#1 In the Company of a Stranger (A fanfic-complete)

Doctor - Patient Privilege

Done procrastinating, I finally made it into my office the next morning. I was forced to venture out into the world. It was the date of my monthly pediatric clinic. And as long as I wasn't on ER/trauma call, I could and would rearrange my adult clinics. I often did for a trip. But my pediatric clinic stayed. I'd even risk emerging from the safety of my townhouse for those kids.

The morning started out well.  I was greeted by the brilliant colors of the clinic and the toy filled waiting room blaring The Lion King on the flat screen TV which hung above an enormous tropical fish tank set in the wall.  I had a few old patients to follow up on, as well as at least a half day of consultations for new patients who were in need of my specific surgical skills. 

Every year I put together a fundraiser for pediatric cancers and to raise money to support the transportation program to help disadvantaged patients travel to their appointments at the hospital and surrounding clinics. Some of my own patients had traveled a great distance to come to my clinic. But my heart always burst with joy to see their little faces on the other side of everything they'd been through, surgery and rehabbing  and many times chemotherapy as well.  It made everything worth while, even the heart break when medicine just wasn't enough.

The hospital was still reviewing what had occurred between me and a potential patient.  But there wasn't much to go on since I hadn't even opened Odell's chart.  And they made too much money off the surgical patients who my practice attracted to their hospital for them to actually suspend me during the review. So my pediatric clinic went on as usual that morning... well at least in part.

Halfway through my morning a commotion began in the waiting room. There were multiple ongoing pediatric specialty clinics at the same time as mine, so I didn't think much of it at first. But after ten minutes, I was still waiting on my next patient to be brought back to my office, so I walked up to the front to see what exactly was going on.

The receptionist was standing up at the counter on her tip toes smiling out into the waiting room and a few of the nurses had gathered behind her.  I tapped Tammy on the shoulder, the nurse manager who ran the pediatric surgical clinics and usually worked under me during my clinic hours.

"Hey what gives?  Is my next patient here?  I think Dr Hargrove referred her."

Tammy turned her smile on me.  "Oh not yet Dr Williams, but look who did show up to say hi."

I moved beyond the nurses and the receptionist and snaked my head through the reception window to peer into the waiting room.  A group of children and their parents were gathered around... Odell. What was he doing here?

"Isn't that wonderful! The little ones are so excited!" Tammy was gushing with the rest of the nurses behind me. I tried to smile, though I really wanted to groan.

Odell had his back half way turned to me and was smiling his charming smile, talking up the parents and signing shirts and legs and hands and anything else the kids could find to hand him.  He high fived a couple of the kids and then encouraged them all through their particular illnesses. 

One of my long term patients, a ten year old boy named Ray with osteosarcoma, asked Odell about his ankle and then volunteered that his own ankle had been fixed by me after a portion of the bone was removed for a tumor resection. Ray asked if I was going to fix Odell so he could play this season. Odell was gracious and replied his injury was nothing much and I was too busy with important cases like Ray's case.

"But I'm working on it.  I'll be back on the field in no time."  He winked at the boy on crutches signing the last autograph.  

"You better get back out there. You're my favorite player, OBJ. I'm gonna be just like you... once I get better." The kid looked down at his leg sadly. He had grown his hair out similarly to Odell's hair though it was less of a mohawk and more of a puff of kinky curls at the top of his head bleached a golden color at the ends.