cw- needles
Another bright and early day for Ahren Stringer, two days after Joel Birch was admitted to the hospital. He checked his phone and saw that he had one new message from 'Joel'
Ahren shook his head, realizing that Joel had snuck his number into Ahren's phone and created a contact called 'Joel' after his call with his son's mother, Bel.
Joel- hey, doc, it's your patient. I'm just letting you know my son's coming to visit me today
Ahren blinked his eyes fast at his phone and began getting ready for work. The early time of 7 A.M. had gotten the best of him, too early, in his opinion, to be worrying about work.
He trudged himself to his car in teal-blue scrubs, scratching the top of his blonde hair and starting his car.
Once he arrived at the hospital, his eyes filled with the sight of injured or sick patients that hadn't yet been tended to in the waiting room. Wrapped wounds, vomit, tears, sick babies, etc.
"Good morning, Doctor Stringer," one of the nurses in triage said brightly.
"Good morning," Ahren rubbed the side of his face groggily, still half asleep, "How are you still wide awake?"
"I'm not," she said with a yawn, "but I have to act awake so these patients don't think I'm just sleeping on the job."
"Smart girl. Do you know if they moved the patient called 'Joel Birch?'" Ahren asked, leaning on his elbow that sat on the top of the counter.
"Joel Birch?" the nurse repeated, looking in her computer for a patient by the last name of Birch, "Ah! Found it. He's in ICU."
"ICU? Recovered fast, I guess. Good thing 'cause I have other patients there right now as well. See you later, maybe," Ahren waved off with a smile, checking in and setting his stuff down in the coat room. He headed to the Intensive Care Unit, checking on other patients that were increasingly getting better before reaching Joel Birch's room.
Much to his surprise, Joel was wide awake and staring out the huge glass window that faced the city. "What're you doing up?"
Joel turned his head, startled, "Hey. Sorry, I couldn't sleep."
"Where's your phone?"
"Nurses caught me with it and took it away." Joel's voice was hoarse and tired-sounding.
"Nice. How are you feeling?"
"Better," Joel said, throwing his hands under the thin blanket.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Put your hands under that blanket? Are you hiding something from me?"
"Ye- No," Joel replied shamefully, "I just... thought that if I hid the paleness of my hands, you'd think I was better and you'd let me home sooner."
Ahren chuckled to himself, "Nice try, but that's not how it works. We'd have to check your paleness anyway. You won't be leaving for at least another 3-5 days."
"What? Why?"
"Detox, Birch. We have to get all that alcohol and toxins out of your system before you can even think about being released. If you refuse our help, you'll die. And I don't think you'll enjoy that."
Joel mumbled something under his breath that Doctor Stringer couldn't quite understand.
"What did you say?"
