Bad Habits Part 23

"Simone."

She stopped. "Yes?"

"Thank you. I enjoyed lunch," Cain said.

She smiled. "Me too."

"Come on. I'll walk you to your car."

As he helped her clear the bench table to the front of the cafe in Costco, he looked up to see Buffy over in line watching them. Shaking his head, he figured this lunch would cost him more than the slice of pizza and cherry soda. He was sure of it.

Chapter Thirteen.

Faking The Funk Kim "Last night it was on! I let the freak flag fly, honey!"

Kim's eyes lifted. Maggie gave a roll of her hips causing Gwen and Javier to chuckle. She worked hard to keep the congregating around the nurses' station to a minimum, but she wasn't feeling quite right. She rose unsteadily and fixed her eyes on the little crowd. "Don't we have sick patients to tend to?"

The trio rolled their eyes and separated, each heading off in different directions. Kim swayed on her feet. She blinked the sweat out of her eyes. Shaking it off, she headed for her patient's room. Dr. Stevens asked that she draw blood. G.o.d help her. She would try.

And try she did. She went through all the routine steps: rea.s.suring the scared teen, trying to focus and locate her vein. The patient didn't notice her fumbles. Her face was turned away. She whimpered from her fear of needles.

"You won't feel it. I promise." Kim swallowed hard and stretched her eyes to focus. She needed a fix. She needed it now. Her muscle aches had her hand trembling, but she expertly slipped the point of the needle into the patient, breaking skin, sinking into the young girl's vein. Slowly she drew back the crimson life force that flowed within.

"Are you done?"

"Almost, sweetie," she said. The urges were stronger with the Oxy and more frequent. She felt like her insides were melting.

"There, all done." She realized she was breathing hard. She sucked in a deep breath, withdrawing the needle. "How are we feeling?"

The girl turned her face back and squinted at her from one eye. "Okay, I guess. Hey, are you okay?"

Kim, labeling the vial smiled sweetly. "Sure, why?"

"Your nose. It's bleeding."

Kim froze. Her hand flew up to her nose to feel the wet stickiness. "Oh, it happens. I-I have allergies." She turned away and set the vial in the tray and plucked a tissue. "I'll send in your nurse to finish."

"I thought you were my nurse?" the girl asked.

"Yes. I'll be back to check on you," Kim stammered.

"Hey, wait."

Kim didn't. She pressed the tissue to her nose, picked up the tray and then hurried out. She nearly collided with Lacy. "Oh s.h.i.+t." Kim cursed, now knowing why Danny had such affection for the word.

"Hey, Kim, I was looking for you. I wanted to thank you for getting Murphy to back off."

"Here, take this. Get it to the lab and see to the patient," Kim said through her tissue. Lacy stared at her, confused.

"Something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm fine." She pushed past her down the hall. When she did look up, she unfortunately locked eyes with Dr. Patel. He was talking to another doctor. She lowered her eyes and turned her face away, but she knew he stared, knew he was watching. d.a.m.n it. Why the nosebleeds? Why now? Hurrying to the visitor's bathroom, she stormed inside, but she wasn't alone. An orderly washed her hands at the sink. Quickly she rushed the first opened stall. Once inside, she closed the door and caught her breath. A wave of nausea hit her so strong she nearly went to her knees. Then the cramping came, and she did. In an instant, she was head to head with the commode, puking her breakfast of English m.u.f.fin and coffee out. The toilet's automatic flush sent it spiraling down, but she inhaled the distinct odor of the commode. She puked hard again.

Finally, she sat back on her knees shaking all over.

"You okay in there?" someone asked.

She closed her eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. Something I ate," she croaked.

She waited and listened. Eventually, the person left. Kim dropped her head to the side of the stall. Soon the room stopped spinning and her stomach muscles unclenched. With a shaky hand, she fished into her pocket for her little blue pill.

If she snorted it the relief would be instant. But her nosebleeds worried her. The fact that she had so little sensation in her nose now scared the h.e.l.l out of her. Though it wasn't easy, she forced herself to rise. Thankfully, the bathroom was empty. So she walked stiffly to the sink, tossed the pill into her mouth and cupped some water in her hand under the automatic running tap.

"Everything okay in here?"

Her head shot up to the mirror. Patel was in the bathroom with her. She turned on him, wary of his sudden appearance. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing in here?"

"Seeing about you. Looks like you aren't well."

"Get out."

He smirked. "Or what? You'll sick your guard-dog on me?"

"My what?"

"Seems that Dr. Donnelly considers himself your protector. He threatened me."

"I had nothing to do with that," Kim said.

"Sure you did. You tease him like you tease me, like you do every man in this hospital."

"Are you insane?"

Patel tapped his nose. "Are you high?"

"f.u.c.k you! If you don't stop hara.s.sing me, I'll put an end to this and go to Murphy. I don't need this s.h.i.+t."

Patel smirked. "Does he know about that little nasty habit of yours I keep satisfied?"

"I don't have time for this." She tried for the door but Patel blocked her. She stepped back. The Oxy hadn't settled in yet, and she felt the tremors in her hands again. Putting them behind her back, she tried to remain calm. "Get out of my way."

