Danny Nyland opened his office door to a peculiar site. There was a dog sitting in his chair. He looked around the hallway. He then went back into the room. An intern ran by the door. A minute later Billy Kronk came into the room.
"Yours?" He asked Danny.
"Nope." Danny said as he moved to shoo the beast from his seat. "I was gonna tell you to stop bringing your dates to my office."
Billy smack him on the back. "I wouldnt talk. You're the only one dating mutts nowadays. Jeffrey and I had a running bet on whether or not that last one had her shots recently."
Danny sat in his chair after the dog ran out of his office. "Hey, its been slow."
"I know that." Billy said. "Keep out of the kennel club and you'll be fine."
"Great." Danny said. His beeper went off. "ER wants me."
"I'll wait while you change." Billy said.
"Change, why would I want to change?"
"Scrubs would be a good idea in ER. Plus I think that dogs been there long enough to uh you know." Billy said.
Danny looked at him questionably. He then took out a white handkerchief and placed it in back of him on his behind. He then looked at it. Sure enough there was a distictive mess on the back of his pants. "Jesus."
"Its not big deal." Billy said as Danny raced to change his pants. "It's not like you're gonna meet a girl or anything today."
The ER
Two women were sitting in a section of the ER. One was very noticably pregnant, the other sat by her as they waited for the doctor to arrive.
"I can't believe I'm so stupid." Erin said.
"Oh you're not stupid." Sarah said.
"Yes I am." Erin said. "Who else would try skate boarding when they are eight months pregnant?"
"Well uh..." Sarah stammered.
"See?" Erin moaned. "I am an idiot!"
"Oh come on. People done stupider things." Sarah reassured her friend. She turned as she heard some footsteps behind her.
"Oh doctor finally!" Erin said.
"What seems to be wrong here?" Danny said as Billy gave him her chart.
"I fell while trying a stupid skateboard stunt." Erin said. "I think I hurt my foot."
"Skateboard?" Danny asked.
"Yeah." Sarah said. "Erin wanted to know if she still had her sense of fun now that shes eight months pregnant."
"I see." Danny said.
"It looks like a sprained ankle." Billy said. "Should we have someone check her out to see if the babys all right?"
"That would be a good idea." Danny said. "Since you're so close to the due date."
"Okay." Erin said. Sarah nodded.
"Great. I'll get your ankle wrapped up, and then we can have someone check your baby out." Danny said. He left while Billy wrapped Erins ankle up.
"Remind me not to do anything stupid from now on." Erin said to Sarah.
"Don't worry." Billy said while wrapping her ankle. "If she doesnt I will." He went off to fetch something.
"You were pretty quiet when that doctor was here." Erin observed.
"I kinda think he's a jerk." Sarah said.
"No, no. The one that was here with the 'jerk'." Erin said.
"I guess he's ok looking." Sarah said.
"Oh come on, the last time you were this quiet around a guy was a couple of years ago with whats his name. Dale? Roger? Bobby."
"Scott." Sarah said. "The wolf expert."
"Right. Like I said." Erin said as Billy came back with a wheel chair.
"I'll take you up to the ob/gyn." Billy said.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Sarah said.
"It would be better if you wait." Billy said. "The waiting room is over there."
Sarah nodded and followed Billys direction to the waiting room.
Billy wheeled Erin into an office. Jeffrey Geiger was sitting behind the desk.
"Jeffrey?" Billy asked. "Wheres Dennis?" Dennis Hancock was the current ob/gyn. He had somehow become it overnight.
"Dennis had to go look after his clinic." Jeffrey said. "Man seems to think it can't go on without him."
"Why are you in his place though?" Billy asked.
"I owe him some money in a poker loss. It doesn't matter how much." He said as Billy moved to ask him how much. "He said I would draw it even, if I subbed for a day. I figured it would be an easy duty but he chose to step out on the busiest day of the baby year."
"Ah great." Billy said. "Erin, this is Doctor Jeffrey Geiger, head heart guy."
"Thats right." Jeffrey said. "Heart guy." He pointed at Erins wrapped up ankle. "I'm not a leg man, not professionally anyway."
