TITLE: The Choices We Make
DISCLAIMER: Characters from ER are the property of Warner Brothers and
Constant C Productions.
ARCHIVE: You are welcome to download this story for your own reading,
but please do not archive my fanfiction on any website without my permission
RATING: PG
KEYWORDS: Medical Drama, Ensemble Cast - major focus on Robert Romano;
minor one on Elizabeth Corday and Mark Greene
TIMELINE: Set during SEASON 7, but in the near future. Spoilers from
"Rescue Me", onward.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I tried to structure this story like a real episode; in
fact, a two-part episode. While I did some research for it, I'm sure there
are errors in medical accuracy, hospital policies, etc.. I apologize
upfront for that but let's move on :-) The character of Romano has always
fascinated me, but TPTB are making him a little too villainous these days
for my tastes. Here's my attempt to correct that. And I haven't found many
fanfics with him as the focus, so here's my contribution to the cause.
Flashback sequences are surrounded by parentheses ((( )))
(((1966...
Five-year old Bobby sat quietly in the corner of the sandbox, moulding his
masterpiece with skillful hands. The tipsy sculpture needed one more
addition and then it would be complete. Reaching for the blue plastic
container by his foot, he began to fill it with sand.
Moments later, a spray of the grainy substance doused over him.
Though he instinctively averted his head against the assault, the coarse
granules stung his cheeks. Blinking furiously, he spat out some sand,
grimacing against the grittiness that coated his mouth. Raucous laughter
reached his ears and he finally looked up to see two boys grinning
at him. Though he fumed silently through narrowed eyes, he said nothing.
"Watcha think of your stupid castle now?" one of the boys taunted.
Still no response.
"He's a retard," the other boy declared. "Come on, let's go."
Relieved to be left alone once more, he glanced at the remains of
his labour, kicked and stomped to oblivion. He swiped at his lips
to rid them of the remaining sand and then rubbed at his left eye.
"Don't cry. I'll help you."
He looked up to see a girl's concerned face. "I'm not crying.
My eye hurts." Annoyed, he watched her perch on the edge of
the sandbox. "Get lost," he told her. "I don't need help."
"Okay. I'll make my own, then."
While part of him wanted to shove her into the sand, he decided to
ignore her and continue with his work.
"You're not in my class. Who's your teacher?" she asked.
"Mrs. Webber."
"What's your name?"
"Would you shut up? I don't know you. I don't even like you."
He lashed out at her with exasperation, wondering if she'd go away.
But she didn't. It seemed she was now ignoring him, intent on her
own creation. He suddenly felt bad but the feeling puzzled him.
What was he feeling bad for? "It's Bobby," he stated.
"What?"
"Bobby! My name is Bobby!"
"Okay, okay! Stop yelling!" With a startled expression, she regarded
her new acquaintance. "My name's Lara."
Having been properly introduced, the two children quietly continued
to work side by side.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Mark."
"Hmmmm."
"Mark, wake up."
"Sure, thanks, honey," he mumbled.
"Oh, for God's sakes."
Grunting with the effort, Elizabeth Corday struggled into an upright
position. With another glance at the bedside clock radio, she began to
time the next contraction. "Ooohhh!" she cried out, biting down on her lip.
The cry of pain served to finally rouse him from sleep, ever so slowly.
"What's wrong?" he asked, speaking through a yawn.
"What do you think?" she snapped.
Suddenly wide awake, he bolted upwards, staring at her with raised eyebrows.
"Is it time?"
With deliberate deep breaths, she calmed herself. "Yes." Managing a smile,
she cupped his cheek. "It's time."
Leaping from the bed, he started to reach for his glasses. How exactly
he managed to trip over his own feet, he didn't know. The next thing
he knew, he was face-down on the cold floor, a little stunned but unhurt.
"It's okay! I'm all right," he called out.
Gazing up towards the Heavens, Elizabeth recited a silent prayer.
It was going to be a long day.
***************
Robert Romano walked with brisk steps, his eagle eyes missing nothing
as he marched through the ER. Things seemed a little slow but that was
no excuse for idleness. He came to a halt by the admitting desk,
zeroing in on Randi.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The desk clerk looked at him with a bored expression. "Reading."
Flipping the open pages over to expose the cover, he tapped on it with
his index finger. "The National Enquirer. Very worthwhile of your time."
Grabbing it from the counter, he hurled it into a nearby wastebasket.
"Hey!" Randi started to protest.
"Find something to do or I will find something for you. Trust me,
you don't want to leave the option to me."
He brushed past her and she was left to call after his retreating back.
"I was on my break!"
"Just say the word, Ms Fronczak, and I will gladly make it a permanent one."
Passing by the ambulance bay, he was curious about the next sight
that greeted him. Kerry Weaver and John Carter flanked the double doors,
like sentry guards at their posts. Both were looking intently through the
glass and weren't aware of his presence. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
he boomed, satisfied to see them flinch in unison.
"Good morning, Robert," Kerry said dryly.
"What could possibly be so compelling out there, that you're neglecting
your duties in here?"
Kerry gave John a sideways glance. Aware of the unspoken messages
passing between the two, Robert didn't hide his annoyance. "Well?"
he demanded impatiently.
"Dr. Greene called a little while ago," John finally replied.
"Dr. Corday started having contractions so he's bringing her in."
"Well, well, so the little bambino is coming at last. Good for them.
That still doesn't explain why the two of you are just standing here."
Kerry started to say something but she was interrupted by John's
exclamation. "Here they are!"
Robert was left to himself as John grabbed a wheelchair and followed
Kerry outside. With arms folded across his chest, he watched Mark
jump out of the driver's seat and dart around to the other side.
