《Counting To Fifteen [Grey's Anatomy]》chapter ten - dislocations
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watched Callie's every move carefully as the woman examined her sister.
"Mhm. You popped it clean out of the socket." Callie examined Calypso's shoulder.
The six-year-old was in excruciating pain, her face tear-stained from the events of the night. She tried her best to muffle her sobs, but her shoulder was hurting her so badly.
Mark stood to one side of Calypso as he had an ice pack pressed gently against her shoulder. Daisy stood on the other side, Calypso's hand in her own. For a six-year-old, the kid really had a strong grip. But Daisy didn't mind at all, she knew Calypso was in pain.
"How'd this happen?" Callie asked curiously, not taking her eyes off of Calypso's shoulder.
"My friend Ava has a trampoline, and...and I fell off." Calypso whimpered out through her cries.
"And that accounts for the cut too, I'm assuming." Callie eyed the small gash on Calypso's forehead.
"A stick scratched me when I hit the ground." Calypso slowly nodded, sniffling as she sat there. She was slightly embarrassed, truthfully.
She had fallen right off of the trampoline at Ava's house, landing on her shoulder. She had caused such a panic for everyone: Ava and her mom, Mark, Daisy. Especially Daisy. Daisy looked like she wanted to cry too, and Calypso felt guilty.
"It feels like it's on fire." Calypso cried out, wanting Callie to just fix her already.
Callie frowned, taking Mark's place beside Calypso as she gingerly put her hands in the correct placement around the bone. "This isn't gonna feel great at first. I'm gonna pop your shoulder back into place. I'll count to three, and then-"
"Why three?" Calypso sniffled, looking up at Callie with teary eyes. "Three is such a boring number. Can you count to fifteen?"
Callie frowned. The six-year-old's shoulder was dislocated, and her primary concern was what number Callie counted to?
"What? Why?"
"We like fifteen. It's a good number." Calypso spoke. "Please?"
Callie was confused. "But...I normally just count to three. Fifteen's too high."
"Please just count to fifteen." Calypso begged. Counting to fifteen was her and her sister's familiarity, and it was the one thing that comforted Daisy more than anything. Calypso had already made Daisy so nervous tonight, she wanted to help ease her.
"But why don't I just count to three so that-"
"Christ, Torres, just count to fifteen." Mark sighed loudly, Callie immediately frowning.
But she did begin to count up, Daisy internally counting with her as she tapped gently against Calypso's hand.
Callie got higher in number, and Calypso braced herself for the excruciating pain she would feel in her shoulder when Callie got to fifteen.
"Twelve, thirteen, fourteen-"
Calypso wailed out in pain when Callie quickly thrust her shoulder back.
"See? Not so bad." Callie smiled, walking over and opening up a drawer as she retrieved a black arm sling.
"Not so bad" was a major understatement. Calypso was in intense pain, every nerve in her shoulder screaming out in agony.
"You lied." Calypso cried out, referring to the fact that Callie had popped the bone into place on fourteen rather than fifteen.
"I didn't lie. I just...surprised you." Callie shrugged. "It doesn't hurt as bad if you're not expecting it."
Calypso frowned, her face still heavily tear-stained and red.
Daisy's hand was also in intense pain on account of the fact that Calypso was grasping her so tightly. When Callie had popped Calypso's shoulder into place, Daisy felt like her hand would fall off as a result of how tightly her little sister was holding onto her.
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But she pushed her pain aside, giving her little sister a small hand squeeze as she smiled at her. "You did so good, Cal."
"Yeah, you did great, kiddo. A lot better than I could've done." Mark attempted to also cheer the six-year-old up.
But if looks could kill, Mark would be long gone. While Calypso smiled at the comment, Daisy shot Mark the most murderous glare. He was on thin ice with Daisy.
While the two were driving to go get Calypso, Mark had received the worst "I told you so" shaming of his life. And by a twelve-year-old? Talk about humility.
Daisy was upset that no one had listened to her. Calypso should've just stayed home with them where she could've been safe. Daisy didn't want to let Calypso out of her sight ever again.
Another thing that really peeved Daisy was that Calypso had reached for Mark. When the two of them had first arrived and Calypso was still sobbing in agonizing pain, she had reached for Mark, as if she wanted his help and comfort rather than Daisy's.
