New
PATHS
by GCS
Chapter Seven
Dixie and Dr. Brackett escorted Johnny back to his room. Johnny was beaming with his new found love for Cammie. "Doc I don't think all the medicine in the world could make me feel any better than I do right now."
"Well Johnny I'm glad to hear that, but you are still a very sick man. You have barely gotten finished with your breathing treatments for your pneumonia. You have had a very busy day today. You should not have been up in the first place much less wandering around the hospital alone. You know I'm right, and you have the skinned knee and hand to prove that."
Johnny smiled up at Dr. Brackett as Dixie pushed the wheel chair he was riding in. "Okay Doc, but I'm awful glad I got to see Cammie, and I gotta tell ya I'd do it again to see for my own eyes that she's all right."
Dixie couldn't help but smile herself. Her favorite paramedic, the one she considered like a younger brother, had finally hopefully found the woman of his dreams. To top it off Dixie liked his choice. She really liked Camille Lawson. Another great thing about this whole situation was that Camille would be working right here at Rampart with them. Things couldn't get much better than that. "John Gage you will not sneak around my hospital alone again. Do you understand me? If you wish to visit Cammie again you will call me to take you. Got it?"
"Um uh y..yes Dixie," Johnny's smile faded as he realized that he had upset one of the most important people in his life. "I uh d..din…didn't mean t..t..to upset y..you Dixie."
Dixie patted him on the shoulder, "Relax Johnny I just don't want you to get hurt again. We're lucky you didn't fall down the stairs."
"Oh okay. I'll call next time." His smile returned. "Hey Doc, when can I get out of here?"
"What?" Dr. Brackett asked incredulously. "You can't be serious Johnny. Have you listened to your breathing after this little escapade? You're short of breath. I can hear a slight wheeze again. I'm putting you back on a nasal cannula as soon as I get you back in the bed. I only hope you didn't do any serious damage to your recuperation by this little stunt of yours."
"Aw Doc I'm okay. I just climbed those stairs too fast."
"John Gage you climbed three stories after a serious case of pneumonia that I might remind you that you have not completely gotten over." Dr. Brackett was obviously quite upset over Johnny's little field trip. Dixie could not help the giggle she had tried to hold in at the two friends debating the events of the evening. "What are you laughing at? This is serious. Johnny needs to understand how he could have jeopardized his recovery to visit his new girlfriend."
"Whoa Doc, she's more than just my new girlfriend." Johnny was getting a little angry himself. He sat forward in the chair and shot a glance at the good doctor. The sudden anger and abrupt movement caused Johnny to cough harshly. He placed his hand over his chest as he coughed. His lungs did hurt from the exertion of the day, but he didn't plan on telling that to Dr. Brackett or anyone else.
"Johnny are you all right?" Dixie stopped the wheelchair and came around in front of Johnny.
Johnny not wanting to cough again settled for nodding his head to let Dixie know he was all right. Dr. Brackett took the handles of the chair and they finished the trip back to Johnny's room. Getting him settled in bed with the nasal cannula providing the oxygen that Dr. Brackett knew he needed. "I'll get you a mild sedative to help you relax John, and your medications."
Dixie helped Johnny get comfortable in the bed plumping his pillows and pulling the blankets high on his chest. "She's a wonderful woman Johnny. I really like her. I hope things work out the way you want them to." Johnny was exhausted, but he managed a smile for his friend. Dixie brushed the hair from Johnny's face and kissed him on the forehead. "Rest easy my friend."
Dr. Brackett had returned with a shot to administer the sedative. Soon Johnny relaxed deeper into the pillow and was asleep. "He's got it bad for Cammie doesn't he Dix?"
"Yes Kel I think he does. I think she feels the same about him, and I'm very pleased about it."
"Well Dixie, I have to admit I think I like the idea too. They're good people who deserve happiness. I hope they find it together. Besides maybe a strong willed nurse can keep tabs on our accident prone paramedic." Kel Brackett put his arm around Dixie's shoulder and gave the nurse a warm hug. "Well Nurse McCall we have an emergency room to run."
