Fainting

Chapter 6 - Mark

When I come out from Alex's room I'm hoping Dodge has left. Because then I could claim I forgot to go say hi. But no, she's there. Ugh.

"How is she?" she asks me.

"Good. Her only complaint was that needles are painful."

Dodge nods. "That's good. Now, I believe you owe me a visit over there." She inclines her head to bed seventeen.

"Did you find out why my sister's here?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you until you go in there. I told her I was sending in a friend who also likes golf; that's the only thing she knows about you. Doesn't even know you're a boy."
I stare. "She likes golf?"

Dodge just smiles. "Go on."

I need no further urging, and I would have gone right in if it weren't for the code blue that came over the speakers just then.

"C'mon," Dodge calls to me as she runs towards the stairs. "You're gonna help me with crowd control."
I am?

We both run up the stairs to the patient in danger. When we get there, there are already a bunch of doctors and nurses there, ready to get whatever the patient needs.

Nurse Miranda, who works on this floor, turns around as Dodge and I run up. "Pulmonary edema. Unresponsive."

Dodge groans. "Fun. Mark and I are on crowd control." As she says that, I look around and notice the too many nurses watching and visitors looking terrified.

"Alright, we need everyone to move! If you're not on the specified team, nurses, please go back to your duties. Visitors, nothing to be scared about. Don't watch," I yell, not knowing if what I'm saying is helpful.

"You heard him! Let's go!" Dodge adds. She begins going individually to the visitors and talking to them quietly. The nurses quickly turn back to their work and the people who came running to the scene hastily disperse.

An ICU doctor comes in. "Details, Hall."
"Fluid buildup in his lungs. Not responding," I say, not using professional terms.

"Thanks," he says as he pushes through the nurses still there.

I see a little girl crying as she takes in the frantic actions of the nurses. Going over to her, I kneel down and pull out Rogerina. "Hey. Do you want a friend?" I ask softly. Her mother sees me and smiles.

The girl tentatively reaches out and strokes the cat's fur. She smiles at the softness and hugs the cat. "What's her name?"

"Rogerina, but you can change it. She just likes to have a name." I stand up. "Make sure you play with her and keep her happy." I lightly shake a finger at her and smile.

"I promise," she says as she kisses Rogerina's head.

"Thank you," her mom says as I make to leave. "She loves stuffed animals."

I smile again. "Of course. She should enjoy it."
Her mom smiles too. "She will. Thank you."
I nod and walk away, noticing that the nurses' tension was lifted; the patient began breathing again.

I knew that cat was good for something.