Frozen Heart

Chapter 1: 31st December, 2022

It was the New Year's Eve, and we were passing by Flagstaff Arizona, there were news of blizzard that night although we still decided to take the risk and travel. The snow was so thick and it was falling on the windshield, with the vipers on, the car was going at 34 mph in a 55 zone. It looked beautiful until the snow shower began and lost the vision of the road. The cars in front of us stopped and no one dared to move for 15 minutes in that storm. James decided to take the lead and started driving.

"James, I think we should wait some more time till someone comes to move all the snow from the road or till the storm slows down,"I said.

"What I see is that we are near a forest, and it is not wise stop at a place like this in a storm Luna, sometimes there are wolves coming out at this time of the night,"James joked.

He was right, wolves do come out around midnight, and he knows better about these parts of Arizona.

THEN IT HAPPENED,

While going forward, the car starts slipping and tire pressure light came on.

"No, no, no, its a worst nightmare of a driver in a storm like this," James said.

"Do you want to pull over and check?" I replied to James horrified statement.

"Are you crazy Luna? Unless you want me to be eaten by wolves," James said angrily.

He had a frown on his forehead and I knew he was disturbed. I knew because I loved him I always knew what he was thinking. I said nothing as we continued with the tire pressure light on the meter. James and broke the silence and said "Maybe it's because of the freezing temperature outside, sometimes the air freezes in the tire and the sensor shows something...." At that instant, the bright light shown on his face as I looked at him and the car bumped, rolled, and my eyes closed when James was screaming my name... "LUNA, LUNA..."

"LUNA, LUNA.... WAKE UP LUNA". It was not his voice, it was someone else I know... it was Lizzie.

Yes it's Lizzie, another dream.

"Come on wake up Luna, Berny has been on my head asking about you since you came to the dorm," Lizzie said.

"Yes, yes, I am up why are you screaming? I heard you once." I replied while getting up from the dorm bed.

"You're sweating Luna, did you have that nightmare again? How long are you gonna keep doing this to yourself, YOU NEED THERAPY." Lizzie said.

"You're screaming again, please stop. My head hurts already," as I put on the coat, "I know I'm a mess. You of all people shouldn't b reminding me that. So, what is going on with John now?" I said as we both headed towards the chief's office.

"First, I am not screaming, you are in a shock and every signal day, it is reducing your ability to tolerate whoever yells your name louder and repetitively, because your brain hurts. It reminds you of the same pain you went through a long time ago. It's like a reflex action." Lizzie replied.

"Huhhhh, yes Elizabeth I know you are a neurosurgeon, and always have been good in teaching." I scoffed. As we walked pass the emergency room, I thought to myself " it's unusual to be very qui.... Oh we don't say the q-word I remembered. "You still haven't told me why John wants to see me? Is this about the incident in the OR?" I looked at Lizzie.

"I am sorry I got caught up with my best friend's mental crisis. I'm not sure why he asked for you, I was coming out of the changing room when I saw him coming out of the VC's office. And he looked frustrated. I know that because when your brain reacts furiously to something the muscles on the face change and......"

"Come to the point Lizzie, I know how brain reacts to things read the expressions on my face I'm getting frustrated," I said hastily.

"Ok, ok, don't, get so worked up. I'm not sure if it was because of you passing out in the OR, but he looked like he was about to scream and yell," Lizzie replied.

"Thank you Lizzie, for making me more anxious," I said jokingly.

She whispered, "I am sorry," while I was entering John's office. I mean the chief's office.

One thing about Lizzie is that she gives you a reality check in seconds, and the best thing about reality is that it never lies. That's the best thing in Lizzie she never lies. I smiled as I saw the frustrated look on John's face. He is the chief surgeon of this hospital and above all he is a cardio thoracic surgeon, which brings me to the point that we work together. There's something wrong that he is shaken.

He was standing in his uniform and coat, and signaled me from his table to sit down on the couch. Oh my he is upset otherwise he would've smiled.

"Did you have a good nap?" He said coldly.

I opened my mouth to say something.

He interrupted, "I saw you sleeping in your dorm don't deny it."

My mouth stayed open and I replied, "yes sir. I was sleeping it was not a nap as I slept for four hours."

He laughed softly, "you're too honest to live in this world, and too stupid to think that you can perform a surgery without eating and sleeping for two straight days. Why did you do that? Now Simon wants me to take a step that I don't want to take." He continued with lines of worry appeared on his forehead, "The board is demanding an explanation and questioning my tyranny that I kept you from taking a break."

I apologize, "I will prepare an explanation paper and will follow every order from now on." I said instantly.

"It's not about an apology and explanation you passed out while performing a bypass surgery on a VIP being the only CT surgeon on the floor."John said anxiously.

"I didn't know it was a VIP otherwise I would've passed out at some other time." I said rolling my eyes.

"This is your problem YOU DON'T LISTEN." John replied.

I want to tell him I'm tired of listening to people and want to escape this conversation.

"They want to fire me, go ahead tell them I don't need their mercy." I said angrily.

"I was scolded by the VC for two hours straight and I was defending you the whole time. The board knows you are a good doctor how can you think that I will let anyone fire you for this." He said as he covered the distance from his table to the couch towards me. "I will never let anyone raise a question on your expertise when I know what kind of talent that you have."

"Thank you John, but I think I can manage myself fine. Just tell me what the VC said and let's get it over with," I said dryly.

He scoffed and he looked at me with those cold eyes and frustrated frown on his face.

I knew a shock was waiting for me.