The Patient Record (Vignette)
Familiarity breeds contempt - and children. ~ Mark Twain
Gabe has talked to Jess... again. He goes to find out a few things on his own, and comes up with the beginnings of a plan.
"At least sleep on it," Jess had begged him as he turned his back and walked away. Well, he had. And Gabrion had drawn a few conclusions, too.
What he needed was a plan of action. The first step was to confirm what Jess had told him, since at this point he didn't trust a sharding word that came out of her mouth. The look in her eyes when he asked if she hadn't been drinking the tea like she'd promised -- that was all he needed to see.
He headed into the infirmary and hung his jacket on the rack. "I'll be right back and help you finish that," he said to the journeyman who was making the examination stations ready for today's patients. "Got to check the duty schedule." The journeyman just nodded without looking up from his task and said, "Glad you're feeling better." Gabe grimaced. He certainly was better, but his stomach was still tender - he'd never heard of a hangover that went on longer than one day.
Worry about that later. For now, the chart. Right there in the 'Recent Patients' bin. He skimmed the duty schedule quickly, just in case anyone asked him when he went back out, but in seconds he'd dropped it on the counter and was rifling through the bin. There it was: Jess, daughter of Boriessa of High Reaches Weyr and (unknown father: possibly J'sper of HRW?) He pulled it out and flipped open the folder, holding the place in the bin with one hand. And there it was, in Madilla's neat hand.
Patient suspects pregnancy. Menstrual period 20 days late. Some breast tenderness. Pelvic exam inconclusive, but pregnancy could not be ruled out.
Patient does not wish to terminate pregnancy, if it exists. Advised patient on proper diet for pregnant women & to avoid going between.
Possible fathers of child: Gabrion of High Reaches Weyr.
Gabe swore at seeing his name right there in the record. Great. She'd left his rank off, how nice of her. If it turned out Jess really was pregnant and the hall found out, he wouldn't have it much longer. Maybe that was why Madilla didn't write it down, he thought, but then dismissed that idea and banished the mental sneer that came with it as being unworthy of him, or at least poorly targeted. It wasn't Madilla he was angry at.
In fact, he was going to need her help, if he wanted to get that notation changed before anyone important found out about it. But first, he needed to talk to Gev. And then to Jess. Yeah, there were quiiiite a few things that he and Jess needed to get straight between them.
Gabe put the chart back in the bin, but at the very back, behind the very last patient who had come in yesterday. The journeymen usually reviewed them in order starting at the front, so that would buy him a little time. Enough, probably. He just had to be quick about arranging things.
With a grim smile on his face, Gabe washed his hands carefully and patted them dry, then headed out to the infirmary's main room to get to work.
Gabe has talked to Jess... again. He goes to find out a few things on his own, and comes up with the beginnings of a plan.
"At least sleep on it," Jess had begged him as he turned his back and walked away. Well, he had. And Gabrion had drawn a few conclusions, too.
What he needed was a plan of action. The first step was to confirm what Jess had told him, since at this point he didn't trust a sharding word that came out of her mouth. The look in her eyes when he asked if she hadn't been drinking the tea like she'd promised -- that was all he needed to see.
He headed into the infirmary and hung his jacket on the rack. "I'll be right back and help you finish that," he said to the journeyman who was making the examination stations ready for today's patients. "Got to check the duty schedule." The journeyman just nodded without looking up from his task and said, "Glad you're feeling better." Gabe grimaced. He certainly was better, but his stomach was still tender - he'd never heard of a hangover that went on longer than one day.
Worry about that later. For now, the chart. Right there in the 'Recent Patients' bin. He skimmed the duty schedule quickly, just in case anyone asked him when he went back out, but in seconds he'd dropped it on the counter and was rifling through the bin. There it was: Jess, daughter of Boriessa of High Reaches Weyr and (unknown father: possibly J'sper of HRW?) He pulled it out and flipped open the folder, holding the place in the bin with one hand. And there it was, in Madilla's neat hand.
Patient suspects pregnancy. Menstrual period 20 days late. Some breast tenderness. Pelvic exam inconclusive, but pregnancy could not be ruled out.
Patient does not wish to terminate pregnancy, if it exists. Advised patient on proper diet for pregnant women & to avoid going between.
Possible fathers of child: Gabrion of High Reaches Weyr.
Gabe swore at seeing his name right there in the record. Great. She'd left his rank off, how nice of her. If it turned out Jess really was pregnant and the hall found out, he wouldn't have it much longer. Maybe that was why Madilla didn't write it down, he thought, but then dismissed that idea and banished the mental sneer that came with it as being unworthy of him, or at least poorly targeted. It wasn't Madilla he was angry at.
In fact, he was going to need her help, if he wanted to get that notation changed before anyone important found out about it. But first, he needed to talk to Gev. And then to Jess. Yeah, there were quiiiite a few things that he and Jess needed to get straight between them.
Gabe put the chart back in the bin, but at the very back, behind the very last patient who had come in yesterday. The journeymen usually reviewed them in order starting at the front, so that would buy him a little time. Enough, probably. He just had to be quick about arranging things.
With a grim smile on his face, Gabe washed his hands carefully and patted them dry, then headed out to the infirmary's main room to get to work.