Stole My Heart ❤️ {A Jackson Avery love story}

Chapter 142:

Jackson and I rush out of the on-call room and into the elevator.

Delilah: I'm gonna be late!
Jackson: you're only gonna be fifteen minutes late. Hunt probably won't realize that you're late, you'll be fine.
Delilah: I wouldn't be late if you weren't so needy.
Jackson: it's not my fault I have an incredibly hot wife.

Jackson starts kissing my neck, causing me to let out a shaky breath.

Delilah: I hate you.
Jackson: you didn't seem to hate me half an hour ago.

I whack Jackson on the chest as the elevator opens to lead me to the ER. I give Jackson a quick kiss then run into the ER where Owen is talking about the virus spreading around.

Owen: there is a viral infection running rampant through this hospital. It feels like flu symptoms, then GI stuff. It goes without saying that soap, water and hand sanitizer are your best friends. And if you do feel sick and you can go home, then go home. Spread the word. That's all for now.

I throw my hair in a bun then grab a tablet and walk over to the patient.

Delilah: hi there! I'm Dr. Avery-Shepherd. Are you Braden?
Braden's mom: yes, this is our little Brady bug.
Braden: mom!
Braden's dad: so, did you speak to our doctor?
Delilah: I did. He said that Braden has SCID?
Braden: bubble boy disease.
Braden's dad: Braden. He knows that we hate it when he calls it that.
Delilah: and he sent you here?
Braden's mom: yes, he's out of the country.
Delilah: right, but patients with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome are generally advised to steer clear of high-risk infection areas like a hospital. Without an immune system—
Braden's mom: we know, even a common cold can be life threatening.
Braden's dad: well, he's on enzyme injections, and they've been working very well. And we were just so worried and– Braden. Face.
Braden: I'm not picking at it. Just touching it.
Delilah: Braden, how long have you had that?
Braden: this zit? I don't know.

I walk over to Braden and check it out. I grab a marker and draw a circle around it.

Braden: geez, why not just draw an arrow and the word "zit"?
Braden's mom: Braden! Last night, he got congested, and we thought he might be getting a sinus infection, so we called our doctor.
Delilah: and he sent you here to get IVIG antibiotics and labs. Great. Let's get him started.

-later-

We've had to move Braden into isolation due to the virus spreading so I'm explaining protocol to his parents.

Delilah: every time you go into Braden's room, you will put on a fresh gown, gloves and mask.
Braden's mom: right. Every time.
Delilah: yeah. The lump on Braden's head is a rapidly growing infection. We just want to make sure he doesn't get any more.
Braden's dad: but he's been taking the enzyme. It's supposed to stop this kind of thing from happening.
Delilah: his labs show that his t-cell count is zero, which means he's developed antibodies to the enzyme and it's no longer working. He's highly susceptible to all types of infection. Have you considered a bone-marrow transplant?
Braden's dad: we tried to find the match right after he was born, but ethnic donors are so hard to find. The recommended the enzyme instead. It's been working. It was working.

I give Braden's parents a sympathetic smile as I step aside to let them go into their son's room.

-later-

I stand outside of Braden's room when Bailey approaches me.

Bailey: hey, Braden Morris is here? He was my patient a few years ago. What's going on?
Delilah: his meds stopped working. He's got acute frontal sinusitis. It's spreading fast.