Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins Read Free Book Online Page B

reached the Stanford Hospital emergency room. Brock walked me in as I leaned heavily on his arm. My equilibrium felt off, as if a breeze would tip me over. And the bottoms of my feet had a strange burning sensation. Brock settled me into a chair and went to check me in. The place was nearly empty. I could hear my husband's voice, declaring who he was and demanding that someone see his wife immediately.
    I could barely sit up in the waiting chair.
    How could this happen so fast? How could I plunge from healthy to hapless in so few days? I stared at the hands twisting in my lap. Maybe Brock was right. That man who'd stalked me had injected me with some kind of poison. Once the doctors found it in my system, they'd know what to do. They'd fix me. In a few days I would be better.
    Brock sat down beside me, tapping his knees, his back not touching the chair. Such energy it took to be impatient.
    A nurse soon appeared to usher us into a small room. They laid me on a bed and brought me a warmed blanket. A white-coated physician entered, introducing himself as Dr. Sherar. He looked in his sixties, thinning brown hair and a round, friendly face. The kind of doctor you'd instantly trust. He and Brock seemed to know each other. They shook hands. I didn't hold mine out to shake. It would hurt too much.
    Once again I explained all my symptoms. They sounded so nonsensical I found myself not wanting to name them all. A bona fide hypochondriac would be proud of my list of complaints.
    "This tiredness is so . . ." I had a word, but it wouldn't come. "Different. Weird."
    "How so?" Dr. Sherar looked down upon me, a concerned frown etching his forehead.
    "It's so fierce. I've been pregnant. Had the flu. All the normal things that make you tired. But this is like . . . you know those lead blankets they put on you for protection when you get an X-ray? How heavy they are? I feel like t-ten of those are on me. But not on me. In me. Wrapped around my lungs. It's so hard to move. It's like walking in a . . ." The word I wanted ran and hid. I pushed out air, biting my lip. "Swimming pool. With the water up to your neck."
    Dr. Sherar and Brock exchanged a glance. "All right. Let's take a look at you."
    He lifted my right arm and probed the elbow. Pain shot through me. "Ah!"
    "That hurts, huh."
    I nodded.
    He felt the muscles. I gasped again. My legs were just as bad, as if he were pressing deep bruises. My chest was the worst. "You're pushing too hard!"
    "I'm sorry. I'm actually being gentle. The area is very tender."
    I didn't want any more. I just wanted to go home. "Please." Tears blurred my eyes. "Stop."
    Dr. Sherar and Brock left the room. I could hear them talking in low tones in the hall but couldn't make out the words. No matter. I knew Brock was telling Dr. Sherar about the threatening phone calls, discussing with him the various poisons that may have been injected into me.
    Long minutes ticked by. I drifted into a fitful sleep.
    A nurse awoke me to take blood. She drew vials of it. "Hey, gonna leave me some?" I gave her what I knew was a pasty smile. She patted my shoulder.
    "Almost done."
    I also gave them a urine sample.
    Dr. Sherar and Brock returned. "Mrs. McNeil," Dr. Sherar nodded at me, "we'd like you to stay the night. There are tests we need to run on you tomorrow."
    My mouth opened. I looked from him to my husband, betrayal sluicing through my veins. I thought of Lauren with her suitcase, preparing to stay the night with Katie. Brock had known this would happen.
    "Why can't I just come back tomorrow?"
    "Jannie." Brock's voice was firm. "You need to stay."
    Dr. Sherar picked up my chart. "Who's your regular physician?"
    "Dr. Oppenheimer. But he's an OB/GYN."
    "You don't have a family physician, a general practitioner?"
    "No. I . . . I've always been so healthy." I looked from the doctor to Brock. "I really don't want to stay."
    Dr. Sherar patted my arm. "Few people do. But we think it's important in your case to check you out