Chapter 18: Resident Celebrity

Ten thousand miles to the West, Melanie was also getting a head start on her junior year by working as a student helper at LAC-USC university hospital. By chance, she was assigned to the emergency room, the same place where she and David had been admitted a little over a year before. She was seeing a lot of traffic accident victims coming in, and some cases gave her a realization of how lucky she and even David had been.

Worse than that were the crime victims brought in by the police and often enough by ambulances. People shot during muggings, people beaten up on the street or at home, and worst of all, rape victims, young and old. With her own history, Melanie was struggling through the first week, often fighting back the tears when yet another violated kid was admitted.

Every evening after coming home she called David, and sometimes Judy, to get the events of the day off her chest. David was sympathetic having gone through the experiences before, but he had no ready-made solution for her. Judy on the other hand had solutions, but they involved the perpetrator being left with holes in vital parts of his body. Still, it helped Melanie to have sympathetic people listening to her. To her utter surprise she also realized that the horrors of her own childhood were peanuts compared with what some kids had to live through.

One late afternoon, in her second week, she was assisting one of the residents, Marc Ruger, who was putting a cast on the arm of a fifteen-year-old girl who had supposedly "fallen down the stairs" while her mom was at work and she was alone with her mom's lover. The girl had been brought in by the mother who also presented the story while the girl was lying on a gurney, pale as a sheet and with a swelling shiner on her left cheekbone.

Ruger was almost finished but he needed more gauze to cover the fresh cast and left the treatment room. As soon as he left, the girl looked at Melanie.

"You look like the actress, Melanie Renault," she whispered hoarsely.

Melanie reacted instinctively. "That's because I'm her," she smiled. Then, without thinking she followed up. "So, you fell down the stairs, huh?"

"What was it like?"

"What was?"

"When you went to the cops? What did they ask?"

Melanie gasped, her brain going into overdrive. Keep her interested, keep her talking, she thought.

"You mean when I reported the rape? They were very professional and also sympathetic. They listened to my story and when they asked questions they never tried to put blame on me. I got to tell my story and they believed me," Melanie answered therefore. "Do you want me to ask one of the uniforms in, or should I try to get a detective?"

"A detective," the girl whispered.

"Marja, that's your name, right? Marja Ryder?"

Marja nodded silently. Melanie thought briefly. As per regulation she had no cellphone with her, but there was a landline phone next to the door. It could be used for local calls. Taking a deep breath, she stood and reached for the receiver. She dialed the administrative number of the precinct house where she had made her own depositions.

"Hi, my name is Melanie Renault. Is Detective Sergeant Aurelia Washington present, please?"

"Would you state your business, please."

"I was a witness in a rape case Detective Washington handled. I have important information for her." Not entirely a lie she thought.

"Hold please. I'll see if she's in," Melanie heard before being switched to a waiting line. She did not have to wait for long though.

"Hi, Miss Renault. This is Detective Washington. How are you?"

"I'm way better, Miss Washington," Melanie answered easily. Washington had been very supportive. "Listen, I'm working as a volunteer here at USC University Hospital. In the ER. We are just patching up a 15 year-old female who allegedly fell down the stairs. Facial bruises and a fractured arm. She asked me how it was like to talk to the cops back then. I told her you were helpful and cool."

"What's her name?"

"Marja Ryder, of 5612 San Eduardo. Mother, Julia Ryder."

"Hold on. I'll be with you in five."

"Treatment room E14," Melanie added. "Make it quick."

The connection broke and Melanie looked at Marja.

"I've started things, Marja. I'm afraid you'll have to do the rest."

"Will you stay, please?"

"I'll try. Let's slow things a bit."

Melanie knew that Ruger would never be part of anything that might spell trouble. He was the proverbial stick in the mud and he would run out and alert the mother before Detective Washington could arrive.

"Look, Marja. When the resident comes back, we need to keep him from releasing you before the detective arrives. The best would be if you told him you were getting sick. Buying us some time, you know?"

Marja nodded. "I can do that. Thanks."

