Chapter 5: Mara
Cristina, age 16
It was weird, but Cristina felt most at home when she was at the hospital. For once, people didn't look so happy, and everything was chaotic, yet organized in some mysterious way. She held summer internships there, and Saul allowed her to follow him when he went on rounds. And now her sibling was about to be born here.
Cristina was not overly fond of children, nor did she hate them. They were okay, as long as they looked cute, did not puke or crap on her, and did not act bratty. She was seated outside her mother's private hospital room, her legs swinging back and forth touching the linoleum floor. Saul was already there, holding her mother's hand.
Just then, a young intern entered, with a peculiar expression on her face; she closed the door, needing to tell Cristina's mom and Saul something very important. The doors were soundproof, but there was a sliver of a window. From what Cristina could make out, her mother started to sob loudly, and Saul started gesturing frantically.
Cristina was concerned, but nobody would tell her what was happening—even when she tried to bribe two attendings and a physician. Since whatever being told to her parents was not being told to her, she grew less worried.
Instead, her mind was focused on her future brother or sister. If it were a boy, she wanted him named Ben; if it was a girl, she wanted the name Mara Lise. Personally, she wanted a younger brother so she would not get stuck playing Barbie and easy-bake oven. Cristina already spent the earlier part of her childhood decapitating Barbies.
A half-hour, then an hour, then two hours ticked by. Cristina wondered why nobody was coming outside to tell her anything, and why several doctors kept going in and out. Nobody would let her in either—the obstetrician firmly refused, but he looked at her as if he felt sorry for her. The window sliver was covered by doctors' coats, so she had no idea what was happening. Cristina began to feel invisible after a while, with everyone rushing about and ignoring her very presence.
But nearly three hours later, Saul came out to talk to Cristina.
"Cristina, you have a baby sister." Saul's eyes were bright red though, he looked subdued and very much unlike his usual self. Cristina instantly sensed something was wrong—very wrong.
"Saul, what aren't you telling me?" Cristina anxiously asked.
"She—your" Saul choked up. "Your sister has anencephaly."
Cristina was full of medical knowledge, but this particular illness escaped her memory. "Anencephaly? 'An' means lack of, 'ceph' deals with—the—" And then she understood what Saul was telling her.
Saul nodded slowly. "Cristina, her brain is missing. She only has hours to live."