Elizabeth was helped into the wheelchair and brought up the ramp.
All four of them were talking in excited tones and he knew he
was about to be ignored. It was time to take charge of the situation.
"I hear today is the big day! You're feeling well, I hope?"
He directed his question at Elizabeth, looking down at her with
a dazzling smile.
"As well as can be expected," she replied.
"Good." He clapped Mark on the shoulder. "You'll need to move
your car. It's blocking the entrance."
"Well, I parked it off to the side a bit so I..."
"No can do," Robert cut him off. "Move it now."
"I'll do it," John offered quickly, holding out his palm as Mark
fished in his pocket for keys.
He looked at the resident gratefully. "Thanks, Carter."
As they moved through the admitting area, the others crowded around
them and some of the nurses gave Elizabeth a hug. They talked about
how her contractions had started early this morning and her difficulty
in waking Mark up. She left out the bit where he fell on his face.
She'd save that for another time.
As Mark began to wheel her towards the elevators, Robert stopped
him once again. "There's paperwork for you to fill out."
"I thought I could do that later. Or up on OB."
"Nope. You came in through the ER, you do it in the ER."
Mark had just about had enough of Romano's pompousness. "Look, I'm not
going to stand here and argue with you while..."
"Mark, it's all right," Elizabeth interrupted him quietly. "I can wait."
"Nonsense. I'll take you up myself," Robert declared.
Before Mark quite knew what was happening, the shorter man had slipped
in front of him and started wheeling her away.
"It's all right," Elizabeth repeated, craning her neck to look
behind her. "I'll see you up there."
Kerry walked with them to the elevator and made one last attempt.
"I can take her up."
"With that thing?" Robert stared pointedly at her cane. "I don't
think so. Besides, you need to get to work." The doors slid open
and he waited for people to step out. Backing inside, he pressed
the button and the view to the ER floor and Kerry's anxious face
vanished from sight.
"Have you worked hard at becoming a bastard or were you just born
that way?" Elizabeth inquired in a polite tone.
"It's taken years of practice," he replied cheerfully.
"Oh!" With a sharp intake of breath, she hunched over in her chair.
"You all right?"
"Fine," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Can't this lift go
any faster?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(((1971...
Light was fading and the air was growing cooler. They sat on the
swings, sharing a box of Cracker Jacks. Both were aware they were
spoiling their dinner but neither one cared.
Impatient to discover the prize, Bobby dug near the bottom, wiggling
his fingers around.
"What did you get?" Lara asked.
"Hold on. Got it!" He exhaled with disappointment. "Aww, it's a ring."
"Let me see." She took the ring from his sticky fingers and admired it.
"It's nice. If you don't want it..."
"You can have it." When the last bit of popcorn had been consumed,
he tossed the box carelessly on the ground without thinking. Glancing
over at her, he interpreted the look on her face. "You're such a girl,"
he muttered. Nonetheless, he hopped off the swing and deposited the
box properly into a nearby garbage can.
She allowed herself a small smile as she played with the ring on
her finger, twisting it back and forth. "When can we get married?"
"What? Are you crazy?" he snorted, coming to stand in front of her.
"Don't you ever think about it?"
"Of course not!"
"I think we have to wait until we're fifteen, or something."
"I'm not marrying you, Lara."
Frowning slightly, she decided not to let his negative attitude
deter her. After all, he'd given her a ring. That had to count for
something. Anyway, they had years to go yet before they could marry.
Good thing she was a patient person.
Aware of her silence and far-off look, he sighed. "Are you mad?"
She shook her head. "Want me to push you?" he offered.
"Okay. High but not..."
"Too high," he finished for her. "I know. Ready?"
Starting slowly, he soon had her soaring through the air. Closing her
eyes, she envisioned herself as a bird, reveling in the wind and freedom.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"One more push should do it," Janet Coburn encouraged.
"Is...that...a...promise?" Elizabeth gasped.
"As close to a promise as I can get. One, two, three, push!"
Squeezing her eyes shut, she bore down with as much strength as
she could muster. The indignant cries of a newborn soon met her ears;
a welcoming and wonderful sound.
"It's a boy," Janet announced.
"Told you we'd have a boy," Mark whispered, stroking back Elizabeth's
damp hair from her forehead.
"Can I see him?" she asked, anxious to hold her son. Janet obliged,
placing the infant in his mother's waiting arms. "He's beautiful.
Isn't he beautiful, Mark?"
"He sure is." His voice sounded suspiciously clogged but he didn't
try to hide his emotions. The baby's wails were subsiding and after
a final hiccup, he became quiet.
Elizabeth looked up at Janet, who was waiting patiently. "Is he
all right? I mean, he looks perfectly fine but will you..."
"I'll run all the tests," Janet assured her. "Let's get him cleaned
up a bit. Have you decided on a name?"
"Yes. David, after Mark's father." After handing her the baby with
some reluctance, Elizabeth was mildly surprised to see the wet tracks
on Mark's face. She was feeling a little weepy herself but had
managed to stay composed. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Lifting his glasses slightly to brush at his eyes, he spoke
haltingly. "I just...well, before the operation, I had all these
thoughts of things going wrong. That I would die right then and there
and would never see you again. Would never see our baby being born.
So seeing him now, I just...I...God, I love you, Elizabeth."
Warm tears spilled freely from her eyes now as she reached out to
the man that held her heart. "I love you too," she murmured.
"We're a true family now."
***************
Janet approached the OR desk, accompanied by Jack Kaysen. She spotted
Shirley chatting with some nurses and called out, "Where's Dr. Romano?"
Shirley jerked her head towards the elevators. "He's just about
to leave. You better talk to him tomorrow."
