The Doctor on Call

Chapter 5

The next day, all I can think about was Bonnie and Leo's "relations". The word makes me cringe on the inside. Just having this sort of dilemma is more than what I wanted when I took this job. I just wanted to work hard and live on my own so I could prove my parents wrong but nope. In walks the stubborn, arrogant, handsome, Leo Pryce to throw me off my axis.

For Christ sake, the man doesn't believe in commitment and It's keeping me from even thinking about getting close to him like everyone else here. I don't want to be one of his women but I also don't want a relationship. I'm not ready to put my trust into anyone's hands just yet. My ex-made sure that he left me broken. I'm sure if I had to see Troy's face today, I would slap that deep southern accent right from his vocal cords.

After lunch, I return to the office early and no one is back yet. I take a seat behind the desk just as the elevators open back up. A guy walks in with blood on his shirt and I quickly stand.

"Are you okay?"

Walking around the desk, I grab a pair of gloves and put them on.

"Please sit down, I need to check you." I tell the guy but he doesn't seem to be listening.

He doesn't look at me or say anything. I go to lift his shirt to see where the blood is coming from and all of a sudden, he goes crazy. He pushes me onto the floor and starts pushing blood pressure machines over. He yells something but I don't understand him. Getting to my feet, I hold my hands out.

"Please calm down sir" I pick up the phone and hit the code help button to alert this wing of the hospital and hopefully, Leo.

The wild man grabs my arm and throws me into a small cart. My hand lands on a closed syringe next to a bottle of sedative that was supposed to be put away. I watch the man continue to throw things around as I fill the syringe with a little more than the regular calming dosage. When he sees the needle in my hand, he yells, charging at me. I jump out of his reach and grab the back of his shirt, pulling him to the floor just as the elevator opens.

"Nyla!" Leo yells and I jam the needle into the man's arm administering the medicine.

After a few seconds, he calms down and I flick the cap on the needle. I fall back onto my butt, breathing hard as Leo and Rose check on the man. A few EMTs come up and remove him from the clinic.

I'm sitting on the floor against the wall and Leo kneels down in front of me "Are you okay?"

I nod, taking a deep breath "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little out of breath. He threw me around a bit"

Leo's face hardens "Come to an exam room. Let me check you right quick"

"I'm fine, Leo."

"Now, Nyla" His eyes darken and I know not to argue. He helps me up and I follow him into a room. Sitting on the exam table, I feel a sharp pain in my side.

I flinch hard. "Oww!"

"Take off your shirt for me" So bossy. I pull off the shirt, flinching again.

"Looks like you bruised your back a little. He presses into it and I hiss.

"Stop" I groan. "Who was that man?"

"His name is Victor. He is a drug addict with a history of mental illness. He comes in every few months and stirs things up. You're lucky. He is usually a lot more aggressive" He sighs still frowning hard.

"Well, for the most part, you're fine. I'll get you a painkiller. Think you can make it the rest of the day?" I see the concern in his expression and I know he is close to sending me home.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just sore." I slide off the table and grab my shirt, gently pulling it back on.

I smooth my hair back and compose myself while Leo exits the room to get me an ibuprofen. I stretch a few times just to work out the kink in my back and Leo walks back in. As he hands me a cup of water and the medication, I look at him look at me.

"What?"

"You should've waited for us. It wasn't safe for you to take him on alone. You could've gotten hurt" He takes the cup from me and tosses it in the trash.

"I didn't really think about it. I just...took initiative." I shrug "That's what this field is all about, isn't it?"

"Yes, but you just should've waited for me." His tone throws me off a bit.

"Okay. Well, I'm sorry. I promise not to take down a mentally unstable patient twice my size ever again. Even though you have to admit, I took him down good" I nod smiling and a smirk creeps up on his lips.

"You're words not mine"

"Oh, Pryce, it wounds you to give a compliment" I lean back in the exam bed.

"It does. It wounds me bad" He raises his hand over his chest and pouts, making me laugh.

The always so composed Pryce is making jokes. After asking me if I'm okay two more times, he releases me from the exam room to finish work. He doesn't bring up the relations bit which is good because I wasn't in the mood to get into it.

Later that day, Rose invites me over her house for wine and a movie. I agree, but I see something in her eye that says she has something up her sleeve. When the office slows a bit, I decide to pry her for information on Leo.

"Nyla, I can't just spill the beans on the man"

"Please, Rose. I just want to know a little about him. So what's up with this Bonnie chick?"

Rose raises an eyebrow "Bonnie? How do you know about her?"

