Love's Dream

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Book excerpt

Chapter One 

Marcus Drake entered his house and started taking off his tie and suit jacket. He was tired, but it was a good kind of tired. He had done rounds at the hospital before taking the evening off to attend the double wedding of Mallie with Daniel and Dana Wilson with Bob Jenkins. It had been good to see everyone so happy after the ordeal they had gone through just four months before.

Mallie and Daniel, his former patients, had been in comas. Then they suddenly woke up, declaring that they met while comatose and fell in love. Everyone was astonished. The hospital had run a lot of tests on them, trying to find answers. The nurses were convinced it was the magic of love. Marcus shrugged. He had no better answer. Maybe they were right.

Since their release from the hospital, Mallie’s mother, Dana Wilson, and Daniel’s mom, Mary Grey, had been on a campaign to include him in as many of their family meetings as they could persuade him to attend. He was reluctant at first, but he was enjoying making friends with the two families and their friends and neighbours. It was also a good way for him to keep an eye on Mallie and Daniel. He wanted to make certain they continued to be well.

Marcus sighed as he went into his bedroom and finished undressing. He decided that a relaxing time in his hot tub was just what he needed.  He turned on the water and started filling the tub. While  it was filling, he went into his kitchen to get a bottle of water. After getting his water, he returned to his large bath room. The room was equipped with a shower and double lavatories. The shower was used more often when he was in a hurry to get to the hospital. He slid down into the water and leaned back with a sigh of appreciation.

He was very fortunate to have a trust fund set up by his grandparents on his dad’s side of the family. They had fixed it so that his dad could not get into it, so it  was intact when he needed it to pay his way through medical school. It helped him to buy his house and get set up.

His mom and dad did not understand why he wanted to practice medicine in the small town of Denton. They had wanted him to practice in a larger city, where they could hold him up like a trophy to show off.

Marcus leaned back and closed his eyes. He thought about the scene at their home, the last time he visited there. It had been two years since that visit. He had not been back since then. He did not want a repeat of that happening.

His parents had ignored him growing up, leaving him with a nanny and tutor. He was only summoned when they wanted to put him on display for their friends.

When he went to college and medical school, he lived on campus. He avoided going home.  Once, when he went home for a visit, they were throwing a party and did not seem to notice him being there. After he went back to college, he made other plans when there was a scheduled break. He would either go somewhere with friends or stay in the dorm room and study.

He was doing very well at the hospital and he enjoyed being in charge. Medicine was his life. He was happy when he could make a difference in the lives he touched.

Marcus thought about Mallie and Daniel. It had been a beautiful wedding. It took place in Dana’s back yard. There were flowers everywhere. An altar was built, large enough for two couples. Mallie and Daniel were so in love, it was a joy to watch them. Dana and Bob were in love also, but it seemed to be a quieter kind of love. Mallie and Dana had looked very beautiful as mother and daughter walked  side by side down the isle to where their grooms were waiting.

Dana was moving into Bob’s house after the wedding. Mallie and Daniel were going to stay in Dana and Mallie’s house. Daniel quit his job with the big law firm he had been working at before going into the hospital. He decided to take Bob up on his offer of a job in the real estate office’s new law office. He had been studying up on real estate law. They had a few details to work out but, they were all excited that everything was working out so well.

Marcus climbed out of the hot tub and wrapped himself in a large fluffy towel before heading into the bedroom to get ready for bed. Putting on some boxers, he climbed into bed. He used the remote to turn off the lights and settled in to sleep.

“Help me! Help me!”

Marcus abruptly sat up in bed, jolted from sleep by a female voice calling for help. He looked around the room, then rising from bed, he went over and looked out of the window. There was nothing out there. He went into the kitchen and looked out of the windows in there.

“Well,” said Marcus. “I guess, I must have been dreaming. It seemed so real.”

Marcus returned to the bedroom and checked the clock. It had been only three hours since he lay down. He went back to bed and willed himself to get some more sleep. Tomorrow would be here soon.

