My Hometown Love

Chapter 42 – All-Nighter

Lexie’s P.O.V

It’s been two weeks since our little trip to Historical Jacksonville and a lot has happened since then.

For one, Kevin’s hand healed and he’s been doing great with his physiotherapy.  Unfortunately, this means he moved back into his house, alone. He might go back to work soon though. Second, my blog has been picking off well and I’ve been getting positive comments on my posts. Based on the reader counter widget I set up on the blog, the numbers have been increasing every day.

My phone vibrated on my desk, sending its vibrations through my hand. I look at the screen and see the picture of Kevin and Sally the horse appearing with the name ‘Kevin Walker’ underneath. I slide my finger across the screen and put the phone to my ear,

Lexie: “Heyyy!”

Kevin: “Hey Lex! How are you?”

Lexie: “I’m good! How’s your arm?”

Kevin: “It’s healing up nicely. My physiotherapist has been pushing me and making me do all the exercises to get all my arm function back. So far, I think it’s recovering all functions.”

Lexie: “That’s great Kev! You’ll be back at work in no time.”

Kevin: “That’s actually what I called to tell. I got the date for my boards today.”

Lexie: “Oh my god! When is it?”

Kevin: “Well I knew that it was going to be this month but I just got the date today. The exam is in two weeks, Lex!”

Lexie: “Oh wow! Are you prepared?”

Kevin: “Well, I’ll be camping in the library till then I guess.”

Lexie: “All the best! Let me know if you need someone to help you study!”

Kevin: “Will do! See you around.”

Lexie: “See ya!”

I hung up the phone and placed it back on my desk. Looks like in two weeks Kevin will finally be done with his exam and his hand will be healed.

I need to start planning!

************

Kevin’s P.O.V

“Question 103: A 30-year-old lady comes to you for assessment of fatigue and polyuria for the last 9 months. She has also had [….] No family history of hypercalcemia. She does not take any medications. Which medication would best address the cause for this patient’s hypercalcemia?”, I read out softly to myself.

Oh, I know this! Why can’t I remember it?!

I shut my eyes hard trying to dig out the answer from my memory palace. I open my eyes frustratingly and breathe out a heavy sigh. I scrambled to pick up one of the open textbooks in front of me and start flipping through it, scanning each page quickly.

Now, where did I read it?

I halt suddenly at the sight of a word on page 160.

Ahh, there is it!

I start reading the page intently, my eyes squinting with focus at every word as my fingers ran across the page. Once I reached the end of the page, I picked up the paper and read the question again.

Okay, based on her symptoms, I would prescribe her Prednisone.

I flipped to the last page of the paper to check the answer and was relieved to find my answer correct.

Another question done, 97 questions to go.

I shut the thick hard-cover textbook with both my palms, sending the sound echoing the silent library.

BANG!

The other people in the library glared at me while the librarian walked up to me, rapidly.

“SHHHHH!!”, she said with her finger on her lips.

“Sorry.”, I whispered before she turned around and walked away.

I slumped my head down on the table in defeat. I looked up to find myself drowning in piles of medical books around me. I rested my forehead on the cold glass table as I cursed myself frustratingly.

Come on Kevin. Buck up! You need to do this!

“Is this seat taken?”, I heard a voice ask.

I looked up to find a young girl, probably in her early 20’s, leaning against the table as she looks down at me with her hair twirled around her finger.

“Erm...no but I need to concentrate on this so I don’t think it’s a good idea that you sit here.”, I reply bluntly.

“Oh, I’ll be super quiet.”, she says as she pulls out a chair opposite me and sits down, pulling out a novel from her bag at the same time.

I ignore her and focus as I read the next question. Halfway into the question, I start feeling a bit uncomfortable like someone was staring at me. I look up to see her staring right at me despite her novel open in front of her.

“Can I help you with something?”, I ask with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

“Are you a doctor?”, she says as she points at my stethoscope peeking out of my bag.

“Yes.”, I answer briefly as I try to ignore her and continue with my studying.

“Such a good looking man who’s a doctor. I would so get sick if I could get treated by you.”, she replied as she rested her elbow on the table and leaned her chin on her palm.

“Excuse me, miss. First of all, I’m busy studying for something important and I don’t want to be distracted. Second, I am not single nor available. She means the world to me and I am not interested in scouting out for someone else.”, I yell through a whisper as I lean forward towards her.

“Ugh! Rude! You’re too bookish for me anyway.”, she says as she flips her hair and walks away from me.

I shake my head disapprovingly before inserting one side of my earphones in my ear and looking down at my paper, this time using my palms to cover my eyes from wandering my sight away from the paper.

This is crazy. I am so behind and I can’t even answer a simple question. I’m going to need a miracle to pass the boards.

