Chapter 31: Fever
"Your voice is all nasally, you caught a cold?"
"Maybe."
"Just recovered from an injury and now a cold? Ashley, when's the last time you exercised?"
Ashley wasn't exactly a fan of working out. She used to do some yoga, but ever since she returned, all her energy had been poured into work, reading into the wee hours, tackling cases, researching, and pouring over files with chronic sleep deprivation.
Our bodies don't lie; they reflect how we treat them.
"Are you caring for me or not?" Ashley asked.
"Care, obviously. You've got to hit the gym, go for runs, do some Pilates, yoga... Oh, and take the day off today, don't come to work. I'll handle the follow-up work with KM."
Ashley snuggled into her pillow, seeking comfort, "What follow-up? There's always so much to do."
"Well, large corporations have intricate procedures that require reporting further up the hierarchy. Isn't that the benefit of being the client, yes?
Ashley remained silent.
Harold, ever the enthusiast, continued, "Heard from Hannah you dined with Sean yesterday? How was it?"
"The food at Cloud View was great."
"Whoa! He sure splurged. Let me tell you, when a man takes you out, it's for one of two reasons..."
Ashley cut him off, "No need to guess. He wants to poach me. I shine wherever I go, and he wants me at Faust & Associates. The offer's tempting, I'm a bit swayed."
"Damn, trying to poach right under my nose. Sean's got some nerve. What did you reply him?"
Ashley grabbed a tissue to blow her nose, "I said I'd think about it. Money matters, but so do relationships. You helped me a lot, Harold. I can't just abandon you."
Feeling stroked in just the right way, Harold was visibly pleased, "Look, the size of our law firm now doesn't show our full potential. With teamwork between you and me, and the growth of our other attorneys, our future is promising."
The firm was modest in size, led by one managing partner, with the senior partner frequently out on business. And there were four associates, none of whom had made their mark in any high-profile cases. They mostly handled the odds and ends. Ashley joined without a specific title and was shuffled around as needed. Besides, there are interns like Hannah, and some administrative staff who juggled various tasks, a dozen people in total.
Harold, coming from a family of moderate wealth, had a conspicuous education background and charm. So why did his business ventures seem so lackluster?
"Don't even start with your grand plans," Ashley groaned on the phone, nursing a headache, “I'm hanging up now."
"Did you check your body temperature? Do you have a fever? You must take medication if your temperature is elevated. Your most valuable resource is your sharp mind; don't let it go to waste."
Ashley rolled her eyes, “Well, I'll call Sean and tell him I've made up my mind."
"Don’t be rash! I'm serious; I'm bowing out."
After ending the call, Ashley retreated to her bedroom and fell back into a restless sleep.
She woke up again with the sun slanting westward, realizing she had dozed off for the entire day. Her cold hadn't improved, and feeling her forehead confirmed she was feverish. Reluctantly, she dressed and went out for some medicine.
"You've got a pretty severe fever, and it's caused your tonsils to swell. You should head to the hospital, get to the ER; hurry up."
Ashley tried purchasing medicine at the pharmacy but was turned away by the pharmacist, who recommended that she go to the hospital instead.
The nearest hospital was the one where Hayden worked.
She really didn't want to go, anxious about encountering him again.
The last time she was there for an injury, it seemed Hayden "coincidentally" showed up almost every time she had her ointment applied on her back, a series of run-ins so bizarre.
It got to the point where she avoided the hospital altogether, turning to Hannah for help with her dressings.
With a pounding headache and a nose that wouldn't stop running, Ashley felt light on her feet and ultimately surrendered to the needs of her ailing body and drove herself to the ER.
The emergency room was a good distance from the orthopedic department; she shouldn't run into him again.
She parked her car in front of the outpatient building and stepped out, her ears immediately assaulted by the urgent wail of ambulance sirens as two vehicles raced into the courtyard.
Medical staff waiting outside the ER swiftly sprang into action, wheeling out stretchers and grabbing first-aid kits, ready to provide immediate assistance as soon as the ambulances halted.
The first person they brought out was covered in blood. From where Ashley stood, she couldn't see his face, only a hand that dangled, covered in red.
"Doctors nearby were shouting orders, 'Operating room ready? Get Dr. Chen from cardiothoracic, stat! We've got a car accident victim with a cardiac history.."
"We’ve got a compound fracture on the left leg, a split femur, and fractured ribs. Get ortho here now!' Another voice commanded.
Ashley, standing by her car, watched the scene unfold under the fading sunset, a cold sweat breaking out along her spine.
Two stretchers rolled in, each carrying the battered bodies of a family of three, a father, a mother, and their young child, victims of a car accident. It was the dad who had been behind the wheel; his wife and kid were in the backseat when the crash happened. The mother had instinctively cradled her child, shielding him with her body. Thanks to her, the worst he suffered was a broken arm.
The mother was a different story; covered in blood with both legs broken and a severe head injury.
As Ashley waited, her heart ached. She wanted to help but knew the best thing she could do was stay out of the way. By comparison, her little fever seemed insignificant.
Hayden raced through the halls, taking over from the paramedics to administer life-saving treatment to the woman. A female doctor listened intently for a heartbeat with her stethoscope as he gently prodded at the patient's bloodied legs.
The doctors, all masked, were a blur of motion, but Hayden stood out among them, his tall frame visible even amidst the chaos.
In the crowded space, Ashley's eyes noticed Hayden instantly.
He said something to a nurse, and together they hurried the patient further into the facility.
The frantic, harrowing scene ended only when every last patient had been whisked behind the glass doors. Bloodstains marked the floor where they'd been.
Sighing, Ashley considered just walking away, feeling her fever might have subsided.
Hayden, peeling off his bloodied gloves, waved at Ashley from across the parking lot, “Hey, Ashley!" he shouted.
He had caught sight of her earlier, but his focus was on saving lives.
Ashley wanted to hide. It seemed like every time she set foot in the hospital, she'd run into someone she knew.
"You look pretty cool doing your thing out there," she commented.
Hayden wasn't one for false modesty, “Well, of course. I've got a whole fanbase of female doctors and nurses. Didn't you think to take a video? Could've gone viral, showing how a young and dashing doctor battles death."
Ashley pulled out her phone, “Didn't cross my mind. Want me to take one now?"
Hayden chuckled, “So, what brings you here?"
"Just a cold, slight fever," Ashley replied.
His face suddenly serious, Hayden warned, "A fever's no small matter; it can turn serious. Did you take your temperature?"
Ashley thought his concern was a bit over the top.
"102 degrees, checked at the drugstore."
"Let's not dawdle. I'll take you to see a doctor. If you've been burning up for too long, you might get a tonsil infection, or worse, brain fever. Some kids don't get proper care when they have a fever and end up with brain damage."
Before Ashley could muster a rebuttal, Hayden had already gripped her arm, leading her passively into an office.
