“Are you sure?”
That was Clara’s voice and all I needed to hear in order to push through the door. Even as some doctor in a pair of blue scrubs turned to no doubt order me from the room, I crossed over to Clara, passed her the bottle of water, and slipped my arm around her waist.
“I’m with her,” I said in a tone that brooked no nonsense.
The laminated ID card clipped to his waistband identified him as Dr. Harper though the photo on the plastic showed a far more relaxed man. This one looked as if he was having a very hard day. I hoped that didn’t mean he wasn’t up to taking care of a woman who was quickly worming her way into my heart.
Nodding at me, he picked up where he’d left off. “Yes, I’m sure. Your grandmother’s collapse had nothing to do with her condition. She hasn’t even begun to take the medication in the trial, so there is no chance that had anything to do with it either. The tests we’ve done indicate she didn’t suffer a stroke or a heart attack.”
“Then why did she pass out?” Clara asked.
“Best we can ascertain is her blood pressure bottomed out when she stood. You said you were about to eat dinner?”
“Yes. We’d ordered, but our entrée hadn’t yet come. Baba… I mean, my grandmother, hadn’t even taken a bite of her first biscuit before she got up to go to the restroom. Next thing I knew, she was on the floor.”
“You told the EMTs she’d undergone something highly stressful?” Dr. Harper noted.
Clara’s gaze flicked to me and then away just as quickly. Hell, had the visit to my theater been too much for Olga? She’d seemed a bit tired, but quite happy to be there.
“Um, yes. I mean, life has been pretty stressful over the past few years. But, it was getting better until this afternoon when…”
Clara broke off, and I was about to prod her to continue when the door opened to admit a hospital bed being pushed by an orderly. I was relieved to see Olga on it and even more pleased to see her give me a small smile. It was a bit wobbly, perhaps, but it went a long way to easing the fear that had been growing inside me ever since I’d gotten Clara’s call.
“Baba, how are you feeling?” Clara asked, the relief evident in her tone.
“Like an old fool,” Olga answered.
No one spoke for the few minutes it took to transfer her to the bed in the room and for the orderly to nod his acceptance at her politely uttered thanks. Once the door closed again, Clara immediately took her grandmother’s hand and bent to kiss her cheek.
“You scared me.”
“I scared myself, child,” Olga said with another small smile. “That’s what I get for skipping lunch and my meds.”
“Baba!” Clara said, obviously shocked by this little bit of news. “Why would you do that!”
“I was too nervous to eat and too afraid they’d do some sort of fancy blood work and state I was on something that would interfere with their trial,” she said. “I really didn’t want to be turned down. I know how important it is to you.”
“Oh, Baba,” Clara said, shaking her head.
I saw the relief on the doctor’s face as he nodded. “That actually fits with our diagnosis. Both your blood sugar and your blood pressure were too low. Combined with whatever stress you were feeling over this trial, it was a triple whammy. Your body needed something rather dramatic to get your attention.”
“You can check off that box,” Olga said sagely, her white head bobbing. “It certainly did that. I’m sorry, Clara.”
“It’s all right. But you ever do something like that again and I’ll… I don’t know what I’ll do, but I promise you won’t like it!”
Olga laughed, and the atmosphere of fear dissipated. Once the doctor had given Olga a quick check, listening to her heart and taking her pulse, he stepped back and nodded.
“Everything looks fine, Mrs. Simyoneva. But if you begin to feel lightheaded again, do not attempt to stand up alone. You’ve got a granddaughter who obviously thinks the world of you and a grandson who looks more than capable of helping you get anywhere you need to go.”
Instead of correcting him, Olga beamed and nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll be a good girl.”
Dr. Harper nodded and then looked at Clara. “If you’ll come out to the nurses’ station, I’ll sign the discharge papers, and you and your grandmother will be free to go.”
Clara looked totally unsure, and I said, “Go ahead. I’ll stay with her.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course he is, child. We’ll be fine,” Olga said in the same exact tone she’d used to dismiss us the first time I’d visited their home.
“Okay, but I’ll be right back. Do not get out of that bed!” With that, Clara gave her grandmother another kiss, turned to go up on her tiptoes to give me one as well, and followed Dr. Harper out the door.