Saving Us

A Solution

"Something is wrong, isn't it?" Neil asked.
She clears her throat.
"No. I just double checked your results."
"What? Were you hoping it changed within the last few seconds?" he asked, smiling.
She brushes him off and just sits down next to him again.

"Tell me about the patients in our ER." Neil said.
"Dr. Melendez, you are a patient right now. It is not your responsibility to be worried about them." said Dr Browne.
She sighed.
"But, I guess if it helps."
He smiled and nodded.

She starts: "Kerri Harper. Aged 30. Experiencing abdominal pain in her right side along with vomiting, coughing--"
"Ruptured appendix." Dr. Melendez interrupts.
"Appendectomy", they both said.
They look at each other and smile.

She reads him another case, but it has a different solution than the one that she thinks of. Neil adds his input.

It reminds both of them of the one time when they sat in the residents' lounge, late at night, trying to figure out a better procedure for Finn.

This solution is less invasive and it will be a better option. Claire pages Dr. Lim.
"You paged? Is it Neil?" she asked, worriedly.
"No. It is about a patient." Claire said. "Claire, you should not have to worry about a patient. Worry about your patient. In this room."
"I know, but Dr. Melendez and I came up with a solution."
"Actually, it is all Claire's." Neil interrupted. She looked at him and smiled.
"Go on, Dr Browne." said Neil. She explains the new solution.
"How did we miss that option? Okay, I will get Murphy and Park to the OR right away."
"Okay" Claire said, smiling.
"Thank you. Both of you."
Dr. Lim leaves.

"You were the first one to think of a different approach." Neil said.
"You did not need to do that, though." Claire said.
Neil just smiled and said: "I know."

A few hours later, Claire and Neil hear the door open and they exit.