Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 76592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
She loves me anyway, as much as any mother could.
I’ve always known that, but in this moment, I no longer feel that finding my birth mother is paramount. I’m still curious, and I’ll probably still look her up.
But it no longer matters to my emotional recovery from the shooting.
I have everything I need in my own family.
Except for one thing.
My mother smooths the sheet over me, the way she used to when I was a boy. “I’m sure Sage has Tabitha’s number. I’ll get it from her.”
I close my eyes as relief sweeps through me.
The worst is behind me. My parents are here. Zach is safe. Tabitha will come.
I know she will.
Seven
Tabitha
My eyes shoot open.
The sun is up, and—
“Oh no!” I say out loud.
I forgot to set my alarm last night. I grab for my phone on the nightstand, but in my haste, I end up pushing it onto the floor with a clatter.
I scramble out of bed, pick it up—
“Shit!”
My seminar starts in exactly twenty minutes.
“Oh my God. Oh my God…”
No time for a shower or to do my hair. I rush into the bathroom and look in the mirror.
Remnants of last night. Swollen eyes from crying, red nose. I turn on the faucet and splash cold water onto my face.
“Great,” I say to my reflection. “Now I look worse.” I take a washcloth, wet it, and scrub my face clean of yesterday’s mess.
The attacker. The fear. The police.
No.
Can’t think about any of that now.
I brush my hair out and pull it into a messy bun. My face is red from the scrubbing, but I don’t have time to care. I throw on a pair of loose jeans and a Steel Vineyards T-shirt that Angie gave me, grab my purse, iPad, textbooks, and backpack, and race down to my car.
Bad move.
Traffic is awful. I should have walked. I’d be there by now.
I arrive at the medical school with only two minutes to spare. I pull into a parking space that isn’t mine. Who cares? It’s summer break. No one is here. I’ll pay the ticket if I get one.
By the time I reach the classroom, I’m the last to arrive.
“Ah, you must be Ms. Haynes,” the instructor says.
“Yes. Sorry. Traffic.” That’s all I offer as I look for an unoccupied seat.
I smile when I see my friend Elijah Garrett in the last row. What’s he doing here? Last I heard he was home in Mississippi for the summer, doing some summer internship that was so important he couldn’t make it to Angie’s wedding.
Now?
I guess two spots opened up for second-years.
It’s great to see a familiar face. We make eye contact, and he raises his eyebrows at me.
Unfortunately, both seats beside him are occupied. I take the one available seat…right up front.
“Dr. Landers will be here off and on for several lectures,” the instructor says. “Today is pretty much an orientation day. I’ll go through the syllabus and the required reading. You all completed the advanced assignments, I assume?”
Murmurs of yes.
I’m technically a yes, though I honestly can’t recall a thing I read yesterday. I’m not sure I slept last night, though I must have, because I woke up late.
“My name is Blake Jennings,” he says. “I’m the teaching assistant. I took the seminar last summer, and I’ll begin my internship in the fall. Dr. Landers will be teaching advanced surgical techniques, and yes, there will be labs where you can practice.”
A hand shoots up.
“Yes?”
“Will we be practicing on actual patients?” a woman asks.
Blake stifles a laugh. “Uh…no.”
What a moron. Of course we won’t. We’re not physicians. Not yet. We’ll get to practice on actual patients once we’re surgical residents.
“The seminar will begin with simple skin incisions on synthetic practice pads, and then you’ll progress to more complex procedures like suturing and knot tying. The final two weeks will be spent in the cadaver lab, where you’ll get to apply everything you’ve learned.” He pauses and gazes around the room. “Any questions so far?”
Silence.
“Good. I don’t have to remind you that your selection for this seminar was based on your academic performance in your first years of med school along with your interest in surgery. This is an opportunity for you to explore your future potential and to decide if surgery is the path you want to pursue. Dr. Landers is one of the best in the field, and learning from him will be a journey that will not only expand your capability but also your understanding and appreciation of the medical profession. Dr. Landers expects commitment, dedication, and, most importantly, a drive to learn and improve. If you’re not ready to give your all to this seminar, then you’re in the wrong place.”
Silence.
“Any questions?”
More silence.
“Good,” he continues, turning to the whiteboard behind him. “Let’s get started, then.” He begins to outline the structure of the course, the specifics of each module, and the expectations for each one.