"This can't wait." With a renewed sense of urgency, she quickened
her pace and found him waiting in front of the elevators.
"Robert, we need to talk to you," she stated.
Barely acknowledging their presence, he continued to stare at the
closed doors. "As you can see, I'm trying to leave."
"It's important. It's about Elizabeth. Or rather, her baby."
This finally gained his full attention and he swung around to
face them. "I thought I heard everything had gone well."
"It did. But then I ran some tests and consulted with Jack.
He concurs that the baby has HLHS."
"What?"
"Hypoplastic Left..."
"I'm perfectly aware of what the acronym is, Dr. Coburn," he barked.
"That was a 'what' of disbelief, as in, why wasn't this diagnosed during
the pregnancy?"
Janet stiffened in defensive mode. "None of the ultrasounds gave
any indication of an anomaly. What's important is that the diagnosis
has been made now."
Withering a notch under Robert's cold gaze, she briefly glanced
at Jack. He easily picked up the thread.
"I've started him on a prostaglandin drip. The good news is that we
diagnosed this fairly soon after delivery. The bad news is that
the heart is severely hypoplastic." Here, Jack paused ever so slightly.
"I think a transplant is the only option."
"Who else knows about this?" Robert asked.
Janet spoke up once more. "I haven't spoken with Mark or Elizabeth yet.
I tried to contact Neal Bernstein but he's away at a conference.
Besides, we don't have a..."
Robert cut her off rudely. "There's no pediatric cardio-thoracic
surgeon on staff. Yes, I know this, Dr. Coburn. Thank you for
pointing out the obvious." In fact, they were in the process of
interviewing candidates for the position but no one had been hired yet.
Bringing one hand to his right temple, he rubbed it thoughtfully.
"I may know someone..." he started to say softly. Someone from his
past that he hadn't been in contact with for a long time. Aware that
they were staring at him, he snapped to attention once more. "All right,
leave this with me," he ordered briskly, already starting to walk away.
"What should I tell the parents?" Janet called after him.
"Nothing! I'm officially taking over this case."
Janet and Jack watched his retreating back for a moment before
looking at each other.
"Well, I guess that's that," Jack said wryly. He glanced down at
his colleague. "Keep me informed of what's happening."
"I will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(((1976...
Out of the corner of Lara's eye, she saw Bobby standing several feet
away down the hall. He was giving her puppy-dog eyes again.
"I'll be back in a minute, girls," she said to her friends.
He'd been slouched over, but straightened up as she approached him.
"Hi."
"Hi."
He cleared his throat. "Is it true? Are you going out with Nelson?"
"I will be tonight. He's taking me to a movie."
"I hear he likes to sit in the back so he can get it on with
a girl."
Feeling the warmth creep up on her cheeks, she gripped her books
more tightly to her chest. "I don't believe you."
He shrugged, shifting his feet. "It's true. I can't help it if
you don't believe me."
"It sounds more like something you would do," she accused.
He couldn't help smirking a little. "You know me too well."
Growing serious again, he kept his voice low. "I'm telling you
the truth, Lara. I've heard Nelson bragging about other girls
he's been with. He's not a nice guy."
"Oh, and you are?"
"Well, only to you."
Feeling more unsure of what to believe, she stared at him, trying to
interpret the look in his eyes. "Do you swear it?" she finally asked.
"Swear that you're telling the truth?"
"Sure. What do you want me to swear on?"
"The ring."
He gave her a confused look. "What ring?"
"Just say it."
"Okay, I swear on the ring. Happy now?"
"Uh huh. So where are you taking me tonight?"
Rather taken aback, he pointed a finger at himself. "Me?"
"Yes, you, Bobby. Since I'm not seeing a movie with Nelson, I better
be doing something with you."
He tried to think of something witty to say but found his mind a blank.
That was a rare occurrence. "I guess we'll think of something," he
muttered.
She smiled. This had worked out better than if she'd planned it.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I'm sorry, sir, could you repeat the name?"
Robert gripped the phone ever more tightly, frustrated with this
useless woman. "Kirshner. Lara Kirshner. She's the Chief of Pediatric
Cardiology at your hospital. I am speaking with the University of Chicago
Children's Hospital, am I not?"
"Yes, sir, but I have no listing for, um, please hold a moment."
The sound of an easy-listening radio station graced the phone line
and all he could do was wait. Thankfully, the operator returned
quickly. "I've just been told that she's resigned from that position."
"What? When was this?"
"I don't know. But she has joined the medical school's faculty. Would you
like the number?"
"Yes," he replied, reaching for a pen. After connecting with the school
and waiting for several more moments, he heard a voice that caused a rush
of memories to nearly overwhelm him. However, he was able to remain cool
and collected. "Hello, Lara. It's Robert Romano calling."
***************
There was a small party going on in Elizabeth's private recovery room.
Co-workers and friends were constantly coming in and out and the proud
parents appreciated all the good wishes.
Mark had to endure endless retellings of his ungraceful leap from
bed earlier that morning, but he persevered with patient good humour.
Just after Jing-Mei Chen and Abby Lockheart left the room, Janet came
in to check on the new mother.
"It's been a while since I've seen David. Could you bring him to me?"
Elizabeth asked.
"It's not the best time, right now," Janet replied.
"Why not?"
"Has Robert spoken with you yet?"
Starting to grow concerned, Elizabeth tensed her shoulders.
"No, why would he? I haven't seen him since he brought me up to OB.
What's going on?"
Though she knew it would come back to haunt her, Janet couldn't
keep the parents in the dark any longer. It wasn't fair and it
wasn't professional. With a deep breath, she launched into an
explanation of what was ailing their son.
