The Mule

Chapter 8

After talking to Gael Brennan, Braxton went back up to the surgery floor and sat in the waiting room. He was the the sole occupant as it was close to 5pm and surgeries were usually finished by this time. He'd brought a book to read but he couldn't concentrate, so he got up and paced the room since there was nobody there that would be bothered by it. At the very least, it was exercise. His doctor was always nagging at him to get some on a regular basis.

Finally, he sat down again and closed his eyes. He did not know why he was worrying so much about Marissa. He just knew that he felt a need to help her as much as she would let him. Secretly, he was glad she'd declined to be his patient. It allowed him to be her friend and do this without crossing professional boundaries. While he hadn't really gotten to know her yet, he liked what he saw. She was obviously a very strong and determined woman to have walked again after the assault that she'd experienced back home. And she lived independently, with help solely for cleaning what she couldn't. Though she was failing at eating properly, he thought. She really needed to work on that. Surely, there must be a way for her to cook a proper meal without it being a big hassle. He made a mental note to suggest that she look for an apartment that was more accessible for her with low counters, stove, sink etc.

Braxton had a pretty good ability to read people. It came in handy in his profession. He felt that Marissa was a good person, even though he also felt she was involved in something shady, perhaps even illegal. It was the only reason he could think of for her secrecy. She seemed to care deeply for her family and was concerned for them, even though she said she could not talk to them. Most large families were close knit.

"We're finished, Braxton", a voice said. He opened his eyes and saw Gideon Maynard standing in front of him. "Marissa is in recovery now, she'll be there for a couple hours and then we'll take her to her room."

"She is staying overnight?"

"Yes. There was some bleeding during the biopsy and I had a bit of a time getting it to stop. It does happen from time to time. Usually the patient is fine, but I want to keep her for a night or two to make sure. Her blood pressure dropped – also not a rare occurrence, it's the anesthesia that tends to do that. These complications are why she needs to be in the recovery room longer than the usual hour. I'm glad she is going home with you. She needs to have someone with her for a while. I will give you a sheet of instructions on her care and what to look for if the bleeding returns."

"How did the wrist go?"

"It went well, but took longer than Ryan had expected. He'll talk to you about that."

"Can I see her?"

"We usually don't allow visitors in Recovery, but she's the only patient there, so I will make an exception. I think it would be good for her. She should be awake now, but don't be surprised if she says things that don't make sense. Anesthesia affects some people that way. By the way, that is some bruising on her. I hope her assailant is caught. Come on, I'll take you to see her."

Braxton picked up Marissa's bag and followed Gideon down the hall. "I don't think the police were called", he said.

"What? Why the hell not?"

"I think she knows who it was and she's protecting him."

"Her boyfriend? No, you said she doesn't have anyone. Who could be so important to her that she would not report this?"

"I don't know, Gideon, but I intend to find out."

Near the end of the hall, Gideon turned right and entered the Recovery room with Braxton right behind him. Marissa's stretcher was the only one in the room. The two men approached it. The patient was on her back with her left hand resting on her abdomen. There was a cast on it from her hand to halfway to her elbow. Her eyes were closed. Gideon looked at the heart monitor. "She's stable and her blood pressure is good, so don't worry about that."