Page 88 of The Masquerade: Room 2

No matter how many times I join him in the OR, I’m always in awe of his skill. Our patient today has been turned away by three doctors already, and I’d venture to say Pierce may be the only surgeon in the country willing to operate.

“Annette, please hand the bone saw to Dr. Perrington.”

She does as she’s told, and all eyes are on me.

“Are you sure, Dr. Harrison?” I can’t help but ask.

“You’ve done this before. It’s my job to get you ready to be the lead surgeon on your own cases. Don’t question my methods, Dr. Perrington, or you can leave my OR.”

“Sorry, Dr. Harrison. I didn’t mean to question you. I’m eager for this patient to get our very best.”

“Good. That’s the goal of everyone in this room. Now, take the saw. We need the flap to be about eight centimeters in diameter.”

The moment I step up to make the cut, a calm washes over me. It’s like coming home. This is where I’m meant to be.

Pierce is meticulous as he navigates the various parts of the brain that create who we are as people—what makes us unique. It’s one of the reasons neurosurgery is so elite. There aren’t many who want to give themselves zero room for error. As surgeons in every field, our failures aren’t just a bad day at work. They are literally life and death. When it comes to the brain, a millimeter can be the difference between a meaningful life and a vegetative state.

I know his reputation, but even I am stunned when he says the words this patient’s family is waiting to hear but not expecting. “We got it all. Good work, everyone.”

Just as he’s about to start closing, one of the first-year residents appears at the entrance to the operating room. “Dr. Harrison, there’s an urgent case in the ER. A four-year-old boy with massive head trauma. Dr. Wilder has requested your consult.”

“Dr. Perrington, can you close for me?” He looks at me as I steel myself.

“Yes, Dr. Harrison.”

“Thank you.” He turns his attention to his scrub nurse. “Annette, can you get the OR prepped for a possible pediatric head trauma?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Pierce pulls off his gown and gloves and disappears through the door.

“Annette, 4-0, please.”

I take my time, making sure every stitch is textbook, aware that this is going to be a scar this patient will have for the rest of his now long life. It’s an honor, and I remind myself with every move of my hand. Everything I’ve worked for—every late-night cramming session and side job I’ve done to put myself through school. It’s for moments like this. We saved a life today. We didn’t just mend what was broken. This tumor thought it had claimed its victim, and now it sits lifeless in medical waste, unable to leech off its host any longer.

With the last stitch, I thank the staff and take my leave, but Annette follows me into the scrub room. “He’s different since he met you.”

I turn to face her. “What?”

“There’s… life in his eyes that wasn’t there before. He’s a good man.”

“I know.”

“He’s not like the other attendings. He cares more than anyone, as much as he tries to hide it.”

“Did you two…”

“No.” She cuts me off, and I heave a sigh of relief. “He’s never been in a relationship with a coworker. But I see how he is with you, and he’s my friend. Don’t hurt him.”

It never crossed my mind that he has friends here at the hospital. Of course he does. He’s a great man, and I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s not one of those assholes who only speak to other attendings. He would never look down his nose at someone because they aren’t at his level.

“I don’t plan to. I love him.” It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud to someone other than Pierce.

“I see that.” She gives me a warm smile before leaving me to scrub out.

When I’m done, I head up to the waiting room to give the good news to our patient’s family. With Pierce down in the ER, it falls on me to let them know how the surgery went. So often, it’s a difficult conversation to have. The first time I told a patient’s family that they didn’t make it through surgery, I ran to the closest bathroom and puked my guts out the second I left the room.

Today, I get to deliver the best news.

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