Marcus had settled deeply into sleep when the same female voice sounded again.

“Help me, someone help me,” implored the female voice.

Marcus did not wake up this time. He sank deeper into the dream.

“Who are you?” he asked. “What is wrong?”

“My name is Valerie Mason. I am in a hospital in Rolling Fork. I was stung by a bee and I am very allergic to bee stings. I passed out before I could  reach my purse to get my medicine. My friend called an ambulance and they carried me to the hospital.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” replied Marcus.

“No, it’s not. The doctor gave me a shot of epinephrine. I am allergic to it also. I can’t tell them what the problem is. If I wasn’t hooked up to oxygen I would not be here, now.” The voice seemed to get more agitated.

“Calm down,” said Marcus. “Do you know what you should be taking?”

“Yes, my family doctor put me on Chlorpheniramine. He also gave me Albuterol to help with breathing,” she replied.

“Do you know the name of the doctor treating you at the hospital?” Marcus asked.

“Yes, it’s Dr. Steel,” she replied.

“Ok, let me see what I can do. By the way, my name is Marcus. I am a doctor, also. I will see if I can get you some help. You hang on and try to relax.”

“Thank you, Marcus.”

With that, Marcus woke up. He sat up in bed and looked around. Then he reached for his phone. Dialling “O” for operator, Marcus waited impatiently.

“Hello,” said Marcus, when the operator answered. “Could you connect me to the hospital in Rolling Fork?”

“Just a moment, please,” replied the operator.

The phone started to ring. After three rings it was answered.

“Hello, Rolling Fork Hospital. How may I help you?”

“Could you tell me if you have a patient named Valerie Mason?”

“Just a moment, please. Yes, we do. She is in ICU.”

“I see,” said Marcus. “Could you connect me with Dr. Steel? Tell him that it is Dr. Marcus Drake calling.”

“Yes,” she replied. “Hold, please.”

While waiting on the phone, Marcus could hear Dr. Steel being paged and he was impatient for him to answer.

“This is Dr. Steel. You paged me.”

“Yes, doctor. You have a call from Dr. Marcus Drake.”

“Put me through,” replied Dr. Steel.

The phones clicked and then the two doctors were connected.

“What can I do for you, Dr. Drake?” asked Dr. Steel.

“You are treating Valerie Mason for a bee sting,” replied Marcus.

“Yes, I am,” said Dr. Steel. “She’s not doing well.”

“That’s because you gave her epinephrine. She’s allergic to it, also,” said Marcus. “You need to give her Chlorpheniramine with Albuterol to help with breathing. If you look in her purse, you will see her prescription from her family doctor.”

“Thank you for calling Dr. Drake.” Dr. Steel slammed down the phone and ran down the hall. He stopped at the nurse’s station long enough to order the new medicine and then hurried on into ICU.

The people in ICU were startled at the urgency coming from Dr. Steel as he entered the room where Valerie Mason was a patient. There was an older lady sitting by the bed keeping vigil.

The nurse came rushing in with the medicine Dr. Steel had ordered as he passed the nurse’s station. Dr. Steel motioned for her to add it to the IV flowing into Valerie’s arm. The nurse came forward and inserted the needle into the IV, adding it to the mixture.

Dr. Steel turned to the lady sitting by the bed. “Do you know where her purse is?” He asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “It’s over there.” She motioned to the small closet.

Dr. Steel went to the closet and and opened the door. Taking Valerie’s purse from the shelf, he looked inside. Sure enough, there were two prescription bottles inside. He took them out and looked at them. He shook his head with a sigh, then he replaced the bottles in the purse and returned it to the closet.

“How is she doing?” he asked the nurse, as he returned to the bedside. He checked the monitors and took a close look at Valerie.

“She seems to be breathing a little easier,” replied the nurse.

“Good,” replied Dr. Steel. “Keep her monitored and notify me if there is any change.”

“Yes, Doctor,” replied the nurse.

Dr. Steel turned and left the room.