"Yes Doctor we do." The two medical professionals left the room to go back to work.
"Well Johnny I'm glad to hear that, but you are still a very sick man. You have barely gotten finished with your breathing treatments for your pneumonia. You have had a very busy day today. You should not have been up in the first place much less wandering around the hospital alone. You know I'm right, and you have the skinned knee and hand to prove that."
Johnny smiled up at Dr. Brackett as Dixie pushed the wheel chair he was riding in. "Okay Doc, but I'm awful glad I got to see Cammie, and I gotta tell ya I'd do it again to see for my own eyes that she's all right."
Dixie couldn't help but smile herself. Her favorite paramedic, the one she considered like a younger brother, had finally hopefully found the woman of his dreams. To top it off Dixie liked his choice. She really liked Camille Lawson. Another great thing about this whole situation was that Camille would be working right here at Rampart with them. Things couldn't get much better than that. "John Gage you will not sneak around my hospital alone again. Do you understand me? If you wish to visit Cammie again you will call me to take you. Got it?"
"Um uh y..yes Dixie," Johnny's smile faded as he realized that he had upset one of the most important people in his life. "I uh d..din…didn't mean t..t..to upset y..you Dixie."
Dixie patted him on the shoulder, "Relax Johnny I just don't want you to get hurt again. We're lucky you didn't fall down the stairs."
"Oh okay. I'll call next time." His smile returned. "Hey Doc, when can I get out of here?"
"What?" Dr. Brackett asked incredulously. "You can't be serious Johnny. Have you listened to your breathing after this little escapade? You're short of breath. I can hear a slight wheeze again. I'm putting you back on a nasal cannula as soon as I get you back in the bed. I only hope you didn't do any serious damage to your recuperation by this little stunt of yours."
"Aw Doc I'm okay. I just climbed those stairs too fast."
"John Gage you climbed three stories after a serious case of pneumonia that I might remind you that you have not completely gotten over." Dr. Brackett was obviously quite upset over Johnny's little field trip. Dixie could not help the giggle she had tried to hold in at the two friends debating the events of the evening. "What are you laughing at? This is serious. Johnny needs to understand how he could have jeopardized his recovery to visit his new girlfriend."
"Whoa Doc, she's more than just my new girlfriend." Johnny was getting a little angry himself. He sat forward in the chair and shot a glance at the good doctor. The sudden anger and abrupt movement caused Johnny to cough harshly. He placed his hand over his chest as he coughed. His lungs did hurt from the exertion of the day, but he didn't plan on telling that to Dr. Brackett or anyone else.
"Johnny are you all right?" Dixie stopped the wheelchair and came around in front of Johnny.
Johnny not wanting to cough again settled for nodding his head to let Dixie know he was all right. Dr. Brackett took the handles of the chair and they finished the trip back to Johnny's room. Getting him settled in bed with the nasal cannula providing the oxygen that Dr. Brackett knew he needed. "I'll get you a mild sedative to help you relax John, and your medications."
Dixie helped Johnny get comfortable in the bed plumping his pillows and pulling the blankets high on his chest. "She's a wonderful woman Johnny. I really like her. I hope things work out the way you want them to." Johnny was exhausted, but he managed a smile for his friend. Dixie brushed the hair from Johnny's face and kissed him on the forehead. "Rest easy my friend."
Dr. Brackett had returned with a shot to administer the sedative. Soon Johnny relaxed deeper into the pillow and was asleep. "He's got it bad for Cammie doesn't he Dix?"
"Yes Kel I think he does. I think she feels the same about him, and I'm very pleased about it."
"Well Dixie, I have to admit I think I like the idea too. They're good people who deserve happiness. I hope they find it together. Besides maybe a strong willed nurse can keep tabs on our accident prone paramedic." Kel Brackett put his arm around Dixie's shoulder and gave the nurse a warm hug. "Well Nurse McCall we have an emergency room to run."
"Yes Doctor we do." The two medical professionals left the room to go back to work.
