Chapter 4

When I awoke again in Nurse Connor's hospital room, there was a woman seated beside my bed. I'd been positioned on my side this time, so I could see her without moving. She was wearing a doctor's white jacket, and was writing in a spiral notebook. Her name tag read "Dr. Payton."

She seemed to be shaking her head as she wrote, her lips pursed in thought. After it appeared she'd finished her writing, she glanced up at me. She did a double-take when she saw my eyes were open, and gave me a pleased smile.

"Well, hello there! It's nice to see you're awake." Before continuing she reached over to grasp and push a button that was on the end of a cord lying next to my hand. "I'm Dr. Payton. How are you feeling, Mark?"

I realized sourly that most of my conversations would begin with that question for a while; but that wasn't her fault.

"Dopey," I replied truthfully.

Dr. Payton nodded understandingly with pursed lips. Before she could reply, Nurse Debbie came into the room.

"Well, hello there, Mark!" she said cheerfully. I can usually tell when someone's faking it, and she wasn't. She truly was glad to see me awake. I did my best to smile back at her.

"Hi, Ms. Connor." I was pleasantly surprised at the energy in my voice. At least I didn't sound like death warmed over like the last time I saw her.

"Call me Debbie, Mark. You gave us quite a scare. How's our patient?" she asked Dr. Payton.

"We were just starting to get acquainted," the doctor replied. "I just wanted you to know he was awake again so you could stop worrying about him so much," she said in a teasing tone of voice.

Debbie gave the doctor a reproachful look. "I worry about all my patients, Dr. Payton; although I do give the cute ones a little extra 't-l-c.'"

"I don't feel real cute right now," I commented slowly.

"Ha! You really are feeling better," Debbie exclaimed. "Let me take care of something, and I'll be right back."

Before she left she leaned down a bit and said in a stage whisper, "Do you remember me yet?"

I looked at her in mild surprise. But now that she mentioned it ... she grinned at me on her way out the door.

"Have you met Debbie before?" asked Dr. Payton.

"She does look familiar. I can't place where I know her from though."

"I'm sure it'll come to you. Now then, have you had your bed raised to a sitting position yet? It might be more comfortable for you while we chat."

"Not yet, no."

"Why don't we try it when Debbie gets back; if she'll let us. She seems to be pretty protective of you." Dr. Payton then took on a sly expression. "Let's just test that theory for fun, shall we?"

She came to the side of the bed where Debbie had been standing and bent over slightly, reaching under the side of the bed, her back to the door.

"Give me a wink when she comes through the door," she said impishly.

A few moments later Debbie came in and I gave Dr. Payton the signal.

"I've never worked one of these new beds before, but I'm sure I can figure it out by trial and error," she said casually.

"Don't touch that!" Debbie exclaimed in alarm. She rushed over and actually grabbed the doctor's wrist. Then she noticed that both of us were grinning at her.

"What?" she asked guardedly.

"Oh, nothing," Dr. Payton replied, sounding just a little smug, "just testing out a theory." I marveled at the doctor's ability to read people so quickly.

"Whatever," the nurse said dismissively, "just don't go adjusting his bed unless I'm here. Got it?"

"Got it," she replied reassuringly, not objecting at all to the nurse telling the doctor what to do. "Do you think it would be safe to raise Mark's bed to a sitting position?"

Debbie considered the question carefully.

"Alright. But I'll do it."

"Of course," the doctor replied graciously.

"And you!" she said, turning to me. She put her hands on her hips in mock dismay. "You still don't remember me?" I shook my head. "Fine! I guess I'll have to tell you."

Reaching for the controls, she began slowly raising the head of my bed, watching me closely for any sign of pain.

"You were in a few classes with me at NSCC. You know; the school where the math professors treat you like some kind of math rock star?"

That clicked her into place for me.