Chapter 5

Shaking her head at their antics, Melody approached the pair.

“Can I get you anything while you’re waiting for your friend?” she asked them.

Seeing the naughty looks on their faces, she rolled her eyes and clarified

“Do you want something to eat or drink?”

“Sure, I could eat!” said David.

Richie snorted “Sure, you can! You’re breathing!” Seeing Mel’s puzzled look he explained “He eats 24/7!”

“Hey! I’m a growing boy!” complained David.

“Aha, sure! But you’re growing sideways!” snickered Richie

“I am NOT!” said David sucking in his slightly protruding belly.

Melody laughed and stepped out of the room. She went to the unit’s pantry and surveyed the contents of the refrigerator.

Hmmm, slim pickings again. O well.

She grabbed two ham and cheese sandwiches and two bottles of Poland Spring, then thought for a second and replaced one of the sandwiches with a roast beef one and added a couple of packets of mayo and mustard to her pile. Placing her findings on a cardboard tray, she hurried back to the trauma room. Once there, Melody pulled an over the bed table towards the guest chairs and placed the tray on it.

“Help yourselves!” she told the men and turned to leave.

“Thank you darlin!” murmured Richie grabbing the ham and cheese and unwrapping the sandwich. David was busy fixing his sandwich.

“You’re welcome guys. I’ll be back in a few. Bon Appetite!” She winked at them and stepped out.

Back in the room Richie finished his sandwich and grinned at David. “What do you thing Lemma?”

“It’s a bit dry, but will do in a pinch.”

“Not the sandwich, asshole, the girl! Melody!”

“Ahh, she’s sweet!” chuckled David “Nice package, sharp and witty. I like her!”
He was about to say more but his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled out his iPhone and glanced at the caller ID.

“Hi honey, yeah we’re still at the hospital with Kidd. Nope, no news yet. Thanks for taking the kids home by the way. Yep, I do remember we have an eleven am appointment with the wedding planner. Aha, love you too darlin.” He side glanced at Richie as he put away his phone.

“Shut up asshole! Not another word!”

Richie grinned and made another motion imitating a whip being snapped.

Mel sat down in the break lounge with a bottle of water. She took a sip and rested her head on wall behind her.

Wow, can this day get any stranger? Only this morning I was moaning and groaning that I couldn’t switch my shift and join the girls for the concert when they offered me that extra ticket. And now what? The fate, or should I say Sal and Vinnie, just dropped my favorite rock group into my lap. Man, they do look great up close. I swear if I look into those chocolate eyes again I’ll melt into a puddle.

“Melody, Diagnostic Imaging on line one” sputtered the intercom.

Mel got up, shook her head, took one last sip from her bottle and reached for the wall phone.

“This is Mel, how can I help you?” she listened intently to the fast chatter on the other end of the line.

“Pull him out! He is having a panic attack. He’s claustrophobic! I’ll be right there!” She hung up and punched in a four digit extension.

“Doctor Arroyo, its Mel. Our patient is having a panic attack in the MRI. I’m pretty sure its due to claustrophobia.”

She listened to the response and jotted down few notes on the scratch pad “OK, valium 10 migs IV push. Got it. Thank you.”

Hanging up the phone she ran out of the lounge. Grabbing a couple of syringes out of med cart, she unlocked the narcotic locker and pulled out a glass vial and checked the label. After locking the locker and checking the door, she put the vial, syringes, plastic needles and few alcohol swabs in her pocket and ran for the elevators. Punching the call button, she tapped her foot impatiently until the doors opened. Jumping in she pushed the basement button and waited for the doors to close and reopen at her destination. She once again ran following the signs directing her towards the MRI suite. Arriving at the entrance, Mel swiped her ID card and entered the door marked “Control Room”.

“OK Jim, I’m here and I got the “Vitamin V” she told the tech.

The scrawny bearded man in dark blue scrubs just waved his hand towards a large glass panel separating them from the rest of the suite. Peering through the glass, Mel saw Jon sitting up on the sliding table, rubbing his left calf and hyperventilating. Shaking her head she turned to Jim and mouthed “microphone”.

“Right here Mel” said Jim and pointed to the white plastic contraption with a switch next to it, currently set to “OFF”. She nodded and leaned closer to the microphone and flipped it on.

“Jon, Its Melody. Can you hear me?”

She heard a faint “Yes” and saw him nod.

“Good. I need you to do me a huge favor. Try to control your breathing, if you continue to hyperventilate, you will pass out! My rule is to keep it to one fainting rock star per shift and Richie already fulfilled that quota!”

He flashed her a faint smile and nodded. Then took a nice deep breath and slowly exhaled.

“That’s it Jon. You can do it!. I’m coming in with something that will help you relax and get through this, but I need few minutes to get cleared.”

She turned to Jim “I need to get in there and give him something.”

“Sure, you know the routine Melody. Take everything metal off your body and empty your pockets.”

She sighed and took off the lanyard with her ID, emptied her pockets and placed everything in the plastic bin offered to her by Jim. Then picked up the supplies and a small glass bottle and placed them in the plastic bag. Turning back to Jim she stood in front of him expectantly. The MRI tech picked up his portable metal detector wand and started sweeping her body. Melody jumped when the whistle sounded and looked at grinning Jim.

“Wearing an under wire are you?” he asked.

“Uhmmm, yeah, I think I am” Melody said blushing.

“Well, it needs to come off if you wanna go inside the magnet room! Need help?” he leered.

“Nope, perfectly capable of doing it myself.” she muttered and turned to face away as she quickly reached under her roomy scrubs, unhooked and removed her undergarment. Placing the pink lace bra into the bin with the rest of her stuff she turned back to Jim and let him finish his sweep. When no further sounds came from the wand, Jim nodded and pressed the buzzer to unlock the heavy door separating the control room from the rest of the suit.

Melody ran into the scan room and cringing at the loud clicking noise approached Jon.

“Hey, how are you hanging in there?”

“A bit better now that you’re here.” he grinned, still rubbing the back of his left calf.

“Leg still hurting pretty bad?”

“Actually it is getting better since you gave me that ‘industrial strength Advil” he grinned.

“Well, I got something else for you. It will help you relax inside the scanner.”

“Ahh, about that scanner… Is there any other way of checking my leg without pulling me into that coffin?”

“I’m afraid not. But the valium I’ll give you will help!”

“Mel, I’d rather not take anything that will make me loopy. Is there anything else?”

Melody thought for a moment then nodded. “Are you willing to let me try some Complementary Medicine Therapy on you?”

“As long as it does not involve drugs, I’m game” he sighed.

“OK, let me try some Essential Oil and Guided Imagery to help you relax.”

“Oil? Mmm sounds kinky!” He smirked.

“You wish!” she grinned and walked to the supply cart in the corner of the room to grab a small square of gauze.


Pulling out the glass bottle out of her bag with supplies she opened it up and placed three drops of the liquid contained inside on the gauze square. Turning back to Jon she smiled.

“OK, I need you to lay back and try to relax.” Seeing him eyeing her wearily she laughed “This is just lavender, would please trust me!”

Jon exhaled loudly and laid back down on the table. “OK, do your Voodoo!”