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In the hospital
Jun. 9th, 2005 06:23 pmThe hospital is too cold for Kitty, and all the while she talks to the doctors and aides and staff she's wishing she has Edmund's sweater she slept in the night before.
And thinking that she fucking hates paperwork.
"And Valentine is your..."
"Sister. Adopted, and younger. I became her guardian at age 18 after our parents died." Lies flow easily. There are documents to back them up, which she spent three hours making.
"But she's not on your medical insurance?"
"No. My insurance stopped covering her after she married."
"And she has none of her own."
"No. I'll be footing the bill."
"You realize without medical insu--"
"Yes. I know. Just send me the paperwork, and I'll send you a check."
The man shrugs, making a note, and, with the sort of smile made for situations like this, walks off.
And Val is still saying nothing, and Luke still looks like someone who's lost without a map, when she looks back in the room.
She doesn't go in, just stays in the hall and watches through the window. She has been for most the day.
And when Dr. Howard comes up, he doesn't seem surprised to see her there. "Still not saying anything?"
"No," Kitty replies, smiling tightly at him. "Not yet."
He nods, and looks about as tired as she feels. "If she hasn't passed the tissue by tomorrow, I'm going to recommend removing it." And the question is unspoken, but really, it's, "With your approval," because Kitty is the one signing off on things, and the name on the bill, and the one who's making these decisions.
"Better to get it over with," is her only answer as she continues to look through the window. And when he turns to leave, after nodding, "How much longer should she be in here?"
"With her emotional state the way it is? I'd like to keep her for a few more days for monitoring. Say three, depending on how her condition is."
Kitty nods this time. "Fine."
And he asks, hesitantly, "Have they decided on the genetic testing?"
"No. I don't think they want it, but they haven't decided."
Bluntly, "Do you?"
And now Kitty pauses, unsure.
And decides.
"Do it."
And when she's presented with more papers, ordering the results to go to her, not them, she signs them without hesitating.
And thinking that she fucking hates paperwork.
"And Valentine is your..."
"Sister. Adopted, and younger. I became her guardian at age 18 after our parents died." Lies flow easily. There are documents to back them up, which she spent three hours making.
"But she's not on your medical insurance?"
"No. My insurance stopped covering her after she married."
"And she has none of her own."
"No. I'll be footing the bill."
"You realize without medical insu--"
"Yes. I know. Just send me the paperwork, and I'll send you a check."
The man shrugs, making a note, and, with the sort of smile made for situations like this, walks off.
And Val is still saying nothing, and Luke still looks like someone who's lost without a map, when she looks back in the room.
She doesn't go in, just stays in the hall and watches through the window. She has been for most the day.
And when Dr. Howard comes up, he doesn't seem surprised to see her there. "Still not saying anything?"
"No," Kitty replies, smiling tightly at him. "Not yet."
He nods, and looks about as tired as she feels. "If she hasn't passed the tissue by tomorrow, I'm going to recommend removing it." And the question is unspoken, but really, it's, "With your approval," because Kitty is the one signing off on things, and the name on the bill, and the one who's making these decisions.
"Better to get it over with," is her only answer as she continues to look through the window. And when he turns to leave, after nodding, "How much longer should she be in here?"
"With her emotional state the way it is? I'd like to keep her for a few more days for monitoring. Say three, depending on how her condition is."
Kitty nods this time. "Fine."
And he asks, hesitantly, "Have they decided on the genetic testing?"
"No. I don't think they want it, but they haven't decided."
Bluntly, "Do you?"
And now Kitty pauses, unsure.
And decides.
"Do it."
And when she's presented with more papers, ordering the results to go to her, not them, she signs them without hesitating.
