For just_1_word | 20.4 Doctor
Co-written with pullmysteth | Related to THIS
Harriet Ryan, editor and owner of the successful New York fashion magazine, Razor, was officially ready to run out of the exam room and not come back. Anymore fucking waiting, and she was done. She didn't care what promise she'd made to Marc, or that Kara had taken the time to drive her to Princeton. She didn't care if Aiden was going to kick her arse for it. She hated doctors as it was, but a doctor that made her wait this long was just asking for her foot in his crotch.
She huffed out a breath and tried to remember all the nice things Aiden and Kara had told her about Riley. She vaguely remembered him from Christmas, but it wasn't as if she'd had much chance to talk to him. Now he was just the guy who'd stuck his tongue down her best friend's fiance's throat. She should have felt maybe a little sorry for him, but she was currently in full on bitch mode after throwing up for nearly seven days straight and not being able to keep food down.
She really did just want to get out of here as quickly as possible, but it was hard when she was working on someone else's timeframe and not her own. And would it have killed someone to put a fucking magazine in here?
Riley hadn't made her wait by choice. In fact, he had been on his way to see her early when a phone call from Lachlan reached his cell phone and Riley had to absorb the shocking news about his godson in the staff dining room on the ICU, somehow managing to keep his cool. But he had promised Aiden he would see Harri and then promised Lachlan he would be up to the Paeds ward once he was done. Lachlan inevitably told him not to rush with assurances that his son was sleeping and okay for the moment. It hadn't really reassured Riley at all. He made his way to the exam room in the Clinic he had booked for Harri's appointment and collected her brand new PPTH Medical Record from the nurse at reception with a smile of thanks. He knocked on the door and entered the exam room, holding his hand up apologetically. "I'm really sorry I'm late. I got held up," he told her, grabbing for some latex gloves from the dispenser on the wall.
Harri glared at him, and tried to smile in understanding. It looked more like a grimace. "You're a very busy doctor, I understand. I should be grateful you made time to see me at all." She cleared her throat, but winced as that brought up bile. She honestly had nothing left in her stomach to throw up anymore. "Can we please just get this over with?"
Riley shook his head. "It was personal," he admitted apologetically. "My godson was admitted to the kid's ward last night. I was just on the phone to Lachlan. It's completely my fault I'm late and I really do apologise. I know how much this sucks and Aiden mentioned you hate doctors, which is okay. I hate them too," he told her with a small smile. He held up his gloved hands for a moment. "Are you okay with having me as your doctor?" he asked her, just assuming she knew from Aiden about the HIV. He still felt the need to check. She was practically family, especially now that Aiden and Pat were engaged.
Harri swallowed down the bitter retort that was about to escape and managed to let her face reflect concern. "Is he alright? I know how hard it was for Lachlan and his wife to conceive in the first place. If you'd rather be with them, I'd understand." Harri wasn't really just looking for an excuse to get out of the hospital. Not at all... "Yes, of course. I'm assuming you know how to be safe. If Aiden trusts you, I do."
Riley shook his head. "No, he's just been diagnosed with diabetes. It wasn't entirely unexpected. Tara has it and she was quite ill during the pregnancy. Her hyperglycemia inevitably transferred to Riley during the pregnancy. I think they're all still in shock, but the relieving factor is, Tara will know how to deal with it. It's really okay. You shouldn't let it go too long without seeing a doctor if you're concerned about something. It's best to be safe than sorry."
"I'm not sure Aiden does totally trust me of late," he said with a small laugh. "It's safe, I assure you that. Probably more so than any other doctor." He pulled the treatment stool over and sat down to open her file up. "Do you want to tell in your own words what's brought you to see a doctor?" he prompted.
"Aiden trusts you more than he trusts my boyfriend," Harri told him with a wry smile. "You should feel honoured. I'm sorry about the little Riley." Harri shifted and clutched a hand to her side. "Puking my fucking guts up for a week?" she suggested as she struggled through more nausea. "I can't keep anything down except chocolate mousse and sometimes water."