"Not at all. I want to be a med student because I want to help people for real."

Just then Ruger returned with a new box of gauze rolls.

"I feel a bit sick," Marja said when he plopped down on a stool in front of her.

"You mean nauseous?" he asked making a face. Nobody likes a patient throwing up.

"Yeah."

"Think you'll have to throw up?"

"I dunno. Maybe."

The resident got up. "Let me go and find a physician. Melanie, watch her and alert the nurses if she blows chunks."

Melanie almost smiled. The guy was so predictable. He wanted Marja to throw up on her so he could tell his buddies that the great actress had ended up with vomit over her scrubs. As soon as he left, Melanie gave the girl a thumbs-up.

"See? It worked. Basic psychology. He doesn't like being puked on. Now let's wait. The cavalry is on the way. Look, technically she can't interview you without your mother's consent. That is, unless you speak up and ask her for help. So, when she comes, I'm gonna greet her and mention that she's a cop. All you have to do is speak up then. Think you can manage that?"

Marja winced a little, but then she nodded. "I've got to."

Melanie took one of the gauze rolls and finished wrapping the cast. Having been around David and his nurse for months, stuff like that could not faze her much. She was finished when there was a knock on the door. She got up and peeped through. There was Detective Washington. Melanie opened the door.

"Hi, Detective. Still working on the follow-up? Listen, I cannot ask you in here. I've got to look after a patient, but I'll be out in..."

"Are you a detective?" Marja could be heard.

Washington smiled grimly and gave Melanie an appreciative nod. "Yes, Miss. Detective Washington of the LAPD. Why?"

"I need help! Please help me! My mom's boyfriend, he beats me and he pushed me down the basement stairs. I didn't fall by myself."

Melanie exhaled. That hurdle was taken. Washington entered the treatment room but stayed close to the door.

"Miss, do you want to report a crime?" she asked seriously.

"Yes," came the answer, more firmly than Melanie would have expected.

"Okay. I guess our business can wait, Miss Renault. Who brought you to the emergency room?"

"My mom. She doesn't want to lose her boyfriend. She told me to keep quiet, but he's beaten me before twice and he's pinching my ass all the time, and my boobs."

Washington nodded and activated her radio. "This is Detective Aurelia Washington, badge number 17058. I received a child abuse report at USC emergency room. Vic sustained injuries and is being treated. I request 10-78, SVU and DCFS support on site."

"Ten-four. Request will be forwarded to DCFS and SVU. Unit 725, please meet Detective Washington on location at USC hospital ER."

Washington smiled at Marja. "I've called in for help, Marja. You're a minor, and that means the Special Victim Unit will have to take charge and we need support from Children and Family Services. We will all do our best to help you."

Marja looked at Melanie. "Did you talk to those too?"

Melanie shook her head and looked at Washington for explanation.

"Miss Renault was a minor at the time of the crime, but not when she reported it. There was no need for Children and Family Services to get involved anymore. For the same reason, Special Victim Unit let us handle that case."

In that moment, Ruger returned with one of the staff physicians and Marja's mother in tow. He took one look at Washington and turned huffy.

"What are you doing in my treatment room?"

Washington opened her coat showing the badge. "Detective Washington, LAPD. Your patient asked me for help and reported a felony committed on her. Madam, are you Mrs. Ryder?"

"What if I am? Did she tell you any of those lies, like Kyle pushed her? She's clumsy, that's what she is, and she's always blaming stuff on Kyle."

"Kyle would be... ?"

"My fiancé. He's a good man. She's just dead-set against him. Marjie, you will apologise to the detective for telling your lies!"

"I'm not lying!" Marja shot back. "You never say anything, even when he pinches my butt!"

"Oh, please! He's teasing you a bit. Get over it!"

Washington raised her hand. "Madam, you admit to witnessing sexual harassment of your daughter by your live-in boyfriend, Kyle Who?"

"That's not what I said," Ryder protested.

"Be that as it may, I have alerted the Special Victim Unit and CFS. They will have to investigate."

