I is for Ian

The snow continued to pile up outside at an alarming rate, and it was quickly very obvious there would be no leaving the building anytime soon. I was heading down the hall to grab some extra warm blankets for the patients when I saw Ian and a couple of the construction team suddenly turn the corner into the hall and head for the door. They tried the handle, but it had already frozen, and when they looked outside and saw how deep the snow had gotten, one of them let out a string of creative and aggressive profanity.

“Exactly,” Ian said.

It was obvious they were trying to get out and the reality they weren’t going to be able to was dawning on them.

16

IAN

I had yet to hear Carl get upset until that moment. My eyes widened as the stream of words started and then seemed to build on top of itself. It was like a challenge almost, as if his brain was going to reach out for every single cuss word he could think of and find a way to shove it into one run-on sentence. After that string of curses, I wasn’t sure if he had let off the pressure valve and there was nothing left or if he had just run out of things to say.

“Exactly,” I agreed.

“Sorry about that,” he said after a moment. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh. “I got a bit angry.”

“I could tell.”

“So could I,” a voice said behind us. I turned to see Mina standing there, wearing her lab coat over a grey hoodie and looking like she had been running hard for a while now.

“My apologies, ma’am,” Carl said, looking legitimately upset he was overheard. “I normally don’t cuss like that. Not in mixed company anyway.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “It really is… how you described it. It was a creative but accurate statement.”

“If we can just get out of this door, I am pretty sure my truck—” I began, but Mina cut me off.

“No one leaves,” she said.

“Excuse me?”

“I said no one leaves. We’re snowed in. What are you still doing here anyway? I thought all the construction crew and equipment was gone yesterday.”

“We thought it was,” I said. “But there was a whole room of stuff left uncovered, and we had a couple other things that needed seeing to at the last minute.”

She rolled her eyes as I spoke, and eventually I just stopped talking.

“So, what you’re saying is that you don’t follow directions well,” she said.

“No, that is not what I’m saying,” I said, feeling my blood boil. “How dare you? We’re in an emergency, and I’m trying to do my job.”

“So am I,” she said.

“You know what, lady,” I started, feeling my voice rise and my vision narrow. I was about to launch into her for being a snooty bitch when Dr. Sutton appeared beside us, clearing his throat.

“I think that’s enough,” he said.

“Dr. Sutton,” Mina said, her anger overridden by embarrassment.

“Dr. Davis, I believe you may be out of line.”

“Sir?” she asked. “This crew caused the problem we’re currently facing and now they’re stuck here which means they’re our problem.”

“I said that’s enough,” Dr. Sutton said. “I understand your frustration, and I’m not angry with you. However, I think it would be best if you got back to work or took a break. You clearly seem like you could use a few minutes of quiet time.”

“Excuse me?” she thundered, then seemed to realize who she was talking to and backed down. For his part, Dr. Sutton didn’t seem flustered about her outburst at all, calmly waiting for her to ratchet down.

“Dr. Davis. Mina,” he said. Her face softened. I got the impression he didn’t often use first names. “Please. Go take a few moments of rest. Have a tea. We will need you at full, rested strength the rest of the night.”

“You planned on staying?” she asked, seeming surprised.

He motioned out of the window to the growing piles of snow outside.

“I hardly think I could leave now if I wanted to,” he said, almost smiling. It was the first time I had seen emotion other than frustration out of him. He seemed almost delighted in a muted, cerebral way. “However, I had no intention of leaving anyone here in an emergency. I promised to guide this hospital on the reputation of my name, and I could hardly walk out and let it fail. Besides, I haven’t worked overnight in twenty-five years. It’ll be like old times.”

“Yes, sir,” Mina said, shooting a glare back at me. “I will take a fifteen and be back on the floor.”

“Take a thirty. Relax. Things are calm right now. I will call for you if you’re needed before then,” he said.

She nodded and turned on her heel, walking away without acknowledging Carl or me again. Carl looked at me and shrugged. I shrugged back.