Chapter 20 - The Alarm That Changed Everything
The emergency page echoed through every hallway.
Doctors and nurses immediately abandoned conversations and rushed toward the pediatric intensive care unit.
Elena and Claire stood simultaneously.
Neither asked which child had triggered the alarm.
Neither wanted to know.
They simply ran.
When they reached the corridor, they saw half a dozen staff members moving quickly into Lucia's room.
Elena froze.
"No..."
Dr. Harrow disappeared through the doors without slowing down.
A respiratory therapist wheeled additional equipment behind him.
The monitor inside the room emitted a continuous warning tone.
Adrian reached Elena just as she began to lose her balance.
"Stay with me."
"It's Lucia."
"We don't know yet."
"I know."
Tears blurred her vision.
Through the glass she could see only brief glimpses of blue uniforms moving around the bed.
Someone began manual ventilation.
Another nurse prepared medication.
The doors remained closed.
Claire quietly stepped beside Elena.
Without saying a word, she took Elena's trembling hand.
They stood there together.
Two mothers.
One waiting for answers.
The other refusing to let her wait alone.
Several endless minutes passed.
Finally the warning tone stopped.
The room grew quieter.
Dr. Harrow emerged, removing one glove as he walked.
Elena searched his face.
"She's alive."
The words nearly made Elena collapse.
"But..."
She immediately noticed there was more.
"The vessel compressing her airway shifted during one of the coughing episodes."
"Is that bad?"
"It tells us something we didn't know before."
"What?"
Harrow looked toward Adrian.
"The anatomy is changing faster than the scans suggested."
Dr. Voss joined them moments later.
"I've reviewed everything again."
He pointed toward the newest images.
"The operation cannot wait until tomorrow."
Elena whispered,
"Then do it today."
Voss nodded.
May you like
"I intend to."
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