***************
The moment the buzzer rang, Robert leapt out of his chair.
"Dr. Romano, Lara Kirshner is here to see you," announced the
neutral voice of his assistant.
"Thank you, I'll be right out."
He counted to sixty before squaring his shoulders and opening
the door. There she sat in his outer office, looking prim and
composed. His first thought was, 'how can she possibly look exactly
the same after so many years?' But upon a closer look, he noticed the
grey in her hair and the laugh lines around her eyes; elements that
hadn't been present twenty years ago.
"Dr. Kirshner." He approached her with an outstretched hand.
Getting to her feet, she met him with the barest hint of a smile.
"Dr. Romano." She shook his hand firmly.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. If you'll follow me, I'll take
you to our patient."
The long walk down the halls was made almost entirely in silence.
Though it was mildly uncomfortable, it was perhaps a necessity.
After two decades, they needed time to absorb one another again.
Unable to help himself, he risked a sidelong glance at her profile.
Something seemed off but he couldn't quite place it. Gazing down
at her feet, he found his answer.
"You're wearing heels," he stated.
One corner of her lip turned upwards in amusement. "Does that
bother you?"
"Of course not. It's just an observation."
After entering the NICU, Robert led the way and found Jack by the
newborn's side, perusing his chart. At his side was Michael Migenes,
the pediatric attending surgeon.
Robert introduced the two men and then turned to his companion.
"This is Dr. Lara Kirshner from U of C. She specializes in
peds transplantation so I've asked her to consult with us.
Gentlemen, I expect you to give her your fullest cooperation."
With a nod to Lara, Robert stepped back slightly, as if signaling
that she should take over. She began asking questions and started
her own examination of the baby. While he participated fully in
the discussion of their patient, there was the tiniest margin of
himself that couldn't quite believe this was real. He enjoyed watching
her move, watching her work, watching her...breathe. Several times
he caught himself staring at her and he had tear his gaze away before
it became obvious.
All four of them were so involved in their consultation, they didn't
notice when the distraught father entered the room.
"Robert, what's going on?" Mark asked. While he emotionally wanted
to shout the question, he spoke in hushed tones, aware of being
surrounded by critically ill infants. "The baby has HLHS?
Why didn't you tell us?"
"Try to calm yourself, Mark," Robert began, but this time he was
on the receiving end of being interrupted.
"I am calm! I just want to know what the Hell is going on."
Lara stepped forward then and placed herself in front of Mark.
With her petite size, she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
Finally noticing that her hand was being offered, he shook it
automatically.
"You must be Mark Greene. I'm Lara Kirshner. Robert asked me to
come take a look at your son. I specialize in pediatric cardiology
so I'm sure I can be of help."
"Is he going to need surgery?"
"Most likely, yes."
"What...what about a transplant?"
"It's too early to say for sure but that is also a possibility."
She spoke with quiet authority but also tempered it with complete
honesty. Though Mark was obviously still worried, he wasn't quite
as frantic as when he'd burst through the doors. He appreciated her
forthrightness and somehow, instinctively felt he could trust her.
"So what happens now?" he asked.
"Let me finish my examination. Then I..." She broke off, gesturing
to encompass the group of doctors who were waiting to continue.
"...we will talk to you and Elizabeth to discuss all our options.
I know it's difficult, but please try to be patient for the next
little while."
He breathed a barely audible sigh. "Yeah, I'll try."
"Okay, we'll talk again soon." Waiting until Mark left the room,
she turned on her heel to face the group. "Now, where were we?"
***************
The knock on the door that Elizabeth had been both longing for and
dreading finally came. One after the other, the solemn faces filed
into her room. Mark was by her side, along with Janet. Although the
OB consultant's responsibility to the mother was essentially over,
she wanted to hear what the surgeons had to say. Though she'd said
nothing aloud, perhaps part of her felt badly that the baby's condition
hadn't been diagnosed during pregnancy.
Introductions were made all around and Lara pulled a chair over
to Elizabeth's bedside. "Okay," she began, "let's start at the
beginning. David has been diagnosed with HLHS. Hypoplastic Left
Heart Syndrome. It can affect the heart to varying degrees but
I'm afraid in your son's case, it's very severe. The left ventricle,
left atrium, mitral valve, and the aorta are all affected.
And, unfortunately, the heart is *very* small." She took a moment
to glance at Mark. "Now, I know I told you that we'd come here
to discuss all our options but taking everything into consideration,
we all feel that a transplant is the only solution."
Elizabeth sucked in a breath. "No..." she moaned. Pressing one hand
to her lips, she leaned further into Mark for support. Although she
was a surgeon, she wasn't thinking like one now. She was a mother and
she couldn't comprehend that her newborn son would have his heart
ripped out and replaced by another.
"If you agree, we'll make the call to UNOS and I'm confident that
David will be placed as Status 1A," Lara continued.
"It sounds like we have no choice," Mark said, his expression grim.
"How long will he live without the transplant?" Elizabeth asked.
For the first time, Lara showed some hesitation. "It's very difficult
to say and I don't like to make guesses."
"In your honest opinion, then," Mark insisted, counting on the
integrity that he sensed in her.
"Forty-eight to seventy-two hours."
Shocked, Elizabeth stared at her in horror. "My God, is that all?"
"I'm afraid so."
"And you all agree that a transplant is the only option?" Mark asked,
still having trouble comprehending the thought.
"Yes," Lara replied. Though she looked at the others around the room,
no one disagreed with her. They had been unanimous in this recommendation.
"Well, let's do it, then," he said firmly, with more enthusiasm than he
felt.
"Elizabeth?" Lara prompted.
She hesitated, but only briefly. "It seems we have no alternative.
