Life On The Squad (Part 4)

 

Johnny was rattling off information when we got there. “Rampart, we have a man, approximate age 18. Witness says that he just keeled over and seized. Hold for vital signs.”

I knew my eyes were slightly narrowed, the way they always were when I was thinking hard. “Location?”

“Location 51.” Brackett barked into the intercom.

“He’s on the beach, Kara.” I smiled at the response. Johnny knew me so well.

“Dump some water on him. Probably a tourist from the north with sensitive skin. Oh, and SPF 100.” I finished my diagnosis. Plenty of people in Detroit complained about the sun of the south. Poor fellow.

As Brackett gave relay, I turned and began waking back towards the food. I didn’t get far when my partner stopped me. Uh-oh.

“Kara!” Either he was a better actor than Dick Van Dyke him-self, or he had the same look of disbelief on his face as a virgin learning she was pregnant (Virgin birth, not proven possible yet).

“Um, hi Jason.” Did he follow us as we left? Why did he leave at all?

“Did you seriously just help on a call?”

“Yeah.” I looked around Emergency, looking for something to leave for. My luck must be turning, because Squad 68 came in.

“Straight line and CPR.” One of the medics shouted. I ran past Jason and grabbed the breath bag. As I looked back, I saw Jason receive news from a nurse and him scramble for an elevator.

“What happened?” I stepped back so Dr. Morton could insert the esophageal airway.

“Playing in a coal mine.” I didn’t have who said that, or ask what was wrong. Tiny particles of coal can stay in the air inside the mine for 30 years. This 10 year-old boy had been breathing hard and was unknowingly poisoning himself.

The boy seemed to be stabilizing, so I went walked out to stand by Brackett. “Roy and John coming in?”

He nodded. “He regained consciousness and is eager to get back to New York. Should be set to go in a hour or two.”

I spotted Ann over by the nurses’ station. “Tell them to meet me upstairs.” I hurried away before he answered.

“Ann.” I ran up beside her. “Is there any news on Maggie?” Almost everyone was beginning to lose hope, so she was surprised when I asked.

“I’m on my way up.” She said, stepping into an elevator with a knowing facial expression. “Why don’t you come with me?”

I tried my best to look like I was worried about a little girl, not curious about why her big brother nearly killed himself getting up to ICU. “Sure.”

Even thought the ride was only one floor, it seemed to take forever. My thoughts were consumed with possibilities, and Ann seemed to be sweating. Is she dreading me finding out? Or is she barely able to contain her excitement?

While Emergency was always moving, ICU seemed like a ghost town, with only the hums and beeps of machines to keep it from veering off to silence. In a way, the machines were keeping the ICU alive, not the patients.

I had been up here once before to wrangle in a lost and confused trainee. Needless to say, she never got R.N. That was just a month after Maggie was brought in, after school, and I still hadn’t seen Jason. That and I remember a different ICU. An alive one.

Ann stopped in front of Room 112. This was one of the few rooms without a viewing window. The name was plain on the door, “Margaret Jamison”. Ann was looking at the last check time, but I knew she wasn’t seeing the numbers. She was seeing the young girls face. Ann wordlessly entered the room.

“Oh, Maggie!” drifted out to me. I froze. Was Mr. Jamison crying? I took Ann’s approach and let my feet silently follow her in.

With wavy black hair, she resembled her brother in so many ways. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders and chest, reaching almost to her waist. This Maggie looked like a cleaned up version of the girl they brought in, except now her melted chocolate eyes were open.

“Dad! I’m fine!” She protested. I stood just inside the door. Maggie and Jason were brother and sister, no doubt. They had the same hair, eyes, and face. If I could guess how Maggie would look in three years, I’d say she’d look like Jason’s female clone.

“How are you feeling, Margaret?” Ann’s pretty low on my list of nurses I like. She hates nicknames, insists on first names and is still trying to figure out my non-existent “real” name.

“Like I could eat a cow.” I smiled. Maggie looked at the door, as if the food would appear, but instead spotted me. Jason and Mr. Jamison followed her gaze. Ann was too busy filling out sheets to have curiosity.

“Hi, Kara.” Jason fell over his chair getting up as Maggie said “JJ?” His cheeks flashed red at the chair, or at JJ, maybe both.

“Hey, Jason. I see Maggie pulled out of the coma.”

He smiled. “Yeah, it’s great.”He motioned me to the chair on the other side of his father.

“Hello, Mr. Jamison.” I said as I sat.

“Hello, Kara?” He seemed unsure of my name. Ann shot me a dark look, but I nodded anyway.

“You seem better Maggie.” She gave an uncertain look to Jason.

“I’m sorry.” He stood again. “Maggie, Dad, this is Kara. She’s my science partner and she spends a lot of time at Rampart.”

Mr. Jamison nodded. “Do you plan on going into the medical field?”

I laughed. “Any more experience and I might have to.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew it was a mistake.

“Experience?” Uh-oh.

Jason jumped in. “It’s amazing! She can tell if someone’s from the north by their behavior on the beach.”

“Oh really?” Mr. Jamison looked at me.

“More or less.” I replied.

“And that’s not the best part.” Jason continued. “She can jump in and give advice or help, and the doctors don’t give her a second look.”

The Jamison’s looked at me. “Well, I’m from the North, so I know how they react. The diagnosis for extreme heat stroke is easy. Besides, let’s just say I have a special pass. Been coming here for three years.” I saw curiosity light Jason’s face.

Now that I saw them clearly, I could see differences. Jason and Maggie were twins, no doubt. But they didn’t get everything from their dad. In fact, the only similarities were the laugh and the eyes. There was a certain twinkle to them, shining bright against the rare, black color. All three pairs were identical. Looks like Jason and Maggie got their hair, skin, face, and height from their mom.

I could relate. Even though Johnny’s almost full-blood Indian, I strayed from the gene pool. I got my dad’s personality and virtues, but otherwise nothing.

My mom was born and raised in Florida, so I look like a natural there. I have the golden hair, hazel eyes, smooth complexion (which many nurses swear I’m lucky for), and sun kissed skin, even in Detroit. But for the past three years, I’ve wished I looked more like dad, so I could remember him better.

“Kara?” Marie, my second favorite nurse (losing to Dix), appeared in the room. “Johnny and Roy are here.”

I turned to the rest of the room. “That’s my cue. Sorry.”

“It’s ok.” Jason said. “Will you be at school?”

“It would be their miracle to stop me. Full days here get boring. Bye!” I walked out behind Marie, and the last thing I hear was Maggie saying, “JJ, you should go. Don’t even start to say no.”

“John, Roy.” I was swept into a bear hug by my uncle. “Geez. Let me breathe, huh?” They just laughed, steering me towards the elevator.

“Dix has a surprise for you.” Roy said. “Must be big because she won’t tell us what it is.”

Great, I thought. “Did she give you a hint?” They shook their heads somberly, meaning they tried and tried, but Dix didn’t budge.

The elevator opened and Dix was standing on the other side. “Shoo.” She told the guys. “Go talk to Kal. He’s in the break room.” She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she grabbed my arm and walked towards Kal’s office. “Now. You go in there and do what you think is best for what’s on the desk. Go to the break room after.”

~Terri

Author's Note

Please give feedback. Thanks!
~Terri