Stitches and Scars (6 page)

“Yep, I’m still dying.” He let out a muffled chuckle. Since Mr. Bennett had made up his mind to not fight any more, he’d had an almost morbid sense of humor. The nurses were always so disturbed by it, but Ethan knew him well enough to understand his way of thinking. “I’ll be seeing Dorothy by tomorrow night. I can feel it.” He smiled.

“Umm hmm,” Ethan said while looking over his chart.

He never knew what to say when he talked that way. He wasn’t sure what he believed about life and death. But he did know that if there
was
something out there, a life after this one, then he would want it to be with the ones he loved. So why not believe it?

“Are you feeling comfortable?” Ethan asked, trying to change the subject.

“I better be. They’ve got enough drugs pumping through me.” He lifted his hand, pointing out the tubes and bags that were attached to him.

“They’re just doing their job. They want you to be comfortable,” Ethan assured him.

“I know, I know. It makes it harder for me to think this way; my head’s all foggy.”

“Well, that’s because you need some sleep. I’ll come back and check on you tomorrow morning.” Ethan flipped his chart closed and turned for the door.

“Dr. Montgomery?”

“Mr. Bennett, I’ve told you before. Please call me Ethan.”

“And I’ve told you to call me John,” he retorted.

“Okay then, John. What do you need?” Ethan waited for a minute so he could gather his thoughts.

When John finally spoke, his words came out softly and Ethan had to step closer to hear him correctly.

“I just wanted to thank you for being a friend. Not everyone understands my decision and you’ve always seemed to get it. I know you say you’ll see me tomorrow, but I think someone else may have other plans.” He looked to the ceiling before reaching over and placing his hand on Ethan’s.

It was clear what he was saying, but Ethan didn’t know how to respond. He was silent while he searched for the right words to say.

“Tell Dorothy I said hello.” Ethan squeezed his hand a final time and walked towards the door, pausing before he left. “I’ll be seeing you,” he said as he took one last look at the face of his friend.

Chapter 6

Code Blue

K
ate woke the next morning blinded by the sun streaming through her window. Her mind was so preoccupied last night that she’d forgotten to pull the blinds before going to bed. Now she lay there staring out the window, thankful that she’d forgotten.

A smile took her lips as she watched the clouds dance across the blue-gray sky. The very same blue-gray that was sure to become her favorite color. She closed her eyes and tried to picture Ethan’s face and the eyes that matched the sky outside her window. The same eyes that penetrated straight through her. The very ones that made her imagine he knew what she was thinking without saying a word.

His strong jaw line and perfect straight nose were etched in her memory. And the way his mouth turned up at the corners still made her weak in the knees.

Kate enjoyed the next half hour or so just thinking about Ethan. She finally decided to face the day when the smell of freshly brewed coffee awakened her senses. She could hear Elle rummaging around the kitchen and laughed when she wondered if she was actually attempting to cook something.

When Kate walked into the kitchen, she found Elle fiddling with the electric skillet.

“Need a hand with that?” She tried hiding her amusement, but she didn’t think Elle bought it.

“I can do it. What? Do you think I can’t cook or something?”

Kate walked over and took the cord from Elle’s hand, inserted the correct end into the skillet and plugged it in. “First off, I’ve known you for way too long to
think
you can’t cook. I
know
you can’t cook.”

Elle flashed an evil look and squared off her shoulders. “Okay, so cooking is not my strong suit. But I can make a mean margarita and you know it.”

“Now, you’ve got me there. Your skill with making drinks far exceeds mine.” Kate smiled, happily admitting defeat.

“All right, since we both agree that I can’t cook, what are
you
making us for breakfast?”

“What would you like?” Kate asked, already knowing the response.

“I was thinking your ‘fly-away buttermilk pancakes’ sounded pretty good.” A wide childlike grin spread across her face.

“Would you like berry sauce with that?” Again, Kate asked even though she knew the answer.

“Yes, thank you.” She nodded. “Can I call Sophie?”

“Do you even need to ask? I’m sure she’s on her way here already.” Before either of them made a move, they heard someone at the door. The quick, impatient knocking was all too familiar.

“Coming, Soph!” Elle turned to get the door, and Kate set about preparing their breakfast. She was grabbing the fruit out of the refrigerator when Sophie skipped into the kitchen.

“Are we having your famous pancakes and berry sauce?”

“Of course. Would I make anything less for my two best friends?”

