The AI Doctor

I was jolted awake at two in the morning, feeling like my stomach was being stabbed.

I shoved the man beside me, saying meekly, "I think I have appendicitis, Leo. I need to go to the hospital…"

My husband, Leo Cartman, groaned as he opened his muddled eyes and reached for the bedside lamp.

Seeing that my face was pale and covered in sweat, he scrambled for his phone.

I closed my eyes in relief, presuming he was calling the ambulance.

However, after a long while, I heard nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, I realized that he was still staring at his phone.

Still feeling the agony in my stomach, I pressed, "Have you called the ambulance? Get the car if they're not answering! I'm dying here!"

Leo finally turned and calmly held up his phone at me. "AI says that stomach pains might not be appendicitis—it could just be bad food. Just bear with it, and it will be over in the morning!"

I stared at the text on his phone screen, while I felt like I had a hand clenching around my heart.

So he didn't call the ambulance and asked AI instead?!

I was then reminded of our daughter.

She had a really bad fever once, but Leo refused to take her to the hospital or give her medicine.

She had to live like that for three days, floundering at school.

I managed to rush her to the hospital in time when I returned from my business trip, sparing her from the worst—the doctor insisted that she would have had brain damage if we had arrived any later.

I had a big fight with Leo because of that and took our daughter, Holly Cartman, with me to my parents' home.

I only forgave him when he showed up to apologize, promising on his knees that it wouldn't happen again.

However, it happened again in just two months.

With that thought, I shoved him away in frustration. "Can't you tell that it hurts?! Get the car!"

Leo still reasoned, "It's three in the morning, and you don't have a prior appointment. What if they bill us extra for it? Please listen—whatever it is, we can get it checked tomorrow!"

My stomach spasmed from sheer frustration while tears welled up in my eyes. "What are you talking about?! All hospitals follow the standard billing! Whatever you say won't happen!"

"This is for your own good!" Leo kept arguing, not budging. "We've already spent over budget for the month, and there are the house and car loans. Waste more money, and we'd go bankrupt!"

I stared at him in disbelief—going to the hospital was a waste of money?!

"Then why did you rush to the hospital first thing when you noticed your stomach pains last year?! You even went to the hospital in the next state, complaining that the one in the city isn't good enough!"

Seeing that I was really upset, Leo put an arm around my shoulder, coaxing, "Look, that's not what I mean—my stomach pain was confirmed, and that hospital is the best in that field!"

Not wanting to argue, I reached for my phone, ready to call for an ambulance.

However, my phone was snatched away before I could dial the number.

Turning, Leo locked his phone with a look of disapproval. "Listen here—AI is the best authority on the subject, and it knows all the symptoms. You don't look like you have appendicitis at all, or what? Do I mean to harm you despite being your husband?

"Everyone's sleeping! What if you wake the neighbors up? Just stay in bed—I still have a meeting tomorrow, and I don't have time for this!"