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“Jane Smith.”
She tapped at her keyboard before scanning the screen. “She’s in room seven. I’ll buzz you in.”
“Thank you.” Luke gave her his most charming smile. The woman rolled her eyes and waved him toward the door. She buzzed him through, and he walked quickly into the ER. The rooms weren’t exactly rooms, just areas sectioned off with curtains, but he found the one marked seven and stuck his head behind the curtain.
It wasn't quiet in the ER, but Jane was sleeping soundly. She was hooked up to various machines, and he studied the screen displaying her heart rate and blood pressure. He picked up her hand and squeezed it gently as a nurse ducked behind the curtain.
She gave him a curious look, and he said, “I’m her boyfriend. She’s my, uh, girlfriend.”
“Okay,” the nurse said. “I’m starting an IV.”
As she placed the IV in Jane’s arm, Luke held her other hand. Jane didn’t wake, not even when the nurse slid the needle into her hand.
“Boy, she’s a sound sleeper, huh?” The nurse said.
Luke nodded. “Yes, she is. Sometimes she snores. I know that because I’m her boyfriend.”
The nurse gave him an odd look, and he said, “I don’t mind it though. It’s kind of cute.”
Jesus, what the fuck was wrong with him? He was babbling like an idiot.
The nurse taped the needle off Jane’s arm and adjusted the drip. “It looks like she’ll be asleep for a while, so you might want to grab a coffee from the cafeteria.”
“Right.” Luke hesitated before bending over and brushing his mouth against Jane’s. “I’ll be back at six, sweetheart.”
* * *
“How are you feeling, Miss Smith?” The doctor asked as he pushed past the curtain.
“Much better,” Jane said. She wasn’t exactly lying. She did feel better. She was still tired despite having slept for most of the day, and she was stupidly hungry, but the dizziness had passed. She didn’t want to stay the night in the hospital, so she pasted a large smile on her face. “I’m ready to go home now.”
“Good, that’s good.” He looked over her chart. “I’ll discharge you, but I have a couple of,” he paused, “brochures I’d like you to look over.”
He reached into his lab coat pocket and handed her the coloured brochures. She looked at them, her curiosity turning to embarrassment as she realized what they were.
“There are plenty of programs available for you to - ”
“I don’t have an eating disorder,” Jane said.
He gave her a condescending look. “You’re at least twenty pounds underweight, maybe more. This isn’t something to be ashamed of. Many patients with treatment can - ”
“I don’t have an eating disorder,” Jane said again. “I don’t have much money right now for groceries.”
The doctor patted her leg. “Of course. Well, I still encourage you to review these brochures and think about speaking with a therapist, all right?”
“Sure,” Jane sighed. She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. She settled for grimacing as the doctor signed something on her chart and slipped it into the holder at the end of the bed.
“It was nice to meet you, Miss Smith. Take care.”
He ducked behind the curtain as a nurse poked her head in on the other side. “Ready to have your IV out, Jane?”
“Yes.” Jane waited patiently as the nurse removed the IV.
“Your clothes are in that cupboard there.” The nurse threw the IV into the trash and stripped off her gloves.
“Thank you. Do you know if there’s a bus stop close to the hospital?” Jane asked.
“There’s one a few blocks away, but I’m sure your boyfriend will be here any minute to pick you up,” the nurse said.
