Spring [Completed]

FIVE

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HIM

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"You were unsure which was worse—the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will."

—Unknown

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My phone's shrill ringing snatches me from my restless slumber. I'm up in an instant, checking the time. Nearly three in the morning.

On edge, I sit up in bed and answer the call. "Yes?"

"Dr. Price, we need you to come in. There's been an emergency transfer request for two neonates in critical condition. Twins, born at 27 weeks gestation. They're being flown in now, so we need to prepare for emergency surgery." Kathy's shrill voice says through the speaker.

"Okay." I stand, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "I'm on my way." I say, shrugging on my shirt and pulling on a fresh pair of pants. After brushing my teeth, I grab my keys and I'm out the door.

I'm at the hospital in record time, nearly hopping out of my truck and sprinting through the hospital doors. After visiting the changing room and switching into my scrubs, I head to the elevator. As soon as I get to the NICU, Brandy, our top neonatologist, fills me in on the case details.

A hand claps my shoulder, breaking my focus as Rajit stands beside me. His hair is disheveled and the usual dark circles beneath his eyes are intensified. "Hey," he says, glancing at Brandy. "I came as fast as I could. What did I miss?"

I glance at him in confusion before Brandy continues and it all begins to make sense.

"Okay," she says, eyes scanning the clipboard in her hand. "We've got twins. Sara and Sophie. Four weeks old. Sara's got severe necrotizing enterocolitis and we need Dr. Suresh to operate immediately." She pauses, glancing at me briefly. "Sophie's got a large patent ductus arteriosus. If we don't operate soon we run the risk of—"

"Infective endocarditis." I frown deeply and begin to walk towards the OR. "Do we have the rooms set up?"

She nods, walking briskly to keep up with my pace. Dr. Suresh follows alongside us.

"Dr. Suresh is in OR suite 5 and Dr. Price, you're in OR suite 7."

I nod, picking up my pace as I enter the OR. Rajit is right behind me, and I glance at him briefly as I put on my mask and begin to scrub in. "Long night?" I ask.

He nods, smiling under his mask. "And it's only just begun, my friend."

I nod and begin washing my hands in the sink beside him. I don't speak after that. I suppose I never really do in times like this. In emergency situations there is not much room for small talk.

"See you after," Raj says, breaking my focus as he passes me, entering his suite.

After saying a silent prayer, I walk into my own suite. The scrub nurse meets me at the door, donning me with my surgical gown and gloves. I nod in acknowledgement at the anesthesiologist as I step into the surgical field.