flatline [m.s]

clxv.

- - -
every action has an equal and opposite reaction. emergency rooms are kept in business by people who have learned that lesson in the hard way.
- - -

"come on, darci," lia calls as she walks out of her and mark's bedroom, and toward the kitchen where mark is sat with a coffee.

"your hair looks pretty," mark looks up at her upon her arrival.

"thanks," lia smiles, briefly, before narrowing her eyes with suspicion. "what did you do?"

"nothing," mark insists, and lia raises her brow at him. "okay, fine... a hospital has reached out to me regarding a position that's opening up on a groundbreaking trial in the e.n.t. specialty. they also said the job could lead to becoming chief."

"that's great," lia beams. "which hospital? seattle pres? st. ambrose?"

"um... el camino," mark reveals, reluctantly.

"el camino?!" lia's eyes widen. "mark, el camino is in california."

"i know," mark nods. "but-"

"we live in seattle," lia cuts him off. "our friends live in seattle. my family lives in seattle. my job is in seattle. we can't move to california."

"you're right. it's a crazy idea," mark nods. "when they call back, i'll tell them i'm not interested."

- - -
skydivers, bullriders. people whose bold ideas can often result in broken bones and smushed spleens.
- - -

"so, you are fourteen. um... are your parents here? who brought you?" maggie asks her current patient, jenny, in the pit.

"i took the bus," jenny explains. "is this gonna take long? i have to get back for my history test."

"um, well, i mean, it kind of just sounds like a cold," maggie admits.

"i- i know but it's just..." jenny cuts herself off by coughing. "m- my stomach just hurts when i cough... or sneeze... or move sometimes."

"okay. let's take a look," maggie nods. "can you lean back? can you lift up your shirt for me?"

"also..." jenny leans back and unzips her jacket. "i- i'm pregnant."

"okay, you buried the lead there," maggie chuckles before turning to one of the nurses. "um, page o.b."

■ ■ ■

"how far along are you?" maggie asks as she begins examining jenny's stomach.

"um, i think six months," jenny tells her.

"who's your doctor?"

"you?" jenny looks at maggie nervously.

"have you been getting any prenatal care at all?" maggie furrows her brow, and jenny just sighs and leans back further on the bed.

"oh, my god!" jenny jumps up and pulls her shirt down when she notices a woman asking a nurse something, just behind maggie. "that's my mom! what is she doing here? you called her?!"