I agree to the transplant."
DISCLAIMER: Characters from ER are the property of Warner Brothers and
Constant C Productions.
ARCHIVE: You are welcome to download this story for your own reading,
but please do not archive my fanfiction on any website without my permission
RATING: PG
KEYWORDS: Medical Drama, Ensemble Cast - major focus on Robert Romano;
minor one on Elizabeth Corday and Mark Greene
TIMELINE: Set during SEASON 7, but in the near future. Spoilers from
"Rescue Me", onward.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I tried to structure this story like a real episode; in
fact, a two-part episode. While I did some research for it, I'm sure there
are errors in medical accuracy, hospital policies, etc.. I apologize
upfront for that but let's move on :-) The character of Romano has always
fascinated me, but TPTB are making him a little too villainous these days
for my tastes. Here's my attempt to correct that. And I haven't found many
fanfics with him as the focus, so here's my contribution to the cause.
Flashback sequences are surrounded by parentheses ((( )))
(((1966...
Five-year old Bobby sat quietly in the corner of the sandbox, moulding his
masterpiece with skillful hands. The tipsy sculpture needed one more
addition and then it would be complete. Reaching for the blue plastic
container by his foot, he began to fill it with sand.
Moments later, a spray of the grainy substance doused over him.
Though he instinctively averted his head against the assault, the coarse
granules stung his cheeks. Blinking furiously, he spat out some sand,
grimacing against the grittiness that coated his mouth. Raucous laughter
reached his ears and he finally looked up to see two boys grinning
at him. Though he fumed silently through narrowed eyes, he said nothing.
"Watcha think of your stupid castle now?" one of the boys taunted.
Still no response.
"He's a retard," the other boy declared. "Come on, let's go."
Relieved to be left alone once more, he glanced at the remains of
his labour, kicked and stomped to oblivion. He swiped at his lips
to rid them of the remaining sand and then rubbed at his left eye.
"Don't cry. I'll help you."
He looked up to see a girl's concerned face. "I'm not crying.
My eye hurts." Annoyed, he watched her perch on the edge of
the sandbox. "Get lost," he told her. "I don't need help."
"Okay. I'll make my own, then."
While part of him wanted to shove her into the sand, he decided to
ignore her and continue with his work.
"You're not in my class. Who's your teacher?" she asked.
"Mrs. Webber."
"What's your name?"
"Would you shut up? I don't know you. I don't even like you."
He lashed out at her with exasperation, wondering if she'd go away.
But she didn't. It seemed she was now ignoring him, intent on her
own creation. He suddenly felt bad but the feeling puzzled him.
What was he feeling bad for? "It's Bobby," he stated.
"What?"
"Bobby! My name is Bobby!"
"Okay, okay! Stop yelling!" With a startled expression, she regarded
her new acquaintance. "My name's Lara."
Having been properly introduced, the two children quietly continued
to work side by side.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Mark."
"Hmmmm."
"Mark, wake up."
"Sure, thanks, honey," he mumbled.
"Oh, for God's sakes."
Grunting with the effort, Elizabeth Corday struggled into an upright
position. With another glance at the bedside clock radio, she began to
time the next contraction. "Ooohhh!" she cried out, biting down on her lip.
The cry of pain served to finally rouse him from sleep, ever so slowly.
"What's wrong?" he asked, speaking through a yawn.
"What do you think?" she snapped.
Suddenly wide awake, he bolted upwards, staring at her with raised eyebrows.
"Is it time?"
With deliberate deep breaths, she calmed herself. "Yes." Managing a smile,
she cupped his cheek. "It's time."
Leaping from the bed, he started to reach for his glasses. How exactly
he managed to trip over his own feet, he didn't know. The next thing
he knew, he was face-down on the cold floor, a little stunned but unhurt.
"It's okay! I'm all right," he called out.
Gazing up towards the Heavens, Elizabeth recited a silent prayer.
It was going to be a long day.
***************
Robert Romano walked with brisk steps, his eagle eyes missing nothing
as he marched through the ER. Things seemed a little slow but that was
no excuse for idleness. He came to a halt by the admitting desk,
zeroing in on Randi.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The desk clerk looked at him with a bored expression. "Reading."
Flipping the open pages over to expose the cover, he tapped on it with
his index finger. "The National Enquirer. Very worthwhile of your time."
Grabbing it from the counter, he hurled it into a nearby wastebasket.
"Hey!" Randi started to protest.
"Find something to do or I will find something for you. Trust me,
you don't want to leave the option to me."
He brushed past her and she was left to call after his retreating back.
"I was on my break!"
"Just say the word, Ms Fronczak, and I will gladly make it a permanent one."
Passing by the ambulance bay, he was curious about the next sight
that greeted him. Kerry Weaver and John Carter flanked the double doors,
like sentry guards at their posts. Both were looking intently through the
glass and weren't aware of his presence. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
he boomed, satisfied to see them flinch in unison.
"Good morning, Robert," Kerry said dryly.
"What could possibly be so compelling out there, that you're neglecting
your duties in here?"
Kerry gave John a sideways glance. Aware of the unspoken messages
passing between the two, Robert didn't hide his annoyance. "Well?"
he demanded impatiently.
"Dr. Greene called a little while ago," John finally replied.
"Dr. Corday started having contractions so he's bringing her in."
"Well, well, so the little bambino is coming at last. Good for them.
That still doesn't explain why the two of you are just standing here."
Kerry started to say something but she was interrupted by John's
exclamation. "Here they are!"
Robert was left to himself as John grabbed a wheelchair and followed
Kerry outside. With arms folded across his chest, he watched Mark
jump out of the driver's seat and dart around to the other side.
