“Oh, a fan!” Priya exclaimed. “Isn’t that great, Charlie?” Charlie was in awe of Priya’s ability to flirt unabashedly, even in this sterile environment while her injured friend sat on a hospital gurney. “Anyway, a shelf of pots fell on top of poor Charlie today. She was knocked out. Like, out cold.” Priya frowned, likely remembering how awful it had been to find Charlie in that state.

“So, you lost consciousness?” Miguel asked, looking serious now as he took down a few notes on the tablet in his hands.

“Briefly, I guess,” Charlie responded.

To which Priya replied, “It was at least five minutes.”

After a few more questions, half of which were answered by Priya until Miguel told her he really needed to hear from Charlie, he took out a penlight and shone it into her eyes. Then he had her follow his finger while he asked her a few more questions about her symptoms. She hoped she was passing his tests.

“What are you thinking, Dr. Rodriguez? Is Charlie going to make it to see another day so you can go back to enjoying your favorite television show?”

“Priya, c’mon,” Charlie muttered. Miguel chuckled.

“Actually, I’m a PA—physician assistant—but I promise you, I’m as thorough as they come,” Miguel said.

“I’m sure you are, Miguel. Can I call you Miguel?” Priya asked. Charlie gave Priya as stern a look as she could muster, but Priya was oblivious.

“Well, that’s my name so I don’t see why not.” He smiled, showcasing those killer dimples. He then asked Charlie a few other questions about her symptoms, and felt around her scalp with gentle yet assured hands. She did her best not to cringe when his fingers pressed on a particularly tender spot.

“A nice bump, but no lacerations, which is good. However, it looks like you earned yourself a fairly decent concussion,” Miguel said, taking notes again. “You are lucky it wasn’t worse. Everyone’s brain responds differently to a concussion, so you have to let yours heal in its own time. Which means a lot of rest, okay?”

“I’ll make sure she rests. A lot,” Priya volunteered, eyes wide and serious. “Just tell me what to expect, Doctor. I mean, Miguel.”

“Some dizziness, nausea, and a headache are all common but should pass within a couple of weeks,” he said to both of them. “If your mental state is altered in any way, though, come back, okay? Or if there are any other symptoms outside of the ones I mentioned. And if she loses consciousness, call an ambulance.”

“This is serious,” Priya said, looking worriedly at Charlie.

“Relax, Priya. I’m fine,” Charlie said, willfully ignoring his mention of other symptoms. “I just have a bit of a headache. So, if that’s all it is and I promise to get a good night’s sleep, I’m okay to go back to work tomorrow?”

Miguel shook his head. “You need to take it easy. Rest is the most important thing you can do right now. Also, no screen time, no television, and no reading. You’ll likely feel better if you spend most of your time sleeping and in dark rooms. Light can be a trigger.”