Page 50 of The Golden Hour

“I know this timing isn’t right,” Ellen whispers. “But there are going to be some things happening in this hospital in the coming weeks.”

He doesn’t take his eyes off Honey, but he nods that he’s listening.

“They’re going to be in full damage control,” she says. “From this, from… other things coming. They’re going to look for someone to blame, but they’re not going to make Mortimer their scapegoat.”

Mason straightens in his chair. “Me?”

“I don’t know,” Ellen admits. “But I believe they’re not above throwing anyone under the bus. You. Farah. Me. Anyone who rocks the status quo. This has shaken them because it’s family. One of our own that they failed, and that makes it harder to bury quietly. Priorities, Mason. Remember yours.”

Honey and Daisy. His priorities. His family. His life.

“I will,” he promises.

“They’re going to give you four weeks of paternity leave instead of two,” Ellen snarks. “As a show of their goodwill.”

He scoffs.

Two weeks is the standard, and he remembers speaking with management after Daisy’s due date was set. They told him not everyone uses the full two weeks, and one of them even joked that if he was tired from being at home, he could always pick up extra shifts or come back early.

To his shame, he seriously considered it, thinking only of finishing his residency as quickly as he could so he could be an attending and earn an attending salary. His ego told him the world should bend for him, not him for it.

So they’ll give him four weeks so the hospital can look compassionate and point out how St. Mary’s takes care of its own.

“Do not fucking kneel, Mason,” Ellen hisses. “You can’t.”

“I won’t,” he grits out.

“Mason,” Ellen says sharply, making him turn to look at her. Her eyes flick to Honey for a moment. “I’m serious. I know you think you see it all now and you’re determined to make everything better, and that’s great, but this place is like quicksand. Sometimes the harder you struggle, the deeper you sink.”

Mason stops breathing.

“Keep your head down,” Ellen says, leaning closer. “Clock in and clock out. Do not give them a reason to make you the story. And then, at the right moment, pull yourself free.”

With that, she pats his shoulder, softly smiles at Honey, and walks out of the room, leaving Mason with his thoughts.

Mason looks at Honey, his hand drifting closer to hers as it lay on the blanket. He brushes a finger against the back of it, hating how cold it feels.

“I won’t fail you again, Honey,” Mason vows to her still form. “I promise. I will never fail you again. I’ll show you. Every day, I’ll show you. Just please come back… open those beautiful eyes and come back. Daisy needs you. I… I need you. Please…”

Mason startles out of his half-sleeping state at a noise.

It isn’t the oxygen flowing through the cannula beneath Honey’s nose. Not the steady beeping of the monitors. Not the low hum of the hospital or the occasional laughter or footsteps beyond the closed door. He knows all those sounds well, the background music of his job.

No, this is a soft whimper.

His eyes snap toward Honey’s form, his heart stopping when he sees the fluttering of her thick, dark eyelashes against her cheeks. He freezes as he watches them tremble, then slowly crack open, holding his breath like one wrong move will send her back under.

She’s awake.

She’s opening her eyes.

Dr. Farah’s words finally penetrate through the terror that she’s going to be okay.

Honey is going to be okay and will make a full recovery.

“Honey?” he whispers.

Her eyes open gradually, the dark brown shifting left and right as her brows furrow. She looks so confused, blinking heavily like she’s fighting to stay awake.