Broken

by Robin Nadler

  “You okay?” he asked her, jostling her out of her daydream.

  “Hmm?”

  “You were staring at me with a strange look. Are you okay?”

  She blushed. “Fine. I was just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  About your lips.

  “Nothing, it’s nothing.”

  He shrugged. “Whatever you say,” he finished his pizza, wondering how he would get through her walls, and realizing, for the first time, that he really wanted to.

  Chapter Ten:

  Lila opened her eyes as the light streamed into the room. Everything hurt, but she didn’t know why. She reached out to stretch and felt something soft. She jumped up and yelled.

  “What is it? What happened?” David sat up quickly.

  “You were sleeping with me, or on me, or whatever,” she paced and crossed her arms. “I don’t do this, David. I need you to leave.”

  He sat up and smiled at her rant.

  “What is so funny?” She stood and faced him.

  “You.” He stood up and stretched. “Relax. We fell asleep on the couch. I didn’t touch you, you didn’t touch me, no harm no foul.”

  “How come I don’t remember that?” Lila walked over and pulled on a sweater.

  “You had a few beers and it was 4 in the morning. Some people just can’t handle their alcohol.”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “I can handle anything.”

  “Right. You are super woman. Forget I implied anything different,” he held up his hands in defeat. “I’m going to leave, but thanks for the hospitality. Did you want a ride to your car?”

  “Yes. Thank you.” She pulled her shoes on and followed him to the car.

  ******

  David finished his last patient of the day. It had been three days since he saw Lila and he was finding it hard to get her out of his mind. He had called her, but she didn’t call him back and he figured it was just as well. He didn’t do relationships and she obviously wasn’t interested.

  “Dr. Bryant? I have the blood work results from earlier,” Susan said as she knocked on his open door.

  David smiled at her. “Thanks Susan,” he said as he took the files from her. “Were there any messages for me?”

  The older woman smiled. “No. Is there someone you would like for me to call for you?”

  He blushed. “No, thanks.”

  She stood there and waited and he looked up.

  “What?”

  “I don’t mean to overstep, and you know how protective I am of you, but can I say something?”

  David grinned. “Susan, you’ve worked for me for years. When have you held your tongue?”

  She smiled. “Good point. So let me just say, that in all those years, I have never seen you affected by anyone until now. You are such a catch and I think maybe, it’s time for you to get out there and find happiness.”

  He sighed. “She isn’t interested.”

  Susan sat down across from his desk. “She is probably afraid of getting hurt.”

  “I don’t think Lila is afraid of anything.”

  “So educated, yet so much to learn,” Susan smiled at him.

  “I called her and she didn’t call back. I’m a busy man, Susan, I don’t have time for games.”

  “Dr. Bryant, at the end of the day, when you are home with your thoughts, do you want more?”

  He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. “Thanks.”

  She smiled. “I just want you to be happy. Your mom was my best friend, and I know I may overstep, but sometimes I have to say what I hear here screaming in my ear. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  David smiled as he watched her leave. He shook his head and looked down at the charts and the blood work he had ordered. Most things looked okay for his patients and then he saw something that stood out. He pulled the sheet out and his heart sank.

  “Susan?” He ran into the hall. “Shit,” he realized she left. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Lila, but her voicemail came on. “Lila? It’s David. I have your blood work and it’s important you call me.” He hung up before he grabbed his keys and ran out.

  *******

  What was he supposed to do? Was he just going to barge into her house and tell her to come with him? This was beyond a doctor patient issue. He was worried and it didn’t matter if she was mad. He pulled up into her driveway and ran to the door, knocking.

  “Lila? Lila are you in there?” He pounded on the door and waited. He heard a noise and finally the door clicked open.

  “Go away,” she said weakly. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that hung off of her. Her hair was up in a pony tail and she was completely pale.

  “We need to go to the hospital, Lila. You’re sick,” he said as he stepped in the house.

  “I’m fine. I just need to stop the pain,” she panted as she doubled over and sank to the floor.

  “Shit,” he picked her up and took her to the couch. “How long have you been like this?” He grabbed his bag and took her vitals. He pressed on her abdomen and she cried out.

  “Stop, please just leave me alone,” she said softly.

  He called an ambulance and held her hand. “Not a chance. You are sick and if you think I’m going to leave you here, you don’t know anything about me. You are probably suffering from endometriosis or pancreatitis or appendicitis, any of which are very serious. I can’t believe you ignored the symptoms. What were you thinking?”