"Thing is, I'm pretty sure that you don't know him."

Kim sighed.

Patel smiled. He was worse when he smiled. In the dark pools of his irises there was pure malice. Why this man fixated on her was confusing. Besides, his being her doctor, she had done nothing to him. Now he was her nightmare. On top of everything else, she didn't need this.

"Do you, do you know what your hero really is?"

"I know what he isn't. A pathetic little man who has to get a patient hooked on drugs in order to get laid! You disgust me. You should be banned from the medical profession!"

"For what? Being your pusher?"

"For being an a.s.shole! And if you don't get out of my way, I swear to G.o.d."

"He's an abuser," Patel shouted over her. "That's right. He hit a female, a doctor. Nearly lost his license over it."

"That's a lie."

Patel laughed. "It's not. What I hear, it wasn't the only time. He beat his wife too. That's why she left him."

"Get out of my way."

"Not so fast." Patel stepped into her face, too close. "I figured you'd be too doped up to believe me. So here's your proof." He forced a folded piece of paper on her. Kim's brows dented into a deep frown. "Take the paper, sweet-cakes. It's all there. Dr. Donnelly's dirty little deeds."

Kim accepted the paper. Patel chuckled. "I didn't tell him what you are. Care to guess why?"

She unfolded the paper. Her eyes scanned the byline.

"We understand each other. That's why," Patel said.

He reached to touch her, but she stepped back. Patel gave her another smug smirk and turned and walked out. Kim stumbled back to the sink. University Hospital Doctor a.s.saults Colleague.

"This can't be true."

She was behind the nurses' station. He saw her as soon as he rounded the corner and heard her light laughter. Jim leaned in. He was a second year resident and a prankster. All the nurses liked him. But he seemed to gravitate to her. That was understandable. What man wouldn't?

She nodded as if she agreed, then shooed him off with her hand. He stepped away but Mathew recognized the disappointment. Served him right. He was getting too close anyway. Mathew stepped out from around the corner and approached. She turned and their eyes met. He tried to hold on to that exchange, but she turned away.

That wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"Can you believe I haven't had a minute to sit yet? How about a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks." She sat, pulled her chair in to the computer monitor and started to peck on the keys.

"Ouch," he chuckled. Kim could be business like when under strain. He admired that about her. But soon her pecks over the keyboard and stiff posture clued him in. There was something more. She was purposefully ignoring him.

"Hey, something wrong?"

"I'm busy, Dr. Donnelly."

"Dr. Donnelly. huh? Wow, someone's in a mood."

Her eyes flipped up. "I'm not in a mood. I'm busy."

Mathew stood upright. In her eyes was a look he couldn't easily interpret. Flas.h.i.+ng on and off like a traffic light, he thought she went between anger and hurt. Why? "Have I done something?" he asked himself more than her. She lowered her eyes, her fingers working into a pecking frenzy as she continued to type. Not another word offered. He pushed back, wanting to say more, but sensing it wasn't the right time.

"I'll leave you to it," he said as he walked off. He looked back once. Her eyes lifted and then dropped. Shaking his head. he sighed, deeply puzzled over the ever-changing moods of women.

Her eyes closed. When she opened them again, he was gone. Why was she so angry? She didn't know the man, yet she brought him into her house and let him in to her life. Kim blew out a frustrated breath dropping her face in her hands. She wasn't to be trusted. How could anyone else be?

"Hey, you okay?" Lacy asked, her hand rested on Kim's shoulder.

"I'm fine." Kim shrugged off her touch. "A little worn thin," she mumbled.

"Was that Dr. Hottie? That man is so d.a.m.n fine. Did you hear that he punched Dr. Patel out cold?"

"Don't you have some patients to see to?"

"I just came back from my rounds. Why are you so snappy?"

"I-"

"Everything's okay. Trust me. I don't plan to screw this up. Not again. That thing with Mr. Dagwood was a lesson for me."

Kim rose. She s.n.a.t.c.hed up the file folders and walked off. She needed s.p.a.ce and quiet. Her focus was all over the place lately. This wasn't a social club. It was her d.a.m.n job. She would keep that to the front of her mind. Besides, she had the meetings with the lawyers next week. That's where she should be focused.

"Kim, can I speak with you?"

Before she could respond, he headed back into his office. "d.a.m.n it," she muttered and followed.

He was pacing when she entered. Keeping the files pressed to her chest, she closed the door. "Yes?"

"You're going to have to help me, sweetheart. If I've done something-"

"I don't have time for this."

"Then make the time," Mathew demanded.

"Who are you yelling at?"

He wiped his hand down his face and groaned. "What is it? If it's not me, then is it the boys? Is something wrong?"

"Would you stop asking about my sons as if they're yours!" she snapped.

"I didn't mean it that way," Mathew frowned.

"Look, I don't know you, okay? I appreciate your concern and all, but I want you to back off," Kim said.

"No," he said firmly, grabbing her arm. She s.n.a.t.c.hed away. "Hey you want me to back off, then you face me and tell me what I did to become a pariah to you in less than six hours."