"I saw her last night. She came and visited Leo"

Rose rolls her eyes "She is a b***h but she likes to keep Leo on a leash. Let's him go for a bit before she yanks him back. She'll leave for a few weeks and sleep with any Shmoe Joe, then come back and act all lovey with Leo. I try to tell him to kick her to the curb but he says it isn't serious between them. It's a lie because when she is in town, she stays with him"

So, she is living with him right now? That means her clothes are in the closet and her toothbrush is on the sink. Sounds like more than relations to me.

"He makes it sound like he isn't into anything serious, but she is living with him" I slump down in my seat "Such a jerk" I mumble. I see Rose's eyebrow flinch. What is with her?

"He isn't that bad" She says as she starts typing on her computer.

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna just have relations with anyone like that. It should be special" I whisper and Rose slowly turns her head to me.

"Nyla," she scoots her chair close to mine "Are you a virgin, sweetie?"

My cheeks immediately heat up and her eyes widen "Nooo!"

I cover my eyes. "Guilty"

"Does Leo know?"

I shake my head "Heck no he doesn't know!"

"Doesn't know what?"

Our head shoots up and Leo is leaning against the counter. Rose clears her throat.

"Uh...Know.....you don't know that....I’m having a small dinner tonight and was going to invite you." She spits out and I nudge her with my knee. Uh no, you can't just invite Leo over when you just invited me over a few minutes ago. We can't even be in the same room together without wanting to jump on each other.

Just fabulous, Rose.

Later that night when I'm getting ready for the most awkward dinner of my life, I pull out a black dress with small ruffles in the front and simple wedged heels. Before leaving, I pull a wine from my shelf that my dad gave me the day I moved in. I head out early, wanting to get there before Leo so I can talk to Rose alone. I don't know why there are a million butterflies resting in my belly. It's just something about him that man that just, ugh.

I pull up in Rose's driveway and get out feeling my nerves spike. Calm down, Nyla. He is just a man. A sexy, smart, overbearing man who gets my panties wet from time to time.

I knock in the door and Rose answers.

"Oh, Nyla, you're like 30 minutes early" Her voice sounds weird, but I pay it no mind. "Come in." She steps aside and I walk in. As I enter her living room, a dripping wet, Leo comes downstairs with a towel around his waist.

"Rose, have you seen my-" He freezes when he sees me standing there. "Nyla"

"Leo" I mumble turning to look at Rose who’s standing at the door. "What is going on? Are you two sleeping together?" Venom roll off my tongue and Rose's eyes widen.

"No! God No!"

"Then what the hell is this!" I don't know why I'm so angry....or jealous, but I seriously want to hit something right now. I thought Rose was my friend and yet a naked Leo is strutting through her house and comfortable like.

When Rose doesn't answer I step towards the door.

"I think I should go" I mumble. And in unison, both of them say no. I stop and turn to wait for an explanation.

"Leo, is my cousin" Rose exhales.

I look up at Leo and he nods. "Your...cousin?"

"Yes. We're cousins." She smiles a bit trying to hide her amusement from my behavior.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Seriously, I've been pouring my feelings out for him to his cousin.

"Because I don't want people thinking I get special treatment from Leo. Even though I don't unlike some people" She raises her eyebrow at me and I flush red.

"Oh" Is all I can muster up.

"I'm going to go get dressed" Leo finally speaks turning on his heel and heading back upstairs.

"So do you two, like lived together?"

Rose shakes her head and takes the wine from my hand.

"No. He lives across town and didn't want to make the drive so he decided to shower and get dressed here. Some of his clothes are here from when stayed here a few months ago while is condo was under construction. You really thought we were sleeping together?"

My face turns redder and I want to slap myself. "I feel so embarrassed"

"You've got it bad, girl. You were ready to tackle me about, Leo" she laughs and I roll my eyes.

At the dinner table, Leo sits next to me and Rose sits across from us. As we eat, I try my best not to imagine his hand landing on my thigh under the tablecloth. I side eye him a few times as he talks but every time I look at him, he is looking at me.

"So Nyla, how have you been liking the clinic? it's been a few weeks now." Rose asks

"I love it. It's pretty much everything I thought it would be. I like the busyness of it all. I like to help people so it's quite perfect" I smile looking down at my food.

"No problems with your boss?" Rose says cause me to look up, scowling at her.

"Nope. He is hard, but not impossible to deal with" I look at Leo, giving him a small smile. He raises an eyebrow.

