Permission
When they got into ER he held her hand inside. He saw how little it had changed but couldn't see a single familiar face. Had they all left over the years? Was there anyone still here that they'd once known?
They went up to reception and announced who they were. There wasn't a single spark of recognition when he gave his name. Had he really left behind nothing? He'd slaved here for years. Even worked himself up to Chief of Trauma yet had left no legacy behind. That was disconcerting.
They were immediately taken to a bed that had the curtain around. She opened up the curtain and they saw their son lying there on the bed. Maggie turned her head into Danny when they saw his head was in a vice and his right leg was open all the way from the ankle to the knee with some of the bone poking out. Danny worried his son might lose his leg.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Colby came off his bike and landed in the middle of the road. It looks like he landed on a ridged grate. We're going to have to perform surgery," the doctor answered.
He nodded. "Will it have to be brain surgery and an amputation?" When the doctor looked up surprised he added, "I was head of trauma here sixteen years ago."
"You're Daniel Nyland?"
"Yes," he answered glad someone had acknowledged his work at the hospital.
"You lost the position due to leaving with a potential investor's fiancee for several weeks."
Danny rolled his eyes wishing his womanising past could have just been swept under the carpet. "Yes. Can we get back to my son's surgery? Will it be brain surgery and an amputation?"
"We will have to take a look at his brain and we hope to save his leg but there is the slight chance of an amputation," he answered solemnly.
He nodded. "Do it! Do whatever you have to to save our son! We can't lose him!" he said firmly holding Maggie close to him while she clung onto him.
The doctor nodded and they whisked Colby off to the OR while Maggie and Danny were taken to the waiting room. They sat down and held hands while she snuggled into him. He kept trying to assure her their son was going to be alright. Chicago Hope, he was sure, still had the best doctors around who would be operating on their son.