“Ava Rodriguez did. She’s a paramedic here,” Sophia replied.

  “Are you sure she didn’t miss anything? The patient’s labs are a mess and there is no past history,” Hollis commented, with a frown on her face.

  “I don’t think Ava would make a mistake. She has an exceptional reputation. She’s worked here all her life. I’m sure she’ll have the data,” Sophia said, trying to reassure Hollis.

  “Call her in. We are definitely missing something,” Hollis said, in a stern voice.

  “Ava is responding to an emergency call right now. I’ll send her to your o ce as soon as she returns.”

  “YES, Dr. Roman. You wanted to see me?” Ava knocked on the open o ce door, noticing the notorious Dr. Roman’s striking masculine looks. But Ava wasn’t worried. She had dealt with enough di cult doctors over the years.

  Hollis motioned for Ava to sit down on the chair opposite to her own, and picked up the patient’s file, which had been delivered earlier.

  “Rodriguez?” Hollis asked, raising her eyebrows questioningly. Her green eyes burned through Ava with their intensity.

  “That’s me.” Ava sat down.

  “This patient, you brought her in? What were the complaints?” Hollis got straight to the point.

  “Yes, Doctor, I did. She called 911 herself. She was hypotensive with a very feeble pulse when we got there. She has just moved to Forest Vale, so we don’t have any medical records for her.” Ava paused, frowning. “Is everything okay?”

  “What about her family? They must know something. Do we have her full name? Her date of birth? Where is she from?

  Can’t we track down her records?” Hollis fired questions like an interrogator, ignoring Ava’s question.

  “She lives with her mother who can barely speak English, so no luck at there,” Ava said.

  Hollis sighed and leaned back against the chair, fixing Ava with her intense green eyes.“This case is getting more bizarre by the minute. It’s as if each day, a di erent organ chooses to shut down. The labs are all through the roof. We stabilize her one day and then it’s a new organ the next. And because she doesn’t have any records, it could be twenty things,” Hollis went on, as Ava nodded.

  “I don’t know what it is, but it must be autoimmune. Her own immune system has turned against her and is picking organs at will,” Hollis continued, looking through the file again.

  “I know you are the doctor here, but I think if it were autoimmune, it would take much longer. It could be an

  infection causing sepsis, or she might be allergic to something we gave her,” Ava countered, her voice confident.

  “Yes, but there are exceptions. Autoimmune diseases can have acute flares, and she is also showing improvement and relapse then the next day. I am putting her on steroids,”

  Hollis concluded.

  “But doctor, adding steroids can kill her if it’s an infection. She won’t be able to survive.” Ava wasn’t backing down. She might not be a doctor, but she still was as knowledgable as any of them. Perhaps more.

  “Steroids may also cure her, if I am right, and they are our best option right now. Besides, if this is an infection, the antibiotics she is full of should have helped by now,” Hollis replied, resting her firm gaze on Ava.

  “Yes, but bugs can be resistant and the infection could be polymicrobial. You don’t have the resistance results back yet,” Ava replied. The two now were speaking abruptly, one after the other. Neither of them wanted to back down. Ava just wasn’t intimidated by Hollis’s reputation.

  “Ms. Rodriguez, I am the doctor here and I am pretty sure of what I am doing. There is a reason I head this department.

  Thank you for your input. You may leave,” Hollis said, trying to end the conversation.

  “Okay, Doctor, but diseases don’t care what degree you have and what departments you head. All you need to be is right, and sure of yourself, and then you can save a person’s life. That is all that matters.” Ava was relentless. She turned quickly and left the room, leaving Hollis perplexed and astonished.

  What a beautiful, yet infuriating paramedic. Who on earth does she think she is, swanning in here with her dangerous curves and deep black eyes, telling me how to treat a patient? Hollis thought.

  6

  R ebecca Miller, M.D., Chief Medical O cer, the famous nameplate read, as Hollis and Ava entered her o ce.

  “So, both of you think you are right, but no one has any evidence or proof?” Rebecca asked them, as they sat down on the chairs in front of Rebecca’s desk.

  “Actually, Doctor, the proof supports both our theories,”

  Hollis explained. “And the treatments worked, too. She was on both—Prednisone and broad-spectrum antibiotics. She did improve for some time, but now her LFT are through the roof,” she explained, as Ava nodded beside her.