Granted, in a situation like that, you probably did want an adult's help rather than another kid. But still...Daisy's her sister. Why didn't Calypso reach for Daisy?
Callie adjusted the arm sling so that Calypso's arm was snug in the sling, the strap resting across her body against her neck and her good shoulder. "Perfect."
Calypso looked down at the new device that would help support her dislocation. "It's...it's like a purse for my arm."
Callie couldn't help but grin, finding the girl's silly commentary endearing.
Her thoughts were interrupted though as Jo burst in, seeming to be out of breath as a result of running all around the hospital. "Sorry, I'm...I'm back."
Jo was on Callie's orthopedic service for the week. Callie liked Jo, and she liked how fierce she was. Something that Callie was learning to not like about her intern though was her lateness.
"What took so long?"
"Oh, uh...I ran into Dr. Robbins. I was given strict instructions to personally deliver these." Jo spoke as she held up two small lollipops.
Callie didn't doubt Jo's story for a second. Considering she was married to the pediatric specialist, she knew firsthand that Arizona had enough lollipops and stickers to last an eternity.
Calypso's mind was completely off of her injury as she beamed down at the cherry lollipop that she had been handed. "Cherry's my favorite."
Jo only smiled, handing Daisy the strawberry lollipop in her hand.
"And strawberry is Daisy's favorite!" Calypso was in bewilderment that both girls had received their favorite flavors.
"How...coincidental." Jo chuckled. She had a knack for remembering the finer details. Through her many conversations with the girls, she could recall a whole lot of tiny things, including the particular infatuations with cherry and strawberry lollipops.
Daisy wasn't particularly in the mood for a lollipop, but she didn't mind removing the wrapper off of Calypso's so that the girl could enjoy her candy. "What do you say?"
"Thank you." Calypso beamed at Jo, her large smile and teary eyes giving off two very different messages.
"Stitch up that cut for me, Wilson." Callie nodded over to Calypso, the gash still present on her forehead.
Jo nodded, gathering the supplies that she'd need to stitch the cut up. "That's quite the cut. How'd it happen?"
"A stick. It scratched me when I fell off the trampoline." Calypso spoke around her lollipop, frowning as she remembered the details.
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"Did you hit your head when you fell?" Jo immediately looked back at Callie. "You should page neuro, maybe she-"
"I already checked for a concussion, Dr. Wilson. She's alright, we don't need to page neuro." Callie chuckled, not looking up from her binder as she proceeded to fill out her orders for the patient she had down the hall.
Jo frowned, but she focused her attention back to the gash on the girl's forehead, putting on clean gloves as she started to dab the cut with antiseptic. Calypso winced at the stinging sensation, and Jo immediately started up a conversation to try and distract the girl.
Mark took that opportunity to slip away for a moment, approaching Callie. "Thank you, by the way."
Callie frowned, looking up from her binder for a second before looking back down. "For what? Popping her shoulder back into place? Every orthopedic specialist on this floor can do that, I didn't do anything special."
"I don't know. Just for, uh...being here, I guess. You're the best." Mark said in an oddly sweet tone, Callie frowning. She looked up to see Mark smiling at her, and she narrowed her eyes. Mark was being far too kind.
"You want something from me."
"Not particularly." Mark frowned. "I just...you know, wanted to ask-"
"No."
"You didn't even hear me out!" Mark protested, Callie snapping her binder shut.
"I don't have to. I don't want to take part in whatever it is you're concocting."
"But...it's about Daisy."
Callie sighed, figuring she knew where this conversation was going. "Fine. I'll be glad to pick her up a box of tampons when I get off, but I draw the line at teaching her how to-"
"What? No." Mark looked at his friend sideways. "Why does your brain automatically go in the weirdest directions?"
Callie only shrugged. She wanted to argue that it wasn't the weirdest direction her brain could go in. Daisy's period was something that was still very new to her, and a topic that was extremely uncomfortable for both Daisy and Mark. Whenever Daisy was having period problems, Callie and Arizona were always called in to play health teacher.
Callie looked at Mark expectantly, waiting for him to spit out what it was that he wanted her to do.