"I slightly sprained her ankle in a fall." Erin said. "Dr Kronk thought I should have my baby checked out to see if anything happened it."
"We can have a sonogram done on you." Jeffrey said. "You'll be in good hands Erin. Do you know when you are due?"
"A month." Erin said as Billy left. Erin looked after him.
"Don't worry about him. Hes a fine doctor as long as you keep him away from car wrecks and chain saws." Jeffrey said as he stepped behind her chair.
"Chain saws?" Erin asked warily.
"Never mind. Ancient history." Jeffrey said. "Let's get you to that scan."
The Waiting Room
Sarah was reading a magazine when Danny walked by the door. He looked her. She was pretty. She had dark hair down to her shoulders. She seemed slightly shorter than he was but he had only seen her one in the ER.
"I'll go talk with her. She's been there for a while." Danny decided. She had nothing scheduled for an hour or so.
"Hi." Danny said as he came in the room.
"Hi." Sarah said as she tossed her magazine aside. "Is my friend ready yet?"
"The last I knew she was still seeing the ob/gyn." Danny said. "I thought you could use someone to talk to."
"That was nice of you. But don't you have stuff to do?" Sarah asked.
"Not for a while." Danny said.
"Ah."
"You want some coffee?" He asked. "I can take you up to the cafeteria for some."
"Sure," Sarah said. She got up with him. "You're really
a full service hospital arent you?"
The Cafe
"Tell me about yourself." Danny said as they sat down with their tray.
"Whats there to tell?" Sarah laughed. "We're in town for a concert, some shopping. I'm on break from college. We came here on the bus since Erin is unable to fly." She said.
"Is there a father?"
"Yeah, but his name is Matthew. He's a budding actor from where we are from." Sarah said. "He and a few friends are forming a theater group. Now thats all changed since the baby."
"Ah."
"Yeah." Sarah said.
"How about you?" Danny asked.
"What about me?" Sarah asked.
"Are you seeing anyone?"
"Not really." She sighed. "I knew this animal expert. Wolves actually. but thats been about it." She thought for a minute. "Tell me bout you, let's here you talk for a change."
"Oh no, people actually encourage me not to talk." Danny said. "I been at this hospital for a while. I do mostly ER but lately it seems like every doctor is a jack of all trades, master of none."
"That kinda stinks though doesnt it?" Sarah asked. "I mean you work in one area one day and a different one on another day."
"I know."
"Its kinda dangerous isnt it? Open to tons of lawsuits if you get the wrong doctor for the wrong job." Sarah mused.
"It's not like a pediatriation is sent to operate on someones heart or kidney stones." Danny said. "More like smaller changes. Things they may have done during their respective internships."
"Ah, I'm beginning to understand." Sarah nodded.
"Want a refill?" Danny asked.
"Sure." Sarah offered her cup. "If Erins visit with the ob/gyn goes okay, we'll leave pretty soon."
OB/GYN
Jeffrey had just finished running the sonogram on Erin. She laid on the table in a johnny. She tried in vain to pull the small amount of cloth over the large area she knew was exposed.
"Looks like your baby is fine." Jeffrey said. "Though you look like you may be close to delivering."
"I know, but we came to town anyway. I thought I would have more time." Erin said sitting up. "Your table is awfully wet and mushy."
"Say what?" Jeffrey asked.
"Your table. In the last few minutes its like weird. Wet and mushy. I felt like I sat on a water balloon." Erin said shifting. "I'm gonna need another johnny." She squirmed.
Jeffrey came over and seemed to inspect the mess that was around the girl.
"Okay, I have good news and bad news." Jeffrey said. "Your water just broke."
"Whats the bad?" Erin asked.
"I can't deliver babies." Jeffrey shrugged. "I'm first and foremost a cardio surgeon."
"Oh no." Erin moaned.
"Let's get you into a room." He said. "There has to be someone around here who can deliver a baby."
Danny and Sarah walked the halls.
"What could be taking so long?" Sarah asked. "I hope nothings gone wrong."
"Get that thing away from me!" Erin shrieked.
A nurse was in front of her with a huge needle.
"Come on, we need to put this in your spine."
"My ass!" Erin said.
"No, not your ass. Your spine." Jeffrey said. "It will make the delivery less painful."