The staff physician cleared his throat. "If I may, the patient complained about sickness. I should really examine her. Kindly leave this treatment room until I call you back in."

Washington gave Melanie a wink and left together with the girl's mother while the physician, Dr Maynard, bent over Marja.

"So, Marja, is it? How do you feel? Still sick?"

Marja tried to shrug, but checked herself. "It's better now. I was kinda afraid that my Mom would take me back home. But then the detective came and I told her about things, and now she's protecting me."

Dr Maynard checked her blood pressure, her pupils and her skin. "Mild post-traumatic shock," he dictated to Melanie who had taken the clipboard. "Nothing bad. She needs rest. Let's admit her over night and I'll check on her again tomorrow."

He turned to Melanie again. "How come that cop was in here?"

"She wanted to speak to me about another case where I was a witness. She was only standing outside the door when Marja spoke up and asked her for help."

Maynard fixated the surgical intern. "Didn't you ask her in private about her injuries?"

"I was told to put her arm into a cast," Ruger returned sullenly. "I'm a surgeon, not a social worker."

"I'll have a talk to Dr Conroy about that," Maynard said coldly. Conroy was the staff surgeon in charge of the ER.

Maynard left and Ruger cast Melanie an ugly look.

"What? What did I do?" she snapped at him.

"Had to meddle, hadn't you?"

"Oh, I apologize for inadvertently giving the girl a break. What's wrong with you? Would you rather that she was beaten up again? Come on!"

"You don't get it? That mother, she would never come back to this ER again. Looks suspicious when there's repeats, so she would've gone elsewhere. No paperwork for us, no testimony at court, no money wasted."

Melanie's eyes went big. "Are you a sociopath?"

Ruger snorted. "Gimme a break! Ask the Chief of Surgeons for his preference. This is a commercial operation, Girlie! We can't bill for crap like this. I was to slap a cast on her and move her out. Now Maynard admitted her. Who's going to pay for that? Mommy's on Medicaid.

Marja's eyes ping-ponged between them and filling with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Oh, shut up! This isn't about you, you silly little cow," Ruger snapped.

"Dr. Ruger! My office at 1700! Now, out!"

Both Ruger and Melanie turned their heads to see the mighty Dr Conroy in the door. The big man looked angry. Ruger turned a pasty white and slipped off his surgical gloves before beating a hasty retreat. Conroy now fixated Melanie.

"Who are you, young Miss?"

"Melanie Renault, Dr Conroy. I'm a volunteer."

"You're that actress, right?"

"Not so much anymore, but yes. I'm aiming for Med School."

"Right. So you caused all that?"

"No, Sir. The guy who beat up Marja caused it," Melanie answered as calmly as possible.

To her surprise, Conroy grinned. "Feisty, huh? Well, good for you, Miss Renault. Neat trick by the way, to give the detective probable cause. How's Davy Olsen, by the way? You still in contact?"

Melanie couldn't help but smile. "He's in Med School, but in Spain. Granada. We're together again."

"Well, I'll be damned. I fixed his vertebra that night. Is he doing well?"

Melanie was beaming now. "I'll get you a DVD of him playing ball again. Thank you for helping him."

"The paramedics had done a bang-up job. He was really lucky, and so were you."

"Don't I know that!" Mel said with feeling.

"Now, let's have a look at our stairwell victim. Marja, right? I'm Dr Conroy. I'm the Staff Surgeon here. So, Mommy's boyfriend got rough with you? Can you show me where he hit you?"

Marja obeyed and Conroy examined her thoroughly. Then he studied the X-rays and nodded.

"Let's finish that cast. Miss Renault, wanna try?"

Nodding eagerly, Melanie took the plaster bandage and soaked it briefly. With infinite care, she wrapped the arm with Conroy nodding.

"That your first cast?"

"Yes, Sir. I watched a few times though. I also helped the nurse taking care of David."

"Well, good for you. We'll make a surgeon out of you yet. All right. Think you can wheel her up to the trauma ward?"

He scribbled a few things onto the chart bent over Marja. Gently ruffling her hair, he gave her a smile.