The Clinic
The morning began to draw to a close and with it the quietest part of the day. In the early hours of daylight, the parents usually filed in with their children, appointments made when L.A seem the most calm. Nurses and doctors armed with booster shots, colored band aids, and cold medicine would aid these children. By noon, all children appointments are taken care of, then more serious appointments and walk ins seem to appear. Such as the boy who rushes into the small waiting room.
Hey!... There's this guy... In an alleyway and... He's REALLY banged up... It's across from the corner store closest to the middle school, you have to help him!" The nurse silently thinks over the decision she has to makes, then she lifts the phone to summon a orderly from the back room. The two men in blue scrubs appears within moments, the more kinder looking of the two kneels before the boy, "Can you lead us to him son?"
Within moments, the three were out in the L.A heat, the boy leading the two larger men. They spot the patient being moved by a figure that seem half his size.
"Honey, let us give you a hand" The kinder orderly greets her while flashing a employee badge. Without waiting for a response, the two men step on both sides of the bruised and battered man and lifted him like he weighted nothing.
Olivia
Olivia remains unfazed by John's comments, honestly she had heard much worse in her life. "Well I am flattered John" Olivia response without missing a beat, "These visits of ours, me collecting your blood and urine samples, you keeping me in mind during your drug-induces hazes, I think we have a real bond John." Their brief conversation is interrupted by the presence of nurse Layla. While she whispers something to Olivia, the doctor catches something in John's expression but only for a moment. She quickly returns her attention to what Layla is saying before receiving the thin orange envelope.
There is another moment of silence as Olivia breaks the seal and reads over the result.
"Well, toxicity report isn't very pretty. But I'll let you read that over in private." There is a shuffle of paper that fills the tense air. "Congratulations John, you are clean as a whistle, more or less." Olivia says with a genuine smile and relief in her voice. She slides the results over for John to review himself.
"Now, as for the drug use, Could I interest you in some fascinating literature? Pictures of decaying faces, fun rhythms to practice, 'crack is wrack!' or 'Hugs, not drugs'?" A sarcastic tone had replaced her genuine tone, but Olivia always tried to push the drug programs on her known users, even if the plea fell on deaf ears.