Elizabeth was helped into the wheelchair and brought up the ramp.
All four of them were talking in excited tones and he knew he
was about to be ignored. It was time to take charge of the situation.
"I hear today is the big day! You're feeling well, I hope?"
He directed his question at Elizabeth, looking down at her with
a dazzling smile.
"As well as can be expected," she replied.
"Good." He clapped Mark on the shoulder. "You'll need to move
your car. It's blocking the entrance."
"Well, I parked it off to the side a bit so I..."
"No can do," Robert cut him off. "Move it now."
"I'll do it," John offered quickly, holding out his palm as Mark
fished in his pocket for keys.
He looked at the resident gratefully. "Thanks, Carter."
As they moved through the admitting area, the others crowded around
them and some of the nurses gave Elizabeth a hug. They talked about
how her contractions had started early this morning and her difficulty
in waking Mark up. She left out the bit where he fell on his face.
She'd save that for another time.
As Mark began to wheel her towards the elevators, Robert stopped
him once again. "There's paperwork for you to fill out."
"I thought I could do that later. Or up on OB."
"Nope. You came in through the ER, you do it in the ER."
Mark had just about had enough of Romano's pompousness. "Look, I'm not
going to stand here and argue with you while..."
"Mark, it's all right," Elizabeth interrupted him quietly. "I can wait."
"Nonsense. I'll take you up myself," Robert declared.
Before Mark quite knew what was happening, the shorter man had slipped
in front of him and started wheeling her away.
"It's all right," Elizabeth repeated, craning her neck to look
behind her. "I'll see you up there."
Kerry walked with them to the elevator and made one last attempt.
"I can take her up."
"With that thing?" Robert stared pointedly at her cane. "I don't
think so. Besides, you need to get to work." The doors slid open
and he waited for people to step out. Backing inside, he pressed
the button and the view to the ER floor and Kerry's anxious face
vanished from sight.
"Have you worked hard at becoming a bastard or were you just born
that way?" Elizabeth inquired in a polite tone.
"It's taken years of practice," he replied cheerfully.
"Oh!" With a sharp intake of breath, she hunched over in her chair.
"You all right?"
"Fine," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Can't this lift go
any faster?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(((1971...
Light was fading and the air was growing cooler. They sat on the
swings, sharing a box of Cracker Jacks. Both were aware they were
spoiling their dinner but neither one cared.
Impatient to discover the prize, Bobby dug near the bottom, wiggling
his fingers around.
"What did you get?" Lara asked.
"Hold on. Got it!" He exhaled with disappointment. "Aww, it's a ring."
"Let me see." She took the ring from his sticky fingers and admired it.
"It's nice. If you don't want it..."
"You can have it." When the last bit of popcorn had been consumed,
he tossed the box carelessly on the ground without thinking. Glancing
over at her, he interpreted the look on her face. "You're such a girl,"
he muttered. Nonetheless, he hopped off the swing and deposited the
box properly into a nearby garbage can.
She allowed herself a small smile as she played with the ring on
her finger, twisting it back and forth. "When can we get married?"
"What? Are you crazy?" he snorted, coming to stand in front of her.
"Don't you ever think about it?"
"Of course not!"
"I think we have to wait until we're fifteen, or something."
"I'm not marrying you, Lara."
Frowning slightly, she decided not to let his negative attitude
deter her. After all, he'd given her a ring. That had to count for
something. Anyway, they had years to go yet before they could marry.
Good thing she was a patient person.
Aware of her silence and far-off look, he sighed. "Are you mad?"
She shook her head. "Want me to push you?" he offered.
"Okay. High but not..."
"Too high," he finished for her. "I know. Ready?"
Starting slowly, he soon had her soaring through the air. Closing her
eyes, she envisioned herself as a bird, reveling in the wind and freedom.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"One more push should do it," Janet Coburn encouraged.
"Is...that...a...promise?" Elizabeth gasped.
"As close to a promise as I can get. One, two, three, push!"
Squeezing her eyes shut, she bore down with as much strength as
she could muster. The indignant cries of a newborn soon met her ears;
a welcoming and wonderful sound.
"It's a boy," Janet announced.
"Told you we'd have a boy," Mark whispered, stroking back Elizabeth's
damp hair from her forehead.
"Can I see him?" she asked, anxious to hold her son. Janet obliged,
placing the infant in his mother's waiting arms. "He's beautiful.
Isn't he beautiful, Mark?"
"He sure is." His voice sounded suspiciously clogged but he didn't
try to hide his emotions. The baby's wails were subsiding and after
a final hiccup, he became quiet.
Elizabeth looked up at Janet, who was waiting patiently. "Is he
all right? I mean, he looks perfectly fine but will you..."
"I'll run all the tests," Janet assured her. "Let's get him cleaned
up a bit. Have you decided on a name?"
"Yes. David, after Mark's father." After handing her the baby with
some reluctance, Elizabeth was mildly surprised to see the wet tracks
on Mark's face. She was feeling a little weepy herself but had
managed to stay composed. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Lifting his glasses slightly to brush at his eyes, he spoke
haltingly. "I just...well, before the operation, I had all these
thoughts of things going wrong. That I would die right then and there
and would never see you again. Would never see our baby being born.
So seeing him now, I just...I...God, I love you, Elizabeth."
Warm tears spilled freely from her eyes now as she reached out to
the man that held her heart. "I love you too," she murmured.
"We're a true family now."
***************
Janet approached the OR desk, accompanied by Jack Kaysen. She spotted
Shirley chatting with some nurses and called out, "Where's Dr. Romano?"
Shirley jerked her head towards the elevators. "He's just about
to leave. You better talk to him tomorrow."