Riley nodded and scooted back in his chair to collect a sick bag from the treatment trolley. He shook it out and handed it to her, then took a pen from the pocket of his lab coat. "You're like a sister to him. Trust me, I've hated many of the blokes my sister has fucked, often for no reason at all. It's just our nature." He dated the fresh page of clinical notes and added the time of the consultation. "Any other symptoms beyond nausea and vomiting? Diarrhoea? Fever? Dizziness? Headache? Thirst?"
"Has your sister ever had someone you approve of?" Harri tried to focus on something other than the nausea as she clutched the bag he'd given her. "Erm, tiredness, I guess. I'm late. I thought maybe the flu I'd had fucked with my cycle... Quite a few trips to the toilet, and not just for throwing up. But it's not diarrhoea, just a lot of peeing. I have been drinking a lot of tea."
"She's engaged to him now," Riley confirmed with a smile but as she continued, his writing stopped and he looked up at her. "Flu doesn't fuck with a menstrual cycle, Harri. When did you have the flu? Have you been using contraception? I'll give you something for the nausea in a few minutes," he promised.
"Congratulations. I don't know that Aiden would be terribly happy if I announced any kind of intentions to marry Marc." She frowned. "A couple of weeks ago... And of course, I do. I'm on the Pill, and we use condoms. Except... well, I'm on the Pill," she finished lamely as realisation started to dawn just a little. "You don't--no. No, no, no, no. No!"
Riley bit on his lip briefly, remaining calm to try and not spook her any further. "Pregnancy will be the first thing I rule out in any female patient in your age group who comes to me with flu-like symptoms," he explained. "If you've been ill with the flu, vomiting and diarrhoea can stop a pill absorbing into your system and render it useless. Doctors would advise using condoms during any periods of illness and for about a week following it. When was the last time you saw a doctor? Or more importantly, did you have sex when you were ill or after without a condom?"
Harri tried to remain calm, but the cracks were already appearing in her cool facade. Her very irrational mind was telling her that if she hadn't agreed to see the doctor, then she wouldn't be pregnant. Not that he'd told her she was pregnant. It was just the way she chose to live in denial. "I saw a doctor briefly while I had the flu, but he never mentioned anything regarding the Pill. Pillock," she added with a frown. "And... it was after. I was feeling better, and horny, and there was no condom."
"There's a good chance the pills you were taking while you were sick weren't working, meaning you wouldn't be protected for at least a few days after the vomiting stopped. Especially if you were sick to the point you couldn't even keep water down. Do you want to just hop up on the exam table for me? I'll just have a check of your stomach to make sure nothing more serious might be going on. Would you consent to some blood and urine tests?" Riley asked her as he stood up and set her file down. "Bearing in mind, you can say no, but if you are pregnant, saying no won't take the baby away. If you say yes, you'll have more options the earlier in gestation you are and better your own health to ensure you have everything you need. I know denial is easy, Harri. It's a language I understand very well and it's okay to get pissed off or angry or cry. I won't tell anyone."
"What if I'm just... nothing?" Harri asked carefully, trying to work out if she was pissed off, or angry, or wanted to cry. Right now she wasn't sure what she was. "I'll be a horrible mother." She did as Riley asked though, and climbed up onto the exam table and lay back. "Tests are fine. It's the only way to know, right? I just... I've never been good with doctors or any of this stuff." She looked at him, preparing herself so she wouldn't flinch if he touched her. She didn't want him to think it was anything he did. Or because of the HIV.
Riley had been a doctor long enough to know that she was probably in shock right now. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder. "It's okay, Harri," he told her softly. "I'm not going to hurt you and I know this is scary. I won't tell you to relax because whenever a doctor tells me to to do that, it just pisses me off more. I'll take the tests, but the results won't come back immediately. Hospital tests are a little more succinct than an over-the-counter test. I could give you an ultrasound, which will show me right up, but I'll need to run you on a course of IV fluids to make sure you have a full bladder for the procedure, but I can tell from your skin consistency that you're already a little dehydrated, so it's not going to be a bad thing. You just need to give me a yes or no. An ultrasound can be quite a confronting form of diagnosis, though. A lot more real than a positive or negative on a piece of paper."
