Healing Over Time

Chapter Four

Three weeks after Lee's death.

Alex had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing at Lance trying to teach the new nurse how to stock up the supply closet at the clinic. He was getting frustrated, but what the poor girl didn't understand was if she just did everything as he said, she could do it her own way as soon as they left.

"Just...try it again and make sure the colors line up and match," Lance walked away and over to where Alex was filling out forms.

"Go easy on her," Alex muttered. "She graduated five months ago."

"Kindergarteners have figured out colors," Lance hissed.

Alex smiled and put a few folders back in their slots on the wall.

"Just one more week?" She glanced over at the sound of packages dropping from where the new girl couldn't hold onto them.

Lance took a deep breath before he turned around and walked back over to her. Alex sat down at the computer when the phone started to ring. She answered.

"Broken Rock clinic," Alex said, holding the phone between her head and shoulder as she typed.

"This is Maria over at the school," The voice came through with static. "We've had a head injury over here from a fight."

"Is it a student?" Alex asked.

"No, a teacher," Maria said.

"Did you check for a concussion?" Alex leaned back from her computer. "How hard was the hit?"

"She was knocked out, but she's awake now," Maria said. "Gave her some Tylenol and bandaged her up."

"Bandaged?" Alex asked. "From the hit or did she hit her head on something after?"

"She hit the ground," Maria said.

"You might need to send her to the hospital to get checked out," Alex leaned her elbow on the counter. "If she hit concrete, sometimes internal bleeds won't show up with just a routine check."

"She's talking and seems fine," Maria said with a tone to her voice.

"Doesn't mean she is," Alex reasoned.

"We could send her there?" Maria asked.

"We don't have the scanning equipment," Alex said. "She'd be better off at the hospital, I'd feel more comfortable with that."

"I'll let her know and she can decide," Maria said. "Thanks."

She hung up before Alex could say anything back to her. Rolling her eyes, Alex placed the phone back down.

"What was that?" Lance leaned on the counter in front of her.

"Some teacher got hit by a kid and was knocked out," Alex shrugged. "But they don't like to listen to me when I try and help."

"You gave your advice," Lance shrugged. "It's not our fault they ask for our help but won't take it."

"I know our healthcare is shit with how it's organized," Alex sighed. "But this place and places like it..."

"Yeah," Lance nodded.

**

The next morning, Alex was finishing up stitching along an older woman's arm. From the bruises, old and new, along the woman's skin, Alex knew this wasn't just an accident. Alex's eyes glanced between the woman and her husband who was standing behind her.

"Are you sure you just tripped?" Alex asked again.

"That's what she told you," The guy said.

"Mrs. Bownds...you can't keep falling this often," Alex tried to make her words mean more than their simplistic definitions. "If you keep falling like this, there could be some severe damage done to your body."