"All right." Erin said sitting up. "But if it hurts, it'll be on your head."
Jeffrey left the room and ran into Danny and Sarah.
"Are you Sarah?" Jeffrey asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Sarah asked.
"I been looking for you. Your friend Erin is having her baby."
"Now?" Sarah asked. "But she wasnt due for a another month." She said.
"The fall could have triggered something that went by unseen in the sonogram." Danny guessed.
"She's in here. The nurse just managed to giver her an epidural." Jeffrey said as he led the two to the delivery room.
"What did you give her?" Sarah asked her.
"Nothing really heavy. We won't know how affects her till it does. Wait until it sets in I mean." Jeffrey said as they went in. They stopped short when they saw a shocking sight on the bed. Erin was up there, in la la land dancing in nothing but a dazed smiled.
"Oh do you know the muffin man, the muffin muffin man?" she sang drunkedly. "Who lives on cherry lane."
"I think we have our answer." Danny said.
"What is that?" Jeffrey said pointing at something as a nurse helped Erin off the bed. She draped her with a blanket.
"I am princess moonbeam of the planet ridiculi." Erin flashed a classic vulcan symbol with her hand.
"Whats wrong with her?" Sarah asked as they tried to get her back to her bed.
"It must have had adverse effect. It must have relaxed her way too much." Danny said.
Erin squirmed and wriggled. She cried.
"No ones keeping me here!" She said and shot out a hand. It hit an unintended target and Jeffrey fell like a ton of bricks.
Erin got up with her blanket and ran out of the room.
"Get her!" Danny said as they chased her out.
"No, I'll be home in a few minutes." Aaron Shutt said as he talked on the phone. "Yeah. I havent been home in days." He said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." He said and hung up the phone. Someome came in the door.
"Can I help you?" Aaron asked Erin as she came in the door.
"I am a princess of the zmuda clan!" She said with a glassy look in her eyes. "I need a prince!"
"Uh huh." Aarons said. "Good think I'm not a shrink. Freud would have a field day with this girl."
"I need a prince, and I have found you." Erin said dropping her blanket. "Take me!"
Aaron nearly fell out of his chair. "What is it with me? Why can't I attract normal girls?"
As Aaron as asking himself thatDanny and Erin came in behind her.
"Oh, hey Aaron." Danny said.
"Does this belong to you?" Aaron asked Danny as he tried to keep the girl at bay.
"For the moment I will say yes." Danny said.
"Shes hopped up on delivery drugs. I think." Sarah said. "I'm no doctor."
"Could you please take her out of here?" Aaron asked.
"Yes." Danny said. "Erin."
"I only answer to my real name!" Erin said smugly.
"Okay Princess, you are wanted at the ball." Sarah said.
"Ball?" Erin smiled.
"Your prince is awaiting." Danny said.
"Okay." Erin said as they led her out.
Aaron sat back down and rubbed his head.
"Just another day at Chicago Hope." He muttered. "Where the insane run the looney bin."
Hours later Erin delivered a baby boy. She has since come down from her medicated high. Danny found Sarah next to the maternity ward.
"Hows Erin?" Danny asked.
"Great." Sarah said. "Plus Matthew flew in and proposed to her."
"Thats great." Danny said.
"Yeah." Sarah said.
"How are you?" Danny asked.
"I dunno. All right. A little tired." Sarah said.
"What are you gonna do now?" He asked.
"We are gonna stay in town for a week or two." Sarah said. "I might do the tourist thing."
"How about a date thing?" Danny asked.
"What?" Sarah asked.
"Would you like to have dinner sometime? Maybe tomorrow?" Danny asked.
"Wow." Sarah said. She smiled tiredly. "Sure. I might have to sleep for a week first but I'd be glad to."
"Great. I'll call you at that number that you left at the ER and we'll talk." Danny said and left.
"Hmm." Sarah said. "Thanks."
Erin wheeled up to her in her chair.
"Ah I see you got a date." Erin smiled.
"You can call it that, yeah." Sarah smiled.
"Yeah, I could tell you liked him." Erin said. "See, this day turned out great for both of us."
"Yeah." Sarah said as they looked at the baby. "It sure did."
