Michael told him to leave.
Rook did.
Neither called.
Now Michael worked at St. Catherine Children’s Hospital.
He had been assigned to another floor and deliberately avoided Lucy’s room whenever the Iron Lanterns visited. Whitaker knew. That was why he asked Rook about his son.
The operative report Michael requested had not been for a lawsuit or medical concern.
He wanted to understand what Whitaker had done during those nine hours because he was considering advanced training in pediatric trauma nursing.
Whitaker believed Michael should join Lucy’s care team.
Michael refused.
“Your father isn’t the patient,” Whitaker told him.
“He makes himself part of everything.”
“So remove him from the equation. There is still a child.”
Michael agreed to one overnight shift.
Lucy’s condition deteriorated during it.
Her fever rose. Her oxygen saturation fell, and her body stiffened. Michael called the physician, adjusted her position, and worked beside the respiratory team while alarms filled the room.
