I know this is a little later than normal, but I'm on vacation. :) Enjoy!
I couldn't decided between TCR and Dr. Morgan until I looked to see how many of each I had written. It turns out that I was nearly out of TCR so, until I write more, I'll post Dr. Morgan. I hope you don't mind too much. :)
Part 8
“I doubt if she’d even know, if she could remember.” There was another pause. Longer this time. “Yep, I will. . . Thanks Dad. Bye.”
For several minutes, Justin sat at his desk, leaning his head on his hand, lost in thought. Heaving a deep sigh, he stretched and then relaxed against the back of the chair, glancing at the open door to see intern Philips leaning against the door frame watching him. He grinned.
“Am I wanted for anything, Philips?”
Philips shook his head. “No sir. Why don’t you get out of the hospital for a few days? We haven’t had many patients, and Amy is on the mend.”
“No, I can’t leave now, thanks though.” Justin shook his head. “I’m all right. I should get more sleep now.”
Philips, seeing that Dr. Morgan was determined to remain, could only nod and walk away.
For several minutes Justin busied himself with his paperwork and when a knock sounded, he lifted his head and glanced towards the open door. “Wright, come on in. Have a seat,” he invited cordially as the hospital surgeon paused in the doorway.
“Do you have a few minutes?” he asked.
“Sure. Paperwork can wait,” and Dr. Morgan pushed the papers to one side.
Instead of sitting, Dr. Wright leaned down to cross his arms on the back of the chair before the desk. Eyeing his colleague of a moment before he spoke, the surgeon frowned thoughtfully. “Morgan,” he began quickly. “You need a break. You should get out of this hospital and do something relaxing for a change.”
Justin laughed. “That’s what Philips was just saying. I’m all right. I’ll take a break later.”
Dr. Wright straightened and gripped the chair back. “Look,” he said, “ever since that girl arrived you’ve worked day and night; catching sleep and food here and there, hit and miss. You need a break even if only for a few hours. No,” he put up his hand as Justin was about to speak. “Let me finish. We’ve all talked about it and there is no reason you can’t get away for a few hours. Philips is quite capable of filling in for you until your return, and Hollend, Douglas and I can handle the few people who might come in. I’m serious, Morgan; you need to get out. Go up to your family’s and have supper, spend the evening, the night if you will. Then come back refreshed.”
Dr. Morgan sat in silence for some time after Dr. Wright finished. His brows furled in thought while he fiddled with a pen. “I really--”
“Should go,” a new voice finished his sentence and Dr. Douglas entered the room followed by Dr. Hollend.
Surveying his three fellow physicians, Dr. Morgan chuckled. “You sure know how to get the job done, don’t you? What would you do if I still said no?”
Dr. Hollend crossed his arms with a smile. “Well, we’ve talked about handcuffs and delivering you to your father with instructions to keep you for twenty-four hours.”
At that Justin laughed. “You win. I’ll leave as soon as I finish this last paper.”
“How soon will that be?”
“Ten or fifteen minutes at most, I’d guess.”
“We’ll hold you to it,” Dr. Wright slapped the desk. “So get busy.”
Breathing deeply of the brisk mountain air, Justin shut the door of his truck and stood for a minute just gazing about him at the bare trees, the tawny grass, the rocky cliffs, an eagle soaring overhead in the pale blue sky; all so peaceful, so quiet, so calming. Slowly he strolled to the front door. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to get away until now. It was good to be out of the four walls of that hospital.
Justin found Adam and Sara in the living room playing with Danny and Jenny.
“Hi.” Sara looked up to greet him.
“Hi,” Justin smiled at his brother who was attempting to sit up while Danny sat on his stomach. “New way to exercise, Adam?” he chuckled.
“Yeah,” Adam grunted falling back to the floor.
“How’s Amy?” Sara questioned.
“She was sleeping when I left. I already told Dad all that she told me.”
Sara nodded. “And he told us. Didn’t know if there was anything new.”
Justin shook his head as his mother entered the room.
“I see they really did kick you out,” she remarked as he kissed her. “When Alex Wright called this morning saying you were going to have supper with us, I wasn’t sure I believed him.”
“But she cooked enough for you anyway,” Sara put in.
Justin sat down remarking, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to get up again.” The couch was soft and comfortable and, kicking off his shoes just as he used to do, he stretched out with a sigh. “Let me know when supper’s ready if I fall asleep.”
“Don’t you dare go to sleep now, Justin Morgan,” Sara ordered. “You can sleep in your own bed tonight, but we haven’t seen you for a long time. What if we want to talk?” She threw the pillow she had been leaning on at her brother and he turned on his side and tucked it under his head.
“Talk away. I’m not asleep yet.”
Mrs. Morgan had returned to the kitchen and the three young people fell to talking. Soon Mr. Morgan returned home and Danny ran to meet him, letting Adam move from the floor to a chair.
“Welcome home, Justin,” Mr. Morgan greeted his son. “You are staying the night, aren’t you?”
“Thanks, Dad. I wasn’t planning on it . . .”
“Well, plan on it then,” his father said bluntly. “I just talked with Dr. Douglas. He said they’d call you if you were needed before nine tomorrow morning.”
Justin sat up. “Nine o’clock?” His face was filled with disbelief. “I was planing on returning by nine tonight!”
Before anything else could be said on the subject, supper was announced.
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