"This can't wait." With a renewed sense of urgency, she quickened
her pace and found him waiting in front of the elevators.
"Robert, we need to talk to you," she stated.
Barely acknowledging their presence, he continued to stare at the
closed doors. "As you can see, I'm trying to leave."
"It's important. It's about Elizabeth. Or rather, her baby."
This finally gained his full attention and he swung around to
face them. "I thought I heard everything had gone well."
"It did. But then I ran some tests and consulted with Jack.
He concurs that the baby has HLHS."
"What?"
"Hypoplastic Left..."
"I'm perfectly aware of what the acronym is, Dr. Coburn," he barked.
"That was a 'what' of disbelief, as in, why wasn't this diagnosed during
the pregnancy?"
Janet stiffened in defensive mode. "None of the ultrasounds gave
any indication of an anomaly. What's important is that the diagnosis
has been made now."
Withering a notch under Robert's cold gaze, she briefly glanced
at Jack. He easily picked up the thread.
"I've started him on a prostaglandin drip. The good news is that we
diagnosed this fairly soon after delivery. The bad news is that
the heart is severely hypoplastic." Here, Jack paused ever so slightly.
"I think a transplant is the only option."
"Who else knows about this?" Robert asked.
Janet spoke up once more. "I haven't spoken with Mark or Elizabeth yet.
I tried to contact Neal Bernstein but he's away at a conference.
Besides, we don't have a..."
Robert cut her off rudely. "There's no pediatric cardio-thoracic
surgeon on staff. Yes, I know this, Dr. Coburn. Thank you for
pointing out the obvious." In fact, they were in the process of
interviewing candidates for the position but no one had been hired yet.
Bringing one hand to his right temple, he rubbed it thoughtfully.
"I may know someone..." he started to say softly. Someone from his
past that he hadn't been in contact with for a long time. Aware that
they were staring at him, he snapped to attention once more. "All right,
leave this with me," he ordered briskly, already starting to walk away.
"What should I tell the parents?" Janet called after him.
"Nothing! I'm officially taking over this case."
Janet and Jack watched his retreating back for a moment before
looking at each other.
"Well, I guess that's that," Jack said wryly. He glanced down at
his colleague. "Keep me informed of what's happening."
"I will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(((1976...
Out of the corner of Lara's eye, she saw Bobby standing several feet
away down the hall. He was giving her puppy-dog eyes again.
"I'll be back in a minute, girls," she said to her friends.
He'd been slouched over, but straightened up as she approached him.
"Hi."
"Hi."
He cleared his throat. "Is it true? Are you going out with Nelson?"
"I will be tonight. He's taking me to a movie."
"I hear he likes to sit in the back so he can get it on with
a girl."
Feeling the warmth creep up on her cheeks, she gripped her books
more tightly to her chest. "I don't believe you."
He shrugged, shifting his feet. "It's true. I can't help it if
you don't believe me."
"It sounds more like something you would do," she accused.
He couldn't help smirking a little. "You know me too well."
Growing serious again, he kept his voice low. "I'm telling you
the truth, Lara. I've heard Nelson bragging about other girls
he's been with. He's not a nice guy."
"Oh, and you are?"
"Well, only to you."
Feeling more unsure of what to believe, she stared at him, trying to
interpret the look in his eyes. "Do you swear it?" she finally asked.
"Swear that you're telling the truth?"
"Sure. What do you want me to swear on?"
"The ring."
He gave her a confused look. "What ring?"
"Just say it."
"Okay, I swear on the ring. Happy now?"
"Uh huh. So where are you taking me tonight?"
Rather taken aback, he pointed a finger at himself. "Me?"
"Yes, you, Bobby. Since I'm not seeing a movie with Nelson, I better
be doing something with you."
He tried to think of something witty to say but found his mind a blank.
That was a rare occurrence. "I guess we'll think of something," he
muttered.
She smiled. This had worked out better than if she'd planned it.)))
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I'm sorry, sir, could you repeat the name?"
Robert gripped the phone ever more tightly, frustrated with this
useless woman. "Kirshner. Lara Kirshner. She's the Chief of Pediatric
Cardiology at your hospital. I am speaking with the University of Chicago
Children's Hospital, am I not?"
"Yes, sir, but I have no listing for, um, please hold a moment."
The sound of an easy-listening radio station graced the phone line
and all he could do was wait. Thankfully, the operator returned
quickly. "I've just been told that she's resigned from that position."
"What? When was this?"
"I don't know. But she has joined the medical school's faculty. Would you
like the number?"
"Yes," he replied, reaching for a pen. After connecting with the school
and waiting for several more moments, he heard a voice that caused a rush
of memories to nearly overwhelm him. However, he was able to remain cool
and collected. "Hello, Lara. It's Robert Romano calling."
***************
There was a small party going on in Elizabeth's private recovery room.
Co-workers and friends were constantly coming in and out and the proud
parents appreciated all the good wishes.
Mark had to endure endless retellings of his ungraceful leap from
bed earlier that morning, but he persevered with patient good humour.
Just after Jing-Mei Chen and Abby Lockheart left the room, Janet came
in to check on the new mother.
"It's been a while since I've seen David. Could you bring him to me?"
Elizabeth asked.
"It's not the best time, right now," Janet replied.
"Why not?"
"Has Robert spoken with you yet?"
Starting to grow concerned, Elizabeth tensed her shoulders.
"No, why would he? I haven't seen him since he brought me up to OB.
What's going on?"
Though she knew it would come back to haunt her, Janet couldn't
keep the parents in the dark any longer. It wasn't fair and it
wasn't professional. With a deep breath, she launched into an
explanation of what was ailing their son.
***************
The moment the buzzer rang, Robert leapt out of his chair.
