burst open.
A young nurse poked her head in. “Head Nurse, are we admitting that patient or not? They’re blocking the entrance, and now they’re arguing with
another patient’s family.”
Helen and I rushed out together.
The paramedics who had brought Kerry were in a heated argument with another family whose path they’d blocked.
Helen quickly intervened, calming the other family down and sending them back to their room. Then, she–marched straight toward me.
“Helen, please, can you admit her now?” I asked, hope flickering.
She raised her hand and slapped me across the face. The sting was sharp and shocking.
“What kind of actors did you hire?” she hissed. “They have no class, no consideration. Don’t they know this is a hospital full of sick people? Get
these people out of here now, or I’m calling security.”
My cheek burned. “How could you hit me?”
“I’m your elder,” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, causing such a scene? You were born, but you were never raised.
You can tell you grew up without a mother.”
No mother.
I’d heard it my whole life, but it had never cut so deep. Did being motherless mean my words were worthless? Did it mean my sister didn’t deserve
to be saved?
I knew arguing was pointless. I wiped my tears away. “Fine. Fine, Helen. You won’t help us. But someone in this hospital will. I’m going to find the
hospital director and ask him if he plans on letting my sister die in his hallway.”
Seeing I was serious, Helen panicked. She had two nurses block my path.
Chapter 1
15.07
She turned and spoke into her walkie–talkie. “Security to Maternity. We have a disturbance. I need them removed immediately.”
Security arrived in under three minutes. With a wave of Helen’s hand, they began to push us–me, the paramedics, and my dying sister on her gur-
ney–toward the exit.
I clung to the gurney, my sobs echoing down the hall. “You can’t do this! Isn’t this a hospital? Don’t you save lives? My sister is dying right in front of you and you won’t even look at her! How can you call yourselves angels of mercy?”
My desperate cries drew a crowd of onlookers. Even the two young nurses looked shaken.
“Head Nurse,” one of them ventured, “I don’t think they’re acting. The woman on the gurney… she hasn’t moved at all. She really looks like she’s
unconscious.”
“Her color is terrible,” the other added. “Maybe… maybe you should just take a quick look before we-”
Helen hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. She took a step toward the gurney.
Just then, her phone rang.
She answered it. “Dr. Sterling? Yes, I’m here. Your daughters? Yes, they’re making quite a scene.”
My heart sank.
It was my father.
The hallway was suddenly silent. His voice, tinny through the phone’s speaker, was audible to everyone.
“They already caused a scene at the other hospital. All my colleagues are calling me, asking me to come back. Penny’s blood pressure
