think she’s hemorrhaging again. Please, you have to save her.”
Helen instinctively tried to pull me away. “Don’t bother the doctor.”
But Dr. Vance was already moving, rushing toward Kerry’s gurney. He rounded on the two stunned nurses. “I gave instructions to have this patient
admitted an hour ago! Why is she still in the hallway? Call the OR, now! The rest of you, help me get her to surgery!”
His roar seemed to stun Helen into silence.
A few seconds later, she tried to stop him again. “Doctor, wait, she’s faking-”
“Faking?” He shot her a look of pure disbelief, “Does this look fake to you? Her chart was sent over an hour ago! The director of Northside Hospital
called me personally! Helen, for God’s sake, you’re the head nurse here. How could you let a patient this critical sit here this long? If she dies, you’ll
be lucky if you don’t end up with a lawsuit!”
Helen stumbled back, her face draining of all color.
There was no more time to waste.
Kerry was rushed into the operating room. A nurse helped me quickly fill out the admission paperwork.
By the time I was sitting alone outside the OR, my mind was still a complete blank. My sister’s blood was still caked under my fingernails. I stared
at the dark red stains and a wave of regret washed over me.
Had I made the wrong choice? Should I have tried harder to find my father? But even if I had, would he have come? In the end, it would have just
meant more people would die.
Tears I didn’t know I had left began to fall.
A white handkerchief appeared in front of me. Helen was crouching down, trying to wipe the blood and tears from my face. I jerked my head
away.
