The blood flow was too heavy for this to be a regular occurrence. Tripp looked at her with questioning eyes as he grabbed a new kleenex. “Pinch the bridge of your nose for me,” he requested. “This could be a big deal.” There was something in the way she looked at him that gave him a feeling that there was something she wasn’t saying. “I think you should get checked out, Gem.”

Gemma did as he said, and watched him as he thought. “It’s fine,” she tried to argue, but the kleenex was still in the way. Moving her hand slightly, she sighed. “It’s really not a big deal.” she repeated, feeling defeated. “I’ve just been partying a little harder than usual.” It was a confession she hadn’t intended to make, but it fell from her mouth almost naturally, like they were teenagers again and telling Tripp her secrets was as normal as a walk in Central Park. 

“I like to think you are in good hands,” he winked at her, gently cleaning up the blood stained skin. “Sometimes?” Tripp repeated, his brow pulling together as concern fell over him. “Gemma how often do you have these?” While the cause from dryness could happen on occasion she almost sounded as if this was more common than not.

Gemma tried to smile but couldn’t move her face much with the kleenex pressed against it. The blood didn’t seem to be letting up and it was starting to get embarrassing. “Every couple days or so,” she told him honestly, looking to him with wide and vulnerable eyes. “Not always this bad though, I mean sometimes it’s a lot but it’s really no big deal,” she tried to justify, ashamed for him to know the real cause. 

“I hope you’re prepared for the greatest time of the year. Get your stretching done, dust off that jersey, do what you need to do because it is almost here.”

“I know! Hockey seasons is upon us!! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” 

“Don’t be sorry. Nothing I don’t see every day. In fact most patients don’t look as half as good as you do with a nosebleed,” he offered a warm smile trying to keep her at ease. He could see it in her face. There seemed to be a worry lingering in her eyes, but he wasn’t all too sure if she was worried about the bleeding itself or something else or something else. “Yeah, of course.” He went into her purse, searching through till he found the small packet. Taking it out, he pulled a Kleenex out for her. “Have your sinuses been feeling dry at all? Been sick lately?” Tripp fell into his nurse like manner, grabbing an extra Kleenex and cleaning up her chin.

“Thanks” she took the packet and began soaking up the blood. “I guess there are worse people to suddenly bleed around,” she smiled, her voice muffled by the kleenex. Rolling her eyes at his comment she gave him a well practiced side-eye. Gemma wondered if he could sense it, could he see by the amount of blood that this wasn’t an everyday nosebleed? “Not that I know of,” she mumbled as he wiped at her chin, feeling perfectly comfortable as he helped clean her. “Just happens sometimes I guess,” with that she shrugged and averted her eyes, desperate not to tell him the truth.