Chapter 46 - chapter 46. At the Hospital

At the HospitalAlan was so upset by the argument at Monty's wedding that he collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital. When Kevin arrived, he was shocked to find that his father wasn't in the operating room yet. The hospital required proof of ability to pay first, so all they would do is stabilize him. Kevin offered his black card for payment, but the hospital director thought it was a fake."If you'll just get someone to swipe my card, you'll find out if it's real or not, won't you?" Kevin said firmly.Seeing how relaxed Kevin's face was, the director was slightly intimidated. He turned around and gestured for the administrator's assistant to swipe the card.While this was going on, the hospital director turned around and spoke with the administrator who'd been arguing with Kevin."Go and call security. If that bank card is fake, instruct them to immediately arrest this young man and call the police." Moments later, the assistant came back with the bank card. She politely said to Kevin, "Sir, here is your card as well as the hospital's invoice. Please remember to keep it in a safe place."The hospital director couldn't believe what had just happened."Could this be true?" he thought to himself, "Where did this guy come from? Is he a celebrity or something?"Kevin was exhausted from worrying about his father and having to deal with all this. He said quietly, "Now can you please arrange for my father's surgery?"Yes sir!" The director said politely, "We'll prep him right away!"The whole staff was in shock. No one would have thought that this seemingly ordinary looking young man could casually pay over a hundred thousand dollars.Once they had permission, the staff got to work with incredible speed. The head surgeon rushed over with almost a dozen doctors and nurses to take Alan into the operating room.As they were wheeling Alan to pre-op, the surgeon stopped right in front of Kevin and spoke to him."Kevin, what are you doing here?" she asked curiously, "Is the patient your father?"And you are?" Kevin asked hesitantly. He didn't recognize her.She slowly took off her mask and replied, "I'm Dr. Willow. We met at President Wright's birthday party." "Dr. Willow, don't you work in Chicago? What are you doing in New York?" Seeing a familiar face, Kevin finally relaxed a little."The hospital arranged for me to come here for an exchange program. I'm working on a new specialty," Dr. Willow explained briefly, "What happened to your father? It looks like he had an acute myocardial infarction…a heart attack."Dr. Willow, you must save my father!" Kevin said sincerely."Don't worry. I'll do my best!" After saying that, Dr. Willow put her mask back on and headed toward the operating room.After she walked away, the hospital director came back and invited Kevin and his mother to wait in his office.Kevin took his mother by the arm and helped her to sit down on the sofa. Then he got her a cup of water from the water cooler."Kevin, how do you know Dr. Willow?" his mother asked as she took a sip of water."It's really nothing, Mom. I met her at a birthday party in Chicago. But I never expected to see her here in New York," Kevin answered quietly."Mr. Williams, a nurse has just informed me that your father's surgery will take about three hours. I've already arranged for a private room for him," the director said very courteously. This was a huge change from his attitude just a little while ago.He clearly knew that there were no more than five people in all of the New York City area who had a black card. So Kevin was someone he absolutely couldn't afford to offend.Kevin nodded his head indifferently."If there's nothing else, you can stay here with your mother. I have something to attend to right now," the director said carefully.Kevin didn't say anything but just nodded again."Kevin, where did you ever get so much money from?" his mother asked in confusion, "I hope you're not involved in something illegal!"Don't worry, Mom. I earned it myself," Kevin reassured her. Then he thought for a moment and continued, "Mom, I'll go to Uncle Thomas tomorrow to get back the money I lent the family. While I'm there, I'll completely cut my ties with them. And when we get back to Chicago, I'll hire a visiting nurse to help you and Dad."Why would you throw your money away like that? Your father and I aren't old enough to need help taking care of ourselves." Then his mother's face looked worried. "Kevin, will Lily be okay with letting us live with you? If she isn't willing, you mustn't force her. Don't let us get in the way of your marriage."Mom, don't worry. Lily is very down to earth and understanding, Kevin said with a smile.He wasn't worried about Lily objecting at all, because he knew she would definitely agree. But even if she didn't agree, Kevin could just buy another apartment for his parents to live in. Money was the least of his worries right now.Susan fell asleep on the sofa, probably from exhaustion after the scene at Monty's wedding, seeing her husband collapse, and then the fight with the hospital administrator.Kevin slowly closed his eyes, focused on his breath, and meditated.When he opened his eyes again, three hours had gone by and the director was walking into the office with Dr. Willow."Dr. Willow, how is my father?" Kevin quickly asked her."The surgery was successful and your father is out of danger!" Dr. Willow replied. She looked absolutely exhausted. Obviously, the surgery wasn't as easy as she was letting on.Just then, they all heard footsteps hurrying down the hall.When the hospital director saw the middle-aged man in the lead, his face brightened."President Quinn, you must help me. This young man was rude to the intake administrator and pestered the head nurse. Worse yet, he even threatened to punch me." This was an odd turn. After being so polite, the director was suddenly turning on Kevin and his mother.But the hospital director knew that Quinn held a lot of power throughout New York, and that he was the real head of this hospital. With his wealth, he had political connections that allowed him to do pretty much anything he wanted. He knew that all Quinn had to do was say the word and Kevin's family would definitely be tossed out.Dr. Willow got very worried when she heard him making these complaints. She'd heard about Quinn's reputation, and now that she heard the director making these false accusations, she