Love On Call

Glenn would have agreed if it hadn’t been for Presley Worth. Their new CEO had a way of making things happen a lot faster than anyone else could ever anticipate. She had all the resources of the SunView Health Consortium, a huge international medical consortium headed by her brother, at her command and numerous contacts of her own. In addition to being the CEO of the newly minted Argyle Community Hospital System, she was the head of the eastern division of SunView. Presley had the power to get things done on her timetable and did. As much as Glenn revered Edward Rivers and the entire Rivers family, she was convinced along with most everyone at ACH that Presley Worth was the CEO they needed to keep the Rivers alive and flourishing.

“Until the MRI suite is up and functional,” Glenn said, getting the discussion back on track, “we’ll evaluate traumatic injuries, neurological events, acute abdomens, and the like with CAT scans and X-rays. Most things that require an MRI would be done after the initial evaluation and treatment anyhow.”

“What about the helipad?” asked Baker, a short, serious, steady African American student. “I heard that could be happening a lot sooner.”

Glenn nodded. “You’re all here for three months. There’s a good chance we’ll be taking medevac patients before you’re finished.”

“Oorah,” Antonelli muttered.

Marine, Glenn noted, dimming the lights. “So let’s start with the evaluation of the multiple trauma patient.”

When the hour was over and Glenn finished answering the students’ questions, she waited while they all trooped out to join Mari.

“I imagine that was all pretty boring for you,” Glenn said.

Mari closed her iPad. “Not at all. I think it’s good to know what they know, and what I can expect them to know because I’m absolutely certain they heard it before.”

Glenn laughed. “And so you can remind them when they forget?”

Mari grinned. “Absolutely.”

“Speaking of remembering, or remembering to remind you,” Glenn said, grinning when Mari gave her a confused look, “Carrie informed me I needed to tell you about the hospital staff barbecue this Saturday afternoon. It’s an annual thing. Kind of a celebration of summer and the chance for everyone at the Rivers to get together and celebrate…well, just that we’re all still here, and the hospital is still standing strong.”

Carrie again, Mari thought. “Why the Rivers? Almost everyone calls the place by that name.”

“Flann and Harper’s great-great-great-grandfather founded the place along with a few of the town notables a little over a hundred years ago. There’s been a Rivers as chief of staff here ever since. Their father Edward heads the medical staff now, but since the hospital was sold, Presley actually runs the place.”

“That’s some legacy,” Mari said. “And of course I’ll be there. It sounds like fun and it will give me a chance to meet some of the other people from the hospital.”

“I don’t suppose you play softball, do you?” Glenn surveyed her with unabashed eagerness.

“Ah, no,” Mari said. “Is it a requirement?”

“No, not really.” Glenn sighed. “We’re always looking for new talent. The ER has a team and we play a bunch of other teams from the hospital, and town teams like police and firefighters. Not everybody on our team is actually from the ER—Flann and Harper play for us, and Carrie, she pitches—wicked, wicked pitcher.”

“Aha.” For the first time in her life Mari wished she’d been more into sports instead of clothes when she’d been a teenager. “Sorry. I’m out.”

Glenn laughed. “No problem—we’ll still feed you, but it is a requirement that you come and cheer us on.”

“And when and where would this cheering take place?”

“Usually Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. I’ll take you over to the field the first time.”

“You’re kidding. You play that many games?”

“Only during the spring and summer,” Glenn said seriously.

“That has to be, like, dozens of games.”

“Well, sure. And then there are the playoffs and the finals and the championship game. That winds up by late August.”

“Okay, I can see this is a really big deal around here.”

“Don’t you have sports where you come from?”

“I suppose we do,” Mari said, “but I’ve never paid much attention to it. The professional sports you see on television are so commercialized.”

“What about those five brothers of yours, didn’t they play sports?”

“In high school, sure, and I did go to most of their games. Basketball and soccer. No baseball, though.”

Glenn shook her head. “Philistines.”

Mari smiled. “I hereby promise to be a devoted champion of your team.”

“Your support will be greatly appreciated.” Glenn glanced at her watch. “And I guess it’s time for us to get to it.”

“Thanks again for taking the lecture this morning,” Mari said as she gathered up her things. “I really would’ve been beat if I’d had to stay up much longer.”

“Not a problem.” Glenn searched her face. “You’re okay for a full shift? Over the jet lag?”