Laurie gave Wyatt a thumbs up. “That’s the wisdom of a father speaking. You’ve grown.”
Just then, Mindy–fresh from blowing out her candles–looked up and noticed Yunice was gone.
For a moment, her wide eyes dimmed with disappointment. But when she met Wyatt’s gaze, her smile bloomed bright again. “Daddy, come help me cut the cake! I want to save the little princess on top for Mommy! Mommy works so hard saving lives. When she finishes her surgery, she’ll definitely want to eat Mindy’s cake!”
Wyatt scooped her into his arms, ruffling her hair. “My Mindy is an angel. Come on, Daddy will help you cut the cake.”
Together, he guided her small hands as they sliced into the cake.
The next morning, dawn crept into the hospital like a dull blade, carving pale light into Yunice’s dark office.
She rose from the cot in the rest room, her body still aching from the grueling surgery the night before. She had been too exhausted to go home, collapsing at the hospital instead.
As she straightened, her thoughts were already turning to her daughter. After rounds, once I confirm the patient is stable, I’ll go home. I need to make it up to Mindy.
But when she pushed open the ward door, the sight before her stopped her cold.
A woman was sprawled across the patient’s chest, her permed curls covering the monitor screen, electrodes tugged loose.
The patient’s freshly stitched chest heaved with the weight, the incision straining like a fragile boat in a storm.
“Get up! Now!”
Yunice’s voice cracked like a whip through the stagnant air.
The woman jerked in fright, knocking over the IV stand as she scrambled up. Glucose spilled sticky across the floor.
She turned, wide–eyed and guilty under Yunice’s stare.
“His sternum was fixed with steel pins barely ten hours ago!” Yunice’s fingers pressed the man’s clammy neck, cold sweat dampening her touch. “Do you want those pins shifting and puncturing his heart sac?”
The woman faltered, then scoffed, smoothing her wrinkled dress with false calm. “I just leaned on him for a bit. My husband isn’t made of noodles. You doctors exaggerate.”
Yunice jabbed the call button. When the nurse’s station picked up, her voice was like ice. “Call security. Report attempted homicide.”
The woman’s face drained. She shrieked, pointing at Yunice. “Are you insane? I only rested on him for a second! I sat up all night, I was tired! What, you can’t stand to see someone else loved because your own life is empty?!”
Her lip curled in disdain as she stepped back, covering her nose. “You reek of disinfectant. No man could possibly love that. You’re just jealous of me!”
But before the venom could sink in, the monitor shrilled. Foam tinged pink bubbled at the edge of the man’s oxygen mask.
“Wemble?! Wemble, what’s happening?!” The woman’s tone turned from smug to hysterical in an instant, her diamond nails digging into Yunice’s arm. “What did you do to him?! What kind of botched surgery—”
Yunice shook her off and ripped open the hospital gown.
Her carefully stitched incision was swelling with ominous bruising, the drainage tube suddenly gushing fresh blood.
Her orders rang out, nearly drowned by the woman’s wailing. “Prepare for re–open chest! Adrenaline ready!”
The wife clawed at her wrist, nails biting into her skin. “If he dies, it’s malpractice! I’ll ruin you!”
Yunice’s palm cracked across her face. The woman stumbled back two steps, stunned.
“Look closely.” Yunice grabbed her collar, slamming her head against the monitor screen, forcing her to see the plummeting numbers. “Your husband is dying because you broke his third rib–and because of your idiotic romantic notions.”
Before the woman could react, the patient was wheeled back into surgery. Yunice followed.
Under the blinding surgical lights, her vision swayed. The head nurse steadied her arm.
She shook her head, glanced at the clock.
Last night had been Mindy’s birthday. She hadn’t been there.
Wyatt and their daughter had surely waited, probably sleepless. And this morning, when they saw she hadn’t returned, Mindy’s disappointment must have been written all over her face.
The thought hollowed her chest with guilt. All because of that foolish woman…
But there was no time to dwell. She had a life to save.
The bone saw bit through sternum, her meticulous stitches snapping under the strain, twisted wire embedded in torn tissue. Bone dust sprayed across her goggles like snow.
“Suction.” Her voice was terrifyingly calm. “Blood oxygen?”
“Sixty–five! Still dropping!”
Outside, the woman’s shrieks echoed through the halls, her threats shrill and relentless. “I’ll sue you all! I’ll have your licenses revoked!”
Inside, Yunice stood steady, every nerve focused on pulling a man back from death’s edge.