was afraid for Kevin's safety.Then the hospital director shouted at Kevin, "What are you still standing there for? Get over here and apologize to President Quinn!"Kevin, please go and apologize to President Quinn!" Dr. Willow said worriedly.After all, Dr. Willow had heard about the scene Kevin had made in the emergency room. And she knew that Quinn had the director in his pocket."Don't worry," Kevin said to Dr. Willow softly.Then, while Dr. Willow and the hospital director stared in amazement, Quinn walked over to Kevin and warmly shook his hand."Mr. Williams, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. It took me longer than expected to get over here," Quinn said very apologetically."No problem at all. I still have the item you requested. Besides, I have some details to work out with the director," Kevin said stoically.When he heard that, Quinn was stunned for a moment. Then he shouted at the director, "Ernie Richter, have you been neglecting your duties?"Richter didn't know what to say for a moment. He never imagined that Kevin would know President Quinn.Then he thought for a second and remembered what Quinn had just said. Suddenly he wondered, "Could President Quinn have come here especially for him?""Holy crap! What kind of big shot did I just offend?" Richter was on the verge of tears."Since Mr. Richter doesn't seem to want to answer your question, then let me do it for him," Kevin said with a smirk."President Quinn, I don't know how often you're able to visit this hospital. Do you know what kind of employees you have? These administrators have no conscience. They park dying patients in the corridor while they shake down their families for money."Then Kevin calmly recounted what had happened earlier."Ernie Richter, you're a real bastard!" Quinn yelled right in the man's face.Before Richter could catch his breath and respond, Quinn continued his tirade. "I give this hospital a lot of support and I've told you over and over to make sure that any patients who are in serious condition need to be treated. This is certainly not how you provide service in a respectable hospital. The mission is to help people, not to make a profit."As soon as he finished speaking, Quinn looked Richter in the eye and said, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?""President Quinn, I know I was wrong!" Richter said weakly."Shut up!" Quinn frowned, "Pack up your things and get out of here." He grabbed the director's name tag off his desk and threw it out into the hallway.Then Quinn noticed Dr. Willow, who had been standing patiently next to Kevin while all this was going on.Kevin saw this and quickly reminded him, "President Quinn, please don't misunderstand. The administration was at fault. But it was Dr. Willow who saved my father."You did well, Doctor," Quinn said seriously. "As of right now, you're the new director of this hospital." Then he continued, "Remember, the first thing you need to do when you take over is to reduce all charges by half. For any poor and seriously ill patients, we will only charge ten percent of the set fees. That should set things straight."Dr. Willow shook her head in disbelief, "President Quinn, thank you for your kind offer, but I came to this hospital as part of a research exchange program. I'm officially on the payroll of Downtown General in Chicago."Chicago?" Quinn took a long look at Dr. Willow and said decisively, "You don't need to go back there. Human Resources will help you complete all the paperwork today."Kevin was very impressed with Quinn's reaction. He knew that the man had done this more or less because he was interested in his herbal pill, but his concern for the hospital's patients was admirable.After making arrangements for Dr. Willow to take over as hospital director, Quinn turned around to look at Kevin and said, "Mr. Williams, how do you think I handled that?"Mr. Quinn, you've got my respect!" Kevin said with a smile.At that moment, Susan woke up. It was amazing that she had slept through all that. "Kevin, is your father out of surgery yet?"Yes, Mom, it's over. Dad has been sent to recovery and then he'll have a private room." Kevin walked over to his mother and helped her up from the sofa.Seeing that Kevin was leaving with his mother, Quinn panicked. "Mr. Williams, we still have some unfinished business. How about letting my staff take your mother up to recovery? They should be able to let her speak with him for a few minutes once the anesthesia has worn off."Before Kevin could answer, his mother said thoughtfully, "Kevin, if you have something to do, go ahead. I'll be upstairs with your father!"After saying this, Susan patted Kevin on the hand and started to walk out of the office.Quinn looked at his assistants and said, "What are you still doing here? Go ahead and escort Mrs. Williams up to recovery. And if she needs anything, do your best to make sure she's happy!"Yes, sir!" Two of his associates cheerfully headed out and invited Kevin's mother to follow them."President Quinn, if I'm no longer needed here, I'll be on my way," Dr. Willow said excitedly.When she saw Quinn arrive, Dr. Willow expected the worst. What she didn't expect was for him to be so friendly to Kevin, which really turned the whole situation around. Somehow, she felt that it was because of Kevin that she'd gotten this promotion to hospital director.And now Kevin seemed even more mysterious to her than when she'd first met him."Mr. Williams, this isn't a good place to talk. Please come with me to my home. Your father will be in good hands while we're gone!" Quinn said agreeably.He really couldn't wait to improve his health and his strength. That was far more important to him than firing Richter, who had no sense of medical ethics anyway. "Sure!" Kevin replied with a smile.They left the hospital together and Quinn personally drove Kevin to the most luxurious mansion in the whole metropolitan area. He politely invited Kevin to have a seat while his housekeeper prepared them espressos in the kitchen.Kevin smiled and took a small white vial from his pocket. It contained the six herbal pills that he'd prepared the previous night."Mr. Quinn, this should be just what you're looking for," Kevin said as he poured out a red pill and placed it on the table."It's hard to believe that such a small herbal pill can help me so much," Quinn said as he carefully held it in his hand. "I guess there's only one thing left to do," he added.