Just a bit longer. In an hour or two Amber could drive home and rest. Maybe pick up a meal on the way over; draw a bath and unwind. Tomorrow she'd have to wake up early and face whatever tonight's test results announced, but relaxing and sleeping would go a long way. If she had to face the worst-- but she wouldn't. She hadn't been wrong. Cameron, an immunologist, supported her theory. Casey would be okay.
Speaking of sleep and Casey, it seemed like it was all she wanted. Amber watched from outside as Taub and Cole talked to her, each sitting on a stool. Casey yawned and rubbed her eyes and nodded along; she must be so tired by now she didn't care to hear their explanations. Once they'd passed on the antibiotics, Amber slipped in. "Hi," she said, but by now, her years of training or no, the greeting was plastic, not genuine.
Casey's father watched on anxiously as Amber took yet another blood sample from his daughter. Casey herself was compliant, only turning her head away. Probably wanted it to be over as soon as possible. Her skin was so white, so clammy; Amber did not let herself feel more than a pang. They'd fix this. This wasn't her fault.
Pulling Taub and Cole to the side and holding a murmured conversation, they divvied up the tasks once more. Cole would take care of the enema and bring the samples to Amber; Taub would do the lumbar puncture; and she'd run the tests. Eric had told her to do the lumbar puncture, but as long as the job got done, Amber doubted he'd mind who performed the procedure-- whereas she herself would mind very much spending more time with Casey and her guilt.
Before turning and leaving, Amber noticed Cole checking his watch. Worried about his kid, maybe? Tough. This job wasn't easy on any of them.
The good thing about starting up the blood tests, and later the cultures, was that it occupied her mind. Hardly complicated work, it still required focus. For a while Amber lost herself. She was just about finished when a voice startled her out of her reverie.
Glancing up, Amber blinked before her vision regained the capacity to see the world life-sized and not through a lens. Her heart strummed in instant recognition of Eric's voice, but she needed to see to be sure: it really was him, with coffee as a bonus. She looked at him, at the cup, and then at him again. God, he looked as tired as she, clothes rumpled, face so long, and shadows under his eyes; if she could she'd wrap her around him and just hold on, like they could anchor one another, letting their breaths match one another’s-- but she was part of the reason for his exhaustion.
Amber did the next best thing, picking up the coffee and sipping. It was slightly sweet; he must've remembered. Geez, he made it so complicated. She didn't know what to feel or, rather, she felt it all: anger and confusion and affection and why did she have to like him so damn much?
The coffee, at least, gave her a boost. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me again," Amber said, trying to keep her voice casual. "I mean, outside of work."
no subject
Speaking of sleep and Casey, it seemed like it was all she wanted. Amber watched from outside as Taub and Cole talked to her, each sitting on a stool. Casey yawned and rubbed her eyes and nodded along; she must be so tired by now she didn't care to hear their explanations. Once they'd passed on the antibiotics, Amber slipped in. "Hi," she said, but by now, her years of training or no, the greeting was plastic, not genuine.
Casey's father watched on anxiously as Amber took yet another blood sample from his daughter. Casey herself was compliant, only turning her head away. Probably wanted it to be over as soon as possible. Her skin was so white, so clammy; Amber did not let herself feel more than a pang. They'd fix this. This wasn't her fault.
Pulling Taub and Cole to the side and holding a murmured conversation, they divvied up the tasks once more. Cole would take care of the enema and bring the samples to Amber; Taub would do the lumbar puncture; and she'd run the tests. Eric had told her to do the lumbar puncture, but as long as the job got done, Amber doubted he'd mind who performed the procedure-- whereas she herself would mind very much spending more time with Casey and her guilt.
Before turning and leaving, Amber noticed Cole checking his watch. Worried about his kid, maybe? Tough. This job wasn't easy on any of them.
The good thing about starting up the blood tests, and later the cultures, was that it occupied her mind. Hardly complicated work, it still required focus. For a while Amber lost herself. She was just about finished when a voice startled her out of her reverie.
Glancing up, Amber blinked before her vision regained the capacity to see the world life-sized and not through a lens. Her heart strummed in instant recognition of Eric's voice, but she needed to see to be sure: it really was him, with coffee as a bonus. She looked at him, at the cup, and then at him again. God, he looked as tired as she, clothes rumpled, face so long, and shadows under his eyes; if she could she'd wrap her around him and just hold on, like they could anchor one another, letting their breaths match one another’s-- but she was part of the reason for his exhaustion.
Amber did the next best thing, picking up the coffee and sipping. It was slightly sweet; he must've remembered. Geez, he made it so complicated. She didn't know what to feel or, rather, she felt it all: anger and confusion and affection and why did she have to like him so damn much?
The coffee, at least, gave her a boost. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me again," Amber said, trying to keep her voice casual. "I mean, outside of work."