Broken arm

[dari]

Lyris followed the signs to the emergency room after Micheal had parked the car. The sliding doors whooshed open as she approached and she walked through the vent of air into the reception room. It smelled like iodine and soap. She walked up to the desk.

Hi, she said to the bored-looking receptionist. I fell off a horse earlier and I think my arm's broken.

All right, said the girl, picking up a pen and a clipboard and holding it up. You'll need to fill this out and have a seat, and we'll be with you shortly. She went back to her computer.

In case you haven't noticed, Lyris said with a snort, I can't move my arm without it hurting like hell. Therefore I can't write. Please just get your nose out of your game of Solitaire for two seconds and enter my information into the computer. She let her anger at the receptionist show in her eyes.

The girl rolled her eyes and took the clipboard from where it sat on the counter. Fine, she said with a sigh, and started asking Lyris the questions that were on the paper.

[Bree]

Micheal glared at the receptionist. She looked coldly around the room scrunching up her nose. I hate hospital smells. Hopefully the doctor would be able to see her fast. She looked at Lyris's face which looked like it was going pale. She hoped they would be done soon so Lyris could sit down.

[dari]

When the questionnaire was all filled out, the receptionist stood from her chair and took the clipboard with her through a door and into the actual emergency room. Lyris sighed and went to find a seat, her face a little white.

I can't stand people like that. She ought to be fired, she said to Micheal as the girl sat down beside her. Or shot. Or thrown from a horse, see how she likes it. She felt her control shattering as the pain from her arm flared up again. Silently she berated herself for letting herself lose some of her carefully managed self-control.

The doctor came out just then. Lyris Devotte? he asked, stumbling over her rather exotic name. She nodded and rose. I'm Dr. Grady. Follow me and we'll check out that arm, he said with a smile. Quietly she followed.

You can come if you want, Micheal, she said. But who knows how long this'll take... if you want to go that's fine, I can call someone later to get me.

[Bree]

Want me to break her arm? Micheal asked with as much serious quality she could muster but a grin managed to break out.

When the doctor called her she had already got up to go in. She followed behind them as they went into the room. Micheal took a quick glance at the room, unfortunately she always spotted the needle disposal box first.

[DJ]

Hope hurried into the lobby and found her way to the reception desk.

Hope stood in front of the girl and waited for her to look up from her computer and make eye contact. Hello, Hope thought to herself You could at least take yourself away from the freaking computer for a few moments. Hope jutted her lower jaw out unhappily when the girl finally looked up.

"May I help you?" The girl looked up at Hope unhappily.

"I sure hope so." Hope coldly stared back down at her. "Would I be able to visit a 'Lyris Devotte'?" Hope spoke her name clearly and quickly. She was becoming impatient with the receptionist.

"Are you of direct family relatives?" The younger girl asked wearily.

"No. She works for me. I'm her boss." Hope snapped at the girl. I don't mean to snap, but it'd be helpful if you could get the information I need.

"You'll have to wait. We have a policy that doesn't allow-"

"Fine!" Hope spun around. "Screw the policy," she murmered to herself under her breath so no one else could hear her. Hope placed herself in a hard cushioned chair with an awkward pattern on it. The air blew out of the sides when Hope sat into it.

It wasn't until now Hope noticed the terrible smell of hospital. She crinkled her nose and picked up a magazine. "People" The front cover read. Hope flipped through the nonsense of celebs and other people. She rolled her eyes after closing the magazine and placed it on top of the others on the table.

I wonder how Lyris is doing...

[dari]

Lyris laughed and stage whispered to Micheal, How much do you charge?

She sat down on the exam table and watched as Dr. Grady flipped through her medical records. It was embarrassingly thick. After nearly her whole life riding horses, she had landed in the ER more times than she'd like to remember.

So, the doctor said after a minute, you fell off a horse again? Lyris nodded. All right, let's go ahead and do an X-ray, just to be sure. I'll call the nurse and have her take you down to radiology. He smiled and left.

As it turned out, there were two clean fractures, one on each bone. She groaned as she thought of the lost training time with Bex and the other horses.
Are you sure I can't ride? I have a lot of work to do...

