Chapter 12: Patient’s Awkward Request
The steady hum of the ambulance’s engine filled the small space as Loraine worked efficiently, her hands moving with practiced precision as she stabilized the patient on the stretcher. The man, a mid-thirties construction worker, had been injured when a steel beam had fallen on him at a job site. He was conscious but in considerable pain, his face pale and his breathing labored. Loraine kept her focus on him, checking his vitals and making sure the pressure on his wounds was steady.
Conrad drove the ambulance with calm expertise, weaving through traffic as quickly but safely as possible. His eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, watching Loraine work with her usual calm determination.
“How’s he doing back there?” Conrad called over his shoulder.
“He’s stable for now, but he’s lost a lot of blood,” Loraine replied, her voice clipped but calm.
“We need to get him to the hospital fast.”
The man groaned softly, his eyelids fluttering open as he began to regain more consciousness. Loraine leaned in, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, you’re okay. We’re taking you to the hospital. Just hang in there, alright?”
The man blinked up at her, his vision still hazy, but his focus began to sharpen. He looked at Loraine, his brow furrowed in confusion, then softened as he seemed to register her face. He stared at her for a few long moments before speaking, his voice weak but coherent enough to make an odd request.
“Am I… Am I dreaming, or are you single?”
Loraine froze for a second, not sure if she had heard him right. She blinked down at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Conrad, who had been intently focused on navigating through traffic, suddenly let out a sharp laugh.
Loraine’s eyes darted to the front of the ambulance.
“Really, Conrad?”
Conrad barely stifled his laughter, one hand still on the wheel, the other tapping the dashboard as he pretended to think.
“Hmm, I’m not sure that’s a question you should be asking, buddy,” Conrad teased, his voice rich with amusement. “Not when her boyfriend is right here, driving the ambulance.”
Loraine rolled her eyes so hard she was surprised they didn’t get stuck. She gave Conrad a pointed look, though the corner of her mouth twitched upward despite herself.
“Oh, you’re really helping,” she muttered.
The patient, still groggy and not fully comprehending the situation, looked between Loraine and Conrad with a dazed expression.
“Oh… sorry, man. Didn’t know she was taken.”
Loraine couldn’t help but chuckle now, shaking her head as she checked the man’s bandages.
“Focus on healing, okay? Don’t worry about my relationship status.”
Conrad glanced at her in the rearview mirror, grinning from ear to ear. “I mean, can you blame the guy? You are a catch, after all.”
Loraine shot him a glare, though it lacked any real heat.
“Don’t make this weird,” she warned, her tone playful but firm.
“I’m trying to save this guy’s life, not audition for The Bachelor.”
The patient, though still weak and in pain, managed a faint grin.
“Hey… just thought… I’d ask. Can’t hurt, right?”
Loraine couldn’t help but admire his resilience, even if his timing was beyond awkward. She secured the last of his bandages, ensuring they were tight enough to stop the bleeding without cutting off circulation. “You’re gonna be fine,” she said, her voice softening a bit.
“Just hold on a little longer. We’re almost at the hospital.”
“Thanks, doc,” the man slurred, clearly drifting in and out of consciousness now.
“And, uh… sorry for… you know…”
Loraine shook her head, patting his arm gently. “It’s okay. Just focus on staying awake, alright?”
Conrad chuckled from the front, clearly still enjoying the situation far too much. “You sure you don’t want me to step in as the overprotective boyfriend again? I could go all ‘jealous guy’ on him. Really sell it.”
Loraine shot him a look that could have melted steel. “I swear, Conrad, if you say one more thing…”
Conrad raised a hand in surrender, still grinning. “Alright, alright, I’m done. But I’ve gotta admit, that was one of the better lines I’ve heard in the back of this ambulance.”
As they neared the hospital, the sirens from the ambulance whirring through the busy streets, the tension began to ease. Loraine, still working to keep the patient stable, felt a strange sense of lightness despite the gravity of the situation. It wasn’t often that she could find humor in the middle of a rescue mission, but leave it to Conrad to find a way to make even the most awkward moments amusing.
“You know,” Conrad called over his shoulder, “if this guy wakes up again, I might just tell him we’re getting married next week. Just to see the look on his face.”
Loraine snorted, shaking her head as she finished one last check on the patient. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“Yeah, but you love it,” Conrad quipped, giving her a quick wink in the rearview mirror.
Before Loraine could respond, the ambulance turned the final corner toward the hospital, and she shifted back into full professional mode. “Okay, we’re almost there,” she said, her focus returning to the patient. “Hang on, just a few more minutes.”
The patient stirred again, his eyes fluttering open. He glanced around, clearly disoriented, and then looked up at Loraine once more, his lips quirking into a tired smile. “You’re… really pretty, you know that?” he mumbled.
Loraine sighed, her face flushing slightly. “Thank you. Now stop talking and focus on staying awake, alright?”
Conrad couldn’t resist. “That’s my girl,” he said with a chuckle. “No-nonsense and drop-dead gorgeous.”
Loraine bit her lip to keep from laughing as she adjusted the patient’s oxygen mask, making sure it was secure. “You’re enjoying this way too much,” she said under her breath.
“Hey, it’s not every day you get to see your girl be the star of someone’s fever dream,” Conrad shot back, clearly still riding the wave of amusement.
Loraine rolled her eyes again, though this time she couldn’t suppress the smile that tugged at her lips. “Remind me to put you on silent mode next time we have a shift together.”
As they pulled into the hospital’s emergency bay, Loraine breathed a sigh of relief. The patient’s vitals were stable, and they had gotten him here in time for further treatment. She quickly prepared to transfer him from the ambulance, unbuckling the straps that secured him to the stretcher.
“Okay, we’re here,” she said, her tone back to its usual calm professionalism. “You’re in good hands now.”
The patient, still dazed but conscious enough to understand, gave her a weak thumbs-up. “Thanks, doc. And… sorry again… about the question.”
Loraine smiled softly, shaking her head. “It’s alright. Just focus on getting better.”
With Conrad’s help, they wheeled the patient out of the ambulance and into the emergency room, handing him off to the waiting medical staff. As soon as the patient was out of sight, Loraine let out a deep breath, leaning against the side of the ambulance for a moment to collect herself.
Conrad walked over, leaning casually next to her, a mischievous glint still in his eyes. “So, you single?” he asked, mimicking the patient’s earlier question.
Loraine groaned, rubbing her temples. “Please tell me you’re not going to make this a thing.”
“Oh, it’s definitely a thing now,” Conrad replied with a smirk. “I’m gonna get you a shirt that says ‘Not Single, Stop Asking’ for our next shift.”
Loraine laughed, shaking her head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet, here you are,” Conrad teased, nudging her gently with his shoulder.
Loraine rolled her eyes one last time, though the smile on her face lingered. “Come on, let’s get back out there before you embarrass me even more.”
As they climbed back into the ambulance, Conrad winked at her. “No promises.”