October 13 2020
NEURO OR, LATE AFTERNOON
AJ Brewster was elbow-deep in a delicate aneurysm clipping. Every micro-movement was under the scope, her focus absolute. The hum of the anesthesia machines was the only sound besides her calm, clipped orders.
Her pager went off twice.
She ignored it.
Then the OR nurse stepped closer.
Or nurse- It's urgent, Dr. Brewster. The page is from Neuro ICU — Dr. Ruiz.
AJ didn't look up.
AJ - Put him on speaker.
---
NEURO ICU, SAME TIME
Gabriel stood beside a rapidly deteriorating post-op patient, chart in one hand, vitals flashing red on the monitor. A nurse looked at him expectantly.
His voice came through over the OR speaker.
Gabriel- Dr. Brewster, it's Ruiz. Post-craniotomy, patient Smith, GCS dropped from 13 to 7 in five minutes. CT scan shows midline shift. Vitals unstable.
AJ's voice came back, calm but razor-sharp.
AJ -What do you think you should do?
Gabriel swallowed.
Everyone in the ICU was staring at him now. He could hear the tension over the phone line.
Gabriel - Prep for emergent decompressive craniectomy. Page Dr. Menendez for assist. I'm taking him to OR 4 now.
AJ paused, long enough for him to feel the weight of her silence.
AJ ... Do it. And Ruiz?
Gabriel - Yes, Doctor?
AJ - Don't make me regret this.
---
OR 4, 40 MINUTES LATER
Gabriel's hands didn't shake once.
Dr. Menendez scrubbed in beside him, guiding him through the first few critical cuts but letting him take lead. He anticipated problems before they happened, kept communication clear with anesthesia, and didn't second-guess the imaging.
When the dura was closed and the swelling relieved, the room exhaled.
---
AJ'S OR, END OF SURGERY
AJ was closing when her scrub nurse murmured:
AJ -Dr. Ruiz's case — stable. Patient's already in recovery.
For a fraction of a second, AJ's shoulders eased.
---
LOCKER ROOM, LATER THAT NIGHT
Gabriel was still in his scrubs, hair a mess, chart in hand, when AJ appeared at the doorway.
She didn't smile. She didn't clap him on the back.
AJ - You made the right call
she said.
AJ- That's what earns my trust.
Gabriel let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Gabriel- Thank you, Dr. Brewster.
AJ's eyes softened just slightly.
AJ - Now, don't let it go to your head. You'll mess up someday. And I'll be right there to call you on it.
Gabriel grinned.
Gabriel - Fair enough.
