A Second Opinion

CHAPTER TEN

Chapter TEN

“Dr Clements!” Nick cringed as he heard the voice of Dr Lawson. 

      He stopped and racked his brain for an excuse to get out of talking to him. He turned slowly. 

      “Dr Lawson, I am sorry I didn’t come to see you yesterday…”

      “Dr Clements, I am the chief of surgery. When I ask you to call, you do so.”

      Nick rubbed his temples. “I apologize, as you know I had a rough day and…”

      “And you canceled all your surgeries. Nick, all surgeons have tough days. You move on. You don’t get to have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity. You inconvenienced us all.”

      Nick felt the eyes of the OR staff on him. A hallway chewing out. Just what he needed to validate everyone’s opinion that he was an incompetent surgeon.

      “Now, I’ve talked with the parents of yesterday’s debacle. What the hell are you doing talking to them with Dr Hurley? You should never have told them about the ET tube.”

      Nick straightened his back. “Dr Hurley is Sidnee’s psychiatrist. The Dawsons requested she be involved. And they had a right to know about the tube. I am not going to lie to them about what happened.”

      “I wasn’t suggesting you lie, you should’ve waited for the hospital lawyers. I would think your past experience would’ve taught you at least that.”

      Nick felt his ribs squeeze. A cold sweat broke his forehead. 

      “No further conversations with the parents until you talk with counsel. And don’t discuss the case with Dr Hurley. She’s no friend of this department.” Dr Lawson shook a warning finger and stormed off.

      Nick lifted his chin. He wasn’t going to slink away and give everyone the satisfaction. It was time to get back to being the patients whose names he barely remembered. He’d gotten too involved with the Dawson case. 

      ***

      Kate was surprised to find someone sitting with Sid when she came into the ICU room. Sid hadn’t woken up and things were looking bad. She watched the young man rub her hand. He looked up as she walked in. She introduced herself

      “I am Tyronne.”

      Kate smiled. “Sid has told me about you. You guys were planning to go to the prom together.”

      Tyronne looked sadly at Sid. “This is all my fault. I told her she needed to lose weight.”

      Kate sat down on the edge of Sid’s bed so she could look at Tyronne. “You can’t blame yourself. This was Sid’s decision.”

      He sighed. 

      Kate knew she shouldn’t. It wasn’t fair. But Tyronne wasn’t her patient. “Would you have taken Sid to the prom if she hadn’t lost the weight?”

      Tyronne looked down. He was a tall kid, with glistening ebony skin and an athletic build. He was every girl’s dream date. He shook his head. 

      “I don’t want to sound bad but if I’d taken Sid to the prom the way she looks now, my life would be over. It’s not easy you know. I am not that smart, I am an okay basketball player but not the best. The only thing I got is my friends and they wouldn’t understand me taking Sid.”

      “Even though you like her?”

      He nodded. “She’s a cool girl. I like hangin with her. But dating her? That’d be like writing off my social future.”