Mark sighed, looking over at the three girls to make sure that they were all still deeply engrossed in conversation before turning his attention back to Callie. He leaned in close, speaking softly. "Daisy needs to see a psychiatrist."
Callie frowned at Mark's words. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Well...nothing, technically. I just..."
"You're speculating." Callie gave Mark a look.
"I'm not speculating anything." Mark spoke firmly. "I think she's obsessive compulsive."
"So...you're speculating." Callie repeated herself, Mark groaning.
"She needs to see a psychiatrist." Mark insisted. "I mean...she has the most bizarre behaviors. She taps all the time, and she counts in groups of fifteen. Red plates are for dinner, and...and blue shirts are for Tuesdays only. Everything points towards OCD."
Callie did have to admit that those particular behaviors did seem a little odd. But she was still failing to see the logic behind Mark's thinking. "So what am I supposed to do? I'm a bone doctor, not a mental health extraordinaire."
Mark hesitated for a moment, trying to rack his brain. "Do you think...do you think maybe you could take her over to the psychiatric unit?"
"Why?"
"I mean...she already doesn't like me, so I was thinking..." Mark trailed off, and Callie put two and two together, emitting a quiet gasp.
"You want me to do your dirty work for you."
"Come on, please?" Mark begged. "Daisy hates me, and I didn't even do anything. She just hates me because I'm me."
"Understandable." Callie nodded, Mark sending a glare her way. "What?"
Mark let out a defeated sigh. "You're one of her favorite people. If I take her, I'll just continue to be the bad guy. But...if you take her, she'll listen to you. You're one of her favorite people."
"Also understandable." Callie nodded.
"Don't get all cocky." Mark mumbled, Callie letting a small smile take over her face. She figured she had poked fun at Mark enough for one night.
"I'll see what I can do." Callie assured, Mark letting out a relieved sigh. "Relax, pretty boy, don't look so uptight."
Mark—in response—glared at Callie again, but she merely walked over to where Jo was finishing up her stitching, clipping the wire as she placed a bandage over the stitches.
"Feeling okay?" Jo double-checked with Calypso.
Calypso frowned, looking unsure. Poor kid looked like a walking injury with her arm sling and forehead stitches. "Everything just...hurts."
Jo nodded, expecting that response. "Medication will help with that."
Calypso couldn't shake her frown though, gingerly reaching up to touch the bandage on her forehead. "I don't like stitches."
"You know what the best part about stitches is, though?" Jo asked, Calypso looking at her curiously as she waited for the good part. "You can ask for ice cream and he can't say no."
Calypso looked over at Mark in awe, wondering if what Jo had said was true. "We can get ice cream?"
Mark eyed his wristwatch. It was already way past the kid's bedtime. "How about a rain-check? It's nearly 10:00."
Calypso frowned, her big eyes resembling that of a sad puppy. "But...I just got stitches."
"Oh, she's good." Callie nodded in approval. The six-year-old was playing the pity card, and from the looks of it, it was working.
"Ice cream it is, then." Mark put on a tight smile, glaring at Jo. "Thank you for that, Dr. Wilson."
Jo felt herself redden a bit, and she could already picture the week's worth of scut ahead of her.
She hadn't been trying to cause any harm, though. She just wanted to cheer the kid up.
Seemingly it worked, because Calypso's eyes lit up as she looked very excited to leave and get ice cream.
"Ice cream later." Callie pointed out, Calypso slightly deflating at that. "X-rays first, and then you can leave."
Calypso just had to let a big machine take pictures of her messed up shoulder and then she was on her way to ice cream? Calypso could definitely manage that.
She was able to get down from the examination table with Mark's help, ready to head towards x-rays as she followed Mark and Jo out of the room. Daisy was steady behind her, walking in pace with everybody else.
"Daisy." Callie called, Daisy turning around in response. Callie began to walk out of the room too, but she headed in the opposite direction that the rest of the group was headed in. "Walk with me?"
Daisy hesitated, looking over at everyone else, but they were already farther down the hallway. Calypso was on a clear mission to get her x-rays out of the way so that she could get her ice cream ASAP.
Daisy didn't love the idea of leaving Calypso alone, particularly not with Mark, given her built-up frustration towards the man as a result of the day's happenings.
