Betsy stood in the doorway and admired the man seated beside her patient’s bed. She hated what she had to do now, but it needed to be done and she’d come in an hour before her shift began in order to explain her problem to him. She’d made a date with Buck Wilmington in the heat of the moment and realized it went against everything she’d learned about her profession. She was a nurse, a very good one, yet she’d agreed to have dinner with this man because of her own interest into strange occurrences and what she overheard, intrigued her. But she knew it was wrong to get involved with a patient and his family or friends, and it seemed to her the six men who visited Chris Larabee were both. Taking a deep breath she entered the room and smiled at the man seated beside the bed.
“Hi, Buck,” she said softly.
“Hi, Darlin’. I was hoping to see you tonight. What time...”
“Buck, I need to speak with you about the plans we made.”
“Uhoh, that don’t sound good,” Wilmington stated. He looked at the sleeping man in the bed and looked at Anne. “Come get me if he wakes up.”
“I will, Buck,” she assured him.
Buck followed Betsy into the empty waiting room and sat down. “What’s going on, Betsy?” he asked.
“Buck, I made a grave error in judgement...”
“It can’t be that bad...”
“Yes it is, Buck. I made a date with you without thinking of the consequences.”
“Consequences?”
“That’s right. You see I’ve been a nurse for a long time and one of the first things we learn is not to get personally involved with a patient...”
“I’m not a patient...”
“Please, let me finish, Buck. Chris is one of my patients and you’re his family...”
“Yeah, we are.”
“That makes it impossible for me to go out with you. In my profession we need to be objective in the care of our patients and that includes not giving in to our own weaknesses. I think you’re a very handsome man and I would love to see you at some later date, but right now Chris needs all of you.” She placed her fingers on his lips when he tried to protest. “Please, Buck, tell me you understand.”
“I do, Betsy. Maybe when Chris is out of here we can get together and I can tell you everything that happened.”
“That would be fine, Buck, but not until Chris is truly well and on his feet again. I like you Buck Wilmington, but I love my job and I’m damned good at it...”
“I bet you are,” the ladies’ man said.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“What’s to understand, Betsy. To tell you the truth I admire your integrity and knowing Chris has someone like you caring for him makes it easier to see him in there.” He could see her eyes fill with moisture and reached for the box of tissues. “You’re a beautiful woman, Betsy, and an even more beautiful nurse.”
Betsy took the tissues and dabbed at her eyes as she stood up. “I guess I’d better get ready to start my shift. Thanks, Buck, I needed to know that you understood.”
Buck held the door for her and walked back towards Chris’ room. He stepped inside and was pleased to see Chris awake. “Hey, Pard, how’re you doing?”
“Sore, Buck,” Larabee answered honestly.
“Yeah, I bet you are, ol’ son. How’s the stomach?”
“It’s okay.”
“Want something to drink?”
“Yeah.”
“Chris, just a few sips at a time, okay?” Anne warned as Buck passed him the glass.
“Okay,” Chris agreed as the oxygen mask was lifted. “Can I leave that thing off for a while?”
“I think that’ll be fine for a while,” Anne told him. “Betsy will be here shortly and you make sure you tell her if you need anything.”
“I will.” Chris sipped at the water, hoping to keep it down this time. His dinner had ended up in the same place his lunch had, but the water tended to stay down if he took it slow.
“Hi, Anne!”
“Hi, Betsy.”
“How are you doing today, Chris.”
“Better.”
“You do look better.”
“Betsy, I’ll see you tomorrow. Chris take it easy and get some sleep. Buck...”
“I’ll make sure he behaves, Anne,” Wilmington assured her.
“And who’s gonna make sure you do, Buck?” Chris asked softly, a cocky grin on his face.
Wilmington was glad to see a hint of the old Chris Larabee and he smiled mischievously at his friend. “Oh, I think Betsy could do a great job of that.”
Betsy saw the wink and knew the man was teasing her. She understood this was part of his nature, he’d seen it from the minute she’d laid eyes on him. “Well, Buck, if you don’t behave I can always have security escort you out.”
“Ah, Betsy, now you wouldn’t do that to a fun...”
“Try me!” Betsy said and winked at the ladies man, glad that she could still joke with him in spite of their earlier talk. Buck Wilmington had just gained her respect by letting her see that he really wasn’t hurt by her cancelling their hastily made date.
“You’d better behave, Buck,” Larabee warned as he saw the woman’s hands move to her hips. “Sarah used to do that when she was upset...” His voice trailed off and he swallowed the lump in his throat. It wasn’t that the memory upset him, but the image of his wife suddenly was superimposed over the nurse. He could’ve sworn he saw Sarah’s eyes twinkling with undisguised mischief.
Wilmington placed a hand on Larabee’s shoulder. “You okay?”
“Y...yeah. Just remembered Sarah always doing that.”
“Yeah, she could be intimidating couldn’t she?” He nodded to the worried nurse and let her know that everything was okay. “I remember the night you were sick...”
“And you wouldn’t leave,” Larabee smiled as he knew instantly what night his friend was talking about. “She sure as hell showed you who was in charge.”
Buck rubbed his shoulder and smiled at the memory. “Yeah, that woman of yours sure walloped a punch.”
