Disclaimer: I do not own these characters





Chapter Thirteen: Hidden Secrets




Lu took a deep breath, then pushed open the door to Randee's room, hoping Bryan wasn't there. She needed to talk to Randee about the situation at hand, and she knew she couldn't do it if he were there.

"Hi Lu." Randee greeted her. "How's McKenzie?"

"No change." Lu answered. Randee immediately noticed the catch in her voice.

"Lu? Something's wrong, isn't there? I can tell in your voice."

"Yeah Randee, something is wrong." Lu pulled up a chair and sat down. Randee waited expectantly.

"What, Lu?"

"Randee, I will no longer be able to care for McKenzie. I..."

"But why, Lu? You are my doctor. You are her doctor. Why are you giving up on her? She needs you, Lu."

"Dr. Jackson ordered me off her case...by your husband's request."

"What? Why would Bryan do that? He knows you're taking good care of her." Lu took a deep breath.

"There's something else you gotta know, Randee."

"Yeah?" Randee asked slowly, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Bryan is suing me for malpractice."

"WHAT?" Lu nodded.

"Uh...yeah. He told Dr. Jackson that his lawyer has already started the paper work." Randee was silent for a moment as she let the news sink in.

"W...why is he doing it?" Randee questioned.

"He feels that I shouldn't have delivered the baby so early, that I should have tried to stop the labor." Lu replied. "He says that if I hadn't delivered her, she wouldn't have so many problems. He...he blames me."

"But the baby was in distress. It wasn't your fault. Did you tell him?" Randee asked.

"Yeah. I told Dr. Jackson too. But it didn't do any good. Dr. Jackson also talked to Bryan, and Bryan insisted that I was wrong."

"Lu, if you get sued for malpractice, what will happen?"

"I will meet with the board of the hospital and tell them my side of the story. They will look at my argument and Bryan's. There will more than likely be a court hearing."

"You'll have to go to court?" Lu nodded.

"Yeah. Bryan has to be able to prove that I was in error when I delivered the baby early rather than stopping your labor. And I have to prove that delivering her now was the only way to save her life, that she would have died other wise."

"But you said the cord was wrapped around her neck, right? She would have died. You saved her life. I told Bryan that."

"Well, he believes otherwise." Lu answered. "And right now I am having a hard time convincing Dr. Jackson that I did the only thing I could do. Randee, I need your help."

"What?" Randee questioned.

"I need you to tell Dr. Jackson what happened in the ER, and why we needed to deliver. If you tell him your side, I might have a chance. Bryan wasn't even there. But you know the truth about what happened." Randee lowered her gaze, unable to look Lu in the eye.

"Lu, you...you're asking me to go against my husband."

"I'm asking you to tell the truth, Randee. You're the only chance I've got to prove that I did the right thing."

Randee was silent for a moment as she pondered over her choices. She knew Lu had done the right thing, the only thing that could save her baby's life.

Lu had been her doctor for several years, and they had become friends. She knew that Lu was in trouble now, and she was the only one who could help her out.

But Bryan was her husband and she loved him. If she went against Bryan and supported Lu, she knew he would...no, she couldn't risk it, she thought to herself.

"Randee?" Lu asked after several moments of silence. Randee glanced in Lu's direction, but still did not look her in the eyes.

"I...I'm sorry, Lu. I wish I could help you. But I..."

"What?" Lu questioned, immediately understanding the meaning of her words.

"I...I can't, Lu. Don't you see? I can't go against my husband. I'm sorry."

"But Randee, you know he's wrong. You said it yourself. You know I saved your daughter's life. I'm just asking you to tell the truth. If you don't, I won't have a chance. If Bryan sues me for malpractice and wins, I could be suspended or even terminated...that would be like sending me to prison for a crime I didn't commit. Could you at least talk to him? Tell him what happened in the ER?"

"I don't think it would do much good." Randee answered. "When he makes up his mind to do something, there's not much I can do about it."

"Could you at least try?" Lu asked, almost pleading. "I don't want to lose my job. Especially for something I didn't do."

"I'll try, Lu. But I can't promise that it will do any good."

"That's all I ask, Randee." Lu replied, knowing that Randee was probably right. Bryan would not change his mind.

"I'm sorry, Lu. I really am. I don't want you to get hurt. But asking me to go against my own husband...I just can't do it. You understand, don't you?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm sorry too, Randee. I just thought that maybe you would be willing to tell the truth to help me save my job. But I guess I was wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to tend to." Lu stood up and silently walked to the door. When she reached the door she turned around to find Randee watching her. Briefly looking into her patient's eyes, Lu saw a look of sadness, even possibly a look of fear, as if she were hiding something, as if she had a secret that she didn't want to share with anyone.

"Randee, is everything okay between you and Bryan?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Lu shrugged.

"No reason. I was just wondering."

"Didn't you say you had other patients to see?" Randee asked, making it clear to Lu that she was being asked to leave the room.

"Uh...yeah. I'll...I'll see ya later." With that, Lu hurried from the room. Randee turned away from the door and stared out the window, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She wanted nothing more than to help Lu. But she couldn't. It would only make her husband angry. And she couldn't afford to do that. Even if it meant that her doctor and friend might lose her job.

"I'm sorry, Lu." Randee whispered. "Someday you will understand why I couldn't do it."