Love You Like That.
Introduction
“If this was my patient, I’d induced vomiting ASAP and put this dog on fluid therapy for the rest of the day.” I tell my co-worker, Katy, as I get out of my car. “16 ibuprofen are over the toxicity range. This could cause renal problems. You need to clean this dog out.”
“Poison control is trying to tell Mrs. Winters that we shouldn’t induce vomiting because it’s nowhere near toxic levels.” Katy tells me. “I’m sorry for calling on your day off but I have no idea what to do.”
“Induce vomiting. That’s what they told us to do in school, remember?” I sigh. “You need to purge. If it was a foreign body or if the patient ingested something caustic, then I’d lay off inducing vomiting. But this is neither one of those things.”
“Thankfully mom is willing to pay whatever to get her puppy back to normal.” Katy says with a sigh of relief.
“Press the need for hospitalization, you don’t want this to turn into acute renal failure.” I tell her that as I walk up to my South Beach apartment building. Right outside, I see my brother standing there wearing his usual of flannel, cowboy boots and worn out jeans. Despite growing up here in Miami, he chose to follow our father’s roots. He moved out to Texas shortly after graduating college. “Hey Kat, I’ve got to go. My brother is here.”
“When was the last time you even seen him?” She asks, knowing the whole story.
“Since after I finished Undergrad.” I reply quickly adding a goodbye before hanging up on her. “What do you want Luke?” I ask earning the attention of the brunet in from me. “It’s been six years.”
“It’s Grandpa, Em.” His voice cracks. “He had a stroke and isn’t doing too hot. You need to come to Texas; he needs you.”
“I can’t Luke,” I tell my brother as I fight back tears in my eyes. “I’ve got clients and patients that need me. I can’t just pick up and leave.”
“Grandpa will have to close his clinic if you don’t come to Texas,” he informs me. “The stroke really messed him up, Ember. He can’t do things like he could before. He can’t be the veterinarian he once was. If he closes down, Hazzard loses it’s only animal clinic. They’d have to drive nearly an hour and a half to get to the next one.”
“Do you really think guilting me to come back will work?” I snap at him. “I haven’t spoken to you or dad in six years! And I haven’t spoken to Grandpa even longer. I’m not going to abandon the practice I work at now; I just can’t.”
“I thought family meant something to you. I thought animals meant something to you.” He spits at me. “After mom died, you turned into a bitch and pushed everyone out of your life. You won’t even help the man you claim to worship.”
“Do not bring my love for Grandpa into this!” I snap back at him. “I’ve got a life here, Lucas! I’m not some college grad that can pick up and leave whenever she wants. I’ve built a life here. I can’t just leave.”
“Can’t you just take a leave of absence and help out a little?” He begs. “Without the income of the clinic, Grandma and Grandpa might not be able to live on their own.”
“You really know how to make me feel bad, huh?” I scoff. “I have three weeks vacation that I planned on using for my trip to Iceland but I guess I can use that to help out. But while I’m there I will be interviewing for another vet; got it?”
“Grandpa says you’ll have full rein to do whatever.” Luke smiles. “Think of this place as your own.”
“When do you need me to come out there?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“This weekend,” he replies. “Thank you for doing this Ember; it means a lot.”
“Don’t thank me just yet…” I mutter to myself; knowing this isn’t going to end well.
“Poison control is trying to tell Mrs. Winters that we shouldn’t induce vomiting because it’s nowhere near toxic levels.” Katy tells me. “I’m sorry for calling on your day off but I have no idea what to do.”
“Induce vomiting. That’s what they told us to do in school, remember?” I sigh. “You need to purge. If it was a foreign body or if the patient ingested something caustic, then I’d lay off inducing vomiting. But this is neither one of those things.”
“Thankfully mom is willing to pay whatever to get her puppy back to normal.” Katy says with a sigh of relief.
“Press the need for hospitalization, you don’t want this to turn into acute renal failure.” I tell her that as I walk up to my South Beach apartment building. Right outside, I see my brother standing there wearing his usual of flannel, cowboy boots and worn out jeans. Despite growing up here in Miami, he chose to follow our father’s roots. He moved out to Texas shortly after graduating college. “Hey Kat, I’ve got to go. My brother is here.”
“When was the last time you even seen him?” She asks, knowing the whole story.
“Since after I finished Undergrad.” I reply quickly adding a goodbye before hanging up on her. “What do you want Luke?” I ask earning the attention of the brunet in from me. “It’s been six years.”
“It’s Grandpa, Em.” His voice cracks. “He had a stroke and isn’t doing too hot. You need to come to Texas; he needs you.”
“I can’t Luke,” I tell my brother as I fight back tears in my eyes. “I’ve got clients and patients that need me. I can’t just pick up and leave.”
“Grandpa will have to close his clinic if you don’t come to Texas,” he informs me. “The stroke really messed him up, Ember. He can’t do things like he could before. He can’t be the veterinarian he once was. If he closes down, Hazzard loses it’s only animal clinic. They’d have to drive nearly an hour and a half to get to the next one.”
“Do you really think guilting me to come back will work?” I snap at him. “I haven’t spoken to you or dad in six years! And I haven’t spoken to Grandpa even longer. I’m not going to abandon the practice I work at now; I just can’t.”
“I thought family meant something to you. I thought animals meant something to you.” He spits at me. “After mom died, you turned into a bitch and pushed everyone out of your life. You won’t even help the man you claim to worship.”
“Do not bring my love for Grandpa into this!” I snap back at him. “I’ve got a life here, Lucas! I’m not some college grad that can pick up and leave whenever she wants. I’ve built a life here. I can’t just leave.”
“Can’t you just take a leave of absence and help out a little?” He begs. “Without the income of the clinic, Grandma and Grandpa might not be able to live on their own.”
“You really know how to make me feel bad, huh?” I scoff. “I have three weeks vacation that I planned on using for my trip to Iceland but I guess I can use that to help out. But while I’m there I will be interviewing for another vet; got it?”
“Grandpa says you’ll have full rein to do whatever.” Luke smiles. “Think of this place as your own.”
“When do you need me to come out there?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“This weekend,” he replies. “Thank you for doing this Ember; it means a lot.”
“Don’t thank me just yet…” I mutter to myself; knowing this isn’t going to end well.
♠ ♠ ♠
EmberFun fact: the story Ember and Katy are talking about in the beginning of the chapter is real. A lady came into the clinic I work at (I'm a vet tech) saying her German Shepherd puppy ate 16 100mgs of Ibuprofen. Poison control didn't want us to induce vomiting and they really said it wasn't serious. The amount she took would have pushed her way over the toxic level. The patient wasn't hospitalized over night and ended up coming back because she was in acute renal failure. She spent about a week in the clinic. Don't worry, she's still alive.
I thought you guys might like that fun fact.
comment&subscribe? It will get better once she's in Texas.