The doctor smiled as he finished putting on the plaster cast and wrote her a prescription for some pain medication. Sorry, no can do... you have to give these bones a chance to heal. If they don't heal right, you could end up with more than just 6 weeks out of the saddle.

She moaned. Six weeks. Far too long to let Bex sit. The mare would have a fit.

When the cast was secured and drying, the doctor gave her a sling and directed her back to the receptionist's desk. She walked out and saw a very nervous-looking Hope standing at the desk, arguing with the girl at the computer.

Hi, Hope, she said with a sheepish grin. She held up her arm. Good thing I'm left-handed. Two clean breaks.

[Bree]

Micheal's heart wrentched at the thought of not being able to ride for a day let alone more than a week.

If you would like I could excercise your horse for you..? She didn't add anything to her sentence she couldn't imagine anyone else riding Pie, that is if she would let them. Until it heals of course. She gave an encouraging grin.

[dari]

Lyris turned to Micheal and smiled. That would be wonderful, you're an angel. She thought for a moment. I tell you what. When we get back to the barn I'll introduce you, and if you want to take an introductory ride on her you can. That way you can get used to each other and she won't feel like I've abandoned her.

She eyed the prescription in her hand. I have to get this filled.. Where's the pharmacy, anyone know?

[Bree]

Absolutely, I wouldn't want to make you or Bex uncomfortable. Micheal said winking.
As for the pharmacy Micheal looked to Hope for the answer she didn't even know where the hospital was let alone anywhere else.

[DJ]

Hope gasped. "Oh no!" She frowned. "Micheal and I can do all we can with Bex. She'll be one lucky beastie." Hope tried to give Lyris a comforting smile, but it came out as an awkward grin.

"Do either of you guys need a ride home, or did Micheal drive you?" Hope jingled her car keys. "If you don't have anywhere to go, I need to pick up some feed and.. hold on a moment."

Hope pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed. "Hello, sweetheart. Hope smiled. "Fine. Would you be able to feed horses tonight? She paused and listened. "Correct. And Just give everyone a few flakes of hay. I can give them more if I need to when I get home. Yepp. And water. Hope pushed her bangs out of her eyes. Aww. Thank you again, honey. Love you, too. Yes. Talk to you tonight. Bye."

Hope flipped her phone together and looked back up to the girls. I got Jared to feed the horses. I need to run to the feed store and if you girls have time and would like to follow, I'd be happy to take you two out to the diner for a nice dinner. If you'd have time. And your arm isn't hurting too badly. So I'd understand if you don't want to.

Hope bit her lip again. She was talking too much. As usual. She looked down and wiped her toe on the grey carpet. She looked up and waited for a reply.

[dari]

Micheal drove, and we've got my car. Thank you so much, by the way... she turned to Micheal. You really are a lifesaver. She thought of the fall and wondered vaguely if the horses had gotten put away.

I'm free tonight, she said after a minute, dinner would be nice, thank you. She smiled.

[Bree]

Micheal smiled walked out the door waiting for the others to get in Lyris' car. Although she wanted to go to dinner she was worried about Pie all she remebers doing was tying her up to the outside of the arena. I hope someone put the horses away. Her nails begged to be chewed instead she bit her bottom lip. She would like to go out to dinner but she had also wanted to go on the trails and she still needed to work with Bex to get used to her.
Whatever Lyris would like I'm game. She smiled hopping into the driver's seat now that she had more time she took a look around the car, she always liked the Prius.

[DJ]

Sure. Hope nodded and smiled before heading to her car. Like I said, I need to stop at the feed store, but if you guys follow, that'd be fine.

Hope hopped up into her truck, much more calm now that she knew Lyris was okay - even with a broken arm. She started the truck and shifted into Drive as she pulled out of the parking lot and pressed the large volume knob inwards, turning on the stereo. Hope stopped at the red light and fumbled with a CD placing in a soundtrack to Pirates of the Caribbean. Hope sighed as she listened to the orchestra, as the violins and larger string instruments comforted her.

Hope pressed the gas pedal and placed on her sunglasses as they drove into the evening sun in front of them.