Harri's face twisted as she tried to work out if confronting was really what she needed right now. But given who she was, concrete was good. Real was good. Maybe she just needed to see it for herself to believe it, that she couldn't just ignore something on a piece of paper. She gave a small nod, fingers gripping the edge of the exam bed tightly. "Yes. Okay. Do it..."
Riley knew how scared she was and put his hand over hers, squeezing it softly. "You can trust me, okay? Yeah, I'm a doctor, but I know what it's like to be facing a scary outcome like this. I'll help you however I can," he promised. "I'll take you up to our Outpatients ward. The IV will take about an hour to run through and your bladder will feel like it's going to explode, but you can't use the bathroom. We'll get a better result if you hang on for the procedure. Do you have anyone with you? Someone you want to call or sit with you through it?"
Harri managed to give him a grateful smile. "Aiden was right about you, Dr Browne. I think you're the first doctor I haven't wanted to kick in the balls." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and gave a nod. "Someone's with me, but I--I think I want to try and call someone else first..."
Riley nodded. "Sure. I'll just get you a robe and take you up to the next floor. No need to get dressed all over again. I'm just going to make you change again for the ultrasound." He went over to the cupboard in the corner and took out a robe, handing it to her. "Not very fashionable, I know, but it hides everything really well," he assured her with a smile. "I'll get you a blanket, too. Keep that bag with you if you start to feel sick again. I'll be right back. I'll just go and book you in for the procedure."
Harri nodded, and took the robe, really not caring about fashion at this point. However exposing her arse to the world was something she could do without right now. "Thank you," she murmured, and looked at Riley. "I meant it..."
"I know," Riley told her softly. "It's going to be okay... either way, I'll help you make sure it is," he promised.
"I believe you," Harri admitted as she tugged the robe tightly closed around her waist and picked up the paper bag again. Now all she had to do was make that call when she had a moment.
Words: 2241 | All muses referenced with permission
Harriet Ryan, editor and owner of the successful New York fashion magazine, Razor, was officially ready to run out of the exam room and not come back. Anymore fucking waiting, and she was done. She didn't care what promise she'd made to Marc, or that Kara had taken the time to drive her to Princeton. She didn't care if Aiden was going to kick her arse for it. She hated doctors as it was, but a doctor that made her wait this long was just asking for her foot in his crotch.
She huffed out a breath and tried to remember all the nice things Aiden and Kara had told her about Riley. She vaguely remembered him from Christmas, but it wasn't as if she'd had much chance to talk to him. Now he was just the guy who'd stuck his tongue down her best friend's fiance's throat. She should have felt maybe a little sorry for him, but she was currently in full on bitch mode after throwing up for nearly seven days straight and not being able to keep food down.
She really did just want to get out of here as quickly as possible, but it was hard when she was working on someone else's timeframe and not her own. And would it have killed someone to put a fucking magazine in here?
Riley hadn't made her wait by choice. In fact, he had been on his way to see her early when a phone call from Lachlan reached his cell phone and Riley had to absorb the shocking news about his godson in the staff dining room on the ICU, somehow managing to keep his cool. But he had promised Aiden he would see Harri and then promised Lachlan he would be up to the Paeds ward once he was done. Lachlan inevitably told him not to rush with assurances that his son was sleeping and okay for the moment. It hadn't really reassured Riley at all. He made his way to the exam room in the Clinic he had booked for Harri's appointment and collected her brand new PPTH Medical Record from the nurse at reception with a smile of thanks. He knocked on the door and entered the exam room, holding his hand up apologetically. "I'm really sorry I'm late. I got held up," he told her, grabbing for some latex gloves from the dispenser on the wall.
Harri glared at him, and tried to smile in understanding. It looked more like a grimace. "You're a very busy doctor, I understand. I should be grateful you made time to see me at all." She cleared her throat, but winced as that brought up bile. She honestly had nothing left in her stomach to throw up anymore. "Can we please just get this over with?"