"Dr. Romano, Lara Kirshner is here to see you," announced the
neutral voice of his assistant.
"Thank you, I'll be right out."
He counted to sixty before squaring his shoulders and opening
the door. There she sat in his outer office, looking prim and
composed. His first thought was, 'how can she possibly look exactly
the same after so many years?' But upon a closer look, he noticed the
grey in her hair and the laugh lines around her eyes; elements that
hadn't been present twenty years ago.
"Dr. Kirshner." He approached her with an outstretched hand.
Getting to her feet, she met him with the barest hint of a smile.
"Dr. Romano." She shook his hand firmly.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. If you'll follow me, I'll take
you to our patient."
The long walk down the halls was made almost entirely in silence.
Though it was mildly uncomfortable, it was perhaps a necessity.
After two decades, they needed time to absorb one another again.
Unable to help himself, he risked a sidelong glance at her profile.
Something seemed off but he couldn't quite place it. Gazing down
at her feet, he found his answer.
"You're wearing heels," he stated.
One corner of her lip turned upwards in amusement. "Does that
bother you?"
"Of course not. It's just an observation."
After entering the NICU, Robert led the way and found Jack by the
newborn's side, perusing his chart. At his side was Michael Migenes,
the pediatric attending surgeon.
Robert introduced the two men and then turned to his companion.
"This is Dr. Lara Kirshner from U of C. She specializes in
peds transplantation so I've asked her to consult with us.
Gentlemen, I expect you to give her your fullest cooperation."
With a nod to Lara, Robert stepped back slightly, as if signaling
that she should take over. She began asking questions and started
her own examination of the baby. While he participated fully in
the discussion of their patient, there was the tiniest margin of
himself that couldn't quite believe this was real. He enjoyed watching
her move, watching her work, watching her...breathe. Several times
he caught himself staring at her and he had tear his gaze away before
it became obvious.
All four of them were so involved in their consultation, they didn't
notice when the distraught father entered the room.
"Robert, what's going on?" Mark asked. While he emotionally wanted
to shout the question, he spoke in hushed tones, aware of being
surrounded by critically ill infants. "The baby has HLHS?
Why didn't you tell us?"
"Try to calm yourself, Mark," Robert began, but this time he was
on the receiving end of being interrupted.
"I am calm! I just want to know what the Hell is going on."
Lara stepped forward then and placed herself in front of Mark.
With her petite size, she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
Finally noticing that her hand was being offered, he shook it
automatically.
"You must be Mark Greene. I'm Lara Kirshner. Robert asked me to
come take a look at your son. I specialize in pediatric cardiology
so I'm sure I can be of help."
"Is he going to need surgery?"
"Most likely, yes."
"What...what about a transplant?"
"It's too early to say for sure but that is also a possibility."
She spoke with quiet authority but also tempered it with complete
honesty. Though Mark was obviously still worried, he wasn't quite
as frantic as when he'd burst through the doors. He appreciated her
forthrightness and somehow, instinctively felt he could trust her.
"So what happens now?" he asked.
"Let me finish my examination. Then I..." She broke off, gesturing
to encompass the group of doctors who were waiting to continue.
"...we will talk to you and Elizabeth to discuss all our options.
I know it's difficult, but please try to be patient for the next
little while."
He breathed a barely audible sigh. "Yeah, I'll try."
"Okay, we'll talk again soon." Waiting until Mark left the room,
she turned on her heel to face the group. "Now, where were we?"
***************
The knock on the door that Elizabeth had been both longing for and
dreading finally came. One after the other, the solemn faces filed
into her room. Mark was by her side, along with Janet. Although the
OB consultant's responsibility to the mother was essentially over,
she wanted to hear what the surgeons had to say. Though she'd said
nothing aloud, perhaps part of her felt badly that the baby's condition
hadn't been diagnosed during pregnancy.
Introductions were made all around and Lara pulled a chair over
to Elizabeth's bedside. "Okay," she began, "let's start at the
beginning. David has been diagnosed with HLHS. Hypoplastic Left
Heart Syndrome. It can affect the heart to varying degrees but
I'm afraid in your son's case, it's very severe. The left ventricle,
left atrium, mitral valve, and the aorta are all affected.
And, unfortunately, the heart is *very* small." She took a moment
to glance at Mark. "Now, I know I told you that we'd come here
to discuss all our options but taking everything into consideration,
we all feel that a transplant is the only solution."
Elizabeth sucked in a breath. "No..." she moaned. Pressing one hand
to her lips, she leaned further into Mark for support. Although she
was a surgeon, she wasn't thinking like one now. She was a mother and
she couldn't comprehend that her newborn son would have his heart
ripped out and replaced by another.
"If you agree, we'll make the call to UNOS and I'm confident that
David will be placed as Status 1A," Lara continued.
"It sounds like we have no choice," Mark said, his expression grim.
"How long will he live without the transplant?" Elizabeth asked.
For the first time, Lara showed some hesitation. "It's very difficult
to say and I don't like to make guesses."
"In your honest opinion, then," Mark insisted, counting on the
integrity that he sensed in her.
"Forty-eight to seventy-two hours."
Shocked, Elizabeth stared at her in horror. "My God, is that all?"
"I'm afraid so."
"And you all agree that a transplant is the only option?" Mark asked,
still having trouble comprehending the thought.
"Yes," Lara replied. Though she looked at the others around the room,
no one disagreed with her. They had been unanimous in this recommendation.
"Well, let's do it, then," he said firmly, with more enthusiasm than he
felt.
"Elizabeth?" Lara prompted.
She hesitated, but only briefly. "It seems we have no alternative.
I agree to the transplant."