Chapter 26

 

Howie glanced at AJ to find that AJ’s attention was focused elsewhere, down the hall.  Howie followed his gaze to see Dr. Fergeson walking slowly down the hall, just a ways a head of them.

 

AJ jumped up and jogged down the hall to meet her.  “Hey!” he called.

 

Dr. Fergeson spun around to see one of Nick’s friends running towards her.  “Hi,” she said softly.  She saw the look on his face and knew that he had been told about Nick’s rejection.  Obviously, he was not taking it very well.”

 

“Where have you been all day and yesterday?  And Saturday too?” AJ asked.  “Were you just taking a little vacation?  Don’t you realize what’s happened to Nick while you were gone?  And what about his parents?  They’ve been wanting to talk to you.  Where the hell were you?  I thought doctors were supposed to stick around to help their patients.” 

 

Howie’s heart sank as AJ rattled off on Dr. Fergeson, who looked worn down and in no mood to hear AJ’s smart-ass mouth.   AJ had a problem with saying things before he thought, with saying things he didn’t mean.

 

“AJ-“ he started to say, but was interrupted.

 

“Why do you think I’m here now?” Dr. Fergeson asked, her tone sharp.  “I wouldn’t even be here today, except I received a call from one of the doctors, telling me what happened to Nick.  That’s why I’m here, to help my patient.”

 

“Why wouldn’t you have shown up anyway?” AJ asked angrily.  “This is your job; you can’t just skip it whenever you feel like it!”

 

Howie buried his face in his hand, upset and embarrassed by AJ’s rude words.  But he knew Dr. Fergeson could very well defend herself, and would.

 

“Excuse me, but you have no idea what’s been happening in my life!” Dr. Fergeson shouted back.  “You have no idea that my son, my only child, died on Friday night!   I was at his funeral yesterday.  Do you really expect me to be at work, pretending like nothing’s wrong?!” 

 

AJ stared, open-mouthed, unable to say anything.

 

“Obviously you do, and here I am.  I was doing it Friday too!  Friday night, when I came to tell you all that there was a liver for Nick, my son had just died!   And yet, there I was, working to try to save the life of your friend!  And you know what?  Do you know whose liver Nick got?  That was my son’s liver!  My own baby!”

 

Both Howie and AJ gasped and stared at her in complete shock.  Howie’s heart ached for her, and AJ felt horribly ashamed. 

 

“I… I’m sorry,” he said meekly, but sincerely. 

 

Dr. Fergeson said nothing, just stared him down.  Her eyes were filled with angry tears.

 

“You mean you donated your son’s liver… to Nick?” Howie asked in utter disbelief.

 

Dr. Fergeson nodded. 

 

“Thank you,” Howie whispered.  He reached out and gave the doctor a light hug, wanting to do more. 

 

He now saw Dr. Fergeson in a whole different way.  In the beginning, she had seemed cold and brisk, not someone he had liked much.  But now, he saw her as a lonely mother, who had just lost her child.  He saw her as a person that was so giving, so generous, that she had spent four hours transplanting her own son’s liver into the body of a man, she really barely knew.  And now, just a day after her son’s funeral, here she was, ready to do all she could to save Nick’s life.

 

***

 

 

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