The Holiday Swap(5)
“So, you lost consciousness?” Miguel asked, looking serious now as he took down a few notes on the tablet in his hands.
“Briefly, I guess,” Charlie responded.
To which Priya replied, “It was at least five minutes.”
After a few more questions, half of which were answered by Priya until Miguel told her he really needed to hear from Charlie, he took out a penlight and shone it into her eyes. Then he had her follow his finger while he asked her a few more questions about her symptoms. She hoped she was passing his tests.
“What are you thinking, Dr. Rodriguez? Is Charlie going to make it to see another day so you can go back to enjoying your favorite television show?”
“Priya, c’mon,” Charlie muttered. Miguel chuckled.
“Actually, I’m a PA—physician assistant—but I promise you, I’m as thorough as they come,” Miguel said.
“I’m sure you are, Miguel. Can I call you Miguel?” Priya asked. Charlie gave Priya as stern a look as she could muster, but Priya was oblivious.
“Well, that’s my name so I don’t see why not.” He smiled, showcasing those killer dimples. He then asked Charlie a few other questions about her symptoms, and felt around her scalp with gentle yet assured hands. She did her best not to cringe when his fingers pressed on a particularly tender spot.
“A nice bump, but no lacerations, which is good. However, it looks like you earned yourself a fairly decent concussion,” Miguel said, taking notes again. “You are lucky it wasn’t worse. Everyone’s brain responds differently to a concussion, so you have to let yours heal in its own time. Which means a lot of rest, okay?”
“I’ll make sure she rests. A lot,” Priya volunteered, eyes wide and serious. “Just tell me what to expect, Doctor. I mean, Miguel.”
“Some dizziness, nausea, and a headache are all common but should pass within a couple of weeks,” he said to both of them. “If your mental state is altered in any way, though, come back, okay? Or if there are any other symptoms outside of the ones I mentioned. And if she loses consciousness, call an ambulance.”
“This is serious,” Priya said, looking worriedly at Charlie.
“Relax, Priya. I’m fine,” Charlie said, willfully ignoring his mention of other symptoms. “I just have a bit of a headache. So, if that’s all it is and I promise to get a good night’s sleep, I’m okay to go back to work tomorrow?”
Miguel shook his head. “You need to take it easy. Rest is the most important thing you can do right now. Also, no screen time, no television, and no reading. You’ll likely feel better if you spend most of your time sleeping and in dark rooms. Light can be a trigger.”
“But . . . I have to be back on set. I can’t let . . .” Charlie swallowed hard. With Bake My Day on the line, I can’t let Austin win this round.
“I understand completely. It’s a great show. And you’re the best part of it.” Miguel cleared his throat and looked away from her, back down at his notes. Now Charlie was sure of it: he was blushing. It had been a while since she’d had this sort of attention, mostly because she was so busy working—first at Souci and then on Sweet & Salty—that she almost never went out. Her last date had been . . . she couldn’t even remember. And she had to admit that, even under the circumstances, being complimented by this cute medical professional was gratifying.
“She really is,” Priya said, looking between the clearly flustered Miguel and Charlie.
“Which means, they’re going to understand the need to alter the production schedule for a few days,” Miguel continued, the moment over. “This is your brain, Charlie.”
“But, it’s only a twelve-episode Christmas special and I can’t—” she began, but Miguel put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Trust me. If you can limit your activity now you’ll feel a lot better, more quickly,” Miguel said. “And if anything—anything at all—gets worse, or you have new symptoms, you need to come back. Otherwise follow up with your family physician in about two weeks.”
Priya gave Charlie a knowing look: if she couldn’t get back on set, Sasha would have no choice but to hand the reins fully to Austin. No. That couldn’t happen. Her chance to host her own show would be obliterated if she couldn’t finish the special.
“Any questions, or anything else I can help you with?” Miguel asked.
Charlie considered her more concerning symptoms, but then replied, “No thanks.”
“I’m going to write up your discharge papers and I’ll include the concussion protocol,” he said, reaching out to shake Charlie’s hand first, and then Priya’s. “Pleasure to meet both of you. And remember, the only job you have for the next week or two is to rest. Got it?”
“Got it!” Priya said. “I’ll make sure she follows doctor’s orders, Miguel.”
“You have a great friend there,” Miguel said, flashing that dazzling smile one last time. Beside her, Priya sighed. “Okay. All the best, Charlie,” Miguel continued. “Hope I don’t see you again—except on television, of course.”
“Thank you,” Charlie said. Miguel gave a wave and then was out the door.
“I wouldn’t mind if you got hit on the head every day if it meant coming back here to see Dr. Miguel on a regular basis,” Priya said, before adding, “Obviously I don’t want you to get hurt! But, wow, he made this whole experience much more fun.”