The First Ghost. Marguerite Butler
witty to say, but what popped out instead was, “Were you her doctor, too?”
He pulled back slightly with a puzzled look. “Her?”
“Her. That girl.” I motioned toward Corinne’s now empty bed. “The one who died.”
“Oh, that girl. Yes, I was the attending when she was brought in, too. Very sad. She was so young.”
“She didn’t have any family or anyone except her aunt.”
He sat up straighter. “Did you know her?”
“No, I...um...” I’m a dreadful liar. My mind searched for something plausible. “I overheard somebody talking.”
“The nurses?” He frowned. “Hospital personnel shouldn’t be gossiping like that.”
I didn’t mean to get anyone in trouble. “I don’t think it was a nurse. I...I’m not sure who it was.” I put a hand dramatically to my forehead and felt the bandage there. “I’m not quite myself today. Maybe I misunderstood. I hoped that her aunt knew. That’s all.”
“It’s sweet to be so concerned about a stranger.” The warm smile was back. He was either the most compassionate doctor I’d ever met or he was totally digging me. Somehow I wasn’t sure whether to be creeped out or flattered.
“I sort of feel responsible for her.” As I said it, I realized it was true and I knew I was going to help Corinne. Just this one time. Just this one ghost. “No one should die all alone. Did they get in touch with her aunt?”
“I don’t know. I just did the ER intake. I can check.”
“Would you? It would really set my mind at ease. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here.”
“I imagine they’ll let you go home tomorrow afternoon. We only admitted you because you were unconscious for so long. That’s not normal given the severity of your injury.”
“I thought it was just a bump.”
“It was. I meant the injury wasn’t that severe. You shouldn’t have been out of it for so long. But your eyes rolled up and you were muttering about a man on the train tracks and...well...it was a little spooky,” he admitted, not looking at all stalker-ish. “When I heard you were okay, I wanted to see for myself.”
“I know I fell, but I don’t remember much after that.”
“That part is normal for a head injury. At least you didn’t damage anything permanently. You should probably stay at home for a couple of days to heal up. You...uh...do live around here, right?”
He was so cute and transparent. “I’m local,” I said with a smile. “I wish I could stay at home, but my boss is a real Cruella de Vil. It’s back to work for me. She would fire me for any old reason.”
“Even with a doctor’s note?”
I considered the offer. “Not then, but she’d make my life hell. It’s better that I go in. How early will they let me out of here?”
“Not too early. You have to be cleared by the specialist first and you definitely aren’t going to work tomorrow. Maybe the day after that. If you wanted to give me your number, I could call you.” He made a note on the clipboard. “About the aunt,” he added.
My smile grew. “You can call me for any old reason.” I gave him my number.
* * * *
Dr. Wonderful was absolutely right about the timeliness of my release. I spent the better part of the next day being poked and prodded and annoyed by a rainbow of lab techs and nurses and doctors wearing colorful scrubs.
By two o’clock that afternoon I was pissed off and ready to check out of the hospital. I sat in my wheelchair like an invalid in the U-shaped drive-through waiting to be picked up like luggage, watching cars cycle through and wondering where the heck my brother was. Harry is rarely on time, but you’d think he could manage to pick up his only sister from the hospital after he had promised me faithfully that he would. I wrapped the hospital blanket tighter around me. Much more of this and I would have to go back inside. My toes already felt numb even though I’d put my boots and wooly socks back on.
“Are you sure someone’s coming to pick you up?”
I recognized the morose voice without turning my head. “I wondered when you’d be back, Corinne.”
“I was so depressed, I needed to find chocolate.”
“You can eat?” That was interesting.
“No.” Corinne sounded even sadder.
“All the more reason to cross over.”
“No.”
I sighed and glanced around to make sure no one was measuring me for a straitjacket. Thank God that in the wireless age people can seem to be talking to the thin air. No one was paying me any mind.
“I’ve been thinking, Corinne. I’ll call your aunt for you and give her whatever message you want, even if the hospital already did. And I’ll check on the dog. I’ll make sure he’s got a good home. How’s that?”
“Really? You’ll do that?”
“Miss?” An orderly gave me a puzzled look. I looked at him like he was daft and tapped my ear like I had an earpiece in it. He nodded and wandered off. I was going to have to buy a wireless set for real and wear it before I got carted off to the funny farm.
“Yes, I’ll do it. But you have to promise to let Hephzibah take you across, okay? Deal?” She was silent for long enough to make me look over at her. “Hello? Earth to Corinne?”
“What are you doing?” Harry stood there holding open the door to a gray Honda Civic.
“I didn’t recognize the car. Where’s your Chevy?”
“It’s a rental. The Nova’s getting a new suspension and Mother has the van. Are you getting in?”
I scowled back. “Took you long enough to get here. I’m frigging cold.”
“So get in the car.”
A gentleman would have offered to help me, but this was no gentleman. This was my twin brother. I had to schlep my belongings into the car myself. “Thanks for the lift.”
“Yeah, Mother said I had to. How’s your head?”
“It hurts. How’s Jennifer?”
“We broke up.” He pulled forward slowly, trying to avoid the wheelchair orderlies, but as soon as he cleared the patient-zoned horseshoe he stomped the gas. The rental lingered for a moment and then leapt forward, mashing me back against the seat. I closed my eyes. Harry’s driving is enough to scare anyone half to death and if I looked up and saw Hephzibah riding shotgun with us, I’d probably start screaming.
“Sorry about Jennifer.”
“Why? You hated her.”
I winced at the squealing of brakes. Honking and swearing told me we were merging onto the turnpike.
“She was silly and shallow,” I said. “You can do better.”
“She had big boobs.”
“On second thought, maybe you two deserved one another.”
He swore and the car swerved to the left. I braced myself against the dash, still refusing to open my eyes.
“I’m not exactly a hot commodity on the dating circuit, Portia.”
“I was just kidding, Harry. You’re a catch.”
More swerving and swearing. “Yeah, right. I live at home.”
“And whose fault is that? Move out, deadbeat. You’ve got a job.”
“I work