Riley shook his head. "It was personal," he admitted apologetically. "My godson was admitted to the kid's ward last night. I was just on the phone to Lachlan. It's completely my fault I'm late and I really do apologise. I know how much this sucks and Aiden mentioned you hate doctors, which is okay. I hate them too," he told her with a small smile. He held up his gloved hands for a moment. "Are you okay with having me as your doctor?" he asked her, just assuming she knew from Aiden about the HIV. He still felt the need to check. She was practically family, especially now that Aiden and Pat were engaged.
Harri swallowed down the bitter retort that was about to escape and managed to let her face reflect concern. "Is he alright? I know how hard it was for Lachlan and his wife to conceive in the first place. If you'd rather be with them, I'd understand." Harri wasn't really just looking for an excuse to get out of the hospital. Not at all... "Yes, of course. I'm assuming you know how to be safe. If Aiden trusts you, I do."
Riley shook his head. "No, he's just been diagnosed with diabetes. It wasn't entirely unexpected. Tara has it and she was quite ill during the pregnancy. Her hyperglycemia inevitably transferred to Riley during the pregnancy. I think they're all still in shock, but the relieving factor is, Tara will know how to deal with it. It's really okay. You shouldn't let it go too long without seeing a doctor if you're concerned about something. It's best to be safe than sorry."
"I'm not sure Aiden does totally trust me of late," he said with a small laugh. "It's safe, I assure you that. Probably more so than any other doctor." He pulled the treatment stool over and sat down to open her file up. "Do you want to tell in your own words what's brought you to see a doctor?" he prompted.
"Aiden trusts you more than he trusts my boyfriend," Harri told him with a wry smile. "You should feel honoured. I'm sorry about the little Riley." Harri shifted and clutched a hand to her side. "Puking my fucking guts up for a week?" she suggested as she struggled through more nausea. "I can't keep anything down except chocolate mousse and sometimes water."
Riley nodded and scooted back in his chair to collect a sick bag from the treatment trolley. He shook it out and handed it to her, then took a pen from the pocket of his lab coat. "You're like a sister to him. Trust me, I've hated many of the blokes my sister has fucked, often for no reason at all. It's just our nature." He dated the fresh page of clinical notes and added the time of the consultation. "Any other symptoms beyond nausea and vomiting? Diarrhoea? Fever? Dizziness? Headache? Thirst?"
"Has your sister ever had someone you approve of?" Harri tried to focus on something other than the nausea as she clutched the bag he'd given her. "Erm, tiredness, I guess. I'm late. I thought maybe the flu I'd had fucked with my cycle... Quite a few trips to the toilet, and not just for throwing up. But it's not diarrhoea, just a lot of peeing. I have been drinking a lot of tea."
"She's engaged to him now," Riley confirmed with a smile but as she continued, his writing stopped and he looked up at her. "Flu doesn't fuck with a menstrual cycle, Harri. When did you have the flu? Have you been using contraception? I'll give you something for the nausea in a few minutes," he promised.
"Congratulations. I don't know that Aiden would be terribly happy if I announced any kind of intentions to marry Marc." She frowned. "A couple of weeks ago... And of course, I do. I'm on the Pill, and we use condoms. Except... well, I'm on the Pill," she finished lamely as realisation started to dawn just a little. "You don't--no. No, no, no, no. No!"
Riley bit on his lip briefly, remaining calm to try and not spook her any further. "Pregnancy will be the first thing I rule out in any female patient in your age group who comes to me with flu-like symptoms," he explained. "If you've been ill with the flu, vomiting and diarrhoea can stop a pill absorbing into your system and render it useless. Doctors would advise using condoms during any periods of illness and for about a week following it. When was the last time you saw a doctor? Or more importantly, did you have sex when you were ill or after without a condom?"
