“Things aren’t looking as good as I’d like,” he said, after a quick examination of the surgical site.“I’d like to put you on a new IV antibiotic to see if this resolves.If not, then we may have to go back to surgery to see if there’s a pocket of blood or pus that was missed and became infected.”
Mom made a face that matched her noise of distaste.Amen.“And then?”
“Then if we get this resolved we should see you released by the end of the week.”
“That long?”Dad’s voice held an accusation.
“So much depends on the health of the patient, and yes, six days is quite conservative because Kyle is otherwise in good health.Of course if there are further complications or the infection doesn’t heal then that may be adjusted.”
Kyle sighed.“I guess I’m staying for a while longer then.”
As his parents continued to fuss, and Kyle grew more aware that his injury had intruded upon his father’s work plans, he took comfort in one fact.
The longer he stayed here, the greater the chance that he’d see Gen again.
* * *
A restless nightwas followed by the unwelcome recognition that Monday meant a return to Seattle General for a ten-hour day shift.And while she loved her work, loved playing detective and solving problems and making people better, even having people occasionally say “Thank you for saving my life”, sometimes it felt like her job didn’t love her.Still, this was what she’d committed her life to doing.She just hoped she’d manage her week at work without bumping into anyone that she’d really rather not.Like the Tinkers.
She kissed Bella and placed her on the school bus then waited for her own bus to arrive to take her to hospital—daytime shifts were okay for public transit.
Once secure in her window seat, she put on her headphones—the sign she didn’t want to talk to chatty commuters—ignoring the pale glimpse of Mount Rainier as she tried to study.But her thoughts veered back to those that had broken her sleep.Thoughts of Kyle.His success.His achieving nearly every one of those dreams he’d talked about when they’d been in high school.Well, save for a Stanley Cup.That looked like it’d need to wait another year.
Kyle.Why had he come back into her life now?Whyherhospital?It all seemed so incredibly crazy and coincidental, like the premise of a stupid fairy tale.Except this was no fairy tale, and certainly had no hope of a happy ending.For how would he cope when he found out she’d been keeping a Bella-sized secret from him?
He wouldn’t.He’d erupt.She’d seen the way he’d lost it occasionally in a hockey game, and what she’d done was way worse than an opponent tripping Kyle’s teammate.And while she knew he wouldn’t hit her, he’d definitely blame her.And he’d be right.For while they’d agreed to mutually part, she’d never told him she was pregnant.And as soon as she’d found out, Mom had made sure nobody else knew.
Once Gen had refused to contemplate a termination, they’d moved from their small town, Mom ensuring that nothing would get in the way of Gen finally achieving her dream of studying medicine.Somehow she’d managed to hide her pregnancy through her pre-med semesters, thankful that it had been winter before she’d really started showing.Spring break just so happened to be when Bella decided to appear, and Gen had returned to college slimmer, yet nobody was the wiser.The fact she’d been so focused on her studies that she’d forgone socializing meant nobody really knew her, nor questioned why she returned home as soon as possible each day.It wasn’t like she told anyone that she hurried home to relieve her mom of babysitting duties while her mom escaped to work as a cleaner.
They’d tag teamed like this until Bella was finally at school, Mom’s sacrifice so immense that Gen knew she’d be forever indebted to her.What mother gave up years of her life to care for her daughter’s mistake?And while Mom had been incensed at first, demanding that Kyle take responsibility, she’d soon come to realize that telling Kyle would inevitably mean telling his parents, and the way they’d treated Gen over the years meant there was no guarantee they wouldn’t demand she hand over her child, insisting she couldn’t care for it properly.
And yes, it had been a struggle at times, but there had been no time when she’d wanted to give up Bella.She was part of Gen—love had made her—and a secret part of Gen reveled in the fact that in Bella she got to hold on to part of Kyle forever.She could never give her up.Never.
The tall white building of Seattle General rose into view, and she straightened, grasping her bag.Today’s shift would finish at seven, which meant there’d still be enough daylight for her to feel safe to get home.She braced within.If she believed in a God who cared then she’d pray that God would keep her safe from seeing any Tinkers today.But because she didn’t, she wouldn’t.
She tapped her ORCA card and stepped off then hurried across to the hospital entrance.Waved to Nancy, today’s head nurse on ER, and stowed her belongings in her locker in the doctors’ lounge.Pushed her shoulders back.Here went nothing.
“Nancy, what have you got for me?”
The morning passed with the usual variety of cases, from people experiencing chest pains and fevers, to those suffering from falls, cuts, burns, or psychiatric issues.Monday mornings didn’t usually hold quite the same challenges as weekends, although sometimes they saw people experiencing the tail end of weekend hangovers.
Her unit got a break for lunch, and she was glad to move from the usual chaos and artificial light to go outside to the hospital courtyard, grateful for the chance for fresh air and to feel sunshine on her face.She ate her homemade sandwich, swallowed her banana, appreciating the chance to pause and refuel.
Then froze as she heard a voice she hadn’t heard in years.
“—can’t believe he has to wait until Friday.What are we going to do?”
She peeked over her shoulder.Sure enough, Mr.and Mrs.Tinker stood not ten yards away.
Fear stabbed her.She forced it down.They hadn’t seen her in a decade, and likely wouldn’t recognize her now.And anyway, so what if they did?She’d worked hard to prove herself and now was a second-year medical resident.They should respect that, even if they hadn’t been able to respect her when they’d known her as the only daughter of a single mom who lived in a trailer park.
She collected her banana peel and plastic wrapping, disposed of it in the trash, then moved to exit the courtyard.
“Dr.Rivas!Gen!Have you got a minute?”
Oh no.She stilled, then swung to face Francis Cheng, one of her medical interns, careful to keep her back to the Tinkers.She wasn’t about to invite unnecessary speculation.Irrational as it was, they’d likely think she’d chosen to work here simply because Kyle was here.After all, they’d accused her of being a gold digger a time or two.Another reason she hadn’t wanted them to know about Bella, sure they’d only see it as a reason she had trapped their son.
“Is it true you diagnosed Kyle Tinker?”Francis asked in a too-loud voice.
