Amelia sat on a couch in the sitting room at Jimmy's house, calling out repeatedly. "Ava, Ava, please get the door. Ava!" She sighed when there was no immediate response and turned to the door. "The door is open, come in."
Reina walked in with a smile. "Good morning, Dad. Morning, Mom."
"Morning, dear," they both replied in unison.
Amelia moved toward Reina with a warm expression. "How are you, honey? How's everything with you?"
"Great!" Reina replied with a smile. "How about you guys?"
Amelia shrugged lightly. "Nothing much. We're fine. How's work?"
Reina paused, then added, "Actually, I'm on my way to work. I stopped by just to say hi."
Jimmy grinned. "That's so sweet of you."
"Indeed," Amelia said, nodding. "Thank you so much, honey."
Just then, Ava entered the room, grinning. "Mom, the door is closer to you than... oh, hi, sister-in-law!" She pulled Reina into a hug. "How are you? It feels like it's been forever since we last saw each other."
Reina chuckled. "Right? How are you doing? Chic designs in?"
Ava smirked playfully. "You know me. I brought a dress for you. Want to try it on?"
"Sure, thanks," Reina said, but then glanced at her watch. "But not now. I'm running late. Bye, Mom, bye, Dad, bye, Ava. Thanks for the dress. I'll stop by again later."
"Isn't she sweet?" Amelia commented after Reina left. She turned to Jimmy, her eyes twinkling. "So, dear, what's the surprise? Did you get me anything for Valentine?"
Jimmy blinked. "When is Valentine?"
Ava, overhearing, burst into laughter. "Like father, like son. Noah has no idea when Valentine's Day is."
"See ya, familia!" she called over her shoulder, leaving the room with a chuckle.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "I'm disappointed," she said, following her out of the room.
Jimmy sighed, looking at Ava's retreating figure. "How do I find out?"
In the sterile operating room of the hospital, the surgical team prepared for a femur fracture repair. Dr. Rodriguez, the lead surgeon, addressed his team of interns. "Good morning, everyone. Today we'll be performing a femur fracture repair using a fixation plate. Intern Cherilyn, you'll assist with exposing the fracture site. Intern Henry, prepare the necessary instruments for the fixation."
"Understood, Dr. Rodriguez," Cherilyn responded promptly, stepping into position.
"I'll handle the exposure. I'll get the instruments ready," Henry said, already moving toward the surgical table.
"Great," Dr. Rodriguez replied, his voice steady and commanding. "Remember, precision is crucial. We'll maintain a sterile environment and communicate clearly throughout the procedure."
"Sterility and communication, got it," Cherilyn confirmed.
"Ready with the instruments, Dr. Rodriguez," Henry said, his tone focused.
"Now, Cherilyn, let's visualize the fracture," Dr. Rodriguez instructed. "Henry, hand me the retractor."
"The retractor is coming your way, Dr. Rodriguez," Henry replied, passing the tool with steady hands.
Cherilyn took a deep breath as she examined the injury. "Fracture site is now visible."
"Good work," Dr. Rodriguez praised. "Henry, assist me in placing the fixation plate. Cherilyn, be ready with the screws."
"Ready with the screws, Dr. Rodriguez," Cherilyn confirmed, her eyes never leaving the fracture.
"Fixation plate is in position, Dr. Rodriguez," Henry called out, his hands precise.
"Excellent teamwork," Dr. Rodriguez said, nodding in approval. "Now, let's secure the fixation. Henry, hand me the screws one by one. Cherilyn, double-check the alignment."
"First screw coming in, Dr. Rodriguez," Henry reported as he placed the first screw carefully.
"Alignment double-checked," Cherilyn confirmed after a quick glance.
"Well done, team. The fracture is stabilized," Dr. Rodriguez said, his voice calm but satisfied. "Let's close up. Cherilyn, assist with sutures, and Henry, monitor the patient's vitals closely."
"Suturing in progress, Dr. Rodriguez," Cherilyn replied, her focus unshakable.
"Vitals under close observation," Henry added, watching the monitor intently.
"Great job, both of you. This patient is in good hands," Dr. Rodriguez said with a smile. "Any questions or observations?"
Henry shook his head. "None for now, Dr. Rodriguez."
"Clear on my end too," Cherilyn said, looking up from her work. "Thank you for guiding us through this procedure."
Dr. Rodriguez smiled. "My pleasure. Always here to help you learn and grow."
