Read Miss Julia Delivers the Goods for Free Online Page B

her, wanted to hear more about her decision to cut off Mr. Pickens, but she was in no shape for conversation. When the nurse came back in with a syringe, I turned my face away, not wanting to see the actual procedure.
    When the nurse left, Hazel Marie managed to turn her head toward me and murmur, “Lloyd’s all right?”
    “He’s worried about you, but other than that, he’s fine.”
    She nodded, her eyelids heavy with fatigue, and as the room quieted, she drifted off to sleep.
    I stayed so long that I found myself about to nod off, too. But after a while, I got up and looked down at her to be sure she was deeply asleep. Then I tiptoed out and went to Dr. Hargrove’s office.
     
     
     
     
    “I want to see Dr. McKay,” I told the receptionist. “And, no, I don’t have an appointment. I’ll just sit here until he can give me five minutes of his time. I want some answers from him, and I’ll wait all day if that’s what it takes.”
    It didn’t take all day, but it did take almost an hour before I was ushered back to Dr. Hargrove’s office, which Dr. McKay had taken over.
    “Mrs. Murdoch, is it?” He had the courtesy to stand when I entered and motioned me to a chair in front of the desk. “What can I do for you?”
    My mouth tightened at the question. What did he think he could do for me? Did he think I’d just dropped in for a chat? There was a sick woman over in the hospital, and he wanted to know why I was here?
    “You can tell me what’s wrong with Hazel Marie,” I said, holding my pocketbook on my lap. “What kind of tests are you conducting on her, and what have you found out about her condition?”
    “Well, now,” he said, pulling out a desk drawer and propping his feet on it. He leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head in a casual manner that irritated me beyond words. “There’s still a number of tests to be run, so I don’t have anything to tell you at the moment. And frankly, I wouldn’t even if I knew anything. I’d be running into ethical problems if I discussed the case with anyone but the patient herself.” He smiled to take the sting out of his words. “I’m sure you understand.”
    “I do understand and I appreciate your high standards. However, Hazel Marie means the world to us, and we feel, in ways of which you are unaware, somewhat responsible for her. I don’t mean to imply,” I quickly added, “that she’s unable to care for herself. In fact, she’s more than able. I’m only wondering if you couldn’t discuss the possibilities, let us say, in general, without specifically discussing her case. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with the Board of Ethics or whatever.” Actually, I didn’t care if he got in trouble or not. I wanted some answers so I could stop imagining the worst.
    “Well, just being speculative and nonspecific,” he said, his eyes roaming around the room before coming back to me. “And if you won’t hold me to anything, I’ll just mention again that a generalized infection or an intestinal parasite of some kind has to be considered when a patient has been out of the country and presents symptoms of severe gastrointestinal involvement. A complete blood workup will help determine that. Also an upper GI series might be called for to rule out a couple of things. Then possibly some allergy tests. That’ll all take time, so we’ll just have to be patient.”
    Be patient ! I thought. How could I be patient while she was over there wasting away to nothing?
    “Well,” I said, “can you think of anything else in this hypothetical situation we’re talking about? We’re all worried sick, so if you’re completely in the dark, tell us and we’ll take her somewhere else.”
    “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” he said, suddenly sitting up in his chair.
    “Maybe not,” I said, my back so stiff I couldn’t lean back. “But it’s always an option. Dr. Hargrove wouldn’t mind us getting a second opinion, or