. “It’s a trick when you’re trying to lose weight—you put your utensils down every time, rather than holding them constantly. People tend to eat less.”

  Finley licked her lips, nodding. “You think you need to lose weight?”

  Kai grinned. “No, it’s just something I do now. I can overeat just like everyone else, you know.”

  “Nope, don’t believe that one at all,” Finley said, shaking her head with a smile.

  Kai chuckled. “Well, trust me, Doc, it’s true.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “So you were going to ask me something about Cass,” Kai said; her mind rarely let things go. “What was it?”

  “It’s none of my business.”

  “Doc, you bought me dinner. You can ask me personal questions.”

  “I just don’t want to overstep.”

  “Ask,” Kai said simply.

  “Okay… Cassiana is like you, but different, and the conversation you had with Remi about Cassie staying with you…”

  “Cass is my half-sister. We have different mothers. Apparently my dad had an affair about seventeen years ago in Iraq with one of his clerks, and Cass was the result.”

  “Oh,” Finley said, nodding. “That explains why she looks like you, but not totally like you.”

  “Well, yeah, her mom’s white.”

  “Did your dad know about her?” Finley asked, having gotten the distinct impression that a lot of this was new.

  “No, her mom showed up on my parents’ doorstep about two years ago with a court order for back child support and DNA evidence to prove she was my dad’s.”

  “Oh my… How did that go over?”

  Kai shrugged. “My mother wouldn’t bat an eyelash if my father had Adolf Hitler over for dinner one night, so she didn’t react, as far as I can tell.”

  “And your father?”

  “Said he wanted Cassiana to stay with them. Cassie’s mom was being assigned to Turkey, and basically my father is a cheap son of a bitch and didn’t want to pay any more child support. So Cass moved in.”

  “Just like that?”

  Kai nodded. “Except that my mother hates her, and my father basically ignores her—girls are useless to him.”

  Finley narrowed her eyes, having sensed a sore spot in that statement, but decided not to push her luck. “She’s lucky she has you. But you said they’re in DC.”

  “They are. Cass used my dad’s credit card to get a plane ticket to come meet me.”

  “Meet you?” Finley asked, confused again.

  “I had never met her in person. She found my email address in my mom’s address book and wrote me—that’s how we started talking.”

  “Why did she have to ‘use’ your dad’s credit card—wouldn’t he buy her a ticket?”

  “Sure, probably, if he’d ever wanted her to meet me—which he didn’t.”

  “Why not?” Finley said, then remembered what Kai had said to Remington. “Because you’re gay?”

  Kai inclined her head. “He’s very traditional,” she said with a wry grin.

  “So traditional he had an affair and a love child,” Finley snapped, then realized she’d just insulted Kai. “Oh, God, Kai, I’m sorry…”

  Kai laughed, shaking her head. “Nothing to be sorry for, because you’re right, he’s a complete hypocrite.”

  “Is that why he’s giving you custody of Cassiana? She’s gay too?” Finley asked gently.

  “Yeah. Poor kid, it’s like no one wants her.”

  “But you did—do.”

  “Well, she’s my blood. How could I ignore that?”

  “Well, your father and her own mother certainly seem to be able to do it just fine.”

  Kai grinned. “That’s because they suck as human beings.”

  “Well said.” Finley smiled, then glanced at the time. “Crap, dinner is long over. I better get back to work.”

  She stood and stretched, and Kai did her best not to watch too avidly, but it was definitely difficult. The woman certainly had a body under those scrubs, and now that Kai was feeling more human, she was noticing it more and more.

  “Doc,” she said as Finley started packing up the containers.

  Finley glanced up. “Hmm?”

  “Thank you,” Kai said very sincerely, looking directly into Finley’s eyes. “Not just for dinner—although you really didn’t need to go so far out of your way—but because I know you’ve been spending a lot more time with me than you should with your patients, and I appreciate it. I really do.”

  Finley pressed her lips together, feeling the warmth of sincere gratitude wash over her. It was rare that people truly thanked her for her work. And yes, she had been spending extra time checking on Kai, but truly it was her job.

  “Hey, I had a great dinner conversation for once,” she said, smiling. “You’re good company.”

  Kai grinned. “Well, maybe we can do it again on the outside.”

  “I might just hold you to that,” Finley said, winking.

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Finley left the room feeling completely dazed. My God, this woman is just smoother than baby oil on a hot summer day. She had a way of making Finley feel smart and funny, and also left her craving just a little more—more information, another smile, another laugh, another deep chuckle… It was crazy, and Finley was fairly sure she was nuts for even considering going out with her. But she was, and there was no denying that at all.

