Before it's too late

Dreadful hours

      Each dreadful hour of work was well dreadful. Saoirse went through her patients with ease, but her smile was shallow and her eyes were tired. She had two cups of caffeine this morning and it hadn't done a damn thing. She slapped on some peppermint extract and hoped it would wake her up but she was still exhausted.

"Wake up," she demanded herself before walking into see her next patient.

Camilla Miller, age 16 with a tumor in her stomach. She was going in for surgery today and although Saoirse wasn't going to be scrubbing in for the surgery she wanted to see Camilla in and wish her well.

"Morning doc," Camila said as Saoirse appeared.

"Good morning, you ready for today?"

"Get this thing out of me doc," Camila said with a smile. Saoirse always hating when children came in sick. They didn't deserve anything bad to happen to them, especially Camila, she was so sweet.

"Gladly," Saoirse replied. Blood work was done along with a check of vitals and then she was sent off.

Saoirse couldn't imagine doing surgery today. She was too stressed, too tired and couldn't think about much besides the file in front of her face. Saoirse watched Camila being pushed down the hall happily ready to be free of her tumor. Saoirse felt at peace, relaxed and finally felt like she could breathe.

"Doctor Greer, Dr. Greer?" Saoirse spun around spilling the pile of files Amy had in her arms for her.

"I'm so sorry," Saoirse said bending down to scoop up the papers.

"You all right?" Amy asked once the files were in her hands again.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just..." thinking about my cheating ex-boyfriend and how he might be lying dead in a ditch somewhere. Or maybe how the police think I abducted him because I'm the mad ex-girlfriend, or perhaps how I have to go in to the station tonight and spend even more of time worrying about something, someone I that I should just let go. Why couldn't she just let go? She wanted to let go of the worry. This should be something that his new fling was worried about, but she wasn't seen or heard from either. "Just tired." It wasn't a lie, she was tired, still she wasn't alright.

"Well these are for you, let me know if you need anything, I would be happy to help." Amy handed off the file.

"Thanks Amy," Saoirse said cheerfully but Amy saw past her charade.

"You sure you are alright?"

"Yeah," Saoirse didn't wait this time, she spun back around and rushed to the waiting room. She had to tell Camilla's parents that the surgery was going well and that Camila was being so brave throughout everything.

"Thank you Dr. Greer." They said wide smiles, but nervous faces as they awaited for their daughter to emerge cancer free.

"I wish I was in there helping her, but I know that she is in great hands."

"Thank you," they said again and shook her cold shaking hands and sat back down.

As Saoirse turned to exit the waiting room she saw Trevor. The files slipped from her grasp and she fell down with them. He's here, he's fine, what the hell? She rose with rage in her eyes and she marched towards him. He was alive, he was fine and she was pissed.

"Where the hell were you?" She screamed at him. "You had everyone worried, even me and I'm supposed to hate you right now, but I was worried, so worried I made myself sick! I am sick worried about you, you, you asshole!" The patients and nurses watched as Saoirse marched towards the exit doors, screaming in outrage.

"Saoirse, Saoirse, Doctor Greer!"

She didn't stop, she kept walking towards him, she wanted to hug him, to kiss him, to punch him in the face, she couldn't believe this.

"Saoirse!" Nurse Becket grasped her arm stopping her from reaching Trevor. "What are you doing? Who are you yelling at?" Saoirse's eyes darted to Becket and then back to Trevor, but he was gone...

"He was right here." She stammered.

"Who?" Becket questioned still holding Saoirse still.

"He, he was right there, where is he?" Her eyes were wide with rage and confusion, her nose flared with panic.

"You need to sit down, come with me." He directed her towards an office to her examine her but her refused to move.

"No," she screamed outraged, "he was right here!"