“Tell me a...about it,” the injured man passed Wilmington back the glass as he felt sleep calling to him once more. “He yawned and shifted slightly until he found a comfortable spot. “Sorry,” he apologized tiredly.
“Nothing to be sorry for, Chris. Go ahead and sleep.”
“Going too. Go home, Buck. Make sure the others don’t over peck at Vin.”
“Over peck?”
“Yeah, said the others were being mother hens.”
“That they are, Chris, and right now we’ve just got the one chick at home. Wait until you’re out of here and under...”
“Don’t,” he was interrupted by another yawn before he could finish. “Remind me, Buck. Go on and get. Make sure Vin gets some rest.”
“Who’s being a mother hen now, Pard?” Buck asked with a grin and was grateful to see the smile on his friend’s face again. “Betsy, make sure they call us if anything happens. Josiah should be here in about an hour or so.”
“He don’t need to, Buck. I’m really okay.”
“Thought you were asleep.”
“Not quite. Look, you guys really do need to take a break. Tell Josiah someone will call if you guys are needed.”
“Chris...”
“Goodnight, Buck.”
“All right, stud, but don’t be surprised if Josiah comes in anyway”
“Nothing about you boys surprises me anymore.” Larabee assured him. “Now get out of here before I tell Betsy to call security.”
“See you in the morning, Chris.”
“Hmm, hmm,” the blond mumbled.
“Goodnight, Betsy.”
“Goodnight, Buck, and thank you.” She saw him nod as he left the room and wondered what life with Buck Wilmington would be like. She had little doubt that it would be a wonderful roller coaster of a ride, but right now he was beyond her reach. She looked back at her patient. The tubes, the IVs, the monitors, the fading bruises, the bandages, and the tired eyes and knew her job was something she wasn’t ready to give up, no matter how good looking the temptation was. ‘Seeing you get out of here is one of the best rewards of this job,’ she thought as she replaced the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Chris.”
“Hmm,” Larabee mumbled at the familiar voice intruding on his sleep drenched mind.
“Come on, Cowboy, it’s time to wake up.”
“Tired.”
“I know you are, but the doctors are here.”
“Tell ‘em to come back later!”
“We can’t do that, Chris,” Barrett couldn’t help but smile as the green eyes finally opened and focused on the second injured man.
“Vin, what’re you doing here?”
“Came to see how you were doing. Josiah’s in the waiting room.”
“Did Buck tell him to stay home last night?”
“Yeah, but do you really think we’d leave you here alone all night. I ain’t puttin’ up with those mother hens on my own ya know?”
“Right now they’re all yours.”
“Chris.” Larabee turned towards Barrett. “We need to discuss a few things.”
“Ah, hell,” Larabee winced as he spotted the dialysis machine just outside the door.
“The numbers are still not as good as we want, Chris,” Mullen explained.
“Shit! What if I just said no?”
“Chris!”
“It’s just a question, Vin,” the tired blond hissed.
“You need this right now, Chris,” Mullen answered. “If you leave things as they are your kidneys will just deteriorate...”
“Like the rest of me!” Larabee realized his voice held a hint of childishness and he clenched his hands in frustration. “Shit, Doc, I’m sorry. It’s just...”
“We understand, Chris. It’s frustrating being in here and having to wait for someone to tend to you,” Barrett explained. “Having us tell you what you need and that it’s for your own good. Believe me I understand...”
“Sounds like you’ve been there...”
“Done that!” Barrett finished for him.
“Maybe we could talk about it sometime?”
“I’d like that, Chris, but right now we have to...”
“Hook that damned thing up.”
“I’m afraid so,” Mullen told him. “Mr. Tanner, if you’ll excuse us for a few minutes.”
“I’ll be back as soon as they finish up, Chris.”
Chris drew in a shallow breath and nodded slightly. ‘Thanks, Vin.’
‘Anytime, Cowboy!’ Neither man said the words, but both felt their unspoken impact.
Chris closed his eyes and listened as the doctors hooked him up to the dialysis machine. He felt the hands at the lines in his neck and waited for them to finish.
“All done, Chris,” Barrett said and waited for his patient to open his eyes. “Hopefully you won’t need many more of these.”
“I hope so too, Doc.”
“Now how’s the eating going?”
“O...kay, I guess.”
“You guess?” Barrett asked.
“Well, I mean eating is going okay, it’s keeping it down that’s the problem.”
“Does the Zofran help?”
“Sometimes. It’s just when I throw up it feels like my chest is on fire.”
“The ribs?”
“The ribs, the damn tube. Just about everything,” he coughed and was forced to sink back against his pillow as it grew more intense.
“Take it easy, Chris. Anne’s getting your medications ready,” Barrett grabbed for the basin and lifted the mask as Larabee lost what little was in his stomach.
“Dammit!” the injured man swore as he was eased back on the pillows.
“Chris, I think we’re gonna need to put the NG tube back in at least until everything settles down.”
“Hell, Doc,” the blond swore as Anne placed the mask and medication over his face.
“There doesn’t seem to be much choice, Chris. You haven’t been able to keep anything down and...”
“When?”
“As soon as you’re done that mask,” Barrett answered. “Anne can you get things ready?”
“Right away, Doctor Barrett.”
“Derrick, I have a meeting in ten minutes. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“I will, Joe, thanks.”
“Chris, take care.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
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