Dr. Smith entered the room, clapping his hands in approval. "Wow, done already? Great job, Dr. Rodriguez!"
"It's not just me, Dr. Smith," Dr. Rodriguez said, gesturing to his team. "It's the great learners. I'd love to have them on my team for the next surgery."
Dr. Smith laughed. "That's great to hear."
Henry grinned. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, doctors."
Cherilyn nodded enthusiastically. "We really appreciate it."
Dr. Smith chuckled. "Don't get too comfortable. Your next surgery is a cesarean section. Good luck!"
Dr. Smith exits.
Dr. Rodriguez looked at his interns, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Are you excited?"
Cherilyn grinned widely. "I'm so happy. We love you as our supervisor!"
"Alright, take ten," Dr. Rodriguez said, exiting with a smile.
As Cherilyn and Henry made their way toward the break room, Cherilyn turned to Henry, her tone teasing. "I didn't know you were so intelligent."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Did you have me on the 'not smart' list? Don't judge a book by its cover. You weren't bad yourself."
"You're literally flattering me right now," Cherilyn said, rolling her eyes.
"I know," Henry replied with a smirk.
"Jerk," Cherilyn teased, and they both laughed.
"Ladies first," Henry said gallantly.
"Thank you," Cherilyn said, laughing as they walked off together.
At the restaurant, Reina walked in, her hand on her forehead. "I'm feeling a little dizzy, Cecile," she said, her voice strained. "Did anyone ask about me?"
Cecile, who was standing near the counter, looked up with concern. "You're late, wifey. Are you okay?"
Reina nodded, her voice light. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. Don't worry about me."
Cecile smirked. "I got you covered. I made a cover for you."
Reina smiled, grateful. "Aren't you sweet? Thanks." She looked around the room. "Hey, why aren't you attending to customers?"
Cecile leaned in and whispered, "That old lady over there is a snake. I don't want trouble. Trust me, she's a handful."
Reina sighed but nodded. "Customers aren't always right, but I have to try my best." With that, she walked over to the table where the old lady sat, her face polite. "Good morning, ma'am. What would you like to order today?"
The old lady huffed in frustration. "Took you long enough. I want my coffee, piping hot."
Reina smiled calmly. "I apologize for the delay. I'll get that right away. How do you take your coffee?"
The old lady sneered. "Finally, someone who understands English! Black, no sugar. And make sure it's not like last time."
Reina nodded. "Certainly, I'll make sure it meets your preferences. Anything else?"
The old lady waved her hand dismissively. "Don't rush me! Bring the coffee first, and we'll see if you can handle another order."
Reina smiled, unfazed. "Understood. I'll bring it right away. If you need anything else, feel free to let me know." She turned and made a face toward Cecile, who chuckled from a distance.
Sidney entered Frank's shoe shop, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Wow, is it just me, or is this place fantastic? Your shop is really thriving, Dad!"
Frank grinned, wiping his hands on his apron. "Thanks, sweetheart. It's been busy lately, but I love helping people find the perfect pair."
Sidney nodded approvingly. "I can see that. New collections? Wow!"
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Mm-hmm. Now, back to school—how was it?"
Sidney groaned. "Do not ask! Can I browse around while you attend to customers?"
"Go ahead! Let me know if anything catches your eye," Frank said, motioning to the shelves.
The bell above the door jingled as the customer stepped into Frank's shoe shop. Frank, standing behind the counter, glanced up from what he was doing. "Hi, how can I help you?"
The customer smiled, scanning the shelves. "I'm looking for comfortable sneakers for walking. Any recommendations?"
Sidney, who had been rearranging some shoes on a nearby shelf, overheard and stepped forward. "Absolutely," she said, leading the customer toward the new collection. "We've got a fresh batch in. Let me show you some options."
Frank flashed Sidney a grin. "Thank you, sweetheart. That's why you're my favorite."
The customer gave Sidney an appreciative nod. "Thanks, I love it," they said, clearly impressed with the selection.
Sidney smiled back. "Do come again!" she called as the customer headed for the door.
"Impressive variety, kiddo," Frank said, turning to Sidney with a proud look. "You've got a good eye for this."
Sidney chuckled. "Thanks, Dad. So, how did your day go?"
Frank raised an eyebrow. "You have to tell me about school before I tell you about mine."
Sidney rolled her eyes dramatically. "You win. Take the trophy."
Frank laughed. "Was school that bad?"
Before Sidney could respond, another customer walked in. "Another customer, bye," she said quickly, then turned toward the new arrival.