The Bone Hunger by Carrie Rubin

Author:Carrie Rubin [Rubin, Carrie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indigo Dot Press

28

Ben stood there dazed. All around the PACU, monitors blipped, electronic infusion pumps hummed, and the fumes of alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer cloyed the air. He didn’t understand. The day before he’d heard straight from the chief horse’s mouth that he would be operating on Sophia, not Dr. Lock. So why hadn’t Dr. Fisher done the surgery as planned?

“What’s wrong, son? You told me that Lock guy was the best.” Willy leaned closer to Sophia’s sleeping form. “Should I be worried?”

“Yes. I mean, no.” Get it together, Benny Boy. “I mean, yes, he’s an excellent surgeon.”

“Then what’s the problem? He said he did the whole procedure himself. Said Sophia was a VIP, and I could tell by the way he checked in on her he meant it.”

Ben blinked at his father. Over the past few weeks, he’d relayed only the bare minimum to him about what was going on at Montgomery Hospital, beyond what Willy might have read in the newspaper. Not only did he want to avoid burdening his father with the gruesome news, he didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily, especially during such a busy time of year for Willy’s Chocolate Chalet. Therefore, since Ben had mentioned nothing about mythical, cannibalistic creatures, Willy would not understand Ben’s tight chest, thumping heart, and dry mouth. He would only be content knowing Sophia’s knee had been rebuilt by the most skilled hands. Ben wondered who else had been in the OR. What other team members from the Alaskan plane crash?

Across the room a male nurse finished assessing one of his patients, an elderly woman who seemed to have trouble staying awake. After recording the woman’s vital signs on a clipboard, the nurse headed their way. Ben practically accosted him.

“Why did Dr. Lock perform Sophia Diaz’s surgery?”

The nurse raised his hands, including the one with the clipboard. “Whoa, don’t know. I just take care of them post-op.”

The odd cut to the man’s straw-colored hair and his acne-scarred face triggered recognition in Ben. He glanced at the name tag on the blue scrub top. It was the new RN who’d wandered into the surgeon’s lounge the week before while trying to find his way to the recovery room. The same guy to whom Karen had acted cruelly. “Lyle,” Ben said. “Sorry. Good to see you again. It’s just that Fisher was supposed to do Sophia’s surgery, not Lock.”

“I don’t know anything about that.” He looked past Ben to the PACU doorway. “Ask Dr. Lock yourself. He and his PA just walked in. Second time this morning.” Lyle nodded toward Sophia. “She must be special.”

The nurse took off, and Ben dashed toward the attending and Angela, who trailed behind, her fingers swiping her tablet’s screen.

“Hey, Dr. Lock, can I talk to you? Alone?” Ben tried to keep the urgency out of his voice.

“What’s up?” Worry creased the surgeon’s face, and his gaze shot to Sophia. “Is something wrong? Is she having complications?” He started toward her. From Sophia’s bedside, Willy watched both of them with a questioning expression.

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