The ones who live hidden in plain sight (A discovery of witches story)

Dark blue

So slow down

This night's a perfect shade of....

Dark blue, dark blue

By Jack's Mannequin

Thursday July 13, 8 a.m.

Camille smiled as she enters the emergency room, calm and excited. Yes, calm and Accident and Emergency are contradictory, but not for her, not always. She waved goodbye on the way to the changing rooms, changing quickly, already warm in her gown. She waved at Marcus, again with no sign of tiredness, she still couldn't get used to that. You'd think he hadn't had a night shift.

— Good morning, Marcus! How can you be so fresh after a night shift? I just don't get it. She laughed.

— In a good mood this morning. He smiled, finishing a file.

His shift wasn't the only reason, the night with Andrew helping a lot.

— I was with... she lowered her voice, rumours spreading fast,

— Camille, we called her, Andrew, speak of the devil, she blushed, unprofessional memories flooding back about him. I won't keep you any longer! Good night,!

She joined Andrew, smiling, who was watching Marcus intently.

— Are you all right?

He came back to her,

— Yes. You forgot your charger,' he tensed up uncomfortably.

— I could have... she cut herself, thank you. I hope you won't be late for class.

— No, but I have to go. He answered hurriedly, looking at the central office. See you... next time.

She nodded, before wincing, it was odd. She stuffed the charger into her blouse, having to get down to work.

She looked at the board, three pediatric patients for her to see this morning. Marcus turned to her, commenting:

— Surprise visit.

— Andrew, a little perturbed. Two months, but it's nothing, just a morning in a hurry. Yes, she simply commented, the less she said the better for her. Place of work, even if it is Marcus.

Camille took a deep breath, trying to push away the strange unease that still weighed on her after Andrew's hasty departure. She had mentally prepared herself to start her day, concentrating on what she knew best: tending and treating.

Glancing at the chart, she spotted the name of her first patient, a five-year-old girl who had come in with a persistent fever and stomach ache, not yet seen, but who had arrived an hour ago. She grabbed the file and headed for the pediatric examination room, her mind already focused on the symptoms.

When she entered the colourful room, she found the little girl sitting on the edge of the examination bed, clutching a soft toy, while her worried mother stood next to her. Camille gave them a reassuring smile, trying to ease the palpable tension in the room.

— Hello, I'm the pediatric emergency doctor. She announced to the mother, the little girl looked at her, a little frightened. My name is Camille, Doctor Camille Galloway,' she told the mother. What's your name?' she asked gently, kneeling down to the child's level.

— Zoé, replied the little girl in a shy voice, 'she already knew that, but it's a good sign of whether or not her confidence is already there.

— Zoé is a very pretty name. And this cuddly toy, what's it called?' asked Camille, pointing to the stuffed rabbit that the little girl was holding tightly.

— Bunnies, murmured Zoé, lowering her eyes.

— Well, Bunnies are very brave to have come with you this morning. Can you show me where your tummy hurts?' asked Camille, waiting.

Zoé pointed to her stomach, just below her ribs, and the mother confirmed with a nod. She placed her hand gently on the little girl's abdomen. The fever wasn't extremely high, but enough to make Camille wonder. She continued the examination, her movements precise but always gentle, so as not to frighten Zoé.

— How long has she had the fever?' asked Camille, turning to the mother.

— Three days now. At first I thought it was just a bit of flu, but last night she woke up complaining of a stomach ache. I thought I'd better go and see a doctor.

Camille nodded in understanding as she continued her examination. The child's tummy was slightly distended, and she noted increased sensitivity in the upper abdomen. Nothing too alarming, but enough to warrant a few more tests. The answers to the following questions were not worrying: food intake, no dehydration.

— Zoé, I'm going to ask you to do a few little tests so that I can get a better idea of what's going on in your tummy, OK? It's like a game, we're going to see how your candy machine works,' she said with a smile, which made Zoé smile back.

She straightened up and explained to Zoé's mother that she was going to order a blood test and an ultrasound to check what was going on.

— Don't worry, it's probably just a mild infection, but I'd prefer us to do all the necessary tests to rule out any risk,' she added. You can make sure she drinks regularly, to avoid an unnecessary drip at the moment. She explained the blood test to the child, who said she'd already had one, so she knew what it was.

She wrote down her report, then the tests, asking a nurse, finishing, for a blood test, staying close by to reassure if necessary. Her next patient was just around the block. She took off her gloves, before introducing herself again.

When she returned, Marcus was still there.

— You don't want to go home, I see, she joked.

— Phoebe's working. Andrew, she tensed, I didn't know it was this Andrew.

— Do you know him?

— From a distance.

She relaxed, that explained why he reacted strangely to Marcus. It wasn't her fault.

She put the thought out of her mind and after a few minutes went back to work. Zoé would be back soon with her results, and Camille wanted to be ready to welcome with answers that would reassure her and her mum. The strange atmosphere of the morning was already fading. Emergency, despite its name, had a way of refocusing Camille on what was essential: caring for those who needed it. Even the trauma patients had the same capacity, but with much more at stake.