Page 7 of Fractured Reunion

Maggie was touched by how Aaron had gone the extra mile in finding a pediatric trauma surgeon to follow up with Joey’s injury. Obviously, she wouldn’t have married him in the first place if he’d been an arrogant jerk. Even as he’d earned a reputation for being a highly sought-after pediatric cardiac surgeon, he hadn’t let his success go to his head.

Most of the time. On occasion, she’d had to reel him back in.

Yet their relationship had grown strained as they’d undergone one set of infertility testing after another. A tension that had finally reached its breaking point when she’d been forced to accept that she would never be able to give birth to Aaron’s child.

That she would not be able to contribute to the next generation in the Monroe family.

“Hold still,” the tech said again.

She shook off the useless thoughts of the past. She and Aaron weren’t together anymore. She had no doubt that he’d moved on, especially after he’d relocated back to his hometown. Besides, there were more important things to focus on. Like this poor child who likely had suffered internal bleeding after being in the bus crash. She leaned forward, resting her hand on the little boy’s head. “Lie still, Joey, okay? Just for a few more minutes. We’re almost finished taking pictures of your tummy.”

The little boy squirmed but then nodded. He was trying so hard to please her. She couldn’t imagine how she’d find the words to tell him his mother was never coming back.

Tears stung her eyes just thinking about it.

“Okay, three more pictures to go,” the tech said.

“You’re being such a good boy,” she whispered to Joey.

“Where’s my mommy?” Joey had asked this question three times now, and she still had no idea how to answer him.

“I know your mommy was on the bus with you, but where was your daddy?” she asked. “Was he at work?”

“No, I don’t have a daddy. Just Mommy.” His lower lip quivered again. “I want my mommy.”

“Shh, it’s okay. I’m here.” She hoped the tech would hurry up with the last three pictures. “I won’t leave you, Joey. I promise.”

It seemed like an eternity before the tech finally said, “We’re all set. You can get up off the table now, Joey.”

“Easy, though,” she cautioned, unsure of the CT scan results. She assumed Joey had a hematoma, but it could be small, large, or somewhere in between. She eased the boy into her arms and stood. “I’ll carry him back to his room.”

“Sure thing. I’ll show you the way.” The radiology tech took a long hallway back to the busy emergency department. He led the way to their previous room. “I’ve sent the scan images to the radiologist. I’m sure the physicians here will be able to see the results soon.”

“Great, thank you.” She lowered herself into the chair, keeping Joey on her lap. The hour was close to lunchtime, but Joey couldn’t have anything to eat or drink if he was scheduled for surgery.

For long minutes, no one entered the room. It made Maggie wonder if the staff didn’t care anymore about Joey now that Aaron wasn’t there. She was about to stand and reach for the nursing call light when the previous nurse breezed into the room.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” Maggie said. The nurse’s name tag was turned backward so she couldn’t read it.

“I’m Rachel. I’ll be here until seven o’clock this evening,” Rachel said.

Maggie knew twelve-hour shifts were rapidly becoming the norm, albeit with mixed feedback. Twelve hours was a long time for a nurse to be on his or her feet caring for patients. Yet longer shifts also meant an extra day or two off each week or pay period.

“Hi, Rachel. Would you be able to let me know when the radiology report on Joey’s CT scan is ready? I’d like to read the results for myself.”

“Oh, uh, sure.” Rachel looked confused for a moment. “Are you on staff here too? Like Dr. Monroe?”

“I’m a pediatric anesthesiologist from Johns Hopkins,” she said. “Aaron is—an old friend of mine. We both responded to the bus crash.”

“Got it,” Rachel said with a smile. “Okay, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, we have Joey listed as NPO.” Maggie knew that meant nothing by mouth. “Dr. Flores has him tentatively on the OR schedule for three p.m. this afternoon.”

“I understand.” Telling Joey that he couldn’t have food and water would not be easy. “Thanks for the update.”

“Yeah, sure.” Rachel nodded at Joey. “I’ll need to get a set of vitals on him.”

“Of course.” She shifted the little boy in her lap. “Joey, Nurse Rachel is going to listen to your heart and your breathing, okay?”

He shrugged but didn’t protest when Rachel wrapped a pediatric-sized blood pressure cuff around his arm. He handled the procedure like a trouper. A few minutes later, Rachel stepped back.

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