The Surgeon and his Lady

Chapter IX

As Hetti was setting up my tools, I could see Jack staring down at the bottle of Ether in his hands. "I have no idea how much ether to use." Jack admits to me and I pass him the cloth I had just used on Prof before I shrug and smile up at him. "So, experiment." I order him. Then I look back down at Tinkler and Prof. "But with the amount they've been drinking, they'll be out for weeks." I joke and Jack smiles a little at my comment. 

Then he gave Tinkler the ether while I picked up my scalpel. I cut a slit from his diaphragm to his belly button. I attempt to keep the incision open while I inspect the bowels. Gratefully, Jack holds the incision open so that I can work and inspect the bowels better. Belle and Jack both watch while Jack holds open the incision while I work. "The idiot's perforated his bowel." I mutter to the two as I feel the bowel with my left hand.

My right hand passes the scalpel to Hetti before it joins its partner in looking for how large the hole really is. And I could comfortably fit two almost three fingers into the hole in his bowel. Now that I had found the hole, I had to close it. "I'm going to have to cut out this section and join it up." I state to the two as I look up at them and then hesitate. In theory, I'd need two clamps, some scissors, and a needle with twine. 

"However, I've only ever looked at the theory of it." I admit to the two. I saw Jack and Belle trading looks as I wince. My right hand jerks itself out of the body cavity and presses my bloody hand to my chest, taking deep breaths. Or as deep as my corset would allow. Jack looks a little concerned as does Belle. I hold up my hand before I stabilize myself and continue my deep breathing. And once I was settled, I continued. 

"I'm fine. Scissors and clamps please, Hetti." I ask my friend as I hold out my hands. She hands me the first clamp and once I have put it into place, she hands me the second. With the clamps settled in place, I pulled out the perforated bowel. The hole was significant. I handed the clamps to Jack and I smiled at him. I cut the small piece of bowel out and then take the clamps from Jack who takes the piece of bowel in turn.

But Tinkler was bleeding too badly. "Staunch the blood. I can't see a damn thing." I order. I don't know who I was talking to but I didn't care, just as long as someone did so. Normally it would be Marie as she assisted with my cesarian sections. Now came to stitching the bowel back together. "Belle, can you suture it? My fingers are too slick." I tell my elder sister. She nods as Jack begins to clear the field of sight a little.

Hetti hands Belle the needle with thread already in place. So as a combined team with Belle sewed up the the bowel in my hands and Jack made enough room for the two of us. Jack's forehead brushed against my own as Belle worked. I glance up at him and blush a little. After Belle was finished, I threaded the bowel back into the body cavity. Then I cleaned some of the blood from my hands and sewed up the incision.

Each stitch was even and delicate. I was proud of my work. And as we moved Tinkler to the ward, we all planned to congratulate Prof on his 'achievement' in abdominal surgery. So, when we all saw Prof waking from the ether, we began clapping. I look over at Jack and notice that his sleeves look just like mine. Covered in blood. "What? Why?" Prof questions us and our applauding as we smile at him. 

He looked awfully confused. It was Jack's idea to lay the compliments on thick. "Extraordinary, sir. It was like you were in a trance." Jack says and I force myself to stifle a giggle. Jack looks at me beside him as Beell adds that it was like he was out of his own body. That was the moment I jumped in. "We thought your friend would die, but somehow, you took control and saved him." I say before letting out a faux sigh, sounding almost dreamy.

Prof cleared his throat and blamed it on the three pillars. Training, knowledge, and experience. "But and when all that fails, an instinct kicks in." Prof continues before he comments about how he has almost no memory of how he achieved that surgery. "But you were exhausted at the end and slept like the righteous." I quickly explain away Prof's problem. Jack lays on one last thick compliment before we all get away from Prof.

The minute Jack and I escape outside, I burst into peels of laughter. "That was truly something in there." Jack states, sounding slightly breathless. I hummed, grateful my sister wasn't around as I smiled and laughed again. "Better high than an orgasm." I joke before I start laughing again. Jack joins me until the mood and vibe become somber. "Will he live? I've never done more than a cesarian." I ask Jack, playing with my fingers a little. 

The theory never lived up to the practice....the practice was always better...more thrilling. "I don't know." Jack admits to me, being honest with me when others might lie to me. Offer me hope when there was none to have. Then he looks up at me. "But he survived the operation, which is remarkable." Jack says and I roll my eyes a little. But I hold my tongue and say nothing. Jack was looking up at the sky as he says that he doubts that what we did had ever been done.

"Jack, darling, that is my life every Tuesday." I remind him as it once again dawns on him that a cesarian section is an abdominal surgery. We stare at each other for a few moments before jack smiles gleefully. "What we did today was extraordinary." Jack says again before I nod. Then I changed the subject. "Might I borrow a shirt? My mother would detest this much blood." I inform Jack who smiles at me before he offers me his hand. 

I take it and he pulls me to my feet, all the while joking that he might not have anything that will fit me. I agreed with him a little as Jack led me to his room. After I changed into one of Jack's large shirts, I returned to the Ward. I passed Fagin on the way back, rolling my eyes. IBell had already headed home according to Hetti. And when it was my turn to leave, I bid goodbye to both Jack and Hetti. 

Now it was time to face my mother and demand the truth.