Smoke Read Online Free PDF Page B

stand by the window. “Dr. Goldberg, I hope this is the visit I’ve been waiting for all day.”
    “Indeed it is. Are you ready to go home?”
    “Is the sky blue; c’mon—don’t play with me, Doc.”
    “Yeah, okay, I won’t. You’re being released today but there are restrictions.”
    “Restrictions—like what?” He frowned.

    “You have to do outpatient therapy to get rid of the remaining soot in your lungs. I want you to make an appointment with respiratory therapy before you leave today; they will decide how often you should come in for treatments.”
    “No problem, I can do that. When can I return to work?”
    “In about four to six weeks. You have four broken ribs that gotta heal. How do you expect to haul heavy gear with broken ribs?”
    “Damn, I forgot about those. What am I gonna do for six weeks?”
    “You can start by relaxing and getting your lungs healthy. I’m sending you home with a portable oxygen tank. If you do okay without it during the day, that’s fine, but I want you wear it night. Do you have anyone at home or, anyone that can check on you daily?”
    “Doc, I’m a firefighter and don’t need a babysitter.”
    “I’m not saying you do, but you live in an apartment with a lot of stairs; you’ll get winded easily and might need assistance, Mr. Firefighter.”
    Nick and Anthony entered the room and stood by the door not wanting to
    interrupt what the doctor was saying to Jonathan. Anthony assumed from the tone of the conversation Jonathan was being released from the hospital.
    Jonathan shook his head. “No, I don’t have anyone to check on me during the day, but I know how to call for help if I need it.”
    Anthony spoke out of turn answering for Jonathan. “Doc, my sister will be more than happy to keep an eye on Jon. She has a big house with a bedroom on the first floor just waitin’ on him.”

    The doctor turned around to give Anthony the thumbs-up. “Great! Good luck, Mr. DeMinico. The nurse will be in with instructions on follow-up care and your discharge papers.” He shook Jonathan’s hand. “I’ll see you in my office next week.”
    Excited, he got off the bed ripping off his robe until he remembered Gabrielle was in the room. “Guys, I want you to meet Gabrielle King. She’s the best damn respiratory therapist in this place and hopefully, since I’m no longer a patient, she will become a personal friend.”
    “Finally we get to meet the famous Gabrielle he talks so much about. I’m Anthony, also a firefighter, and that big dude standing by the bathroom door is Nick.”
    Gabrielle lowered her shoulders when Anthony raised her hand to kiss the back of it. “It’s a pleasure meeting both of you.” Removing her hand from Anthony’s, she walked to the door. “I will leave you all to chat. Congrats, on your release, Jonathan.
    Take care of yourself.”
    Jonathan stood dumbfounded by her sudden departure. “What the hell was
    that? Before you guys interrupted we were getting down to real business.”
    Nick laughed. “Yeah, the real business of her flipping you off; we saved you the embarrassment of that happening.”
    Anthony strutted to the door. “I’ll be right back. I gotta take care of a lil’
    something.”
    “Where the hell is he going?” Jonathan asked throwing his robe on the bed.
    “Seriously—you wanna pretend you don’t know what he’s going to do?”
    “He wouldn’t do that knowing how I feel about her.”

    “We’re talking about Anthony! I gotta say she’s a hot little number but a little on the cold side.”
    “Nick, she’s not like that at all. She’s feeling me, but she’s letting something else block our flow.”
    “Well flow or no flow, she high-tailed it out that door not giving a damn about you. Suck it up, bro; not all women are into firefighters, or, maybe she has a man.”
    “I wasn’t getting that vibe from her. She got real irritated when Sandra Rhodes visited me. She was acting all jealous. It’s something