The round headlights at the operating table lit up the penumbra atmosphere of the room. Four medical practitioners surrounded the body on the bed. Three out of the four were surgeons. The other an anaesthetist. They were performing a coronary bypass surgery.
"Pass one small vein from the leg to the aorta. I am taking this one. Graft one end to the coronary vessels, bypassing all the blockage areas." The head surgeon instructs his subordinates. "We are doing three bypasses for this session. I will begin then you two continue. Watch carefully!"
The heart's hammering begins to pace sensing the intrusion. The numbers on the monitors and its beeps moved higher and higher until another dose of anaesthesia was served. The anaesthetist held on tighter to the oxygen pump as the rookie surgeon took over the second grafting. He was a rookie himself and didn't want his first rodeo to end in a death scene. He watched as the rookie whose hair was tucked neatly under the surgical cap and fully protected looked intently at the demonstration.
She took hold of the scalpel to begin her turn. He sighed in relief after the rookie surgeon finished successfully before handing down the instrument to the senoir's assistant. He waited until they had done stitching up the body before he disconnected the anaesthesia. He watched them exit whispering to themselves before he also headed out. He had forty five minutes or so to himself before his next session with a different team.
Feeling the hot burst of steam from the running tap water, Cedrene moaned in relaxation. She washed down the remnants and the feeling of blood off her skin. The head surgeon and his assistant in the next two basins joined her.
"You did well,Dr Fulton." The head remarks as he lathers the soap to his elbows. "Next time, hold the scalpel light not lighter to be able to get a deep but straight cut." She nods tearing a tissue from the roller while the assistant scoffs at his remark.
"Anything the matter, Castle?"Cedrene says to the assistant.
"It is Dr Castle to you rookie!" He snarls. "And if anything, you are not worthy to hear it." She looked taken aback.
"Yes because whatever you say is irrelevant!"
She and the assistant did not see eye to eye for unknown reasons. She had inkling it has something to do with her continuous prescence in the paediatric department.
"Dr Castle, Dr Fulton, cease the banter! Don't let your personal issues interfere with your work." With such counsel, the head walked out of the cleansing room. His assistant followed suit not before shooting her a glare.
Cedrene huffs. She unties the cap with the aid of her reflection leaving her hairdo intact. She went down to her locker to pick a few essentials - her phone, pager and watch.
'Cedrene Fulton, Cardiovascular Surgery Department' in white italics was embroidered at the top left breast of her black scrub. She saunters to the canteen.
Dropping the juice carton in the trashcan near the entrance, she walked back to the seat she occupied. Her table , a double seater, stood near the vast window amongst the several in the canteen. She began to scroll through her emails on her phone. A nurse takes the other opposite seat. Cedrene ignores her continuing with her 'work'. A visitor takes the chair after the nurse leaves carrying a beer can in hand. Come to think of it , she had not heard from Zaph.
The bet was a useless one altogether. It didnt make an ounce of sense. Maybe he had returned to sort out the problem that was bothering him. She drops her phone in her pocket to receive her food order. It consisted of pasta with steak and salad. Halfway through her meal, she feels a ripple against the vibration in her palm. She mutters a quick sorry to the busy visitor who waves it off.
"Vine? Cedrene? Hello?" The caller rasped.
"Yes, Sage. What's up?" She acknowledged.
"You tell me 'what's up ' Did you change your number or something?" Sage growls as she tries to flip her omelette.
"No. Nothing of such sorts." Cedrene hears the clanging of pots. "What are you doing? " she pops a fork full of pasta in her mouth munching on it.
" oh , then why wasn't I able to contact you. By the way, I am making foo yung. I found leftovers in the fridge and thought what better food to eat than this. Unfortunately, this devil doesn't want to flip over?"
"What are you using to flip it? A knife? Spatula? Or perf fork?"
Sage smiles sheepishly. " What do you think I'm using?"
"Mon Dieu! What are you? A spoiled brat? Use a fork not a knife or spatula."
"pfft, puh-lease, the last time I used a fork it ended in the sink."
"Well, i didn't ask you to place the gas burner near the sink, missy. How are you faring? Any new cases?" She chews on the last piece of meat.
"I am doing well. Let you in a secret. I began French classes ever since you left. I finally found out all that you said to me in French and I'm disappointed," Cedrene holds in a chuckle. "I do like the nice ones tough. It made me cry. Yes, new cases have arrived but let's not talk bout that."
"Sage Merlotte and crying? That's a gruesome sight!
"Shut up. Okay maybe I spilled a little." Sage received a hum. She continues to babble until she was cut off. Cedrene had lost both eardrums.
"Uh... Sage?
"Yeah?" She breathes in large amounts that she lost as Cedrene gets up.
"Do you still have that house or apartment in Netherlands?" Cedrene dumps the empty plate on the plate rack near the counter and goes back to her seat.
" Unfortunately, no. But my cousins are there to offer me a place to stay if i pop up." She dishes out her food.
"Oh" Cedrene sounded disappointed. " She battered her tone. "Can i be taken in if i go saying you sent me there.
" Sure why not but let me warn you, you are practically going to live on a farm if you go ahead with whatever crazy plan you have."
"Where do you think I was raised? In the Buckingham palace? I was raised tending to horses,girl."
"Alright, if you get to the house, simply say 'The Alps is the home of ruckus'."
"What! 'The Alps is the home of ruckus'. And why should I say that?"
Sage pouts. "Calm down. Do not disgrace me. I don't even know how many people are around you. "
"Care to explain?"
"It's a code thingy. They will understand. For your information, beware of my cousin, Amadeus, we fight a lot. He doesn't know shit bout music though." Her voice bubbled with laughter.
"Sure, I'm certain you are the cause of the fight most of the time. Thank you for your help as always, Ma Cherie!"
"Family don't say thank you. I will send you the address to the house. Bye, my stomach is growling. "
"Wait, where is my jeep?" She drums her fingers on the table.
"About that i-"
"What happened to her baby?" Cedrene begins to panic. The drumming stops.
"Will you calm down?" Sage rubs her temple.
"Speak before I fly back!"
Sage groans. "I gave it to my brother so he could send it to school with the others. He loves it. He keeps flaunting it." Cedrene exhaled in relief.
"He can keep it till i return for it."
"Really? Oh thank you. Now, bye." Cedrene shakes her head and laughs at her haste.
Cedrene knew a thing about codes. Her family's wellbeing always depended on them. Hitting the search button, the polish airline's homepage popped up. She booked a flight to Netherlands. It was due on the fifteenth of January next year so she had a month and seventeen days to go. Time to begin her countdown.
Her ticket to paradise was delivered at her doorstep the following morning. She could not be happier. Soon she was going to leave the country and its forsaken hospital. Soon, she would not have to listen to the taunts of the old couple, Dr Castle, and the other nurses.
Soon, she would be able to live her life derided of such absurdities. For now, she has to bear it. No one was going to know of her departure and she would make Edison create a new clean profile for her.
A couple of paramedics barged into the hospital trailing stretchers with injured bodies on it. A fire broke out somewhere in the city and a few were injured. Cedrene has to work helping whatever way she could. Her pager beeped. Her presence was needed at the lobby. She approached the nurse who directed her to the telephone.
"Hello?" She murmured.
"Hello, is this Miss Cedrene Fulton?"
"Yes, who am i speaking to?"
"Miss, your presence is needed at the Crewski correction centre. A report has being made by a one Josephine Gorbachev." With that the line went off. The inquisitive nurse had taken the other telephone line listening to the exchange discreetly.
She knew it! The old woman was insufferable. She slammed the handle down and returned to her work. She was going to go to the police station the next day.