  “Are you really sitting here yelling at me?” She looked at him; her eyes dull, but her anger fiery. “I don’t need you here. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Right. I can see that. I can see how well you’re doing.”

  “I’m fine alone,” she snapped and went to get up when she passed out completely in his arms.

  He held her as he heard the ambulance coming and prayed they could fix this.

  Chapter Eleven:

  David waited in the hall while Lila was assessed. He debated about going into the room, but he was worried, so he walked to the room as the doctor was walking out.

  “What have you found?” He asked the ER doctor.

  “Dr. Bryant? We never see you in this neck of the woods.”

  David was surprised, as he had never worked with this doctor, but then again, his reputation preceded him. “This is my patient,” he said, “sort of.”

  The other doctor smiled at him. “Sort of?”

  “She came in for a consult and we ran some blood work. That’s how I knew something was wrong,” he said, knowing it sounded strange.

  “Did they call you to come down here?” The doctor was obviously wondering why David was there.

  “I came in with her. We are friends,” he said.

  “Well then I think you should wait outside. You know the drill. I’ll come get you when we know something.”

  “Is she awake?”

  “No.”

  “So it won’t matter if I sit with her while you get her results?”

  The doctor smiled at David. “I see. Sure, you can sit with her. I put a call in to her next of kin, but she isn’t here yet.”

  “Thanks,” David walked into the curtained area and saw her lying there, her flushed face indicative of the high fever she was running. He felt his stomach lurch as he worried about what was wrong.

  He sat down next to the bed and took her hand in his. “Lila, can you open your eyes?”

  “Don’t want to,” she said behind her closed lids.

  He smiled. “You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met.”

  “You need to leave,” she opened her eyes a fraction.

  “Why?” he touched her cheek, the heat emanating from her skin.

  “I don’t want you to be my doctor.”

  “I’m not here as your doctor. I’m here as your friend.”

  A tear fell down the side of her face as she closed her eyes. “You are too good looking to be my doctor.”
<
br />   He chuckled and knew she would probably never remember this conversation. He leaned in closer to her. “To be honest, you’re too beautiful to be my patient.”

  “Lila?” A voice cried out and came bursting into the room. “Who are you? Are you her doctor? What’s wrong with her? Why are you just sitting there? Fix her!” The blonde woman screamed at David.

  “Um I’m David Bryant. I was just visiting. Who are you?”

  “Carrie. I’m her family. Wait, David Bryant as in the fertility expert who put her in jail? You didn’t do enough? Now you’re here?”

  “You need to stop shrieking at me. I didn’t put her in jail and I’m not doing anything. I was trying to be here so she wasn’t alone.”

  Carrie crossed her arms and glared at him. “Well I’m here, so you can leave. Goodbye,” she stood there and waited for David to move.

  Shaking his head, David stood up and went to leave when the alarms began to go off.

  “Wait, fix her!” Carrie screamed.

  David moved to the bed and held her face in his hands as he looked at the alarms. The other doctors rushed in and Carrie was pushed out of the room.

  It seemed like hours passed, but finally Carrie saw David walk out. She ran to him and got in his face. “Is she okay?”

  David raised his eyebrows. “You have no personal space limits, do you?” He walked to sit down.

  “Obviously Lila didn’t tell you about me or you would know I have no limits at all, and when it comes to family, I will stop at nothing if they need me. Lila and I are both abandoned kids and we fight for each other. Now what is going on with her?”

  Abandoned? David had no idea. “She is being moved to ICU. She has acute pancreatitis and needs to be in here for a few days. Hopefully she will recover without incident.”

  “Why is it cute? Who says a disease is cute? And why ICU? What aren’t you telling me?”

  David rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say it was cute, I said ACUTE, as in sudden. She is in ICU because of her immuno-compromised system. We need to be careful and monitor her closely.”

  “Can I see her? Does she have the best doctor? I’ll get whoever she needs,” Carrie paced and wiped her eyes.

  David smiled at the obvious love this woman had for Lila. “Carrie was it?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled. “Carrie, she is in excellent hands. We have the best doctors on her case and from what I have seen so far; Lila is a fighter. I’ll take you to where she is.”

  “Thank you. Perhaps you’re not so bad.”

  He chuckled. “Thanks, I think.”

  She clutched her purse and followed him.

  ******

  David sat with Lila after Carrie left. It took a lot of convincing, but he finally told her he would stay with Lila and if there were any problem at all he would call her. He had acted like it wasn’t anything to be concerned about, but now that he sat here, watching her; he was overcome with feelings he was unfamiliar with. He got up and paced and looked at her, seeing her watching him.

