Chapter 2

Maeve kept knocking for a full five minutes before the door finally opened. Mom walked out, her expression grim, and asked, "Why are you making such a scene out here, Maeve?"

Maeve nervously pointed at me, lying on my side on the floor, and stammered, "I-I think Ms. Johnson is suffering from internal bleeding, Dr. Johnson!"

Mom frowned slightly as she walked over and crouched beside me. She casually lifted my shirt to look at my back and said, "There is a wound, but it is only superficial."

She got to her feet and dusted off her hands, barely hiding her impatience. "What did they even teach you in nursing school, Maeve? That kind of abrasion can look frightening, but it probably just damaged a few capillaries and caused some extra bleeding.

"You're a nurse, for goodness' sake! How can you make a fuss along with the people in the waiting area, especially as someone trained in such situations?"

Maeve was so panicked that her face flushed. "There really is something hard under there—"

Mom cut her off. "That's enough, Maeve! You know very well that the skeletal structure of a human's back is very complex. You're just a nurse—mistaking bone for a foreign object is understandable.

"I'll give you credit for being cautious, but if you keep interfering with the hospital's emergency care, I'll have to reconsider your internship evaluation!"

Having said that, Mom suddenly grabbed me and pulled me roughly. "Get up! Why are you still lying on the floor, Gloria?"

I could feel the glass shard shifting, slicing through something else inside me. I grit my teeth and grabbed Mom's pant leg. "P-Please save me, Mom… I-I'm in so much pain…"

Mom yanked her pant leg out of my hand, her voice sounding muffled and heavy in my ears. "Wyatt already told me that you were sitting in the back seat—the safest spot in the car! Wanda was in the passenger seat and took the injury meant for you! How dare you still throw a fit about who gets treated first!"

Maeve suddenly pointed at my wrist and exclaimed, "She's wearing the orange wristband, which indicates that she's in critical condition, Dr. Johnson!"

Mom faltered for a moment, but then a look of realization crossed her face. "You told the paramedic who came with you in the ambulance that I'm your mother, didn't you? You had them mark you as a critical patient just so you'd be brought in ahead of everyone else, right?"

She suddenly raised her voice, loud enough for everyone in the ER to hear. "Is this how I raised you, Gloria? Do you have any idea how many patients are waiting for me to treat them? How could you misuse my position to cut in line? Do you think those waiting patients would let it slide even if I allowed it?"

Those in the waiting area instantly erupted in protest. "Why does she get to go ahead of us? We've been waiting here for hours!"

"Does being the daughter of the hospital director mean she can jump the queue? She still has to follow the order and wait her turn!"

"Who here isn't in a hurry to see a doctor? How can she be so shameless?"

Mom calmly raised her hand and silenced the rising complaints. She then looked down at me and asked, "Did you hear that, Gloria? Don't you feel ashamed? You'll be the very last person treated today, for the sake of fairness!

"And as for that paramedic who took it upon themselves to put that wristband on you, I'll make sure they're severely disciplined!"

Those in the waiting area broke into applause. A bystander even gave a thumbs-up. "That's why Dr. Johnson is the hospital director! That's what real integrity looks like!"

Mom looked thoroughly pleased with herself.

Just then, the trauma room door swung open again, and Wyatt rushed out. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me on the floor. "Gloria? Why are you—"

Mom cut him off. "Gloria is just throwing a fit! How's Wanda?"

Wyatt's gaze swept over me before he turned to Mom. "Wanda's wound is pretty jagged, so suturing it will probably leave a scar…"

"That won't do! Wanda will be heartbroken if she has a scar on her arm!" Mom's expression shifted drastically. She grabbed Wyatt and pulled him toward the trauma room. "I'll handle the stitches myself, and you'll assist me! Go tell the rest of the surgical team to be on standby!"

Wyatt stumbled slightly and looked at me hesitantly.

Just then, Wanda called out tearfully from the trauma room. "I'm scared of getting stitches, Wyatt… Can you stay by my side?"

That trace of hesitation on Wyatt's face disappeared in an instant. He rushed into the trauma room without looking back.

I could hear Mom's soft murmur just before the door closed. "It's going to be alright, Wanda. I'm right here with you."

I lay on the freezing floor, trying to recall when Mom had last spoken to me with such tenderness.