Coffee

Part Seventy-Seven: I Can't Do This

Walking into the Dam this morning, I pass through the atrium with a hastened pace. I just want to get this day over with. I want nothing to do with Max. I want nothing to do with his hospital.

Last night was a big fucking joke.

I skip the elevator and take the stairs. I'm rage filled. I'm hot. I'm on fire. All cylinders are burning today. If anyone gets in my way, they will want to proceed with caution or yield, because I am in no mood to take captives today- I am going to just go in for the kill if I have too.

Even if I don't.

After setting my things down, I get called to the ED. I hate being in the ED because there's a greater chance of Max being in there. It's the worst place in the hospital.

"What's going on?" I ask as I enter.

"Man in bed three. Some kind of infection." Handing me his chart, Casey leaves and I look it over. He had a hip replacement back in 2016. That's about the extent of anything major. Going over to him, we chat and when I draw blood, this cobalt blue sludge comes out instead.

"What is that?"

"That is not good. This is mostly due to your hip replacement. The metal used is stripping away in your body- which is poisoning you. We will get you a new hip and we will file a lawsuit against the company that made your hip because this isn't right. You will get compensation." The patient looks at me and is between elated and concerned. I'm in no mood today. This company will not be getting away with this. "I will get find you a new hip that won't poison you."

I state clearly before leaving.

**Three Hours Later***

So I had met with the company about the hip. I had threatened them and therefore they had provoked my dragon to breathe fire down their throats. If they weren't going to admit they fucked up and make things right- then the world would know just how terrible this company is. Standing in my office, pulling files together and everything- I had got in touch with one of my talks how hosts in my Rolodex, and made a big shit storm. They loved the story. Immediately, they agreed to have me on the air. As the fire inside me burns bright, Max comes in.

"Did you know over six thousand people have received this metal hip since 2016 and it's killing them. So how do I figure out, if putting this hip into them will not kill them." I generally ask as I wave the metal joint around.

"That is a great question. That is just the straight forward kind of thinking we need for someone on the board." I look up at him.

"The board?"

"You're my first choice." He cheerily says and I don't believe him for a second. "We need a voice like yours on the board."

"No- you want the voice of Dr. Helen- not Dr. Sharpe."

"The voice of a celebrity is what the Dam needs. We need someone on our side- one of us- and they already said no to Reynolds, so..."I knew he was lying. I raise my eyebrows.

"And here you said I was your first choice. Interesting."

"First... in my heart." He tries to schmooze me and I scoff.

"I'll tell you what- you won't ever get me on the board because the board only hires people they agree which: which is most definitely not one of us." I walk to the door and gesture with the hip for him to leave. He does and I go back to work. I only have an hour before I have to get over to The Night Shift with Bianca Jarret.

As I work away at gathering my things, Max storms in and is raged.

"They will destroy you! They will end your career and ruin everything you've ever worked hard for!" His voice echoes through my office and I make my way to my desk to get my laptop and papers in order. "They have a string of lawyers ready to pull a lawsuit on you..