PROMISE

TWENTY-FOUR: Everything's wrong

KYLE

TWO STEPS FORWARD and five steps backwards. It was a never ending battle bottling everything up. I was a coward. A complete fool.

A taxi came to an abrupt halt a few feet from where me and my team were standing. A frail looking woman came out first and an equally frail man got out from the other side. I had no doubt they were the Ncube family.

"They're here. Remember we need to make them as comfortable as possible. Especially the kid. They need to feel at ease, that way they'll trust us. Be nice don't overact. We need them to trust us not make them suspicious and guarded. Understood?"

"Yes Doctor." They all said at once. The father helped a boy get out of the car and as instructed a nurse went towards them with a wheelchair. They helped Thabang into it and he held his mother's hand while he was doing something on a phone.

"Mr and Mrs Ncube it's nice to finally meet you." I extended my hand when they were finally a few feet away and the father shook it with a little hesitant smile on his face. The mother wasn't so subtle.

"You must be doctor Kyle Griffin. I've heard so much about you. Thank you very much for meeting with us. This means a lot to us and our son." She squeezed my hand with both of her own and I nodded looking down at Thabang.

"So you must be Thabang. I've heard so much about you." I said earning myself a brush-off.

"Thabang the doctor is talking to you. Don't be rude and put that phone away." His mother squeezed his hand grabbing his attention.

"Sorry. Hi my name is Thabang." He reached out his hand and I chuckled crouching down to his level. The boy had the most innocent eyes I had ever seen. Even through the pain he was obviously in, he still managed to smile.

"I'm Doctor Kyle. But you can call me Doctor G. That's what most people call me here." He frowned pondering and my smile widened.

"Why?" He asked innocently.

"Why what?"

"Why do they call you Doctor G if your name starts with a K?"

"Because my surname starts with a G." He smiled his understanding.

"Oh okay. Doctor G. Are you the doctor who's going to make me feel better?I hope you're better than the other doctors. I really want to play with my friends." I patted his head.

"I'll do my very best. My team too. So how many friends do you have?" I was aware of some of the interns gaping at me. It was probably weird for them to see me like this with a kid since we didn't usually treat children in our department. The paediatric department was on the fourth floor but because of Thabang's condition they refered it to me and a team of my choosing.

It was probably strange for them to see me as anything but strict and firm. Which I understood. Mostly.

"I have two best friends. Nicholas and Ethan. They always come to my house but I can't play with them outside because my mom says I'm sick." Amanda sniffed beside me and I scowled up at her. But I didn't really mean to. It was always important not to be overly emotional in cases like these. Attachments caused complications especially when it was required to be objective.