Learning To Trust Again

As they walked along, heading for an office, where she knew there was a sink and which she hoped was empty, she asked ‘what happened?’

Shrugging Jake said ‘I managed to get on the wrong end of a knife.’

Rebecca looked at him as she held open the door for him to enter ‘how bad?’ she asked, her voice was laced with concern that she couldn’t conceal.

‘I thought you were supposed to tell me that’ Jake said with a crooked smile, taking a seat in the chair she pulled up next to the bench housing the sink.

Rebecca smiled as she realised the idiocy of her question and pulled a sterile tray out of the cupboard below the counter. Laying a disposable protective sheet on the bench, she indicated for him to place his hand on it and unwrapped the bandage so she could examined the deep gash in the thick part of his left palm ‘It’s going to need stitches’ she said as she checked the wound for debris.

‘I figured as much’ he said.

Rebecca looked up into his eyes ‘I’ll get a doctor to come and do it straight away.’

Jake nodded, looking back at his hand ‘thanks.’

‘Stay here’ she said on her way back across the room. ‘I’ll be back in a minute’ and she walked out. Reaching the corridor a smile broke out on Rebecca’s face as she took a deep calming breath. As much as she didn’t like the idea of Jake being injured, she couldn’t help but be grateful it had brought him to her hospital. Walking back into emergency Rebecca stopped Dr. Ian Nichols as he was leaving a cubical ‘hey Ian can you come and sew up a wound for me?’

‘Is that the next case’ Dr. Nichols said. The doctor was a thin man in his early forties with jet black hair. Depositing the folder he was carrying on the reception desk he said to another nurse ‘this one’s ready for discharge.

The nurse picked up the file and nodding, moved off.

‘It is now’ Rebecca said in answer to the doctor’s question as he moved to follow her. ‘It’ll only take a few minutes. He’s a cop and needs to get back to work.’

‘Okay’ Ian replied ‘where is he?’

‘Your office’ Rebecca replied as she led the way back to where she had left Jake. Seeing his raised eyebrows as the doctor looked at her, she smiled and said ‘it was the only spot vacant.’