“Wh-what happened?”
“Mrs. Teager collapsed in the middle of the street.” The woman continues to talk as she leads me to the ER. “She’s still unconscious and has sprained her ankle. We did an X-ray. Here, the doctor will tell you more.”
She pulls back a curtain, and my pulse skyrockets as Vienna lies on the bed, eyes closed. She has blue tape on her ankle and arm, and a white bandage covering a spot, where she probably hit herself on her forehead.
“Sh-she’s okay?”
A doctor in scrubs approaches me. “Your wife’s fine, Mr. Teager. There’s no fracture, but she has a mild concussion and sprained her ankle and hand. We were lucky we had Mrs. Teager’s details, including your number, in our system. We did an X-ray and ran some bloodwork.”
Vienna’s soft groan interrupts the doctor. Her face scrunches as she tries to shift her legs and immediately winces.
“Take it easy,” Mary says.
Her eyes widen and meet mine when the nurse fixes the sheet over her.
“You were lucky someone brought you in, Mrs. Teager. But we can’t let you go so easily this time.” The doctor chuckles, but Vienna’s face turns white.
“W-what do you mean?” she stammers, her voice breaking like mine.
“We’re waiting for your bloodwork. We cannot chalk this up again to just weakness. I’m also requesting some more tests.”
“But—” Vienna starts.
“Of cour-rse. Please d-do all that’s-s needed.” I can’t believe I fucking didn’t insist on it last time. It’s a good thing I don’t practice medicine. Otherwise, I’d be killing people left and right.
“Until then, you sit tight.” The doctor pats her leg through the sheet once and leaves.
Mary turns toward me, the same kind person I know her to be from last time. “Mr. Teager, you can meet the man who brought your wife here.”
“He’s s-still here?” I ask in surprise, wondering if Vienna was with this guy while she got injured.
“Yeah, he said he’ll wait until you arrive.” Mary leads me to the waiting room, and there’s a single person occupying the sofa, making it appear much smaller with his huge frame. His cotton T-shirt stretches over his chest, and colorful tattoos run down his arms.
“Mr. Cole?”
He looks up from his phone when the nurse calls his name. “This is Mr. Teager, husband of the woman you brought in.”
“Th-thank you s-so much for br-ringing Vienna here.”
He takes my offered hand in a tight grip without batting an eye over my weird voice.
“No problem. I hope your wife’s better.”
I nod. “Th-they are running some t-tests now.”
He hums. “I’ll leave then.”
“Anyth-thing I can d-do to th-thank you, Mr. Cole?” I urge as he walks toward the door.
“Call me River. And no need.” He turns around before tipping his head to the side, and then he leaves through the door.
Thanking God that good men still exist, I walk back into Vienna’s room. She now has an IV tied to her arm. I walk closer to read what’s being given when her eyes shoot open and tears leak onto her face.
“H-hey, ar-re you hurting?” I quickly take a seat next to her bedside.
She bites her bottom lip, as if trying to hold back a sob.
“Vienna, w-what’s wrong? D-does it hurt?” My heart tightens when she shakes her head and closes her eyes once more. “Hey, t-tell me.”