The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 188

In the cold operating room, Suzie sat on the high surgical table, her legs dangling in the air as she stared blankly at the medical instruments.

The staff, dressed in sterile gowns, observed her with detached professionalism. One of the nurses spoke up.

“Dr. Jackson, we’re still waiting on one report. It should be another five minutes.”

At the nurse's words, the doctor walked over to Suzie. “This procedure was arranged in a hurry, so the pre-op checks were a bit rushed. If you’re tired, you can lie down and rest for a bit.”

Suzie slowly lifted her head, her vacant eyes meeting the doctor’s for a moment before she looked away again, her gaze dropping back to the floor.

She waited with a heart full of ashes, like a patient waiting for a doctor to deliver a final, hopeless verdict.

Just as the nurse had predicted, five minutes later, there was a series of urgent knocks on the operating room door. The door creaked open, and a different nurse stood there, anxiously reporting, “Dr. Jackson, the patient’s latest report shows she has a cardiovascular condition. Look here, the diagnosis indicates she’s not suited for a termination procedure.”

Dr. Jackson frowned and took the report, his eyes scanning the page. He muttered to himself, “That’s not right. If she had this condition, other test results would show abnormalities too. Why is it only this one…?”

The nurse glanced into the room, saw that Suzie wasn’t looking their way, and leaned closer to Dr. Jackson.

“Dr. Jackson,” she whispered, “I know we were privately hired and are supposed to follow Mr. Baylor’s instructions. But the doctor who issued this report said the procedure could be fatal. We need to inform Mr. Baylor first.”

“Get up. I’ll have someone take you home.”

Suzie’s eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her still-vacant gaze swept over him. “What’s wrong?” she asked coldly. “Is the surgery off? Afraid of going to jail?”

A nurse quickly interjected, “Ms. Sterling, your body isn’t fit for the procedure right now.”

Suzie’s eyes moved to the nurse, and a chilling smile played on her lips. “Oh? Not fit now, but maybe tomorrow? Just do it. Don’t you have consent forms? Give them to me and I’ll sign. Don’t worry, if I die, you won’t be blamed. Besides, I’m all alone in this world. Even if I die, no one will come looking for you.”

Her words, and the utterly detached way she said them, sent a chill through everyone in the room.