Breathe.

26

Double Updateee. ✨

Janila Williams

Films were held out to me urgently. "Look!"

I glanced up at my eager resident whom was staring at me with nothing but excitement. "He's got a broken leg. A shattered leg."

"Which means you get to operate on this leg."

"Amputate this leg." I corrected him.

"No. No. Nila, you have to operate. You're the head of Ortho and he asked for you directly. This man is the senator of our state. He just made the Chief promise that he would walk out of this hospital..."

"Why didn't any one page me?" Just as I asked, my pager went off. I glanced down and checked it seeing the Chief wanted me.

Oliver mumbled. "I may have beat him to it."

I chuckled. "You're something else boy."

"I'm not a boy. I'm a man."

"Mhm. Sure Oliver."

"You weren't calling me a boy when—."

Placing my finger to his lips, I stopped him. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." Grabbing the films from his hands, I walked around him with a smile on my face. "Move, I got to go."

As I went to leave my office, he spoke. "Alright, you're showing out. Don't call me to an on call room later on."

I turned to him and sent him a look. "Please, you're the one who calls me." Going through the halls, I walked into the ER section to pure chaos. People flew by me as I found my way to Trauma Room 3. When I opened the door, a scream found its way to my ears.

"Dr. Pon, get her out of here! Now!" Dr. Trent yelled.

The male doctor went to the woman and ushered her out of the door I had just opened. The Chief looked at me and saw I had the films. "You know what you have to do?"

I closed the door behind me and looked at the senator whom was under. "You know you're asking me to build a leg for a man whose bones are no longer on his body correct?"

"Yes. Yes I am. It's been done before—."

"Once. By a man who has since then died and gone to the afterlife. All of that after leaving nothing but worded instructions with no visuals to aid on how to build a leg from titanium." I expressed over him.

He sent me a look. "Dr. Williams, are you telling me no?"

The room went silent. Deadly silent. The residents that were standing in the room, all looked up at me. The interns looked at me. The two Attending's in the room even paused from what they were doing to look at me.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm telling you no."

"You don't tell me no!"

"I tell you no when I am unprepared! Do you want me to kill this man?!" I raised my voice as well.

"He will wake up with a leg Dr. Williams! I don't care what you do or what you need, get it done!"

My eyebrow raised at the man before I nodded softly. "Fine. Bring me titanium and the book with the instructions and we will build a damn leg Chief! Even if the senator of state dies at my hands in your OR room! So you just let me know when you have what I need and by all means, I'll become Bob the Builder for you."

Leaving the room, I slammed the door behind me and rushed back to my office. He and I had been at war for the last few weeks. After we disagreed on his patient who was his friend. The man lived but Chief hated that I took the route I took with the other surgeons. We sided over him and did the surgery behind his back. The man had been pissed ever since.

When I made it to my office, I shut my door behind me and stopped when I realized someone was sitting in the chair facing away from me. Walking to my desk, I sat the films down and looked into the eyes of a woman I hadn't seen in years. Chuckling, I tucked some of my hair behind my ear before speaking. "And what can I help you with Mrs. Evelyn Braxton?"

She mumbled. "It's Ms now."

"Oh? Well that's that." I wasn't in the mood and this woman wasn't going to help shit. I could feel it.

"Look... I'm not here to fight with you Janila."

"Okay... so what can I help you with?"

"Have you talked to Toni?"

"No. I have not."

"Well what about Nafessa? Anything?"

"Are you asking me have I talked to my own daughter?" I asked in irritation.

"Yes Janila. Have you talked to her?"

"Yes. I've talked to my daughter. Have you talked to yours?"

Evelyn took a deep breath. "I think we started this wrong. Listen, I know it's been years Janila. I know a lot of time has passed and things have been said and done that gives you well good reason to hate me... but I'm here to apologize. I'm here to fix things. I'm here to fix the mistakes I made. And that starts with us."

"Evelyn... you said some really messed up shit."

"I was a messed up woman. Blinded by my husbands ways and views. Trying to keep a marriage that did more evil than good. Look, please. I need you to forgive me. I need a friend. I need the one person who seemed to never be sick of listening to my problems and issues. The person who always has my back. I need my person. I need my sister back. Please."

Placing my head on my hands, I smiled softly. "Wow. She apologizes now? I love this." Before she could respond, I continued, knowing I had forgiven this woman a long time ago. "You know I forgive you. You know that I love you. I will always be here when you need an ear. I will always be your person and I'll always be your sister. Now what's wrong? Talk to me."

"I'm in over my head. I'm dealing with stuff that I didn't even start. That negro left me to deal with all the slack that he let build up for years. My children hate me—."

"Your children do not hate you."

"They said it themselves Janila. They said it. They told me. I mean I give my all to that man and he sleeps with my best fucking friend—."

My eyes widened. "Hold up E, your best friend?"

"Ni, my best damn friend! And don't get me started on that slut of a whore."

"So you replaced me with another chick that slept with your husband? Girl see, I told you I was the best blessing you ever got in a best friend."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on Nila. On topic."

I snapped back. "Okay yes. Cheating ex husband. Children with hatred. Go. Continue."

"Toni and Nafessa found each other. I don't know how or when but they did. And Toni approached me about it and.. and I didn't know how to lie to her. She was so angry. Her and Tamar were so angry with me and their father but mostly me because I was the one who should have protected them. It was me. So, I'm going to help with something. I'm going to try and fix it."

"And how do you suppose you're going to do that?"

"We're going to get them back together."

"Whose them?" I asked in confusion.

"Nafessa and Toni. We have to get them back together. We have to fix it. You have to help me fix it."

Before I could reply, my door swung open and Oliver stumbled in with a book. "I got the book! We have to go now. They have the titanium. You're really about to—. Oh I'm sorry. I didn't see you had company."

Glancing at Evelyn, I nodded. "I'm in."