“You know you could make anything and we’d eat it.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Sophie reached around Kate’s waist and gave her a quick hug. “You should, because that’s exactly what it was.”

“Thanks.” Kate smiled.

The three friends talked about their plans for the day while Kate continued getting breakfast ready. Something about being in the kitchen was relaxing for her. She always thought that if she hadn’t studied photography, she would have gone to culinary arts school. Now she got her cooking fix by preparing meals for her friends. They were always more than happy to taste her latest creations, and she enjoyed having someone to cook for.

“What are your plans for today?” Elle asked as she checked the pancakes.

Kate handed her a spatula. “I’m not quite sure yet. I have to drop some photos off for a client in the city, then I’m thinking about taking a run in Fairmount Park. It’s been a while since I’ve run the trails there. After that, I’m free. Why?”

“We want go see that new movie about the girl with all the dresses. Are you in?”

“You know me. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies. What time does it start?” Kate glanced over at Sophie who was sitting at the counter looking through the newspaper.

“They have shows at two-ten, four-twenty, seven-twenty, and nine-thirty. Let’s do an earlier time so we can go out for dinner after.”

“Sounds good to me,” Elle said as she flipped over the last of the pancakes.

“Me too,” Kate agreed as she handed Elle a plate and poured the berry sauce into a bowl.

***

By the time they finished eating breakfast, they’d all decided to separate for the rest of the morning and get their errands done.

Elle and Sophie left, and Kate headed into her room to get ready for her jog. She wasn’t always a runner; in fact, she was the complete opposite. The thought of just running for no apparent reason didn’t really appeal to her. But after her second breakup with Scott, she decided she needed a way to release all of her pent up energy. After just a few days of going through the motions, she found herself actually enjoying the rush of energy it gave her. Running alone and feeling the silence that surrounded her really gave her the time to clear her head and simply think. Now, whenever she had something weighing on her mind, she
had
to go for a run—it was a necessity.

Kate made the familiar drive into the city and dropped off the photos from a client’s wedding she’d done a month ago. The traffic this time of day was awful, and by the time she made it to Fairmount Park, she was anxious for a run.

Pulling on a hat and gloves, she set out on a familiar trail that she used to run when she lived there. In the past, whenever she started her run, her mind automatically went to thoughts of Scott. However, today she couldn’t get her mind off of Ethan.

She wondered if she’d ever be able to find him again. Most likely he lived in the city and that left her chances slim to none. Her best bet was just as Sophie and Elle had suggested: go to Rain every weekend and pray that he shows up.
But what if he doesn’t go to Rain often? And what if I do meet him again and he’s not interested?
she thought.

Her stomach twisted at the idea, and she forced herself to push the fear from her mind. Surely he felt the same connection that she’d felt. And if he didn’t … well, she couldn’t think of it. Picking up her pace, she pushed herself a little harder, hoping to dispel the unease that was creeping in.

She kept up her fast tempo for another mile and felt her legs begin to grow heavy. The stretch and pull of her tendons was invigorating, and she welcomed the slow burn as she continued at a steady rhythm. Climbing a small hill, she drove herself upward, her breath coming out in gusts of white in the cold air. On her way down the slope, she felt the loose gravel crunch beneath her feet as she slipped over the unsteady surface. Before her mind could register what was happening, she was falling. She attempted to steady herself, but felt the familiar sharp pain in her ankle as it twisted beneath her. Her leg gave out and her body went down. The momentum from her fall left her tumbling down the incline, rolling over branches and rocks until finally coming to a stop.

At the bottom of the hill, she lay panting, trying to catch her breath and assess the damage to her body. She already knew from the throbbing in her ankle that she’d twisted it. Taking a calming breath, she tried to sit up, but when she did, she felt a searing pain in her side. Glancing down, she noticed that her shirt was dirty, ripped, and stained with blood. She wasn’t sure how deep of a cut she had, but from the way it felt, it was bad enough. She contemplated making a trip to the hospital and having Dr. Williams take a look.

When she and Elle had moved to Philadelphia, she made a few trips to the hospital to visit Dr. Williams, but it was never for her own health. It was always for Elle. The first time was because she had a nasty fall and broke her ankle. All the subsequent times were for either sprained wrists or shoulder pulls—injuries that Kate wasn’t sure were 100% real. But she always kept her mouth shut and played the supportive friend. After all, she’d had her fair share of crushes over the years.

