Healership

[07/234,

ST. CLAIRE- MULTISPECIES HOSPITAL,

CALIFORNIA - 2025]

"Your precision is exceptional, Ms Elaine. I've never seen anything like it." The head healer commented. My happiness was off the roof.

"Thank you, Healer Taylor," I said. She was the head of the department and a dear friend of Dr. Rayleigh. I couldn't hold my excitement in.

She chuckled, "Your pheromones are all over the place. Welcome to the family, Ms. Elaine."

I was so, so close to hug her.

With the offer letter in hand printed right up, I got out of my medical gear and walked straight to Dr Rayleigh.

"Dr Rayleigh," I jogged to him in the lobby. For the first time, a small smile spread across his lips. It was rare yet so, beautiful. Like a diamond.

Rare and precious.

My gaze fell on the bunch of papers he was holding as well.

"Attending doctor under a famous surgeon, too." He said, showing me the letter.

"I am so happy for you, doctor!" I yelled, hugging him.

It was...accidental.

Realizing what I'd just done, I felt blood rush up to my cheeks and dust my cheeks pink. My ears were warm and melting like lava, too. I did everything in my power to avoid his gaze after we parted the hug.

But his face is too handsome to ignore.

Wait, what!? No!

"I- I am going to have to check up on Jean. He- He might need me." I said.

"He's in a clean room for now. It...seemed to progress through travel." Said Dr Rayleigh. My heart sank. My smile swept off clean across my face.

Dr Rayleigh's expression changed when he noticed the wobble in my lips.

Was I going to lose my child because of that woman? I won't forgive her. Ever.

"Let's go," Dr Rayleigh clutched my hand in his out of nowhere. He was dragged across the hall to the elevator. There were mirrors all over.

"Wear the gloves first, then the mask." He instructed while we put on cleanroom gear to enter it. My eyes filled with tears when I saw Jean.

His little body drowned between tubes. Fluids were kept on bypasses and dialysis machines. How did humans even create such machines? They do everything the human body can't. It assists...in the most beautiful way possible.

My hands were shaking as the gowns and our gear were sprayed with alcohol mist and other chemicals to kill any potential microbe.

And then...The doors opened.

"It kills me to tell you Ms Elaine, but don't touch him too much." Dr Rayleigh said.

At that moment...The heart of a mother in me spoke,

"How can a mother not touch her own child, Dr Rayleigh...?"

I cried.

I was told even my tears shouldn't reach the surface of my child. But I couldn't help but cry.

At the sound of my cries, my little angel woke up from his sleep.

"Baby..." I called gently.

"Mom...? Mom..."

His broken voice, so innocent and childlike, broke my maternal heart.

"Oh, Goddess...I can't even touch my child..." I said aloud.

"Mom..." he cried harder, his weak arms asking for a hug which I couldn't give.

It was for his own good, I assured my tender heart. I will hug him to his heart's content when he gets better. That was a promise to myself.

"Mumma can't hug you, baby. I- I'm so sorry." I said. Suddenly, a smile crept on my lips when I saw Dr. Rayleigh. He was tending to some checking, acting nonchalant as my son's doctor but I knew he was listening.

"Dr. Rayleigh is here to save you, baby. Is this your first time meeting him?" I asked in a cooing voice.

Jean...shook his head.

I caught Dr Rayleigh's eyes widening. Ever so slightly and vanished almost as quickly.

"So you know Dr. Rayleigh ~" I sang happily, holding Jean's hand.

His weakened fingers curled against my palm. His other hand tried to grab my arm, putting it over his chest. He was freezing.

All he wanted was his mother's warmth. The maternal touch that puts any child at ease from their mother.

My teeth cluttered as I couldn't hold it anymore.

I rushed out.

The timer for a cleanroom had gone off just then.

Jean tried to call for me but Dr Rayleigh put him to sleep with a very small dose of a vial.

I threw all that was medical in the bin outside and rushed out immediately.

Dr Rayleigh trailed behind quietly. He watched me dash all the way up to the rooftop where I cried and cried and cried...

It hurt...

It hurt seeing Jean in such a condition. My heart couldn't take it.

The smell of the room, the scent of my innocent child slowly fading from his body, the white, blue and grey colours that riddled all over and the constant beeping noises from the machines.

It was overwhelming.

Everything.

I only grieved imagining how Jean had been feeling for months. The same overwhelming sensations every second that he was awake...it must be haunting him.

I hated hospitals.

I hated diseases.

I hated whoever did this to my son and their entire generation.

I hated...everything except for Jean.

"Ms Elaine," Dr Rayleigh held my arm and spun me around. My back was hunched with emotional agony. It felt like someone put a foot on my throat and crushed my heart with their bare hands.

I couldn't breathe.

That's when Dr Rayleigh hugged me.

Soothed me.

"Shush..." his rings-clad hand caressed my hair ever so gently.

I...felt like I was being cradled by my mother...

A forgotten childhood feeling rekindled in the warmth of his arms.

I didn't realize it right away but...

That's all I needed to calm myself down.

"Jean, he's a strong kid, Ms Elaine." Dr Rayleigh said, "He's going to need a stronger mother right now. All he is asking for is your strength for loan, Ms Elaine. I'm sure he's going to repay with interest soon. Provided...The loan is just as big. Alright?"

I almost smiled at his analogy.

Now, I prepared to loan my child any amount of strength he needed from me. Anything.