"Am I required to obtain your permission to share my opinion?" David asked with a chuckle.
"Also officers, if you doubt my words, I can show you the receipts. And I definitely did not do anything inappropriate to that child, like this sick woman here says."
"No, no don't bother, we'll deal with this. Thank you for your cooperation," they said to David.
The woman's face turned red with rage as she blocked David's path, shouting, "if you don't arrest him immediately, I'll consider all of you accomplices!"
"You're so determined to have me arrested, yet we're practically strangers!" David said with a mocking laugh.
Passersby slowed their pace, intrigued by the intense scene playing out on the sidewalk.
"Ma'am, without concrete evidence of illegal activity involving the child, we cannot arrest him.
And if you keep being persistent with these unfounded claims, you'll be the one facing charges for harassment," Officer John warned sternly.
"I'm telling you, I witnessed him engaging in inappropriate behavior with that child! I saw it with my own eyes!" she pleaded.
"Your eyes can deceive you, but a photo or video would be concrete proof. Why didn't you capture any evidence if you truly saw something incriminating?" Officer John questioned skeptically.
"I-I didn't have my phone with me at the time," the woman stammered.
"Let him go or we will arrest you," officer Ramirez warned, his finger pointed sternly at her.
"Don't even think about laying a hand on me! I know my rights, and I'll sue for assault if you try to detain me when I've done nothing wrong," she threatened.
"That's enough, you're crossing a line," Officer John warned, gently but firmly pulling her away from David.
The woman tried to hit officer John but he blocked it, "You'll face charges for assaulting an officer, and perhaps that'll teach you a lesson."
David indicated he was leaving, and Officer Ramirez nodded in acknowledgement, while Officer John restrained the woman to prevent her from obstructing David's path or striking him again.
"I'll put you down if you're gonna cause trouble," officer John said.
"You're really going to hit a woman?" The lady questioned, with a slight smirk.
"Absolutely not," officer John replied .
The woman pulled away from Officer John's grip and marched off with a furious expression.
David arrived at the hospital after walking for about thirty minutes since he did not want to spend anymore money from what he had.
"Good evening, is Doctor James available?" David asked the receptionist.
"Please hold for a moment," she said, before dialing the phone to alert the doctor.
David nodded and took a seat in the waiting area, settling in to wait patiently.
"You may proceed to the doctor's office," the receptionist said to him.
"Thank you," David rose from his seat and made his way directly to the elevator.
He stepped out on the fourth floor and proceeded down the hallway until he reached a specific office.
David knocked on the door and a voice from inside asking him to come in.
"Good evening, doctor James," David greeted as he sat on a chair facing the man who seemed to be in his early thirties.
"Yeah, any problems?" Doctor James asked.
"It's concerning my debt. I received a message about the outstanding balance for my mom's medical expenses.
I'm sorry, but I couldn't meet the monthly payment every month for the past three years." David explained sincerely.
"I appreciate your honesty, but I'm afraid we've reached the end of the line. With Director Presilla gone, the new director won't tolerate any further extensions. You need to settle the outstanding balance now.
I can't make any more exceptions, and I won't be able to protect you from the consequences if you don't take care of this debt as soon as possible," doctor James replied, concern evident in his tone.
"I understand, Doctor. I've been facing financial hardship, and it's been incredibly difficult to keep up with the payments. I've also tried to find an additional job, but so far, I haven't had any luck." David continues.
"I understand that you've been doing your best, and I sympathize with your situation, but the medical services provided to your mom need to be paid for!"
"Yes, I know but…." As David continued to speak, a call came in and Doctor James put it on speaker, pausing their conversation.
"Doctor, I need your immediate attention. We have an extremely critical situation with the coma patient in bed 27. Her heart rate is dropping rapidly, and she has stopped breathing," the voice of a tensed nurse could be heard.
"I'm on my way Rebecca. Start CPR immediately and call the code blue team. Have you administered any medications or interventions yet?" Doctor James asked, calmly.
Despite his calm tone, Doctor James's concern grew as he asked the nurse.
"Yes, we immediately initiated CPR and called the code blue team. We've also administered epinephrine as per the protocol, but there's been no response. Her heart rate is currently at 20 beats per minute and continues to decline," the nurse said, panting.
"Okay, I'll be there soon. Increase the chest compressions to 100 per minute and continue uninterrupted until further notice. Make sure the airway is clear and consider intubation if necessary. Have you checked for any signs of cardiac rhythm on the monitor?" Doctor James instructed the nurse.
"We've been monitoring the patient's rhythm, and there are no signs of any electrical activity on the ECG monitor. We're continuing chest compressions and ensuring the airway is clear." The nurse replied.
"Excellent job, Rebecca. Continue CPR until the code blue team arrives. I will join you as soon as possible and will assess the situation personally. Have you alerted doctor Simon? Have all the necessary emergency equipment ready, including the defibrillator." Doctor James said and dropped the sheets he was working on.
His expression transformed from concern to urgent action.
David's conversation was forgotten in an instant as the doctor sprang into action, grabbing his white coat from the hook behind him and snatching his stethoscope from the table.
He swiftly slipped on his coat and slung the stethoscope around his neck, preparing himself for the urgent situation ahead.
"Understood, doctor. I have alerted doctor Simon and we have prepared the defibrillator, and the crash cart is ready for immediate use. We will keep performing chest compressions until you arrive."
Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder, echoing the urgency of the situation.
Doctor James swiftly ended the call and bolted out of his office, leaving David sitting in silence.
As David sat in the office, oblivious to the fact that his mother was the patient in distress.
David exited the office,his eyes followed the commotion, and saw the medical team swiftly making their way to his mother's ward, their hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor.
David's eyes widened as he froze in shock.