Page 10 of Drive
Rainey frowned now. It should have been pink. The tissue under her eyelid should have been pink, but instead, it waspale.
“As you know, we did some blood work when we admitted you yesterday,” he said, clicking off the penlight and sitting on the edge of the bed. Rainey sucked in a breath. This wasn’t good. A doctor wouldn’t sit on the edge of the bed if the news was good. “I’m concerned about your numbers. Your white blood cell count is quite low, which by itself doesn’t really alarmme…”
By itself? Did that mean there was more to alarm him? Holi’s foot wriggled under her hand, and Rainey realized she was gripping ittightly.
“A low white blood cell count could be a result of infection, and we know you have one of those,” he said diplomatically, but Rainey knew he was just leading up to something else. Something worse. Her heart thudded a beat of dread in her chest. “But your red blood cells and platelet counts are also low — low enough to make me want to look into underlying causes of thepneumonia.”
The room had gone airless. Rainey gulped for a moment before finding enough oxygen to speak. “What kind ofcauses?”
The old doctor gave her a sympathetic look. One couldn’t call it a smile. Rainey wished he would smile. Because that would mean everything was going to beokay.
“Things like leukemia, aplastic anemia, or autoimmune disorders.” He looked back at Holi. “I’d like to order a bone marrow biopsy. That should give us the answers we need to moveforward.”
Holi’s eyes went round. “Biopsy?” For the first time, she looked scared. It was a sight Rainey almost never saw, and it made her own fear — ever-present and quick to respond — triple insize.
The doctor nodded. “It’s a procedure that takes about ten minutes. We’ll give you a local anesthetic, and another doctor — a hematologist — will make a small incision in your hip and use a needle to get a tissue sample of the bonemarrow.”
Rainey watched Holi wince, and she could almost feel a needle the size of a drinking straw tunnel into herhipbone.
The doctor smiled then at Holi. “I know it sounds bad, but Dr. Lambert is the best around. You might be a little sore for a few days, but I promise you, if you give her ten minutes, you’ll be in and out, and back in yourroom.”
“In my room?” Holi asked. “You mean I have tostay?”
Dr. Roberts pressed his lips together and nodded again. “Afraid so. The low blood cell counts, the fever, and infection — all of those combined can put you at great risk. Life-threatening risk, Ms. Reeves,” he said, settling a long-fingered hand on her arm. “I’m also going to order a course of antivirals and a blood transfusion to help us fight thisinfection.”
Rainey’s hand flew to her mouth as Holi’s eyes bugged again. “A blood transfusion. Are you kidding me—” A coughing fit ended her protest and continued on long past it. Dr. Roberts turned to the little table beside her bed and poured her a cup of water from the plasticpitcher.
I should have done that,Rainey realized, trying to get a hold of her fear so she could actually be of someuse.
“Ms.Reeves—”
“Holi,” she rasped, clearing her throat. “Please, call meHoli.”
Dr. Roberts nodded again. “Holi, with numbers where yours are, even with antibiotics, it’s very hard for your body to fight infection. I’m also guessing you’ve been feeling pretty tired and run downlately.”
Holi blinked in a way that told Rainey the truth. She had been feeling tired and run down, but she hadn’t admittedit.
“A transfusion will help you feel stronger. And then when we know what we’re dealing with, we’ll move on from there.” The doctor got to his feet. “I’ll get you on the schedule for the biopsy as soon as I can. May not be untiltomorrow.”
Then he looked at Rainey before bringing his eyes back to Holi. “Are yousisters?”
“Yes, we are,” Holi muttered weakly. Her whole body seemed to sink into the bed with the gravity of this news. Or maybe the undeniable evidence that she was truly sick — and not just with pneumonia — made it harder for Holi to pretend. She looked absolutely frailnow.
“I usually suggest bringing someone with you for the biopsy. Distraction and comfort help abit.”
Rainey suppressed a shudder at the thought of Holi needing distraction while someone jabbed a needle in her hip, but she spoke up at once. “I’ll behere.”
“No.” Holi shook her head. “Ash’ll doit.”
“Holi, I wantto—”
Holi pinned her with a stare. “No, Rain. You don’t need to see something like that. Ash can totally handleit.”
“But—”
Holi’s merciless cough ended her protest, but this time, Rainey wasn’t about to be outdone by the doctor. She offered her the cup of water and a tissue for Holi to wipe her eyes, which watered when she coughed soviolently.
“Thank you,” Holi croaked, meeting her sister’s eyes and seeming to thank her for more than just the water and tissue. She was thanking her for acceptingdefeat.