"Hmm, I heard he was an asshole"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I was the first person to spread that rumor." Rose laughs and Leo throws his napkin at her. It's weird seeing them so playful when they hardly talk at work. It's a nice change.

"Have you always wanted to be in the health field, Rose?" when I ask, her face falls a bit and so does Leo's. What did I say?

"No, I wanted to be an artist when I was younger. I was about to go to Spain to study art with my dad died.”

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. After that my world changed and suddenly I wanted to take care of people. If I can help someone in some way then I know I'm making a difference." She peeks over at Leo who nods, reached over the table to grab her hand.

I envy their relationship. I was never close with my extended family or my immediate family for that matter. I stare at their hands holding and Leo clears his throat.

"You okay, Nyla?"

"Huh? oh, yes. I'm fine." I plaster a fake smile on my face but I know he sees through it. It makes me miss someone. Someone I haven't seen in a long time.

When it gets late, Leo walks me out to my car. "I had fun tonight. I needed this. It gets pretty lonely living alone"

"I know the feeling. I could come by some time" Leo tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"That won't be needed." I smirk and my cheeks heat. I look down trying to hide it but Leo nudges my chin making me look up at him.

"When are you going to give in?"

Right now if you keep looking at me like that.

"I just can't Leo. You should get home to Bonnie." I watch Leo flinch at the name and his hand drops from my chin. "Rose told you?"

I nod. He takes a deep breath and puts his hands in his pocket. No! He's getting defensive.

"Look, Nyla, I can't apologize for the way that I live. I won't."

"I'm not asking you too. I'm just telling you that I can't be a part of the way you live. I don't want to be just relations. I like you, but I can't."

A small spark flashes in his eyes "You like me?"

I roll my eyes "Isn't it obvious?"

"Yeah, but to hear you say it is different." He steps closer to me and cups my face. I breathe a sigh of relief that he's touching me again. I love his touch. I lean against his hand and he frowns

"I could kill the guy that broke your heart so badly."

Oh, Leo. How can a man immune to commitment be so sweet to me?

A car passes by, breaking my spell and I clear my throat. "I should get home" I whisper.

Leo opens my car door for me and I slide in. Before he closes the door, reaches down tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. "Drive safe, Nyla"

I nod slowly and he steps back and closes the door separating us. I take a deep breath and crank my car up as he steps back, watching me pull out of the driveway. I feel my nose tingle and tears threaten to spill over. Why does this man constantly make me cry?!

When I get home, I pull my hair into a nest of a bun and pull on an oversized shirt. Taking out my contacts, put on my glasses and head downstairs to make myself a cup of tea. One of my recent indulges that took some getting used to. I wasn't used to tea that wasn't cold with a pound of sugar in it but hot tea soothes me nowadays. Oh, Cali, how you've changed me.

Curled up on the couch, I watch Grey's Anatomy on Netflix till I doze off. When I awake, it's still dark out but I hear the faint sound of birds chirping. I check the time and its 4:53am. I groan rolling off the couch and when I start to head upstairs, my phone rings.

Who is calling at this time?

"Hello?"

"Sweetie, it's mom. I'm at the hospital you work at with your father. He had an accident on Charlie, his horse, yesterday and he thought he was fine but about an hour ago he started complaining of pain in his back and chest." Her voice cracks and I know she's been crying. She cries for everything. Maybe that's where I get it from.

"Okay, mom, I'll be there. Give me 30 minutes" I hang up and run upstairs to get my shoes. As I'm leaving the house, Leo comes to mind for no reason. That man.

I get to the hospital and I run into Bennett, who works on the weekend. Thank God I only work on the clinic side. I don't know how he does it.

He shows me where my mom and dad are, who are talking with the attending doctor. He tells us that my dad he pulled a few muscles, but wants to keep him for a few hours just to make sure it's nothing serious. Of course, my mother starts crying from happiness.

"Oh, dear I thought you were dying" she mumbles covering her mouth. I want to roll my eyes, but it's always nice to see her so worried and in love with my father.

After an hour, Bennett lets me lay down in the nurse room. I fall into a deep sleep until I feel someone whispering my name. I groan and my eyes flutter open "Leo?"

"Yeah, it's me ba-....yeah, it's me" He is kneeling my head brushing my hair out of my face.

"What are you doing here?" I sit up.

"Bennett called. Said you were here with your parents. Thought I'd swing by and check in you."

"It's 7 in the morning on a Saturday. Shouldn't you be in bed?" with Bonnie?

As if reading my mind, he frowns "Yeah but some things are more important."