Martha Louise Jones sat in the hospital waiting room while her sister sat at the toys, blissfully unaware of what was going on. Truthfully, Martha wasn't sure what was happening either; she just knew that mummy was having trouble with their new brother. The five year old was scared, she wanted to cry, but she didn't want to worry Tish. As the oldest, Martha had a responsibility to protect her sister.
She was familiar with death; just last year she'd gone to her great aunt's funeral. Her mind kept jumping to the fact that maybe there'd be a funeral after today but she tried not to think about that. She just hoped that the old man she entrusted her mummy and baby brother with could help.
It seemed like hours, but then again, her timeouts seemed like hours too when her mum swore it was only ten minutes. Either way, after some uncertain amount of time, Nurse Susan came to fetch them.
"Your mummy and daddy are ready for you," she said with a smile. She grabbed the young girls by the hands lead them through the maternity ward. Martha tried to keep a stiff upper lip but she could feel the sobs forming in the back of her throat.
Finally leading them to a cracked door, she said, "Your, mum, dad and your new baby brother, Leo."
Tish ran to their parents while Martha sat there composing herself. She felt tears roll down her cheeks despite the large grin on her face. Perhaps her eyeballs where confused.
The doctor was still in the room wiping of Leo gently. She walked up to him.
"Hello, I'm Martha Louise Jones." As she extended a hand, he raised an eyebrow.
Wiping his hand on his scrubs first, the doctor shook her hand. "Hello, Maltesers Jones, I'm Doctor John Voran."
Martha giggled both at how he messed up her name and how his own name rhymed like a poem. "Thank you. Daddy said that there might be something wrong with the baby, but you saved him and Mummy. Thank you!" She hugged him around the legs, luckily being short enough to miss the nastiness on his top.
"It's all in a day's work, Martin," he said as he patted her shoulder. "I became a doctor so I could save mummies and daddies and babies and sisters. Doctors are meant to help people. I'm glad to have made you happy."
Martha's eyes shone as she looked up at the man. It clicked for her then. In school, it seemed like all that they cared about was what she wanted to be when she grew up. She knew now.
She didn't tell him that she wanted to be doctor; she just went to see her new brother for the first time. She wanted to make people happy, save mummies and daddies and babies and sisters just like Doctor Voran.