His Life Hung By My Hands

ayal led to my mother's suicide and my grandmother's

ors burst open, and there he was, carrying her in h

d me to

na. Please. Sa

wanting revenge, his

oying this,

knees, his world depending on my skill. I was the o

l that night, his car was there, blocking my path. This wasn't just

pte

in. He was carrying his heavily pregnant wife, Kori Myers, in his arms. Blood stained Kori'

s voice was a raw, desperate shout. It cut th

e I' d spent three years trying to bury. But duty called. My name

one!" a nurse yelled, alr

ror, flooded his face. He looked like he' d seen a ghost, or maybe j

rumpled, his usually perfectly coiffed hair fall

was a stark contrast to the controlled chaos that usually reigned h

said, my voice flat, professional. I watched as the

s locking onto mine. He used my first name, a name I hadn't he

asound, crossmatch, and full panel labs. I need two units of O-negative ready. Let's get her

was already rolling towards the operatin

he lounge," a security

is eyes still fixed on Kor

ong. It was familiar. Too familiar. The warmth of his skin, th

his voice low, strained. "You c

nal detachment. "Cassius, let go of my arm," I said, my voice an icy whisper. "I

ing this, aren't you?" he spat, his eyes narrowing. "Se

isonous. It was a raw wound, ripped open aga

ds on my team's speed and skill. If you believe my past history with you compromises my ability to provide the best care, I c

e, to fight, but the gravity of the situation pressed down on him. He saw the col

se said, holding out a clipboard and a pen. "It

was messy, barely legible. A testament to his fear, or maybe his unwillin

the scrub room. The doors to

s hummed, casting a stark glow on the surgical instruments. My team moved with

ssful. We stabilized Kori, stopped the bleeding, a

the scrub sink, turning on the cold water. It rushed over my hands, cleansing, purifyi

held a quiet victory. A life saved. Two, actually. And the person whose life I

ree years since my world imploded. Three years since I last saw Cassius,

here, feeling the chill of the water, there was nothing. No triumph, no ange

he people who had once consumed my every waking thought. The people

rs left behind were no longer raw.

't need to turn around to know who it was. The sharp scent of his co

ient's husband. The woman who had stolen my life, now a patie

was a cold, hard truth. I had sav

dried my hands meticulously. The past. It was here, it was

, not really seeing him. "The baby is fine

ack, heavy and intense. I braced myself for another ac

clear his throat. A s

ice softer this time, alm

here was nothing to say. I just walked past him, heading for the exit.