enemy to doctor - the hating game

10 - hospital clothes and preparations

"Pat is going to need you to change into some different clothes. These are hospital clothes but not the ugly uncomfy gowns. They're actually quite soft. Can you get up?"

I push myself up onto my elbows and am being interrupted by Josh quickly removing the tube from my IV. He then puts a hand on my back and shoulder and slowly helps me with lifting myself up. He then walks me over to an attached bathroom.

"I'll help you with undressing. You can keep your underpants on, not the bra though."

I'm impressed by his seriousness and just nod my head. By this point discussing does not matter anymore. He places the clothes on a little white table and stands in front of me. Tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
Then very carefully and slowly he pulls me into an unexpected hug. He is way taller than me so that my head is resting upon his chest and I inhale his wonderful odor. He kisses me on the top of my head and rubs slow soothing circles over my back.
We remain in the same position until he pulls away and makes his way to helping me with undressing.
My, well his, hoodie falls unto a stool, then he pulls the shirt over my head.
His eyes fall onto my breasts and I can see him swallowing. A second later his hands are on my pants and he slowly but surely pulls them down, then helps me to step out of them.
I'm standing in front of him in underwear. Underwear that covers less than a usual bikini and I am more than happy for having shaved yesterday morning.
I wait for him to take the fresh clothes but he just stars down at me and my body. Suddenly I can feel the butterflies again.

"Josh, it's kind of cold in here."

He immediately snaps out of it and grabs the clothes.

"Sure. Sorry. Turn around. I'll unclip your, bra."

I turn around and my bra falls to the ground. Then Josh drapes a comfortable light blue jacket over my arms and zips it up, all while standing behind me. He manages to do that without even so much as accidentally touching my chest. He then turns me back around and leads me into the pants. The clothes are comfortable, smell sterile but everything is better than the scratchy hospital gowns.
We walk back into the office where Josh lifts me up onto the stretcher again and helps me with laying down. Patrick walks back inside with a whole bunch of stuff which he sets onto a table next to the stretcher.

"Okay, let's get this started. Are you ready Lucy? Feeling alright and stuff?"

Again, as if I'd have a different option right now.

"Yes I, I think I'm okay."

"Okay. Josh, attach the EKG please. Would you like a blanket?"

"Oh, yes please. That'd be nice."

A few seconds later Patrick is holding a big blanket and lays it over my body. Then Josh comes to attach a total of 10 stickers with cords all running to the EKG standing beside me now, to my body again. He pulls down the zipper of my jacket til under my breasts and sticks them onto my neck, collar region and upper part of my breasts.
Still, he doesn't reveal more of my skin than necessary.
He then pulls the zipper a little further up again, attaches the remaining stickers on my rib cage and sides of the upper body.
Meanwhile Patrick attaches my IV back to the tube. All this stuff and especially the beeping that can be heard as the sound of my heartbeat now, are making me nervous.

"I'll take a quick look at the wound on your head and switch out the stripes."

Patrick's gloved hands wander to my forehead. He is even wearing a mask now.
Josh grabs my right hand and holds it tight as Patrick begins to pull the tape of the wound. It's pretty uncomfortable but alright until he starts cleaning the area. That's when I suddenly jerk away and pull my head with me. But Josh holds my face back in place, an iron hand unwilling to let me move.