| �Did you tell her?� Scottie and Stapp both shook their heads. Megan rolled her eyes. �What, did you think I listened to country? Good Lord, Tremonti. Give me some credit here.� Scottie smiled at her. A man entered the room with the cast preparations and then left again. �I�m sorry, babe, but this is gonna hurt.� She carefully lifted his arm and pressed as hard as she could against the bruise. Mark cried out loudly, swearing at the top of his lungs. He fought her, but couldn�t win. She then proceeded to immobilize his arm with a cast. �There. All better,� she said with satisfaction. �Bullshit, all better,� Mark said quietly, pain still registering on his face. Megan reached out and smoothed a stray hair from his forehead. �I�m sorry. It�ll be dry in a few minutes, okay?� He nodded. She left the room and returned a few minutes later, syringe in hand. Mark�s eyes practically popped out of his head. �No shots,� he said firmly, almost yelling. She rolled her eyes and sighed. �Is he always this difficult?� she asked, looking into Scottie�s eyes for the first time. Her face registered shock, then recognition. �You just moved into my neighborhood, didn�t you?� Scottie nodded, a smile sliding onto his face. �Hmm. I�ll have to stop by and see Mark sometime. Make sure he�s not taking any swims or gnawing through his cast or anything.� Scottie and Stapp laughed. She turned her attention back to Mark, who was hoping she had forgotten about the shot. �No such luck, darlin�,� she said. �Arm or ass?� All four of them erupted into laughter. Mark composed himself and asked for it in the arm, wincing even before she came within four feet of him. She sighed. �Mark. I am the best shot-giver in the world. It�s just a painkiller � thin needle, thin serum. Nothing to worry about. You won�t even feel it. I promise.� She pulled up his sleeve and sighed. �What?� Mark demanded. �You have to relax your arm, Mark. You�re making this so hard on yourself.� He took a deep breath and relaxed his arm, watching her intently. She slipped the needle into his arm, and he howled once the shot was over. �You big baby,� she said as she bandaged him up. �You didn�t even feel it, you drama queen. It was over before you started whining.� His face fell as he realized she was right. �Oh yeah,� he said. �I guess I didn�t.� Stapp and Scottie laughed at him, and Megan shook her head. �What�s your problem with hospitals, anyway?� He shrugged. �They�re not as bad as you think. I was just like you, but now here I am, working in one. Go figure, huh?� He smiled at her, and she picked up a sharpie pen and signed his cast. �I�m three houses down if you need anything. The house with the big rocks in the yard, okay?� Mark nodded. �Go get some naproxen sodium or Aleve � it�s the same thing � and take two every six hours to reduce the pain and swelling, okay? Do not under any circumstances get your cast wet. Take baths and hang your arm out of the tub, okay? It�s probably going to hurt for a week or so, but I�ll take the cast off in a month and you�ll be good as new.� He nodded, and she gave him a sheet of paper with extra directions on it. �I�m supposed to be off for the next week, but who knows when they�re gonna call me in, like they did today.� She sighed and they thanked her before heading out. Her eyes twinkled as she watched them leave. Brian tapped on her shoulder, and she turned to face him. �Was that who I think it was?� he asked. �Yeah,� she said, nodding slightly. �Scott Phillips lives three houses down from me now,� she reported proudly. He nodded, jealousy written across his forehead. *** �Hi,� Megan said quickly when Scottie opened the door. �How�s the baby doing?� Scottie laughed. �He�s whining and pouting with the best of them,� he reported. �Wanna come in?� She smiled and followed him down the hall. Mark was slumped on the couch, watching Stapp play Nintendo, a scowl on his face. �You just have to rub it in, don�t you?� Mark whined. Stapp laughed at him and nodded. �Oh grow up,� Megan retorted with a snicker. Stapp and Mark looked up at her and smiled. �Hey, doc,� Mark said, patting the cushion next to him with his good arm. �Just get off work?� Megan looked down at herself, still in a white coat, complete with her ID badge. �Yeah. I just got home actually. Figured I�d drop by and see how you�re doing before I crash for the next lifetime.� Mark smiled. �Long day?� She nodded, a sigh escaping her lips. �Long few days. I�ve gotten a whole six hours of sleep in the last three days.� Mark�s eyebrow rose, and Scottie shook his head. Megan stifled a yawn. �Well, Mark, it looks like you�re alive, so I think I�m gonna go home and crash.� She stood, yawning again. �I�ll walk you out,� Scottie said, quickly getting to his feet. She smiled her thanks and let him lead the way. He smiled awkwardly once outside, searching for something to say. �Well, I guess I�ll stop by if I ever wake up tomorrow. You know, see how Mark�s doing?� He nodded, disappointed that she�d rather look after Mark than spend time with him. She smiled and squeezed his arm before heading down the sidewalk toward her house. He watched her until she disappeared behind her front door, then headed back inside with a sigh. *** Megan screamed when she rounded the corner and entered her bedroom. The television was on, and a person was sprawled on her bed, snoring lightly. At the sound of her shriek, the human form leapt up off the bed, landing on the floor with a thud. �What the hell, Meg? Chill out.� Kelli rubbed her back as she clumsily climbed back onto the bed. �God, Kelli, you scared the shit outta me. How the hell did you get in here?� �You gave me a copy of your key, remember? So I could feed the lizard while you�re at work?� �Oh yeah.� Megan laughed at herself, shaking her head as she stretched out on the bed. She sighed. �What gives? You seem out of it.� Megan shrugged, avoiding Kelli�s eyes. �Okay, Meg, what�s his name?� Megan smiled. �I can�t hide anything from you, can I?� �Nope,� Kelli said with an evil laugh. Megan sighed. �His name is Scott, and he lives down the street.� �What�s he do and how�d you meet him?� �He�s a drummer and his bandmate broke his arm and came into the hospital today. Or yesterday. Today. I don�t remember � my days are running together.� Megan rubbed her face, sighing. �Drummer?� Kelli�s eyebrow rose involuntarily, and a snicker escaped her. �Yes, a drummer. I believe you know him?� Kelli looked at her expectantly. �Scottie Phillips?� Kelli�s mouth dropped. �Mark Tremonti broke his arm?� Megan nodded. �Oh my God. That sucks. I was gonna go to the concert next week.� �I know. I was going with you, remember?� Kelli nodded. �Well, anyway, I�m extremely tired, and you�ve fed Godzilla, so go home and I�ll see you if I wake up tomorrow.� �No you won�t. I have to work a double. I�ll be gone until Saturday night.� Megan wrinkled her nose. �I�m sorry.� Kelli shrugged. �It�s money.� �It�s insanity,� Megan retorted. Kelli laughed and nodded. �I agree. I�ll have my pager if you need anything.� Megan smiled and waved as Kelli waltzed out the room. |