Kim let out a short, mirthless laugh. “That’s curious, considering that I had refused to talk with her.”
“She said it was your feeling that AmeriCare closed the Samaritan ER to cut costs and increase profits by forcing everyone to use the overburdened ER here at the University Med Center.”
“I didn’t say that,” Kim responded. “She did.”
“She quoted you,” Forrester said.
“A curious situation,” Kim said casually. In his current agitated state of mind he was getting perverse pleasure out of Forrester’s self-righteous anger. Consequently Kim was not inclined to defend himself, although the incident strengthened his resolve never to talk to the TV journalist again.
“I’m warning you again,” Forrester announced. “The administration and myself only have so much forbearance.”
“Fine,” Kim said. “Consider me warned again.”
For a moment Forrester’s tight mouth became a grim line without lips. “You can be galling,” he spat. “I should remind you that just because you ran the department over at the Samaritan, you should not expect special treatment over here.”
“That’s apparent,” Kim said. He threw the towel into the hamper and walked out, without giving Forrester another glance.
Using the phone in one of the dictation booths to avoid Forrester, Kim called Ginger to tell her that he’d not be coming back to the office. She told him that she’d assumed as much and had sent all the patients home.
“Were they upset?” Kim asked.
“Do you really have to ask?” Ginger said. “Of course they were upset, but they understood when I said it was an emergency. I hope you don’t mind that I said it involved your daughter. I knew they’d empathize.”
“I suppose that’s all right,” Kim said, although mixing his private life and professional life bothered him.
“How is Becky?” Ginger asked.
Kim explained what had happened and that Becky was in surgery at that moment.
“I’m so sorry,” Ginger said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“I can’t think of anything,” Kim said.
“Call me,” Ginger said. “After aerobics I’ll be at home.”
“Fine,” Kim said. He hung up.
Knowing himself well enough that he could not just sit and wait while Becky was in surgery, Kim went to the hospital library. He had a lot of reading to do. He had to learn what he could about E. coli 0157:H7 and HUS.
Kim glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight. He looked back at Becky and shuddered. Her image was distorted by a clear plastic tube that snaked out of one of her nostrils and was attached to low suction. Becky’s dark hair framed her otherwise angelic, pale face with soft waves. Tracy had combed it for almost an hour. It was something Becky had always liked, and it had done the trick. Becky was fast asleep and appeared for the moment the picture of tranquility.
Kim was standing next to Becky’s bed. The room was awash with the gentle glow of the reflected night-light, just as it had been early that morning. Kim was exhausted mentally and physically.
Tracy was on the other side of the bed, leaning back in one of the two vinyl-covered chairs in the room. She had her eyes closed, but Kim knew she was not asleep.
The door opened on silent hinges. Janet Emery, the corpulent night nurse, pushed through the door. Her permed blond hair glowed in the half light. She didn’t speak. She moved to the side of the bed opposite from Kim. Her shoes were soled in a soft crepe so her footfalls were inaudible. Using a small flashlight, she took Becky’s blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. Becky stirred but immediately fell back asleep.
“Everything staying nice and normal,” Janet said in a low voice.
Kim nodded.
“Maybe you folks should think about going home,” Janet added. “I’ll be keeping a sharp eye on your little angel here.”
“Thanks but I prefer to stay,” Kim said.
“Seems to me you could use some rest yourselves,” Janet said. “It’s been a long day.”
“Just do your job,” Kim grumbled.
“No question about that,” Janet said cheerfully. She went to the door and silently disappeared.
Tracy opened her eyes and glanced over at Kim. He looked wretched under the strain. His hair was a mess and his face covered with stubble. The single nightlight near the floor accentuated the gauntness of his cheeks and made his eye sockets look like dark hollows.