For You, A Promise

Chapter 18

"Doctor Roberts, you're being paged to Doctor Goodwin's office"

"Uh oh, are you in trouble?" Rhodes teased and I smirk from under my mask, we're finishing up with a surgery.

"I don't think I've ever been send to the headmaster's office" I tease and he laughs

"Can you finish up here?" I ask him, only closing the patient is still needed.

"Yeah, of course, go, go"

I scrub out and then walk into Goodwin's office.

"Sorry, I was in a surgery" I say as she gives me permission to enter.

"It's fine, I have a VIP case for you, biventricular myxoma – stage 8, the sepsis has spread to his lungs and superior vena cava."

"Where's the patient? Where's the file?"

Sharon sighs, and hands me the patient's file.

Patient's name: Mark Jefferies

Age: 58

Medical history: Acute bronchitis; high cholesterol

"Mark Jefferies? Like the.... Like the State's Attorney Mark Jefferies?"

Sharon nods, "Yeah"

"The State's attorney is in this hospital and he has the rarest cardiothoracic disease there is?"

Sharon nods, "He requested you; I requested you because you're the only cardio doctor in this hospital that will save his life"

"Can I meet him?"

Sharon smiles, she looks impressed; proud, "You'll do the surgery?"

Kate takes a deep breath, "I will do it. Can I meet him?"

Sharon nods, "Come with me"

**

Kate and Sharon get to the Cardio wing of the hospital. Sharon escorts her to Jefferies's room.

Jefferies lied on the bed; Peter Stone sat beside him with a brunette girl and then an older lady she thinks is Jefferies's wife.

"Doctor Roberts, this is the State's Attorney, Mark Jefferies. Mr. Jefferies, this is my pride and joy, Doctor Katelyn Roberts."

Kate smiles and shakes Jefferies's hand. Never in her life did she think she'd ever shake this man's hand.

Peter and the brunette stood up and also shook Kate's hand. She introduced herself as Anna Valdez and the older woman introduced herself as Jefferies's wife, Donna.

"It's nice to put a face to the name, Doctor. I've seen you in the papers; in the medical journals. You're an extraordinary surgeon."

Kate smiles, "Flattery will get you everywhere" she says and he laughs, Sharon and Stone crack a smile.

"Mr. Jefferies, you have what we call biventricular myxoma; that is a hard mass formed by sepsis. It's a very rare condition"

"H-have you ever done this procedure Doctor?" his wife asks and Kate looks at Sharon with a frown, "No. I've never done this procedure – but I have studied it, I know everything there is about BCM. Everything"

"When is the soonest that you can do the surgery?" Jefferies asks

"Before I answer, you need to know the risks of the surgery. There's a 90% chance that the sepsis has turned into cancer mass, which can be impossible to remove. I can also paralyse you, or, you might die on my table"

"Young lady, I could have gone to Wood manor VIP medical centre, yet I chose Chicago Med, because of you. Because you have an 89% survival rate, because you tackle the most impossible cases and win. I chose you to do this surgery, and I have studied this disease of mine. I know the risks; I've talked to my wife about the risks. When is the soonest you can do the surgery?"

"Tomorrow" Kate says; "Tomorrow morning at 6."

"I will see you then" he says and Kate nods.

Today's the day. The day for the surgery of the year

"You ready for this?" Sharon asks, by now the gallery is filled with doctors wanting to see the surgery.

Chief Boden; Peter Stone; Anna Valdez; Mrs. Jefferies and many, many politicians; high-ranked police; sat in the waiting room.

"No" Kate says, "But it's too late to back out now."

"Okay we'll get him prepped-"

"Sharon, I need you to go sit in that gallery and let me do this. I need to prep alone"

Sharon nods with a smile, "Alright Doctor Roberts. You've got this"

I nod and let the nurses prep him while I go to the scrub room. I wash my hands; and let a nurse put on my gloves. I take a deep breath and walk into the OR. I have my lucky scrub cap on, with my favourite scrub nurse. I also requested Maggie as my head nurse and Penny Benson as my resident.

"Alright, switch on the echo; and turn down the lights" I instruct and walk to the patient.

Before the anaesthesiologist could sedate Jefferies, I walk to where he lied

"Are you ready?"

He nods, "Save my life Dr Roberts"

"Let's put him under" I instruct and soon Jefferies is sedated. I look at the gallery and then instruct to the scrub nurse.

"Ten-blade" I cut open his chest and start the surgery that will most likely put me on the map.

**

Twenty-eight hours later, the surgery is finally over. Successful, and over

"Choi, can you come down here?" I ask him over the monitor and he nods, I see him walk out of the gallery

"Are you okay Kate?" Maggie asks. I nod, "I am... I am okay. I need Choi to close"

She understands. Choi comes down, scrubbed and ready, "Close the patient for me; his vitals are strong, use a C.TT"

"Copy that, you did good"

I nod and walk out of the OR; I rip off my facial mask and walk directly into the nearest bathroom.

I wash my hands, and spray water on my face. I look at myself in the mirror, and slide down the wall where I start sobbing out of stress; relief; and happiness. I did not kill this man.

With shaky legs I walk with Sharon to the waiting room where everyone was still waiting.

Peter Stone saw me first and nudged Jefferies's wife.

Everyone in the waiting room stood up. I took a deep breath, "The surgery was a success; he's okay"

"He's alive?"

"He's alive. He is in recovery now, he will be awake in an hour or two, but he will be okay and there is no way the sepsis will return."

"Oh, thank you" Mrs Jefferies cries and hugs me tightly. I hug her back shakily and weakly smile at the people. I then walk away.