“Quarantined?” Treeny heard her sister Rachel’s voice rise and grinned, even though she wasn’t feeling all that lighthearted.
“Yes, ma’am. Until we know what this patient is suffering from, we’ve quarantined the exposed staff until such time as the tests come back. All the tests,” the senior doctor explained, again, to her distraught sister.
“But...but is she okay?” Treeny wanted to jump to her feet and rush to console her sister, but she was afraid by doing so, she might set the simmering panic to a full boil. Which with a very sick patient, and she and Vanessa in confinement with her, they didn’t need.
“I can assure you Dr. Deveau is fine. This is a precaution, but there is no reason to believe your sister will also contract the illness,” Dr. Youthers said calmly. He had expressed this same statement a few times already, in the same composed manner.
“Then why can’t I talk to her?” Rachel’s panic was palatable, even from two or three rooms away.
“After she’s finished with her patient, I’ll have her call you,” he replied, kindly, Treeny thought. Rachel sounded like she was ready to crack and that would bring out the best of Dr. Youthers’s caring instincts. Treeny and Vanessa were still removing their suits after checking on Ms. Livingston, but they could hear the conversation from the garbing room.
“Would you, please?” Panic crept through Rachel’s tone.
“I’ll be happy to have her call you. Truly we are concerned, but none of us feel this is contagious.”
Treeny heard Rachel take a deep breath and prayed she took control of herself. She wanted to comfort her sister, but was unable to do so in-person without possibly infecting her or her family. Hopefully the first person Rachel called would be Will. He’d manage to calm her sister down in about five seconds.
“Your sister sounds awfully concerned.” Treeny caught Vanessa’s amused glance as they stripped off their Tyvek suits.
“Yeah, well, your mama wasn’t any better.” Treeny’s lips quirked.
“She was ready to rip this place apart.”
“Yep. Which is why it’s so good Dr. Youthers is handling that part.”
“Right. Did you notice how my mama looked at him?”
Treeny perked up. “You know, you’re right. And he just lost his wife, right? Well, last year, but he’s seemed awfully lonely. Your mama like Jewish boys?”
Vanessa laughed. “Obviously, ‘cause she seemed to take to him.”
“That she did. He is a cutie.”
“I heard that,” Dr. Youthers said as he entered the room next to the one they inhabited.
“So, Dr. Youthers...” She elbowed Vanessa, who collapsed into a useless heap of giggles.
“So, Dr. Deveau...” he returned and peered at them over the tops of his glasses. “Are you playing matchmaker?”
“Maybe.” She grinned. “But you are a cutie and Vanessa’s mama is one of the sweetest, most gorgeous women I know.”
“I’ll remember that,” he promised, and by the way he said it, she thought he might. She exchanged glances with Vanessa. “Now, in the meantime, rather than worrying about my love life or lack thereof, perhaps you ladies ought to be more concerned about calling your families.”
Treeny smiled at him. “Right. Thanks for handling my sister. She tends to react with emotion.”
He nodded. “I noticed that.”
“I’ll call my brother-in-law first. He can calm her down faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
And she set off to call Will.
When she glanced over her shoulder to see if Vanessa followed she saw the good doctor and Vanessa enter into what looked like could become a deep conversation. Hmmm, Vanessa’s mama and Dr. Youthers, who would have guessed? With a small smile, she located her brother-in-law’s number.
“Rachel, is Will with you?” She waited a pace before she determined if her sister had calmed down. Will hadn’t answered his phone, so she decided to take a chance and try Rachel’s cell. Big mistake.
“Treeny?” Rachel wailed and started to cry, and Treeny swallowed.
“Obviously not,” she muttered. “Yes, Rachel, I’m here, and I’m fine. This quarantine is a precaution, but I really don’t think it’s serious. Where’s Will?”
“He’s coming here to the hospital. He called me.” Her sister sniffed and Treeny thought she made an effort to calm down.
“Good. I think you need him right now. Honestly, Rach, I’m fine. This is standard operating procedure.”
“What if you get sick?” Rachel demanded and Treeny stared at the ceiling.
“I don’t know. I’m a doctor. There’s always the possibility I can get sick. But it’s minimal at best.”
“But you’re quarantined.”
“Yes, I know. I’m fine. Doctors rarely get sick. We develop pretty tough immune systems.” She didn’t even want to think about what would happen if their patient had bacterial meningitis. Her throat tightened and her heart sank at the very thought.
She was grateful Ben was away right now. Because taking this home to him, or her nieces or nephews was totally unacceptable.
“You’ve been tested, too?” Her sister’s watery voice quavered over the line.
“Yes. Both me and the nurse who assisted me with this patient. This is a precaution. Nothing more.” Fortunately she and Vanessa had taken the blood samples, and kept the lab assistant outside the room. That way only she and Vanessa had been exposed.
“Rachel?” Treeny heard Will’s voice in the background and was thankful he arrived as quickly as he had. “Honey, give me the phone a second.” She heard him say and then the clicking noises indicating that a phone exchanged hands.
“Treeny?” Will’s confident voice vibrated over the line. With him here now his steadiness would hopefully seep into her wreck of a sister.
“I’m here, Will. Thanks for coming so quickly. She’s a mess.”
“Yes, but this isn’t unusual,” Will said, and she heard the acceptance and the love and affection in his voice regardless of her sister’s idiosyncrasies. That’s what love was supposed to be like.
“I know. Please assure her I’m fine. There’s really nothing to worry about.”
“You said this is a precaution?”
“Yes. Have KC or Janine run through the procedure with her and anyone else who asks who is concerned. It’s not a big deal. At all.” She tried to stress the last part, hoping they understood it was doubtful she’d develop whatever Ms. Livingston had. They were just being careful by placing her and Vanessa in quarantine.
“If you’re sure you’re all right?” She could hear Will calming her sister even as he asked.
“Promise. The best thing you can do for me right now is take Rachel home, calm her down, and go about your lives. This is routine, I’m fine, and I’ll be home before you know it.” Didn’t she sound perky? Treeny rolled her eyes at herself.
“Okay. You sound okay,” he said, but she heard him be distracted by her sister.
Rachel’s voice came over the line. “Treeny, are you really okay?”
“Rach, honestly, the nurse who is sequestered with me, Vanessa, and I just tried to hook up her mother with the doctor who you talked to—”
“You were matchmaking?” She grinned at the hope in Rachel’s voice.
“Yep, so you still think you need to take care of me?”
“No, you sound like you’re in fine form.”
“I am. Go home, kiss your kids, and make your family something for supper. I’m great,” Treeny said and turned in time to see her patient begin to seizure.