Heartbeats of the City

Chapter 1

I stood by the kitchen table, carefully packing my bag while my grandmother, Dorothy, hovered nearby. Her worried eyes followed my every move, and I could sense the weight of her concern.

"Baby, I know the life of being a surgeon is stressful, and you're constantly on your feet at the hospital," she began, her voice soft but pleading. "Please, promise me you'll take care of yourself, eat properly, and don't skip your meals." I sighed and zipped up my bag, turning to face her.

Dorothy had always been the backbone of my life, especially after my mom left and my dad passed away. Her care had been unwavering, and sometimes I felt like her roles had doubled as both my grandmother and mother. I couldn't help but smile at her familiar tone.

"Mom," I said gently, using the name I always called her. "You shouldn't be stressing yourself out because of me. I'm not that far away, you know? You can visit me anytime. And besides, I've survived worse things than a few long shifts." Dorothy let out a small laugh but I could still see the worry etched into her face. She reached out and smoothed down a lock of my hair.

"I know, sweetie, but you're all I have left. It's hard not to worry."

My heart tightened at her words. She always knew how to cut straight to my emotions. I nodded and gave her a reassuring hug. "I'll be okay, Mom. I promise."

We said our goodbyes, and I got into my car, setting off for my apartment in New York City. The 35-minute drive passed quickly, though I couldn't help but let my mind wander as I stared at the familiar road. Life as a pediatric surgeon had always been my dream, and I had fought tooth and nail to get where I was today. Dorothy had done everything to support me, and I would never let her sacrifices be in vain. My work at Ray Medical Center meant everything to me-not just for my career but also because I was doing this for both of us.

When I arrived at my apartment, I pulled out my keys, ready to open the door. Just as I was about to unlock it, the door swung open.

Bree stood there, looking frazzled, her hair slightly disheveled. She barely noticed me before rushing to leave.

"Hey, Bree! What's going on?" I asked, sensing something urgent.

"I've been calling your phone like a million times!" Bree exclaimed, her voice hurried. "There was an accident at the hospital. They need us both, ASAP!"

My heart skipped a beat. "What? I didn't see any calls-" I stopped mid-sentence, realizing my phone was probably still on silent mode from last night.

"Just get ready! Lexi's got your uniform," Bree said before rushing down the stairs.I hurried inside the apartment, and sure enough, Lexi was there in the living room, holding a paper bag with my hospital uniform.

"Your uniform's here," Lexi said, tossing me the bag. "Get your stuff together and go. I'll catch up at the hospital later."

"Thanks, Lex!" I grabbed the bag, I stuffed my phone, wallet, and car keys into my pocket.

"Drive safe," Lexi called out as I ran to the door.

"I will!" I waved back before heading out. It was only a 20-minute drive from the apartment to Ray Medical Hospital, but every second counted when an emergency call came through. As I sped through the streets, my mind was already shifting gears-ready for whatever awaited me at the hospital.

As soon as I arrived at Ray Medical, I rushed to the locker room. My mind was racing, heart pounding in anticipation of the chaos that lay ahead. I quickly changed into my scrubs, fastening my name tag as I exited. Just as I stepped into the hall, I saw Bree running toward me.

"Bree!" I called out, but she was already motioning for me to hurry up.

"We have to get to the ER now!" she shouted over her shoulder as I caught up to her, both of us sprinting down the hallway. "There was a bus accident, it's bad, Michaela. Real bad."

"How bad?" I asked, my voice tight as adrenaline surged through me.

"Six adults, two teens, and four kids," Bree replied, her tone grim. "We've got the kids. It's all hands on deck. Adrianna, Rocky, and the ER residents are already working on triage. It's a mess."I felt my stomach drop. This was going to be one of those days where every second mattered. Lives hung in the balance, and the pressure was suffocating.

We burst through the doors to the ER, and the scene was just as chaotic as Bree had described.

The ER was swarming with nurses, doctors, and residents all moving in a well-rehearsed but frantic rhythm. Monitors beeped, gurneys were being wheeled in and out, and the sound of urgent voices filled the air. I scanned the room quickly, taking in the scene-blood-streaked bandages, IV poles, and the pale, motionless forms of patients.

"Dr. Quinn, Dr. Holland!" a voice called out. It was Dr. Williams, one of the ER residents. His face was pale, his hands bloodied, but he didn't waste time on pleasantries.

"We've got four kids-two critical. You and Bree need to take the younger ones. We'll handle the adults." Bree and I exchanged a glance, then rushed toward the pediatric bays. I could see Adrianna across the room, already assessing one of the injured teens. Rocky stood beside her, his voice calm and measured as he gave orders to a group of residents.

"Dr. Quinn, Dr. Holland, over here!" another resident, Dr. Mitchell, gestured for us to approach the first gurney.

I looked down and saw a little girl, maybe six or seven years old, covered in bruises. Her breathing was shallow, and her left arm was clearly broken, twisted at an unnatural angle. There was blood on her scalp, matting her dark hair, and her eyes fluttered weakly as she struggled to stay conscious.

"Her name's Olivia," Dr. Mitchell said. "Blunt force trauma to the head, possible internal bleeding, and that arm needs immediate attention. I think her ribs are cracked too. She was thrown from the bus."

I felt my heart lurch but forced myself to focus. "Bree, you handle the airway. I'll assess the rest."

Bree nodded, grabbing an oxygen mask as I carefully examined Olivia's injuries. My fingers probed her abdomen, and I frowned. "Her belly's rigid. Could be a ruptured spleen. We need to get her into surgery-now." Bree was already calling for a surgical consult as I turned to Dr. Williams. "We need a CT scan and a trauma surgeon down here, ASAP."

"Dr. Winter's free," Williams replied, motioning to where Rocky was finishing up with one of the adult patients. I waved him over, and he quickly joined us.

"What's the situation?" Rocky asked, already gloving up as he stepped beside me.

"Possible spleen rupture, broken arm, head trauma," I rattled off, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Got it," Rocky said, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Olivia. He bent down and whispered something calming to her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder before he turned to me. "We're taking her up. Can you handle the other kids?"

I nodded, watching as Rocky and a team of nurses wheeled Olivia toward the OR. My stomach knotted with anxiety, but there was no time to linger. Another nurse rushed toward me, pointing to the next gurney.

On it lay a boy, around ten years old, with a deep gash across his forehead and his leg twisted unnaturally beneath him. His eyes were wide with terror, and I could hear his panicked breathing.

"Bree, with me," I called, grabbing a sterile kit to clean the wound on his head. "What's your name, buddy?"

"Tyler," he whispered, wincing as I began to gently clean the cut.

"You're gonna be okay, Tyler," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "I know it hurts, but we're gonna fix you right up."

Bree was already checking his leg. "Fractured femur," she muttered, her brow furrowed. "We need to stabilize this."

I turned my attention back to his head wound, stitching it up as Bree worked quickly to immobilize his leg. Every second was tense, and I could feel the weight of the room around us-the constant hum of urgency, the beeping machines, the rapid-fire orders being shouted across the room.

Just then, Adrianna approached, her face tight with stress. "Quinn, we need you on the fourth kid. I've got one stable, but the other... he's deteriorating fast." I glanced at Bree, who nodded. "I've got Tyler, go."