Destiny - JENLISA

Chapter 8

Physically exhausted from another hectic day, Jennie exited Radiology and grabbed a bottle of water off the hospitality cart as she passed through the waiting area. She plucked a small bottle of Tylenol out of her lab coat pocket, and popped two pills into her mouth.

"I feel like my head is going to explode this very minute." Jennie washed the pills down with a large gulp of water.

She stuffed the bottle back in her pocket as she rounded a blind corner nearly crashing into a heavy-set African American man dressed in a cheap suit. Judging by his graying goatee, Jennie figured the man was in his late forties. Immediately, she recognized him as her most recent pain in the ass from the ER.

"Doctor Kim," He tried to intercept Jennie.

"Not again, Sergeant. Honestly, I don't have time for another spat." She waved him off with an impatient hand.

The man flexed his fist in frustration and marched after Jennie. "Doctor, I'm only trying to do my job. Why won't you let me talk to him? There are no marks on the boy. He's not bleeding. I can only assume that he's not injured."

"Not physically but he's showing signs of post-traumatic stress." Jennie proceeded over to the elevator and jabbed the down button a few more times than she needed to. "You're going to have to wait until the pediatric psychiatrist is finished with him. I can assume you want what's only good for the boy."

"What's good for him isn't what's good for..." the man paused for only a few seconds before contouring with his next question. "How long is that going to take?"

"Look, this little boy just saw a woman being raped and badly beaten..."

"He said that?" the man jumped in eagerly. "Are those his words?"

"I didn't say that." Jennie retorted harshly eyeing him suspiciously. "Give the boy sometime, alright." She entered the elevator and hammered on the button.

"Okay, fine. But I need to speak with him...and the sooner the better." The man raised his voice as the elevator doors closed.

"Fuck you." Jennie cursed intently at the man that had been left on the floor above.

"Bad day?"

Inwardly Jennie sighed realizing that she'd been caught in an unprofessional display of emotions. She turned to see Dr. Dong standing behind her.

"Sorry Taeyang, I didn't see you there or I would have kept my foul mouth and mood to myself. I apologize."

"It's ok. Who was that anyway?" Taeyang nodded at the elevator's door.

"Just some annoying cop. Sergeant something or other,"

"He must be new, they're always over zealous. I'd turn him in if I were you. Did you happen to see his badge number?"

Jennie paused replaying the unpleasant scene over in her head. "I can't say that I did."

"Maybe next time," Taeyang offered as he took his boss's tired features into consideration. "You look like you could use a break, Jennie. Why don't you go crash in the doctor's lounge?"

"I wish I could. I promised Wendy I'd give her a hand in the clinic today." She looked at her watch as the elevator glided to a stop. "And right now I'm running incredibly late."

The doors opened to reveal a sea of uniformed policemen filling the hallway.

"Why is this place so packed with police today?"

"They are always around here. I think it is part of the master plan for any urban hospital," Jennie declared checking her watch again. "Listen, can you handle the ER for a few hours? I really need to head to the clinic."