Nick bellowed, thinking his best friend would try to help him as the chair slowly tipped backward.
No fucking way.
Shouting, “Oh, shit!” Conor slammed his shoulder into Nicholas’s gut as he caught the tilting edge of the TV to keep it from falling.
The chair flew backward, and as he fell, Nick tried to catch himself with an outflung arm. Big mistake. He felt a white hot flare of pain in his right shoulder as his full body weight landed on the arm that was twisted behind him to stop his fall.
“Son of a bitch!” Nicholas thought he was going to throw up from the pain.
“Oh, shit, Nick. I’m so sorry!” Conor’s worried face loomed over Nicholas. He gently checked the shoulder out, each touch making Nick want to scream. “What do you want me to do, man? I think it’s dislocated, but I’m not the EMT.”
Nicholas reached over and felt it gingerly. “Yeah, it’s dislocated. I need you to pull my arm out firmly, Con, and guide the ball back in the socket. I’ll probably yell, because it’s gonna hurt like a bastard, so don’t worry about it, okay?”
Conor nodded, eyes grim. Nick took a deep breath and signaled Conor to begin.
“Holymotherfuckingbitchcocksuckingshit!” Nick yelled as he felt the ball slip back into the socket and the pain lessen, but not as much as it should have. He breathed deeply, staring up at the ceiling to keep the tears in his eyes. “Conor, I need you to call my dad. This should feel a lot better, but it doesn’t. Tell him what happened and then give me the phone.”
Of course, Nick’s dad wanted to fly out right away, worried that his son’s medical career was over before it started, but Nick convinced him to wait until they knew if there was a reason for him to change his schedule. Eventually, Dr. Cooper agreed and made a call to a good friend and colleague of his at the university hospital to set up an appointment right away. Luckily, Dr. Call was on his free day and was willing to go into his office to check Nicholas out.
“Thank you for doing this, Dr. Call,” Nicholas said as the doctor was unlocking the door of his office, where he’d had Conor and Nicholas meet him.
“It’s Noah, Nicholas, and you’re welcome.” Dr. Call smiled. “I haven’t seen you in years.” Nick nodded, following Dr. Call and sitting on the indicated table. “Your dad tells me you will be joining us at the med school this fall. I’m glad to hear it.” As he was speaking, Dr. Call began gently examining Nick’s aching shoulder. After several uncomfortable moments, Nick was relieved when Dr. Call nodded and patted his uninjured shoulder. “Okay, I want to X-ray this and get an MRI, but I’m pretty sure you have some stretching of the ligaments and perhaps a small tear. If I’m right, you’ll have to baby this to be ready for school in a couple of months.”
Nicholas glared at Conor and then relented when he saw how miserable Con looked.
After the X-ray, Dr. Call confirmed his initial diagnosis. “It’s just as I thought. I want an MRI to be absolutely sure, but for now I’m going to give you a tight sling, and send you down to our physical therapy department to have a treatment plan worked out. They’re very good with caring for this type of injury, since they work with the school athletes. Call tomorrow and I’ll have your MRI scheduled.” He walked Nicholas to the door, asking pleasant questions about Nick’s mom and dad.
As they reached the door, Nick noticed Conor wasn’t with them any longer. Nick turned to see Con watching a tall, curvaceous blonde step off the elevator. She noticed him watching, smiled wickedly, and put a little extra swing into her walk as she sauntered down the hall. Conor watched with great pleasure; even Nick had to pause for a minute, before he realized that Dr. Call’s voice was getting fainter.
Nick grabbed his roommate’s arm and hurried to catch up to Dr. Call, who hadn’t noticed that they had stopped.
“You and Mr. Grady
No fucking way.
Shouting, “Oh, shit!” Conor slammed his shoulder into Nicholas’s gut as he caught the tilting edge of the TV to keep it from falling.
The chair flew backward, and as he fell, Nick tried to catch himself with an outflung arm. Big mistake. He felt a white hot flare of pain in his right shoulder as his full body weight landed on the arm that was twisted behind him to stop his fall.
“Son of a bitch!” Nicholas thought he was going to throw up from the pain.
“Oh, shit, Nick. I’m so sorry!” Conor’s worried face loomed over Nicholas. He gently checked the shoulder out, each touch making Nick want to scream. “What do you want me to do, man? I think it’s dislocated, but I’m not the EMT.”
Nicholas reached over and felt it gingerly. “Yeah, it’s dislocated. I need you to pull my arm out firmly, Con, and guide the ball back in the socket. I’ll probably yell, because it’s gonna hurt like a bastard, so don’t worry about it, okay?”
Conor nodded, eyes grim. Nick took a deep breath and signaled Conor to begin.
“Holymotherfuckingbitchcocksuckingshit!” Nick yelled as he felt the ball slip back into the socket and the pain lessen, but not as much as it should have. He breathed deeply, staring up at the ceiling to keep the tears in his eyes. “Conor, I need you to call my dad. This should feel a lot better, but it doesn’t. Tell him what happened and then give me the phone.”
Of course, Nick’s dad wanted to fly out right away, worried that his son’s medical career was over before it started, but Nick convinced him to wait until they knew if there was a reason for him to change his schedule. Eventually, Dr. Cooper agreed and made a call to a good friend and colleague of his at the university hospital to set up an appointment right away. Luckily, Dr. Call was on his free day and was willing to go into his office to check Nicholas out.
“Thank you for doing this, Dr. Call,” Nicholas said as the doctor was unlocking the door of his office, where he’d had Conor and Nicholas meet him.
“It’s Noah, Nicholas, and you’re welcome.” Dr. Call smiled. “I haven’t seen you in years.” Nick nodded, following Dr. Call and sitting on the indicated table. “Your dad tells me you will be joining us at the med school this fall. I’m glad to hear it.” As he was speaking, Dr. Call began gently examining Nick’s aching shoulder. After several uncomfortable moments, Nick was relieved when Dr. Call nodded and patted his uninjured shoulder. “Okay, I want to X-ray this and get an MRI, but I’m pretty sure you have some stretching of the ligaments and perhaps a small tear. If I’m right, you’ll have to baby this to be ready for school in a couple of months.”
Nicholas glared at Conor and then relented when he saw how miserable Con looked.
After the X-ray, Dr. Call confirmed his initial diagnosis. “It’s just as I thought. I want an MRI to be absolutely sure, but for now I’m going to give you a tight sling, and send you down to our physical therapy department to have a treatment plan worked out. They’re very good with caring for this type of injury, since they work with the school athletes. Call tomorrow and I’ll have your MRI scheduled.” He walked Nicholas to the door, asking pleasant questions about Nick’s mom and dad.
As they reached the door, Nick noticed Conor wasn’t with them any longer. Nick turned to see Con watching a tall, curvaceous blonde step off the elevator. She noticed him watching, smiled wickedly, and put a little extra swing into her walk as she sauntered down the hall. Conor watched with great pleasure; even Nick had to pause for a minute, before he realized that Dr. Call’s voice was getting fainter.
Nick grabbed his roommate’s arm and hurried to catch up to Dr. Call, who hadn’t noticed that they had stopped.
“You and Mr. Grady
Similar Books
