Assumptions
1166 Words
Kai's POV
“I love you too, Mum,” I sigh into the phone. “Yes, I’ll remember to eat.”
As much as I love her, she can be… a little overbearing.
I rest my head against the locker, releasing a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Two nights on call, and the exhaustion finally weighs me down. You wouldn’t believe the cases kids present with. From curiosity — swallowing a toy — to neglect so reckless it makes my blood boil, like leaving a loaded gun within reach. I saw them all. I wish I didn’t.
“Great work,” I tell my interns. “We’ve all earned a day off.”
They’re too tired to even smile. I get it.
On my way out, I rub the stiffness in my neck and leave a voicemail. “Mel, sorry, I’m just getting off. I won’t miss brunch tomorrow. Promise.” She’s going to kill me if I do.
Contrary to what I told my mum, food is the last thing on my mind. I dream of a long bath — yes, I take baths — and I’ll probably fall asleep in it. I don’t hate the idea.
I’m about to step into the elevator when someone catches my eye.
“Dr. Thorne!” a little voice beams.
Ash. I remember him. I remember all my patients, but him — and his mother — I remember differently. Too differently.
“Ash, right?”
“Yup,” he grins.
“Hey buddy” I smile at him through tired eyes, “what are you doing here. I'm not supposed to see you until next week”
He sobers up a little
“I had an accident” he whispers
I look up, expecting to see his mum and ask her what happened, but instead, I see the same older looking woman who was with himself the last time.
“Hello ma'am” I say to her.
“Hello doctor” her voice is small
Something about her gaze makes me feel uneasy. It's like she can see right through me.
“What happened?”
“I don't know, he went home himself today” I can't help but notice her concern for the child is genuine. “He's supposed to wait, I went home after I couldn't find him at school. I was a little too late”
Warning bells start going off
“What happened” I turn to Ash
“I was just trying to make lunch. I couldn't wait”
“And where's your mum?”
The woman speaks up “We couldn't reach her on her cell, but I've left a voicemail”
So the woman couldn't even be bothered to pick up a phone in case her son had a problem? It's one thing to be busy, and another to be unavailable.
“Dr Thorne,” a nurse calls from behind, “I'm sorry, I was going to get someone to check on him. We're heavily short staffed. I'll get on it now”
I don't have to look up to know she's worn out. Her voice says it all.
“It's okay Lilly, I'll take it from here”
It's a burn, so I take his arm to see the severity. The kid sure has a lot of scars, but the burn isn't so severe. Old falls? Clumsy kid? Or could it be something more
“Come with me,” I tell him, shaking off the thought and gently lifting his arm so we could be somewhere other than the lobby. My office.
“I'll take him down to my office” I say to the woman, “I have suppliers in there”
I never did catch her name “I'm sorry Ms….”
My mother's words echo: ‘Never assume a woman is married unless she tells you otherwise’
Her voice is omniscient with me.
“Eira. Mrs” she corrects
“My apologies “
“It's fine” she smiles, “you were raised well”
“I'll tell that to my mum. It would make her happy”
I start walking to my office with Ash when I remember,
“Oh, you'll have to get his mum here for the paper work”
“Okay, I'll keep trying”
“There you go buddy. Must hurt a lot”
He manages a nod.
“How'd you get this again?” I say, cleaning the burn gently.
“Mum says I'm not supposed to touch things. But she wasn't home today, so I thought I could…..” he breaks into tears
“It's okay, it's okay”
“I hope mum won't be angry at me”
Was that…fear? That couldn't be good could it?
I shake the random thought away. He's a sweet kid. There aren't any signs of abuse.
“I'm sure your mum will understand”
He looks unconvinced
“Come on, let's go back to the lobby. Your mum should be here soon”
“Nuh uh. She's at the bar or something. She won't be home till late” he nutters
Bar? Drinking?
My temples pulse. I need a nap
We get back just in time to see Elise standing with a nurse who's handing her some paper work.
“Hey baby” she says, holding his face “how are you feeling?”
She doesn't look very concerned for a mother
“I'm sorry mum,” Ash immediately starts to apologise.
“It's okay Ash, we'll figure it out at home”
Figure it out?
“Ma'am? “
She turns to the nurse “mhm?”
“So I'll need his file number and for you to fill this out so we can add that up”
“Sure, sure” she starts to rummage in her bag, then stops.
“I'm sorry what?” She looks up at the nurse
Lily is confused and repeats, ”The paperwork?”
“Oh, right” she takes it then, hands shaking.
What. The. f**k.
I add the math in my head. Glossy, unfocused eyes, slurred words, shaky hands, disorientation? Classic signs.
How many times do I have to see this in one ER?
Kids waiting in the emergency room while their parents drink themselves stupid or chase a high. Best case scenario, it's weed, worst case, a full blown addiction
I clear my throat, “Ms Elise, can I speak to you”
Sure. She looks up at me with unfocused eyes.
My jaw ticks, but I wait until we're out of earshot.
I look at her again, hoping I'd misread the signs earlier. But no, it's all there. I can't let this slide.
“What kind of mother are you?!”
She has the decency to look shocked.
“Your child is in the hospital and you're out drinking and getting high?!”
“Excuse me?” She breathes, but her hands are too shaky to hide the obvious truth.
- Writer
