Right As Rain (Complete)

Chapter 15

Maelee

Pink. I move the endoscope further down Katie's esophagus, and all I see is pink. There is no mucosal damage, no polyps, no inconsistencies, nothing. Despite the lack of any visual evidence, I'm confident she has a classic case of acid reflux. I place a pH capsule for confirmation and pull out.

It's almost midnight by the time I get her in her room and settled. I spoke with her parents briefly on the phone. It must be hard to be so involved in your own intellectually advanced life you can't visit your daughter. I know they care for her and I understand they are busy, but they should be here.

After dictating Katie's note and signing all my charts, I head to Noah's room. I promised him I would be back. It's late; but a promise is a promise. It has nothing to do with Hudson talking about my eyes or his mom being blown away by me. He finally admitted to not having a girlfriend. Well, he screamed it, really. His over eager declaration had me in a mess of distraction through Noah's entire exam. I tried to act un-phased, but I think I failed.

Only Jessica, Hudson, and Noah are still here. I'm guessing the parental figures went home for sleep. I collapse in the chair at the foot of Noah's bed and exaggerate my exhaustion. "Is it over?" I ask, turning my head to Jessica. She laughs and tosses a pillow my direction, encouraging me to take a load off.

I pull up the footrest of the chair and contemplate removing my shoes entirely. Wanting to keep at least a bit of professionalism, I decide to leave them on.

"I heard you were staying!" Noah says excitedly. He sits up in his bed and crosses his long socked feet in front of him. Ashley said she tried to convince him a hospital gown was more comfortable but he adamantly declined. According to her, she "allowed" him to wear a t-shirt and shorts from home.

"Apparently you are very important and no one other than me, Ashley, or someone with a building named after them get to be in here."

"I paid him to say that," Hudson says. Clearly, joking about Dr. Holt.

Dr. Holt stopped me earlier and said he felt it would be best if I stayed overnight for Noah's lab draw. I understand not wanting multiple people in the room of a celebrity, and I understand Noah is my patient. But since when is it considered appropriate for a doctor to stay overnight to take someone's blood?

Never.

"Is that what you two talked about so secretively?" I ask.

Hudson looks at me with surprise. "How did you know about that?" he asks.

"Word gets around." I shrug.

"Damn it, Noah!" Hudson yells, glaring at his friend.

Noah feigns innocence. "Dude! Why do you automatically blame me? It could have been anyone! Like Jessica!" He points at Jess. "It could have been Jessica!" Noah is insistent but we all know better. His pressured speech and giggles give him away. I don't think the man could lie if his life depended on it.

Hudson sits up straight in his chair and formally addresses Jess. "Ms. Lawson, did you inform your beautiful friend I spoke with her boss in private?"

Jessica sits up as well, mirroring Hudson's posture. "I did not," she answers in her own British accent.

"Then I presume it was Noah?"

She nods her head pretentiously. "You would presume correct."

"I would presume correctly." Hudson raises his finger.

Jessica slumps back down in her chair ending their formal... whatever that was with a "blow me." "How was Katie's thing?" she asks me.

Katie tweeted about her upcoming endoscope. She received a lot of encouragement from many people: including Anna, Jessica, Noah, and Hudson. Katie knows Noah is here. What she doesn't know is that he and his friends are only a few feet down the hall and are supporting her from afar.