Dr. Williams was one of them. He was always so nice to Kate, and there was something about him that reminded her of her dad. And it wasn’t just his good looks, that’s for sure. For someone who looked like a model who’d walked off the pages of Lands’ End, he was extremely humble. In fact, he seemed to have no idea that all the nurses—and pretty much all of his patients—were left speechless by his presence.

After coming to the decision that going to the hospital was probably her best bet, Kate slowly stood. It took her a moment to regain her balance and took even longer to make it to her car. Thankfully, it was her left ankle and not her right, which meant she could still drive. She’d hate to have to call Sophie or Elle and have them make the trip into the city for nothing.

By the time Kate made it to the hospital and to the check-in desk, she was feeling a little woozy. The throbbing ache on both her stomach and ankle was growing worse. She waited at the desk behind another woman and felt her face break into a cold sweat. Trying to relax, she took a few calming breaths, but the next thing she knew, everything went black.

***

Kate opened her eyes to a familiar white tile ceiling. It took her a second to understand how she’d ended up in the hospital, but then it all came back to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of someone and turned to see who it was. A tall red-haired nurse heard her stirring and quickly spun around to face her patient.

“Hello.” She sounded happy that Kate was awake, and this made her wonder how long she’d been unconscious.

“How long was I out?” Kate asked, while looking around the room for a clock.

“Oh, only a few minutes. Just long enough to skip to the front of the line.” The young nurse talked to Kate and handed her a clipboard of papers. “I need you to fill these out before you leave. Take your time. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake and ready.” She gave Kate another kind smile that scrunched up her freckled nose and walked out of the room, pulling the curtain closed behind her.

Kate sat up on the gurney she’d found herself on, stared down at the paperwork in front of her, and began filling it out. For the most part the questions reminded her of the forms she filled out at her doctor’s office, just a little more detailed.

While listing the dates of her last physical, she heard the door open. She continued filling out the paperwork when she noticed the curtain being pulled aside and someone walk in. Quickly glancing up from her papers, she saw the doctor walk over to the counter. He had his face down and was looking over what Kate could only assume was her chart. He didn’t speak and hadn’t acknowledged her presence, so she returned her focus to the clipboard.

It was a moment before he finally spoke, but when he did, she froze. Her heart fluttered, and she quickly lifted her head to confirm who it was. His back was still turned to Kate, but she knew it was him. His velvety voice was something she couldn’t just imagine. It was Ethan.

“Miss Thomas. What brings you into the emergency room today?” Just as he finished speaking, he turned around.

Kate hadn’t taken her eyes off of him, and she dared not blink on the off chance that she was, in fact, dreaming. When Ethan’s eyes finally met hers, he too froze. They were both silent for a moment.

A beautiful smile spread across his face as he stepped toward her. “Well, isn’t this interesting.” He laughed.

“Uh-huh” was all Kate could say. She felt the color rise to her cheeks and the embarrassment set in.
Why is this happening to me? Of all places I see him again, it’s the hospital!
she groaned to herself.
Not to mention the fact that I’m totally sweaty, gross, and bloody.

Ethan sensed her embarrassment and let out a little laugh. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were following me,” he teased, helping her relax a little.

“Come on, give me a little credit. If I were following you, you would never know it,” Kate said with a smile.

His eyes grew wide, but he didn’t look away and his smile didn’t fade. “Now that we’re clear on your stalking capabilities, what can I do for you today?”

Kiss me, take me home, and never leave my side. Do I need to continue?
Kate wished she had the guts to say exactly what she was thinking, but at the moment she was not that brave. Instead, she settled for something a little less crazy. “Well, I fell while I was out running.”

“You’re a runner?”

Kate couldn’t tell if he was asking her as a doctor or if he was taking a personal interest. Either way, she wasn’t going to miss the chance to get to talk with him.

“I try to run every day. It helps me clear my head. Plus, the view down by the water is beautiful, and I haven’t had a chance to run there in a while.”

“Really? I’ll have to check it out sometime.” He was still smiling at her, and she took that as a good thing.

“So anyway,” she looked down at her lap and fiddled with the hem of her shirt, “I was running and I lost my balance. I can usually stop myself before I get too hurt, but this time,” she paused, “the hill won.” Kate looked up at him and smiled when she noticed he looked slightly amused. “My left ankle is twisted and I’m fairly certain I have a mean cut somewhere on my stomach. I’m not sure how bad it is—couldn’t really get a good look. But it feels bad.” She scrunched her nose in discomfort.