Robert called Debbie and told her he was turning some of his patients over to John. He’d had meeting after meeting for more funding to expand the hospital once again. Since Gini didn’t need much medical now, he asked Debbie to contact Dr. Meyer if she had any problems.
When John visited Gini, she didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
“Gini, I’m Dr. John Meyer, your doctor.”
“No… be… uff… ock… tor. Ock… tor… rob… ber… un… gee,” she said with some attitude.
John looked at Debbie, puzzled. Debbie mouthed, “Dr. Robert Young.”
“Sweetie, Dr. Young is taking some time away from his patients. I’m going to take care of you now.”
“No… be… uff… ock… tor.”
Robert called Debbie and told her he was going on vacation. Their conversation was brief, and he gave no details. She was glad to hear he was taking some time off.
The day Gini didn’t want to get out of bed, Debbie called Maggie.
“So what’s up?” she asked Debbie when she arrived.
“It seems all the sudden no one is visiting, especially Robert and Ric. She depends on both so much. I guess everyone is busy.”
“Gini, do you remember me?”
Gini turned her head away as she nodded.
“Good. How about my name?”
“Aggie,” she said quietly.
“That’s right.”
“Ock… tor… rob… ber… un… gee.”
Maggie had to think a minute to figure out what she’d said, then smiled at the cute way she said his name.
“Dr. Young has a lot of patients. Some of them are very sick, unlike you who are doing so well. He works hard and sometimes many long hours. I think he deserves a vacation if he wants one, don’t you?”
Gini turned her head toward Maggie. “Case son.”
“Yes, he’s on a fishing trip. In Mexico, I think he said.”
“I didn’t know he was going to fish,” Debbie said, surprised.
“Fissy?”
“Yeah, he and his dad fished a lot when he was a boy and young man.”
“I never knew he liked to fish,” Debbie said. “Interesting how you work with someone for years and really don’t know them.”
“Don’t you remember him taking trips when he was younger?”
“Oh, I guess so. But I never realized it was fishing.”
“Fissy,” Gini repeated.
“I’m sure when he gets back he’ll have a lot of fish stories. Like how the big one got away. Hahaha.” Maggie amused herself. “I like that you live right where I work so I can come and see you anytime.”
“New… hafe… medy… call… hab… cener… four… c.”
“Yes, exactly, honey, that’s where you live.”
It was a good decision to have Maggie talk to Gini. Her spirits were lifted when she found out Robert was on vacation.
The two ladies walked to the door. “Thanks for coming by, Maggie. I’m glad Robert took some time off. He needed it.”
“I think it was a sudden decision. He told me night before last he had given all his cases to John while he was gone. He seemed a bit troubled but didn’t want to talk about it. You said Mr. Santini hadn’t been here for a while. What’s his problem?”
“He… I know he loves her, but he has not totally accepted her disabilities. Talking about the babies dying has thrown him, I think. But I don’t have time to worry about Robert and Ric. Gini is my first priority.”
Maggie gave her a small hug. “You’re doing a great job with her. She’s a smart one there.”
“Yes, she is.”
About a week later, Robert walked to the rehab units.
“Ock… tor… un… gee.”
When Debbie looked up, she could see him at the nurses station. Then he went to a different room.
Gini waited patiently. Debbie hoped he’d come by but wasn’t sure if he would. It was obvious he was avoiding seeing Gini.
Her pager went off. “I’m heading to your unit.” Debbie smiled.
Gini was sitting on the couch, and he sat across the room in a chair.
“Did you have a good time?” Debbie asked.
“Yes.” He took in a deep breath and then rubbed his chin. “I needed to get away and get my head on straight.”
Gini giggled. “Ock… tor… un… gee… heed… uff… stray.” She giggled again, shaking her head. “Heed… uff… stray.”
He half smiled at her statement.
“And did you? Did you figure it all out?”
“I think so. Deb… it’s just that…”
She could see he struggled to talk about it. “Catch any fish?”
“Fiss?”
“A few. Every night after the fishing excursion, the kitchen at the resort would fix our catch for dinner. We had some pretty good meals, snapper, tuna, catfish.”
“Sounds delish. I can see some changes.”
“Changes? Like what?”
“Well, besides the nice tan, you’re wearing glasses.”
“I didn’t put my contacts in today. My eyes have been bothering me, maybe from too much sun.”
“I didn’t know you wore contacts.” Debbie shook her head.
“For years. I looked at Gini’s chart, and John told me she’s progressing and doing well.”
“Oh… yes…” Gini said.
“I’m glad, sweetheart. You’re going to be leaving us soon to get on with your life. Gini, you’re a hard worker.”
“Dee… bee… lah… uff.”
He didn’t stay long, but Debbie was glad he had stopped in for Gini’s
