Chapter 5 - Triage and Fire|
The emergency room at NewYork-Presbyterian was stark, loud, and bathed in sterile white light.
Elena lay on a gurney, surrounded by a swarm of nurses attaching monitors, drawing blood, and starting an IV line. Raphael stood motionless in the corner of the trauma bay, a dark, menacing silhouette in his tuxedo.
A woman in dark blue scrubs strode into the room, snapping off a pair of rubber gloves. Her name badge read Dr. Sarah Reeves, Obstetrics.
"I don't care who you are outside these doors," Dr. Reeves announced calmly, looking directly at Raphael. "In here, Elena is my only priority. Understood?"
"Is the baby alive?" Raphael asked directly, ignoring the doctor's blunt warning.
Dr. Reeves pulled an ultrasound machine toward the bed and applied warm gel to Elena’s stomach. The room fell silent except for the rhythmic thump-thump-thump that suddenly filled the space.
Elena burst into tears of relief.
"Fetal heart rate is elevated," Dr. Reeves stated, watching the screen closely. "But it is present and currently stable."
"Stable?" Elena echoed weakly.
"For now," the doctor cautioned. "Your blood work shows exposure to a high-potency sedating compound. It wasn't meant to kill you, but in a pregnant patient, it introduces severe risks of uterine irritability and placental complications."
Raphael took a step forward, his fists clenched tight. "Who gives a pregnant woman a sedative?"
"We don't have those answers yet," Dr. Reeves replied. "Right now, we treat the symptoms, monitor the fetus, and wait for full toxicology. And we keep her stress levels at zero."
May you like
She turned her gaze back to Raphael. "Which means if you start throwing your weight around and making decisions over her head, I will have security escort you to the parking garage."
Elena managed a faint, tired laugh. "I like her."