  Finley left the hospital that night thinking that it would almost be sad to see Kai released in the morning; she’d have one less bright spot in her day to look forward to. The next morning, she’d wished she hadn’t thought that. Kai’s condition h
ad tanked overnight—she’d even coded out. Finley was shocked, and completely floored by the change. It was obvious as soon as she walked in to check on her. Gone was the healthy glow she’d seen reemerge; she was back to looking gray and lifeless. Finley shook her head, surprised to feel tears sting the backs of her eyelids. It had been years since she’d gotten emotional over a patient. She went over to the nurses’ station, and Jackie immediately saw the emotion in Finley’s eyes. She stood up and hugged her.

  Finley made a point of checking on Kai constantly throughout the day. They’d taken blood and were running test after test to try to figure out what had happened. It suddenly occurred to Finley that it might have something to do with the food from the night before. Grabbing the leftovers of what Kai had eaten and running it over to the lab, she found the tech, Gabriel.

  “I need you to run that blood against this,” she said, handing him the box. “The blood for Kai Temple.”

  “Okay, I’ll get to it,” the young man said, and started to put his headphones back on.

  “No, now,” Finley said. “She’s very sick, and we need to figure out why. This is your priority now.”

  “Okay, okay,” Gabriel said, not used to her being so forceful.

  Four hours later, as Finley was about to get off her shift, Gabriel came running up to her. “I’ve got something!”

  “Let’s go,” Finley said, leading the way to Kai’s room.

  They administered the medication that Gabriel had formulated and watched it drip into Kai’s IV.

  “So what was it, do you think?” Finley asked, feeling a bit stricken.

  “There was some seriously rare-ass strain of ginger in whatever they used to marinate the stuff—either that or it was left over from what they’d had in it before.”

  “Jesus…” Finley breathed.

  “Her chart doesn’t say anything about her being allergic to ginger, Doc Taylor. You couldn’t have known even if you’d known there was ginger in it…”

  Finley nodded, but didn’t look convinced.

  Finley spent the next six hours pacing in Kai’s room, waiting for things to change. Fortunately, the fever started breaking immediately, and slowly but surely Kai’s vitals improved. It was three o’clock in the morning when Kai opened her eyes. Finley strode over to Kai’s bedside immediately, checking her pulse and looking her over.

  “Kai? Kai, are you with me?” she said, putting her hands on either side of Kai’s face and staring into her eyes.

  Kai blinked slowly a couple of times, looking fairly dazed.

  “Hey, handsome, are you sure?” Finley asked, biting her lip.

  “Flirt,” Kai muttered softly.

  “There she is…” Finley said, feeling almost dizzy with relief.

  “What the hell happened? I feel like I got hit by a bus again…”

  “Apparently there was some rare strain of ginger in that marinade they used for your chicken—you had a reaction to it.”

  Kai laid her head back against the pillows. “And she’s already trying to kill me…” she said softly, grinning.

  Finley bit her lip. Kai glanced up and saw the devastated look on her face.

  “Doc, I’m just kidding,” she said, reaching out to touch Finley’s hand. “I’m not even allergic to ginger—it’s not your fault.”

  Finley nodded, knowing she needed to get over this feeling of guilt.

  “Hey,” Kai said, taking Finley’s hand in hers and squeezing it gently.

  “Okay,” Finley said. “I’m okay.”

  “Good.”

  Two days later, Kai was finally released from the hospital. Remington, Wynter, and Cassiana were there to take her home. They’d even brought Kai clothes—faded jeans, combat boots, and a black tank top—and shower items so she could come home clean.

  Finley walked them out to the entrance. She was very surprised when Kai turned and took her in her arms, hugging her gently, her head bent so her lips were next to Finley’s ear.

  “Thank you for everything, Doc,” she said, her voice low. “You saved my life—I will never forget that.”

  Finley hugged Kai back, biting her lip to hold back the tears that suddenly wanted to come inexplicably. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, knowing that was what was appropriate; she was still standing in front of the hospital where she worked—she had to remember that.

  After another long moment, Kai released her. Finley watched as they all climbed into Remington’s GTO and left. Standing outside, Finley hugged herself, nodding and thinking that this had been a great outcome. So why did she feel so sad?

  Chapter 4

  Jackie noticed Finley’s obvious drop in mood and suspected it had something to do with a certain dark-haired patient checking out of the hospital. She did her best to cheer Finley up, with only mediocre results. Regardless, she kept her eye on the young doctor over the next few days and prodded when she felt she needed to do so.

