Hot Docs On Call: Surgeon's Seduction. Carol Marinelli

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      “Not for thirty minutes. If she needs me before then, she can page me. I would really like to be there when you look over the ultrasound.”

      Mindy grinned. “Changing your mind about maternal-fetal medicine?”

      “No.” Sam downed the rest of his coffee. “I still want to be a pediatric surgeon, but perhaps after completing my fellowship with Dr. Chang I’ll be looking to add maternal-fetal medicine to my résumé. Really specialize.”

      Mindy cocked an eyebrow. “Wow. You have mighty big aspirations and you’re cocky. What makes you think you have a shot at that pediatric fellowship?”

      Sam shrugged as they walked out of the coffee house together. “Because I want it and because I’m going to earn it all on my own merit. You said so yourself, I’m a fine surgeon.”

      “Hmm. That remains to be seen. I haven’t actually seen you in any complicated procedure yet.”

      “That’s true. The week I was on your rotation all I did was observe and calm down a set of twins during a splenectomy.”

      “Maybe I’ll have to observe your surgery later with Dr. Chang.”

      “Or, if there is something that has to be done surgically to Ms. Bayberry’s twins, I can be on the case.”

      “You’re pushy,” Mindy teased.

      “It’s only natural. I was the first doctor on her case and she likes me. We have a rapport.”

      “That’s true. I’ll think about it.”

      “It makes the most sense since you’ve banished Dr. Snow from your service.”

      Mindy shook her head and they headed to meet Dr. Hall, the neonatologist, in an exam room. When they got there Dr. Hall was frowning as she leaned over the ultrasound image on the computer. She barely glanced over her shoulder to acknowledge them as they walked into the room.

      “What seems to be the trouble?” Mindy asked, as she took a seat next to Dr. Hall. Sam stood behind her, leaning over so he could look at the screen as well. She was very aware that he was so close. The heat of his body permeated her scrubs, causing her blood to sing.

      “Take a look. It was missed in the ultrasound done by her regular OB/GYN, but now that she’s almost thirty weeks you can see it clearly as the twins are in a different position.”

      Mindy’s heart skipped a beat when she saw one of the most rare pregnancy conditions.

      “Is that the same amniotic sac?” Sam asked, his breath on her neck.

      Mindy moved close to the computer, more to get away from Sam being so close to her. “Yes, it’s a mono-amniotic pregnancy.”

      “Why was this missed earlier, Dr. Walker?” Sam asked.

      “It’s sometimes hard to see, depending on where the babies lie.” Mindy clicked on a file and brought up an earlier ultrasound, zooming in. “See this line. It looks like it was a membrane dividing the fetuses, but it clearly is not. As they’ve moved and grown, you can clearly see that no membrane divides the amniotic sac.”

      “And you can see here, the cords are starting to tangle,” Dr. Hall remarked.

      Mindy pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s not good.”

      “No, the babies are at risk of cutting off their blood supply now. Is that correct, Dr. Walker?” Sam asked.

      “Yes.” Mindy stood. “Ms. Bayberry is thirty weeks tomorrow. We’ll have to keep a close eye on her. Let’s try to get her to thirty weeks and then we’ll deliver the babies.”

      Dr. Hall nodded. “I’ll prep my neonatology staff.”

      Mindy turned to Sam. “Can you inform Dr. Chang for me, Dr. Napier? I would like her present at the surgery.”

      “Of course, Dr. Walker.” Sam left the room to track down Dr. Chang before she got prepped for surgery.

      Dr. Hall left the exam room to prep her team and now Mindy was faced with breaking the news to Ms. Bayberry. As if the poor woman hadn’t been under enough stress. Now Mindy had to break the news to her that her twins’ lives were in danger. At least when she’d had the splenectomy they’d given Ms. Bayberry a shot of corticosteroids to help strengthen the babies’ lungs. She’d be given another shot tonight.

      Any little bit helped.

      At least the babies were almost thirty weeks.

      At least their cords weren’t tangling at twenty weeks, when there would be nothing they could do to save them.

      Being thirty weeks along, at least the babies had a chance.

      And Mindy was going to make sure they got the chance they deserved.

       CHAPTER SIX

      SAM STOOD NEXT to Dr. Chang as she scrubbed in. He was annoyed that he wasn’t going to be allowed into the OR while they delivered Ms. Bayberry’s twins.

      “There will be too many people in there. It’s a delicate surgery, and we have Neonatology, Pediatrics and OB/GYN. You can watch from the gallery, like the other residents.”

      That command had come down from Professor Langley, but he didn’t actually have the guts to come down and tell him in person. He’d sent his lackey to tell him. Langley never really dealt with him. He always seemed to avoid him.

      He must feel guilty and that pleased Sam to no end.

      Good. Langley’s affair with his mother had torn his family apart. Crushed his father. It was best Langley keep his distance from him.

      “You’re scowling,” Dr. Chang remarked, as she scrubbed her arms and hands.

      “I think I should be in there. I was on this case since day one,” Sam snapped.

      “Professor Langley has a point. There will be a lot of people in there.”

      “I calmed the patient.”

      “Yes, when her husband was absent, and she’ll be under general anesthesia again. This is a delicate procedure. We can’t have the cords continue to tangle. If they tangle before the babies are ready to be born, it could kill both of them.”

      Sam grunted in response. He got that, but he still wanted to be in there. Mono-amniotic twins was such a rare occurrence he doubted he’d ever get to see another case like this in the near future. In fact, it was Dr. Chang’s first time to see such a case. Even she’d never seen mono-amniotic twins.

      And it wasn’t just the rarity of the case he was moaning about. He cared for the patient. Linda Bayberry and her husband Frank were two of the nicest native New Yorkers he’d ever met, besides Enzo’s family, though he wouldn’t let anyone else know that.

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