Estelle is waiting with a wheelchair
in the drop off area by the emergency room

she shakes her head when she sees me

“Well Miss Lucy. Back again I see,” she says
Ben helps me out of the car
(even though I really don’t need any help)
and into the chair
“Stel, I haven’t been here in months,” I say

Estelle points at Ben
“Now you go park that car over there
and I’m takin’ this girl inside.
You wait and I’ll come find you.”

Ben nods obediently
and Estelle takes me inside
where I’ve been probably
a dozen times or more
with one injury or another

they do the CAT scan
look in my eyes
and watch me for
an hour
and then they release me,
just as I knew they would
with orders to rest

and then I am delivered back to Ben
who is sitting on a tiny chair
at a tiny table
helping a little girl
put together a puzzle
in the waiting room

when he sees me,
he takes a deep breath
smiles softly
and takes me home.