“Hey, is this seat taken?”, I heard someone say.

Ugh! You’ve got to be kidding me! Not again!

“Listen, I have a girlfriend and I’m not interested.”, I say frustratingly without even looking up, as I pull out my earphone angrily to adjust it. 

“Girlfriend, huh?”, the voice says again, this time sounding familiar.

I look up abruptly to the source to find her standing in front of me.

“Lexie! Hi!”, I say out loud as I jump up on my feet.

************

Lexie’s P.O.V

I walked into the local library as my eyes scanned for Kevin. Based on what he said two weeks ago, he should be sitting for his boards tomorrow. So, he must be here, studying his brains out.

I looked at the small paper bag in my hand with a container inside. I had baked some chocolate chip cookies in case he needs some energy to study all night. Very unlike me but I wanted to.

I turned a corner and spotted Kevin with his palms covering his eyes as his head looked down at his book. I tiptoed towards him and decided to use his famous dialogue.

“Hey, is this seat taken?”, I said coolly.

His angry reply left me confused and curious.

Wait? Did I approach someone else thinking he was Kevin?

My eyes caught sight of his bag on the chair beside him with his stethoscope sticking out and his guitar keychain hanging on the zipper. I knew this was Kevin alright. So, why did he say that?

“Girlfriend, huh?”, I asked cynically.

It was then he looked up to see me and immediately stood up as he curiously wondered what I was doing here.

“What are you doing here?”, he asked as we sat back down.

“Thought you might need some last-minute help for your boards tomorrow and I brought you cookies!”, I said as I handed over the bag to him.

“Thanks, Lex! I really needed this.”, Kevin replied as he sneaked a quick bite.

“So, how’s it going?”, I asked as I peered at the table full of heavy medical books.

“To be honest, I’m drowning. I feel so left behind and there is so much to do in so little time.”, he replied as he buried his face in his hands sadly.

“Hey! Don’t worry! You can do this. We can cover everything before your test.”, I assured him.

“We?”, he said as he looked up from his hands.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you suffer alone, did you?”, I replied as I smiled at him.

“Thank you. So much.”, Kevin replied with full sincerity in his panda-like eyes.

“Ok, first things first. You need to go home and sleep. Meet me in the hospital in 4 hours and we will pull an all-nighter till you have to leave for your exam.”, I reply strategically.

“Yes ma’am! But, are you sure you wanna do this? I can manage myself you know, you don’t have to sacrifice your sleep for me.”, he asks with concern.

“I am the Queen of all-nighters. I used to do it all the time when I was studying. But, you have to have enough sleep. So, shoo! Go and sleep. I’ll pick you up at 8 p.m.”, I said as I got up from my seat and made him pack up his things.

“Okay! Okay! I’m going.”, he said as he packed up his things.

Soon, we walked out of the library and parted ways.

********

“Okay. Next question, a 23-year-old male has been referred from the emergency department for evaluation of shortness of breath. […] Currently, the physical examination and vital signs are normal. What is the most likely diagnosis?”, I ask Kevin.

“His symptoms suggest upper respiratory tract obstruction and […]. So, I believe it’s Paradoxical vocal cord motion.”, Kevin answers confidentially.

“Correct!”, I say as I pass him a cookie. 

Basically, we are sitting in the corner of the hospital cafeteria as I quiz Kevin, and every time he gets an answer right I add a quarter piece of the cookie to the paper plate. Once he collects 4 pieces, he can eat the whole cookie. It’s weird but it works.

We carried on this system throughout the night as we changed our location every 3 hours. During our breaks, Kevin would give me brief tours of the hospital. Eventually, as dawn broke we were finished with all the questions and Kevin was feeling confident.

*************

Kevin’s P.O.V

I checked my reflection in the mirror in the resident’s lounge. I was wearing a crisp white shirt, a blue tie with a black suit and pants. I adjusted my hair neatly before stuffing the rest of my stuff in the locker and grabbing my bag.

I made my way to the front of the hospital where Lexie was still waiting to see me off.

“You cleaned up good, Dr. Walker.”, she replied as she adjusted my collar.

“So, you good?”, Lexie asked before hiding her yawn.

“Yeah. Thanks for this Lex. I feel much confident now and I’m ready to get this done.”, I reply as I take in a big confident breath.

“Good. Go kill it!”, she replies sweetly.

I nod my head and was about to start walking towards the hospital shuttle van when I felt a hand grab my arm and hold me back.

I turn to see Lexie stopping me from moving as she hesitates to do something. Before I could open my mouth to ask her, she throws her arms around my neck, hugging me.

Suddenly, I feel a soft brief kiss on my cheek before I hear her voice whisper in my ear.

“Good luck Kevin.”