up, charging them before he applies them to the bare chest of the patient. The sound of the flat line fills the room leaving little hope. My hands itch to get back to work on him.
We all sit in silence as the doctor fights to save the man’s life. Shock after shock provides the same result.
“Ten twenty-six time of death.” He pulls the gloves from his hands in defeat. “I’ll go talk to the families.”
I remain frozen, staring down at the lifeless body and wonder for a second what more could I have done, and then thoughts race through my mind. He’s someone’s son, brother, husband, and I just watched him take his last breath.
“Clover.” I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Clover, you can go back up to ICU.”
I turn to look at the head nurse, Paisley, who’s been a second mom to me since arriving in town last week.
“No one should experience this on their first night.” She tosses her mask down to the ground. “Hell, I’ve never seen something so horrible in the last twenty years.”
My sight goes back to the lifeless body that’s been brutally mutilated lying on the table and my thought automatically goes to his mother. My stomach takes a leap, forcing me to hold back a gagging sound. The swinging door opens up, derailing my spiraling thoughts. The doctor walks back in followed by two men. I should remember his name, but there have just been too many new faces.
“Maverik and Merek, I warned you it’s not pretty. Just need you to identify him.”
I’m not sure what’s more painful—the dead man or the grief-stricken men standing before me. They’re men of men dressed in cowboy hats, boots, and western shirts. Both tall, fit, and sharp-looking even through the distress displayed on their faces.
The one on the right cringes when he peers down at the man.
“Don’t look, Merek, turn away now.” The man, who I have figured out to be Maverik, shoves the other man back from the table. “It’s Weston.”
His voice hitches in his throat but no tears flow from his eyes. Maverik must know the guy lying lifeless on the metal table yet shows no emotion. I want to scream for the poor victim. Someone needs to know their loved one is gone.
“How do you know, Maverik?” The doctor steps up to the man, placing his hand on his shoulder.
“The tattoo on his forearm.” He runs his finger along the skin of the man, retracts his fingers, and then shudders. “When they were sixteen, Weston got his ranch’s brand and Marvel got ours.”
Merek then drops to his knees and begins pounding the tile with his fists. The doctor and Maverik help him to his feet, and all of a sudden I feel like I’m a peeping tom in a scene where I don’t belong.
“Merek, there’s still hope. Hang on,” the doctor reassures him.
“Hope? How in the hell do we hold out fucking hope?” His voice drips with rage and uncontrollable anger. “We lost Granddad tonight. Challis called right before we got the call about the accident.”
“Merek, no one else has passed away here this evening. Just the two from this accident.” I hear the doctor offer to Merek.
“Challis called and said he was pronounced dead.” Confusion along with relentless tears cascade down Merek’s face as he fights for oxygen and his next words. “He’s dead.”
The doctor turns to Paisley and demands, “Find Old Man Slatter now.”
“Marve Slatter?” I ask.
“Yes.” The doctor eyes me up and down as if silently asking who the hell I am.
“He’s up in ICU.” With all eyes on me suddenly, I’d give anything to blend into the walls.
“Clover, take the Slatter boys up to their granddad.” Paisley turns to the two men. “You’ll be expected to follow all the rules of the ICU. No strong arming, boys.”
I don’t miss the stare she shoots my way, letting me know not to get pushed around. She already has me pegged for a pushover and a softhearted freak. It’s one of the reasons I entered the nursing field, because I love taking care of
We all sit in silence as the doctor fights to save the man’s life. Shock after shock provides the same result.
“Ten twenty-six time of death.” He pulls the gloves from his hands in defeat. “I’ll go talk to the families.”
I remain frozen, staring down at the lifeless body and wonder for a second what more could I have done, and then thoughts race through my mind. He’s someone’s son, brother, husband, and I just watched him take his last breath.
“Clover.” I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Clover, you can go back up to ICU.”
I turn to look at the head nurse, Paisley, who’s been a second mom to me since arriving in town last week.
“No one should experience this on their first night.” She tosses her mask down to the ground. “Hell, I’ve never seen something so horrible in the last twenty years.”
My sight goes back to the lifeless body that’s been brutally mutilated lying on the table and my thought automatically goes to his mother. My stomach takes a leap, forcing me to hold back a gagging sound. The swinging door opens up, derailing my spiraling thoughts. The doctor walks back in followed by two men. I should remember his name, but there have just been too many new faces.
“Maverik and Merek, I warned you it’s not pretty. Just need you to identify him.”
I’m not sure what’s more painful—the dead man or the grief-stricken men standing before me. They’re men of men dressed in cowboy hats, boots, and western shirts. Both tall, fit, and sharp-looking even through the distress displayed on their faces.
The one on the right cringes when he peers down at the man.
“Don’t look, Merek, turn away now.” The man, who I have figured out to be Maverik, shoves the other man back from the table. “It’s Weston.”
His voice hitches in his throat but no tears flow from his eyes. Maverik must know the guy lying lifeless on the metal table yet shows no emotion. I want to scream for the poor victim. Someone needs to know their loved one is gone.
“How do you know, Maverik?” The doctor steps up to the man, placing his hand on his shoulder.
“The tattoo on his forearm.” He runs his finger along the skin of the man, retracts his fingers, and then shudders. “When they were sixteen, Weston got his ranch’s brand and Marvel got ours.”
Merek then drops to his knees and begins pounding the tile with his fists. The doctor and Maverik help him to his feet, and all of a sudden I feel like I’m a peeping tom in a scene where I don’t belong.
“Merek, there’s still hope. Hang on,” the doctor reassures him.
“Hope? How in the hell do we hold out fucking hope?” His voice drips with rage and uncontrollable anger. “We lost Granddad tonight. Challis called right before we got the call about the accident.”
“Merek, no one else has passed away here this evening. Just the two from this accident.” I hear the doctor offer to Merek.
“Challis called and said he was pronounced dead.” Confusion along with relentless tears cascade down Merek’s face as he fights for oxygen and his next words. “He’s dead.”
The doctor turns to Paisley and demands, “Find Old Man Slatter now.”
“Marve Slatter?” I ask.
“Yes.” The doctor eyes me up and down as if silently asking who the hell I am.
“He’s up in ICU.” With all eyes on me suddenly, I’d give anything to blend into the walls.
“Clover, take the Slatter boys up to their granddad.” Paisley turns to the two men. “You’ll be expected to follow all the rules of the ICU. No strong arming, boys.”
I don’t miss the stare she shoots my way, letting me know not to get pushed around. She already has me pegged for a pushover and a softhearted freak. It’s one of the reasons I entered the nursing field, because I love taking care of
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