  “Oh, you’re awake?” He smiled as he sat down.

  “You were making me dizzy with your pacing,” she smiled a tiny grin.

  “Sorry. I was just worried.”

  “You’re a doctor. It’s bad form to act human,” she said and reached for his hand. “Thank you for helping me.”

  He felt an electricity from her touch and they were both silent for a minute. “Anyone would have done the same thing.”

  She nodded. “Right. So why are you still here?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Well you can go home. I’m fine and since you’re only doing what anyone would have done, I am letting you off the hook,” she said softly, not wanting to let on how happy she was to see him.

  “Oh, well thanks, I guess.” He stood up and looked at her. “I can stay for a little while, if you want.”

  “Only if you want to. I’m sure you probably have a hot date to get to.”

  “Is that your way of asking if I’m single?” He flashed her his dimple.

  She moved a little and smiled. “Maybe. Are you?”

  “I’m not the type to kiss and tell,” he sat back down.

  “So that’s a no?”

  He blushed. He doesn’t blush. What was she doing to him? “I don’t like to be tied down.”

  She smiled and closed her eyes. “I’m single, too.”

  He covered her hand with his as she fell asleep and he simply smiled.

  Chapter Twelve:

  Lila woke up and saw David asleep on the chair next to her, his mouth open, snoring. She sat up slowly and pulled the oxygen out of her nose. She needed to use the bathroom, so she pulled the IV pole with her and tried to get up, knocking the materials off of the side of the bed.

  “What is it?” David jumped up.

  “Calm down. It’s just me,” Lila said softly as she tried to pick up the tray she knocked over. She was shaky as she stood there and he saw her almost fall before she sat back on the bed.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked her as he took her hand in his, checking her pulse.

  “I’m trying to go to the bathroom. I didn’t think it was going to be such a big deal,” she wiped her face, her forehead still very warm.

  “Lila, you are really sick. You shouldn’t be moving right now.” He looked into her eyes.

  “I just want to go to the bathroom,” she sighed.

  “Will you let me help you?”

  She looked into his eyes. “Okay, thank you.”

  He helped her to stand up and she pulled her gown down as far as it would go. He smiled at her shyness and looked ahead as he helped her to the bathroom. “I’ll wait for you right here,” he said.

  “Okay,” she said, the walk to the room taking a lot out of her. She closed the door and sat down, letting her tears fall as she felt the weight of everything hit her. What had happened? She didn’t even know how she got to this point. She was always so careful with her health. What did she do?

  “Lila? Are you okay?” David’s voice came through the door.

  “I’m fine,” she said and finished up before she carefully stood up and washed her hands. She opened the door and pulled the IV pole with her as she walked out. She saw him standing there and tried to hide her tears. “You don’t have to be here. I’ll be okay on my own,” she said as she sat back on the bed. She took a minute to catch her breath.

  He could see she was exhausted and upset. “Is there anything I can get for you?”

  She lay back and exhaled. “No thank you.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  “I guess I just don’t know why you are here? I haven’t been very nice to you and I am certain there are far more enjoyable things you could be doing than sitting here watching me,” she said.

  “Would it be weird if I said I didn’t know why I was here either?”

  She looked at him and smiled. “No. I seem to attract weirdo’s.”

  He laughed. “I see. So talking about weird, I met Carrie.”

  Lila groaned, “Oh, sorry about that. Was she mean to you?”

  “She was worried about you, so I get that, but her personal space limits are non existent.”

  “That’s because Carrie views all space as hers, you are just occupying it.

  She smiled. “She is a crazy, excitable and intense woman, but her heart is in the right place and she has always had my back. She is like a sister to me.”

  David wanted to bring up something Carrie said, but didn’t know if he should. He was about to when Lila gasped. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “Adam and Eve! I have to go home. They need to eat and they are probably scared. I can’t believe I forgot!” She moved to get up.

  “Hey, you can’t leave. You are recovering from a terrible case of pancreatitis and you’re lucky it hasn’t moved into something worse.”

  “Have you been reading my chart? You’re not my doctor and you have no right
to look at my file.”

  “Relax. I didn’t look at your file, but I did see your blood work, which is what made me come to your house and save your life.”

  “Save my life? Hardly,” she rolled her eyes. “Look. I appreciate your concern, and your sitting here with me, and your pleasantness, but I have to go home.”