Lonesome Christmas - 3

Written for Steemit: ©Jeff Kubitz 2016 - All Rights Reserved.

In Case You Missed the Previous:
Lonesome Christmas - 1
Lonesome Christmas - 2

Image Source - Dreamstime.com

Doctor Ellen Penney awoke Christmas morning very early. Because she was single, she handled the rounds of married doctors on Christmas and many of the other holidays. She fed Spot and Frisky. She checked their water. Dressed and micro waved a breakfast, and then she was off at 4:00 am to make the rounds of the patients. She had scheduled Renee last; her meeting with her youngest patient would be in room 443 with Doctor Fredricks.

"Ugh!" At eight am Paul awaked on his couch still in his running sweats but he had kicked off his shoes in the night. He was sore and hungry but really sore. First thing he did was shower. Then, he cooked himself eight eggs and toast to carb up. While his breakfast cooked, he stretched, or tried to stretch.

"I very much over did it last night." He took three Motrin to help his sore muscles stay relaxed. He was out the door, dressed in a sweater, jeans and loafers, with a heavy parka jacket. It was Minneapolis/St. Paul after all and if there was global warming, it wasn't here. He didn't expect any traffic and there wasn't any this Christmas morning. He should be at the hospital in 15 minutes. Paul prayed and hoped his four year old niece, Renee, would not be diagnosed with cancer. With his son gone, he did not know if he could take another death. He was brave, a courageous man but the trip was filled with a deep fear, like the family had been cursed or something.

Paul parked in the hospital parking lot which was not very full so he was able to park very close to the entrance and exited his car. A few minutes later, he walked down the corridor. Each step nearly caused him to utter grunt. His breathing was labored.

"Are you alright?" Doctor Ellie Penney asked him at his shoulder. "You sound like you are in a lot of pain."

Paul turned to look at the woman who had spoken to him and was about to say something when their eyes met. He stopped, right there and instead of just a perfunctory, "I'm alright, thanks for asking." He couldn't think of anything to say.

They stood looking into each other's blue eyes. He just a few inches taller than she. "Excuse me, what did you say?" Paul could not remember what she had said.

"I...I asked you if you were alright. Umm...you sounded as if you are in a lot of pain." Ellie enquired again. She had trouble thinking in front of Paul.

"My name is Paul. Paul Stokes." He managed to say, then held out his hand to the woman, "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name."

"My name is Doctor Ellen Penney." Ellie answered as she took his hand and shook it. "I see that you are married." Ellie smiled.

"No, I am not married. I am widowed. I just haven't taken the ring off."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear about your loss." Ellie paused, "I did ask if you were alright, physically, I mean."

"Yes, I just ran too much last night. I am sore."

"Ran on Christmas Eve?" Ellie asked.

"I needed to go for a run; my niece is in room 443, Renee Walker."

"I am about to visit her, are you family?" Ellie asked.

"Her uncle."

"Well, let's go on in, I am her surgeon. Doctor Fredricks is already there, I suppose." Ellie looked dismayed but remained calm and held out her hand to indicate the direction they should travel. She took a step and Paul moved to walk alongside her.

"You really do sound like you are in some serious pain, do you think you need to be examined." Ellie asked.

"Maybe later," Paul answered, "I just came to see my niece and be with my sister while the Doctors reveal their diagnosis."

"Oh, yes."

"You don't know the diagnosis do you?" Paul asked Ellie as they reached the door and looked into the room. Karla slept on a couch next to the bed and Renee was uncharacteristically still asleep.

"I do not." Ellie answered Paul as she entered the room. "But I don't see Doctor Fredricks anywhere. What's that next to the bed, it looks like a note?" Ellie walked over and picked up a specimen bottle with something in it. She shook it. Looked like crystals. She set down the bottle and picked up the note.

"Doctor Penney." She read. Karla came awake as Paul touched her. Karla sat up and rubbed her eyes. Ellie read to herself, “I examined the tumors last night. As I examined one, a crystal oozed out and it turned out to be a small shard of glass. I then carefully looked at all the others and pulled these shards of glass out of each one. The tests results were all negative. Patient does not have cancer. It was past midnight, everyone was sound asleep, so I left the note with the specimen bottle. If you have any questions, I will be available in three days time. Call me. Fredricks."

Ellie took the bottle and the note and walked over to Karla on the couch, "Are you awake?"

Karla nodded.

"I have very good news. Renee does not have cancer; the tumors were caused by these pieces of glass." Ellie passed the bottle to Karla so she could see what caused the tumors.

"Oh that is wonderful." Karla took the bottle and hugged Ellie, Doctor Penney. "Thank you."

"What was that?" Paul asked. Ellie and Karla turned to Paul and said together in a whisper,

"No cancer, Paul." Ellie smiled and said, "Renee does not have cancer."

"Yippee!" Paul jumped up with his fist in the air and came down with, "Ugh!"

Renee woke from her sleep and yelled, "Momma! Paul!"

"I wanted to check her surgery and bandages, anyways." Ellie said as she moved over to Renee. Paul and Karla hugged each other. "Oh thank God." Karla said.

Doctor Ellie and Renee made small talk while the surgery stitches and the bandage were examined. Then, Doctor Penney looked at Renee and said, "Everything is going to be fine but I think you need to sit in the hospital for just a couple of more days, Okay?"

"Okay." Renee answered. Then she looked at her Momma and Paul, "Why so happy?"

"It's Christmas today. Everyone is happy," Karla said to her daughter, "You are happy it is Christmas, today?"

"Yes, I am happy it Christmas. Where is the tree and where is my presents?" Renee said, "Did Santa Claus come to our house?"

"Oh I am very certain Santa Claus came to our house." Karla said to Renee. "I am so very certain."

"Let me have your apartment keys and I could go check for you?" Paul said to Renee and Karla.

Doctor Penney excused herself and began to walk out of the room. While Karla looked for her keys, Paul went out after Ellen. He caught her in the hall,

"Ellen, Doctor Penney," Paul said, "Could I call you? Would you like to go out sometime? For coffee?"

Ellie Penney had not been asked out by anyone for the longest time. She really did not know how to respond but as he asked her, her eyes met his and they locked. A few moments later, a few beats of the heart she said to Paul,

"Call me Ellie. I am off for the rest of the day, Merry Christmas!" She smiled.

"Merry Christmas? Yes it is! You want to go for coffee, or come with me to get the presents?" Paul asked uncertain what she meant.

"I will meet you down in the cafeteria with coffee to go. Is that alright with you?"

It was alright with Paul and Paul was alright with Ellie forever, ever more. Christmases for them were never lonesome again.

The End, Merry Christmas

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