SCARS

5

When my mom got to the hospital, they'd already done x-rays and I had just gotten into my room. I saw her bouncy auburn hair through the open door before I saw her face. Her frame was slender in the door frame and her worried smile caught me before her anger. 

"What the hell happened?" She asked, looking me over. 

"I tripped in my heels..." I pointed to the shoes in Beck's hand.

"Oh." She said, noticing Beck. "Hello. I don't believe we've met." She extended her hand. "I'm Willa's mom, Cynthia."

"Nice to meet you, Cynthia." Beck said politely, "I'm Beckett Oatridge, but most people just call me Beck." 

"Nice to meet you too, Beckett." She said, her lips pursed. "Is this because of you?" She motioned to my ankle.

"No, of course n-" Beck stopped. "Well, in a way." 

I interjected. "This isn't Beck's fault. I just tripped at the party and he helped me."

"Well, Beckett." She said, curtly. "You can go now." 

"Oh. Okay then." He said, setting my shoes and purse on the table by the bed. "Bye Willa." He made a face at my mom then winked at me as he left. I smiled and my mom eyed me. 

"When did you meet him?" She asked. 

"About a month ago." 

"He's cute.  But he looks like a troublemaker." She said, sitting on the edge of the bed. 

"He wasn't the trouble tonight." I said. 

The doctor didn't come back around until the morning so I went ahead and got some sleep. When Dr. Kepner and a few interns finally did come in, they had my x-ray films and told me that my ankle was definitely broken. 

"Willa, you have a Medial Malleolus Fracture." Dr. Kepner said, motioning to my x-rays. "This means that your tibia is broken right here." She pointed to to a spot on my ankle. "We will have to perform surgery on your ankle but it is a very simple procedure and won't take too long at all."

"What will you do in the surgery?" My mom asked. 

"So, basically, the end of your tibia has severed from the bone itself. So what we will do, is basically screw it back into place so it can heal properly." 

"How long until I can walk on it again?"

"You will be in a cast for at least six weeks." Dr. Kepner said. "At some point during that time we might be able to put you in a walking cast so you don't have to be on crutches but that's a maybe." 

I sighed. I wouldn't be able to be in the musical. 

"Are there any more questions?" Dr. Kepner asked. I shook my head. "Okay, then. Don't eat or drink anything so we can get you into surgery later today and you should be able to leave by Monday." 

"Thank you, Doctor." Mom said. 

"Actually," Dr. Kepner said. "Could I have a moment alone with Willa?" 

"Well, I guess so." My mom said, dejected. "I'll just go get some breakfast." 

"Please eat it in the cafeteria, mom. I'm starving." I called after her, as she went out the door. The rest of the interns followed her. 

"Would you like to tell me how this actually happened, Willa?" 

I sighed and told her the same thing I told Knox and Ryker the night before. I showed her my scars, and told her that I was going to therapy so there wasn't anything they could do to try and help. 

She pursed her lips. "As a doctor at this hospital, I'm required to have a psychologist come talk to you because of your wrists." 

I protested. "What about Doctor-Patient Confidentiality?" 

"That doesn't apply if you're endangering yourself." She looked at me, sadly. "Does your mother know?" 

I nodded. "I told her. She's never been one to pay much attention, though." She stayed quiet, but I could see the question in her eyes. "My dad left when my mom got pregnant." She nodded. "I've never met him." 

"I'll report this and get someone to talk to you. I'll explain your situation, try and make it quick and painless." 

"Thank you , Dr. Kepner." 

She smiled, and patted my arm. "I'll see you in the O.R."