Shattered

2. Forced Invitations

Grace knocked on door before entering the on-call room. Beth had just fallen asleep. She shook her gently.

"Grace!" She got up with a rush.

"Are you all right?" Grace asked.

"Yes, just a little tired."

Grace was her boss and her mother's best friend. She had been a family friend for a long time. Though she had not seen Grace's family for a twenty years, the moment they all had met each other again, the old friendship had come back to life.

Twenty five years back, Beth and her family moved to London because of her father's business. When he died three years back, they all moved back in the country. By then, Beth had become a cardiologist. She had been working in Georgia before she coming here. Grace had interviewed her for the position.

At first, Grace hadn't recognise her. It was later, when Grace met her mother, Nora, the family was reunited.

"You should go back home Beth. It is almost five."

"I have a surgery in two hours. I thought I would just rest before it."

"Which one?"

"A bypass."

"Wasn't Ryan doing that surgery?"

"Yeah but he had some commitments so I took it."

"You need to rest child. You have been in hospital for past two days." She chided her. Grace was a bright eyed, ever optimistic doctor. Being one of the senior most surgeons in the hospital, the lady did turn into her junior's mother when needed.

It was true, Beth had been in hospital for past two days. "You need a break."

"This one is the last surgery. I will home by ten. Don't worry."

"Hmmm.... Well I have cleared your schedule for tomorrow. Tomorrow you are coming to my house."

"Your house?"

"Yes, it has been almost a year since I have met you, yet for some reason you have still have not met my son. He stays busy, so do you and the only way to get you both to meet each other is through a dinner at my house and that is what will be happening tomorrow. I am hosting a small dinner. Just us four."

Grace's son and Beth used to be the best of the friends when they were children. But as time had passed, their friendship was lost in the distance between their childhood homes. 
They still hadn't meet each other even after being in the same town for past one year.

Last time when she had seen him, he was a five year old blonde boy. His eyes and hair were just like his mother's. They were sitting on the park bench as he said he will miss her when she would be gone.

Growing up, they did try and write letters to each other but over the years, they both got busy with their lives. She did always wonder how he was now.

"Grace honestly, he must be busy, I -"

"No excuses. You are coming. He isn't busy, I will make sure of it."

"Grace, mom will-"

"She was the one who suggested it."

"Why? She had a surgery two weeks back, she still hasn't regained her strength and she wants to go to a party?"

Nora had a brain surgery a couple of weeks back. She had been battling brain tumour for six months now. Though, they all knew she didn't have much time left, Beth still wasn't leaving any stone unturned to save her.

"That is Nora. She never misses out on fun, unlike her daughter." She narrowed her eyes.

"Grace-"