Harri tried to remain calm, but the cracks were already appearing in her cool facade. Her very irrational mind was telling her that if she hadn't agreed to see the doctor, then she wouldn't be pregnant. Not that he'd told her she was pregnant. It was just the way she chose to live in denial. "I saw a doctor briefly while I had the flu, but he never mentioned anything regarding the Pill. Pillock," she added with a frown. "And... it was after. I was feeling better, and horny, and there was no condom."
"There's a good chance the pills you were taking while you were sick weren't working, meaning you wouldn't be protected for at least a few days after the vomiting stopped. Especially if you were sick to the point you couldn't even keep water down. Do you want to just hop up on the exam table for me? I'll just have a check of your stomach to make sure nothing more serious might be going on. Would you consent to some blood and urine tests?" Riley asked her as he stood up and set her file down. "Bearing in mind, you can say no, but if you are pregnant, saying no won't take the baby away. If you say yes, you'll have more options the earlier in gestation you are and better your own health to ensure you have everything you need. I know denial is easy, Harri. It's a language I understand very well and it's okay to get pissed off or angry or cry. I won't tell anyone."
"What if I'm just... nothing?" Harri asked carefully, trying to work out if she was pissed off, or angry, or wanted to cry. Right now she wasn't sure what she was. "I'll be a horrible mother." She did as Riley asked though, and climbed up onto the exam table and lay back. "Tests are fine. It's the only way to know, right? I just... I've never been good with doctors or any of this stuff." She looked at him, preparing herself so she wouldn't flinch if he touched her. She didn't want him to think it was anything he did. Or because of the HIV.
Riley had been a doctor long enough to know that she was probably in shock right now. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder. "It's okay, Harri," he told her softly. "I'm not going to hurt you and I know this is scary. I won't tell you to relax because whenever a doctor tells me to to do that, it just pisses me off more. I'll take the tests, but the results won't come back immediately. Hospital tests are a little more succinct than an over-the-counter test. I could give you an ultrasound, which will show me right up, but I'll need to run you on a course of IV fluids to make sure you have a full bladder for the procedure, but I can tell from your skin consistency that you're already a little dehydrated, so it's not going to be a bad thing. You just need to give me a yes or no. An ultrasound can be quite a confronting form of diagnosis, though. A lot more real than a positive or negative on a piece of paper."
Harri's face twisted as she tried to work out if confronting was really what she needed right now. But given who she was, concrete was good. Real was good. Maybe she just needed to see it for herself to believe it, that she couldn't just ignore something on a piece of paper. She gave a small nod, fingers gripping the edge of the exam bed tightly. "Yes. Okay. Do it..."
Riley knew how scared she was and put his hand over hers, squeezing it softly. "You can trust me, okay? Yeah, I'm a doctor, but I know what it's like to be facing a scary outcome like this. I'll help you however I can," he promised. "I'll take you up to our Outpatients ward. The IV will take about an hour to run through and your bladder will feel like it's going to explode, but you can't use the bathroom. We'll get a better result if you hang on for the procedure. Do you have anyone with you? Someone you want to call or sit with you through it?"
Harri managed to give him a grateful smile. "Aiden was right about you, Dr Browne. I think you're the first doctor I haven't wanted to kick in the balls." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and gave a nod. "Someone's with me, but I--I think I want to try and call someone else first..."
Riley nodded. "Sure. I'll just get you a robe and take you up to the next floor. No need to get dressed all over again. I'm just going to make you change again for the ultrasound." He went over to the cupboard in the corner and took out a robe, handing it to her. "Not very fashionable, I know, but it hides everything really well," he assured her with a smile. "I'll get you a blanket, too. Keep that bag with you if you start to feel sick again. I'll be right back. I'll just go and book you in for the procedure."
Harri nodded, and took the robe, really not caring about fashion at this point. However exposing her arse to the world was something she could do without right now. "Thank you," she murmured, and looked at Riley. "I meant it..."
"I know," Riley told her softly. "It's going to be okay... either way, I'll help you make sure it is," he promised.
"I believe you," Harri admitted as she tugged the robe tightly closed around her waist and picked up the paper bag again. Now all she had to do was make that call when she had a moment.
Words: 2241 | All muses referenced with permission