Chapter 45
“So, you’ve been taking the pills twice a day?” Dr. Flathers asked DeeAnn.
Jacob was standing closely beside her.
“I think so, though I may have taken more when it didn’t seem like the pain was going away,” DeeAnn said. She hated being in the doctor’s office.
“I think you did take more, or you’d still have them,” Dr. Flathers told her. “I’m only going to authorize this prescription for another week. If I have to, I’ll send someone to your house to give you only two a day.”
“For God’s sake,” DeeAnn said. “What is the big deal? I thought the pills were supposed to take away my pain. Why shouldn’t I take another when one isn’t working?”
“These pills are very addictive,” Dr. Flathers said.
“But I’m a big woman,” she replied.
The doctor took his glasses off and looked her in the eye. “I’ve taken that into consideration and given you the proper dosage. And if you hadn’t noticed, you’ve actually lost some weight since you hurt your back. Now, if you’re unhappy, you are welcome to get another medical opinion.”
DeeAnn had lost weight. All of her pants were baggy. She’d been in too much pain to shop for new ones.
“But you’ve been our doctor for twenty years,” Jacob said.
“I can still be your doctor and you can still get a second opinion. If you wish. But I would not be a good doctor if I allowed DeeAnn to abuse these pills,” said Dr. Flathers.
“Abuse!” DeeAnn cried. “I’m not abusing them. I’m in pain. Constantly.”
“Constantly?” Dr. Flathers asked, raising an eyebrow. “If that’s the case, let’s get another series of X-rays. Maybe there’s something we missed.”
“Okay,” Jacob said. “Let’s do that. Is there another pain medication we can give her?”
“Jacob!” DeeAnn hissed. “I like those.”
“I can see that,” Jacob said after a pause.
“There are others we can try, but anything in this group of painkillers will have the same addictive quality. This is the most effective kind of painkiller on the market. After a few more weeks, I’d like to see you go down to one a day,” Dr. Flathers said. “But first, let’s get more X-rays.”
“Really?” DeeAnn said. “Do you know how uncomfortable and painful that’s going to be?”
“Is she always this big of a pain in the ass?” DeeAnn heard a voice say from the hallway. In walked her daughter Tracy, who was supposed to be in Texas . . . in school.
“What are you doing here?” DeeAnn asked. Her spikes of mother’s intuition were raised.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” Jacob said as his daughter hugged him.
“What’s going on here? Did they call you in for reinforcement?” DeeAnn sat with her arms crossed.
“Not exactly, Mom,” Tracy said, leaning over and kissing her. “I finished a couple finals and wanted to see you. That’s all.”
“All the way from Texas? I wasn’t born yesterday,” DeeAnn said, wondering who had set this up.
“No, indeed,” Dr. Flathers said. “Here’s the prescription. Two a day. Now I’ll have my nurse make an X-ray appointment for you. Are you free today?”
DeeAnn snorted.
Jacob shifted his weight. “I really should be going back to work.”
“I’m here,” Tracy said. “I’ll take you to get X-rayed and get your prescription filled. We can have a nice visit.”
DeeAnn loved Tracy with all of her heart—and then some—but she had the bedside manner of a drill sergeant. DeeAnn was not looking forward to her being around when she didn’t have the mettle to defend herself.
“Sounds good to me,” Jacob said and kissed first Tracy, then DeeAnn. “Be a good patient.”
“Humph,” DeeAnn said, reaching for her cane. She hated the thing. It made her look old. But it helped manage the pain—a bit. “Might as well get this over with.”
After her X-rays, during which the technicians managed to get her in some of the most god-awful and uncomfortable positions, Tracy drove her to the pharmacy, then home.
“Was that Cookie walking along the street?” Tracy asked her.
“Yes, that’s just about the only thing she does now. She walks and walks. Sometimes she shows up at the strangest times.”
“So she’s no better, huh?”
DeeAnn shook her head. “I have to wonder if she’ll ever get better. Or if she even wants to. She seems to really not like the doctor she’s working with now. He follows her around and she says he’s a pain. I don’t think she wants to remember.”
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“I don’t know, honey. I think there’s something awful in her past she doesn’t want to face.” DeeAnn sighed.
“What could be more awful than being accused of murder, being arrested, then kidnapped and struck by lightning?” Tracy wondered.
“There’s plenty that could be worse than that,” DeeAnn said, thinking about the Martelino sisters. “Plenty.”