Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
“Damn, I thought you guys were in it for the long haul. I remember when you introduced her, she was all over you.”
Those days were long gone.
“She’s stressed.” It was easier for Kent to use her work life as an excuse than to think otherwise.
Kent and Damian made it back to their rig and loaded the truck. With Damian behind the wheel and Kent in the passenger seat, he radioed dispatch to let them know Unit 81 was back in service.
“You know what fixes stress, right?” Damian pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the road.
“Don’t say it.” Kent rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss his sex life with Damian. Although sex was a very common subject at the station, he avoided it. He never wanted to disrespect Maeve or anyone else he had ever been with.
They weren’t back on the road for long when their next call came in. “Unit 81, please respond to Birchwood Park Health Center for an out-of-control patient.”
Kent picked up the radio. “Unit 81 en route. Please send the police.”
“Roger.”
The lights and sirens blared, alerting traffic to clear a path for the ambulance. Kent held on to the stationary handle in the truck as Damian took a sharp corner. They were only a block away when the call came in, which made their response time immediate.
As soon as Kent and Damian exited the vehicle, a light rain started to fall. Kent looked to the sky, closed his eyes, and hoped drivers would take it slow. Standing out front was Paula, the director of the facility and the person they dealt with anytime they responded there.
Kent carried his medical bag in, opting to leave the stretcher in the truck for now. The center could administer aid, but there were times like this when they needed help. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked Paula while they walked in together.
“Bert’s finger is stuck in the tub drain.”
Damian cackled, and Paula glared at him. “Sorry, that caught me off guard. Dispatch told us you had an out-of-control patient.”
“Oh, he is,” she said as they rounded the hall. “I called for a plumber as well, but I’m concerned his antics in the bathtub are going to give him a heart attack.” They rounded another corner and heard exactly why Paula worried about Bert.
“Who’s dying in there?” Damian asked.
“Bert and his finger.” Paula sighed at the dramatics coming from Bert’s room. The loud screeching forced Kent to cover his ears.
Kent walked into Bert’s room with his hands over his ears. He peered into the bathroom, and Bert stopped screaming.
“Why do you look like that?” he asked Kent.
“Because you’re about to burst my eardrums.”
“My finger is stuck and . . .” He looked past Kent. His eyes widened at the sight of Paula. “Get out of here! I’m naked, woman.”
“I’m not looking at you, Bert,” Paula said sarcastically as she waved him away.
Kent slipped a pair of gloves on and squatted to get a better look at Bert’s predicament. Kent reached forward, and Bert screamed before Kent could touch his finger. He jumped and smacked his head on the porcelain toilet. “I’m going to need you to look away while I assess the situation,” Kent said through gritted teeth.
“Fine,” Bert huffed. “But hurry. I’m naked!”
Damian stepped forward and placed a towel over Bert to give the man some privacy. Something Bert could’ve done himself if he’d put a little effort in. Bert quietly thanked Damian.
Kent came as close as he could to the drain and shook his head. He grabbed Bert’s hand and gave it a slight tug, and he was free.
“Are you kidding me, Bert? All this drama and for what?” Paula threw her hands up in the air and groaned.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Bert cradled his hand to his chest. “My finger was stuck.”
Kent stood, pulled his gloves off, and made eye contact with Damian, who burst out laughing. “Sorry for the bill you’re about to receive,” Kent said as he passed Paula.
“Oh, Bert’s paying for this one,” she said. She looked into the bathroom and finally closed the door. “I am so sorry you came out for this. It’s almost embarrassing.”
“No worries. We’re just doing our jobs,” Damian said. Paula followed the men, apologizing again for wasting their time. By the time they stepped outside, the earlier drizzle had turned into a torrential downpour.
“We’re going to be busy,” Damian lamented.
Kent acknowledged neither the rain nor Damian’s comment. Superstitions ran rampant among emergency personnel, and Kent believed it was best to say nothing about everything.
Back in the truck, they let dispatch know they were back in service. Their last two calls had required no supplies, and they didn’t need to go back to the facility to restock. While Damian drove, Kent checked his phone. He sent a text to Maeve, asking how her day was going, and then deleted unnecessary emails. It didn’t matter how many times he unsubscribed to newsletters; they kept cropping back up. He didn’t mind his favorite retailers emailing him, but once a week was more than enough to keep him in the loop.