Emergency Romance – ER 2

Keith barged through the A & E door carrying a bloody boy. The latter's had collided with a van while riding his bicycle. Keith shouted for a doctor and placed the motionless boy on a bed in one of the rooms. A doctor attended to the boy while Keith waited anxiously. Moments later, the doctor appeared from the room and declared that the boy didn't pull through. Keith was devastated. Though it wasn't his first encounter with death, it was his first 'minor' death. He found it difficult to accept that such a young life could be terminated so unexpectedly.

He pleaded with the attending doctor to try to revive the boy. But the doctor said that the boy was too seriously injured and that he had already done all he could to save him. Keith couldn't stop blaming himself for not having brought him in sooner. His colleagues tried to comfort him but he was inconsolable.

Susie who had witnessed what happened felt sorry for his loss. But it was a familiar sight to her since not everybody who arrived at her department made it out alive. Just then, a couple charged through the door. They were the dead boy's parents. It was then that Susie realised that Keith was not related to the deceased at all. He was actually grieving over a complete stranger.

Somehow, Susie was attracted by the way Keith had reacted and couldn't get his face off her mind for the rest of the day. She managed to get his name from one of the nurses. But she wanted to know about him and longed for his next visit which came sooner than expected.

Later that evening just when Susie was getting ready to call it a day, Keith appeared. He had another accident victim with him. This time it was a teenage girl who had fallen off while riding pillion on a motorbike. She was in quite a bad shape and Keith was afraid that history would repeat itself. Susie took over the patient and attended to her. After waiting for what seemed like eternity, Susie walked out of the operating theatre. She informed Keith that the operation went smoothly and that the teenager would make a full recovery. Keith was so elated upon hearing that that he moved forward to give Susie a bear hug. Though taken aback by his sudden act of gratitude, Susie didn't bear to push him away. She felt good being embraced by him and had even hoped that time would stop then so that they could remain in embrace. Alas, her wish was squashed by a nurse who tapped Keith's shoulder, signalling to him to let go of Susie.

Realising that what he had done was inappropriate, Keith released his grip, apologised profusely and left hurriedly. Susie looked helplessly as he disappeared through the door. When would she see him again? Would she be in his arms again? Would she ……………….........................