  One particular prod came in the form of the file review for Kai’s case. Jackie had checked it for accuracy and completeness, and ensured that all of Finley’s notations on the case had been properly transcribed. When she handed it to Finley to sign off on, she commented that it might not be a bad idea to check up on Ms. Temple to ensure she was healing well.

  Finley looked back at Jackie, knowing what she was trying to do. “I could call her,” she said, nodding.

  “Or you could go over in person to see how she’s doing.”

  “You don’t think that might be a little, um… much?”

  Jackie gave her a slightly pointed look. “You know you want to see that woman again—why you frontin’?”

  Finley’s brandy-colored eyes narrowed. “I’m not, Jacks, it’s just… I don’t know that it’s appropriate, for one thing.”

  “She’s been released, Miss Fin. She’s no longer your patient,” Jackie said, exasperated.

  “Yeah, but you don’t think I’d be pushing it to use checking on her as an excuse to see her?”

  “So don’t use it as an excuse. Just go see that beautiful woman and tell her you want to date her,” Jackie said, hands on ample hips.

  Finley bit her lip. “That’s the thing though, Jacks. I don’t even know if that’s a good idea…”

  “Why not?”

  “Jacks, there’s a reason I don’t date butch women.” Finley glanced around to make sure no one was really paying attention to their conversation.

  “Because you think they’ll want to control you.”

  “That tends to be a butch trait.”

  “She didn’t seem like that type.”

  Finley laughed softly. “She wouldn’t have in this situation, Jacks, because she was at a complete disadvantage, being sick and all. But Jesus, she was a Marine for fourteen years—you don’t think that’s gonna lend itself to someone who likes to be in charge of a relationship?”

  Jackie looked a little crestfallen. “Would it be so bad, having someone else be in charge for a change?”

  “Yeah, it would. I can’t have someone telling me what to do, not in an intimate relationship. I worked too hard for my independence from you-know-who to get into a relationship with someone who thinks they can tell me what to do. We’d just end up fighting, and I don’t need that kind of complication in my life—I really don’t.”

  Jackie looked back at her for a long moment. “You can’t say you’re not attracted to her. ’Cause I know you are—you were here almost round the clock some days to keep an eye on her. That wasn’t just dedication as a doctor, and you know it.”

  Finley sighed. “I know, you’re right about that. I’m really attracted to her—I’m not going to say I’m not, ’cause I’d be lying my ass off. But… I just have to think long term, you know?”

  “Why? None of them pop tarts are long term. Who says you can’t check things out with her and then break it off if it doesn’t work? You’ve done it enough, I’d bet you have a script for breaking up with these girls.”

  Finley laughed, looki
ng chagrined at the same time. “Not exactly a script, but a definite routine…” She trailed off as she bit her lip.

  It was so tempting to go and see Kai, ostensibly to ensure she was healing alright—Lord knew the woman had probably gone right back to exercising despite her warning not to. And if she’d pulled any part of the healing incision, she could get infected. Part of her knew she was just talking herself into something she really wanted to do anyway. Jackie was right—if by chance Kai was interested in dating her and if things didn’t work out, she could always break it off. It wasn’t like it would be the end of the world or anything.

  The next evening, after getting off shift at 6 p.m., Finley used the address they had on file for Kai and took an Uber to her home. Finley didn’t have a car, unlike almost everyone in LA; she lived in West Hollywood in a condo that was literally half a mile from Cedars, so she could walk or bike to work every day.

  She walked up the drive to the house, a nice-looking one-story home. The front double doors were amazing, with a five-foot stained-glass inlay in a pattern that looked like a key hole on either door. With the light from the house coming through the glass it was a beautiful myriad of colors. It was just one more layer to this woman who was starting to seriously occupy her mind. She needed to know what would or could happen with her, one way or the other.

  She rang the bell, and Cassiana opened the door with a bright smile. “Hi! You come to check up on Kai?”

  Finley nodded, smiling. “Figured I’d better make sure she was okay.”

  “Cool, she seems to be doing good, not crazy overdoing it or anything,” Cassiana said. “But it’s probably good that you check on her to make sure—she always tells me she’s fine, but I know she doesn’t want me to worry, so…”

  Finley grinned. “If it makes you feel any better, patients lie to us doctors all the time.”

  Cassiana smiled. “Yeah, that does make me feel better. I wanted to thank you too for taking care of Kai. It was really great of you.”

  “Well, that is what they pay me to do. But it was my pleasure—your sister was actually one of the easiest patients I’ve ever had.”