But she knew that Calypso would be fine with Jo there. Daisy trusted Jo, and she really liked her too.
"Yeah, I...I guess so." Daisy nodded slowly, beginning to walk with Callie down the hallway.
It was quiet between the two for a bit. The rustling around of nurses throughout the halls provided a distracting background noise, but the silence between the two was still a little uncomfortable.
"Could you tell Arizona that I said thank you? For the lollipop." Daisy spoke up quietly. She hadn't eaten hers yet, and she didn't plan to, but she appreciated the gesture.
"I'll be sure to tell her." Callie nodded as she smiled. "You better start brainstorming what ice cream flavor you want."
But Daisy only shook her head. "I'm okay. Don't really have an appetite."
Callie frowned at that. "Today shook you up a little?"
Daisy nodded, her eyes cloudy, which signaled to Callie that the girl's brain was running in laps.
Daisy tried to push her scary thoughts out of her head. She couldn't help but feel like this was her fault. She wished she had been more pushy towards Naomi and Mark about picking Calypso up. She wished she had gotten out of the car and retrieved Calypso the minute Naomi said that Calypso was staying the night with her friend. Daisy just wished she could've been there to prevent Calypso from getting hurt.
Daisy cleared her throat, focusing on the present. The hallways all looked the same in the hospital, but they began to look different the farther they walked. The rooms weren't as big, and they looked much more formal. More like offices rather than hospital rooms.
"Psychiatry." Daisy read the sign on the wall. She had learned a lot of hospital lingo during her two months of life surrounded by doctors. She knew all about the different branches of the hospital, too. Orthopedics had to do with bones, pediatrics was children. Cardiology was the heart, neurology was the brain, and psychiatry was...
"Mental illnesses." Daisy remembered, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "Why are we here?"
Callie wasn't quite sure how to deliver the next part, and she suddenly understood why Mark had wanted Callie to have this talk. This is a hard conversation to have, hard words to deliver.
"I know that you have certain obsessive...characteristics, I guess you could call them. Your tapping, and your obsession with fifteen, and your color association and ordering...it's not normal." Callie spoke gently, Daisy frowning. "I think maybe we should get you checked out, and-"
"You think I'm crazy?" The way that Daisy sounded so hurt made Callie want to immediately apologize and retract her statement.
"No, no, of course not. Psychiatry does not make you crazy."
"Not according to Mark." Daisy spoke, Callie wanting to punch the man. Of course he had said that psychiatry was for the crazy people.
"Mark also lacks basic empathy skills." Callie mumbled. Daisy seemed so distressed though, as well as confused and slightly offended, and Callie only sighed. "You're not crazy, honey. You just need help. And a psychiatrist can give you that help through medication and therapy. They can sort through mental illness, and-"
"Mental illness?" Daisy's voice broke. She was confused, and she'd had a way too emotionally-draining day. All of this was rubbing her the wrong way. "I'm not mentally ill. You...you seriously think I'm mentally ill?"
It was clear Callie was doing more harm than she was good, and she didn't know what else to say. "Daisy-"
"I'm not mentally ill." The girl spoke firmly. "I just...I get nervous sometimes and I count, but...that doesn't mean I'm mentally ill. Does Mark think I'm mentally ill too?"
Callie hesitated, and Daisy took that as a yes, immediately letting out a scoff.
"I'm not crazy."
"I never said you were. But you need help."
"I don't need anything." Daisy snapped at Callie, taking the woman aback. "The only thing I need is to be with Calypso, and you're taking that away from me. You people hardly know me, and you think I'm mentally ill? Just because I like counting?"
Callie supposed the girl did have a point. Maybe Daisy really did just have a soft spot for patterns or something. It wasn't fair to just assume that she's obsessive compulsive.
"You're right." Callie spoke softly. "You're right, I'm sorry. We can go back, if you want to..."
But Daisy had already begun to walk away from Callie, moving at a quick pace as her body language told Callie that the girl was incredibly frustrated.
Being one of Daisy's so-called "favorite people" proved to be a total dud. Mark might be number one on Daisy's most disliked list, but Callie figured that after their brief talk, she had secured her spot as number two.
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