  “If one organ improves and then another one fails, that isn’t really improvement,” Rebecca told them. “Whatever she has, you two need to work together and sort it out, and quickly. I don’t want another lawsuit,” Rebecca said firmly, giving the two women a look that said, “fix it or else.”

  “She’s only a bloody paramedic,” Hollis said to Rebecca, momentarily distracted by the curve of Ava’s ass that was visible where her EMT outfit clung to her body.

  “She’s an incredibly experienced medic,” Rebecca said, shutting Hollis down with a dangerous look.

  “But Dr. Miller,” said Ava, “I don’t have the time to collaborate. I have emergency calls to cover and fire duties,

  too.”

  “Look, Ava—you two have the theories that fit. Both of you seem to be partially correct, or else completely wrong.

  Whatever it is, I need it figured out soon. Ava, you will be working with Dr. Roman on this case, so I’m removing you from your other duties in the meantime. Solve this, and you can go back to the paramedic team,” Rebecca finished.

  Who on earth did this tough army doctor with the big strong shoulders and intimidating face think she was? Ava thought to herself.

  “YOU HEARD WHAT HAPPENED?” Katherine asked, sounding more excited than usual as she chatted to Sophia over lunch at their usual table. “Your darling, Dr. Roman, got shot down by a paramedic. I can’t believe you missed it!” Katherine continued with a snort, before waiting for Sophia to answer.

  “These things are exaggerated. They always are,” said Sophia. “That’s hospital gossip for you. Anyway, Ava Rodriguez isn’t just any paramedic. She is legendary,”

  Sophia added, with a glare at Katherine.

  “I am just glad it happened. Rodriguez has more guts than all the other doctors at Forest Vale. I think they are scared of Roman, so they suck up to her. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t get along with anyone. All they do is make nice or cower,” Katherine said, as she took a sip of her orange juice.

  “I am right here!” Sophie said, smirking at the obvious taunt.

  “No, I am serious. I wish I had seen her face when Rodriguez started in on her,” Katherine began, her voice void of any humor. “You know what she calls us surgeons?

  Butchers! She says that we are too dumb to figure stu out,

  so we just cut out whatever we are told to,” Katherine’s rant continued.

  “Yes, she is a little smug, but that doesn’t make her any less brilliant,” Sophia said, defending her idol.

  “Did you know we are all taking bets on who will save this patient, Rodriguez or Roman? I’m on Rodriguez. Obviously. I always had a little crush on Rodriguez,” Katherine admitted.

  Sophia laughed. “Oh, sure you did! Such a shame you had to go and fall in love with an intern when you had all these years to hit on Rodriguez if you had wanted to. I’m betting on Dr. Roman. Obviously,” Sophia said, smirking.

  “Oh shoot! I have to go. We will continue this debate later, fangirl,” Katherine said, as her pager beeped.

  “ANY NEWS ON OUR PATIENT?” Hollis asked, as she entered the ward. Ava and Sophia left the patient to join Hollis and the residents in the o ce.

  “It’s the same old story. This time, it’s her heart. She was hypoxic and the echo showed systolic dysfunction, but luckily the chest is clear,” Ava explained. Ava wasn’t a medical graduate, but she definitely knew what she was talking about. “Also, her kidneys are improving. The creatinine is approaching normal values and there is no oliguria,” Ava went on.

  Sophia looked on with respect because of Ava’s knowledge.

  And although she didn’t say anything, Hollis was also impressed with Ava’s command of the situation. “So we fixed her kidneys, but now her heart isn’t pumping as well as it should and we still have no idea why?” Hollis asked.

  Ava nodded. “Yes, Dr. Roman. Tons of things fit with what we understand, but we don’t have a diagnosis so far.”

  Ava’s dark eyes showed concern.

  “We have to act fast,” said Hollis. “At this rate, she’ll be dead soon, and then the only answers we’ll have will come from the autopsy.” Hollis sounded determined.

  “But what if both of you are right in part, but still wrong overall?” Sophia, who had been listening quietly, suddenly intervened. Silence followed, as if no one expected this to have come out of her mouth—not even Sophia.

  “Sorry, Doctor, she is just an intern,” one of the resident doctors apologized awkwardly, throwing a menacing look at Sophia. Probably because he didn’t want to be Dr. Roman’s next target.

  “Let her speak,” Hollis ordered rather loudly, and everyone turned their attention to Sophia, who stood her ground under all the stares. This was her chance to prove herself to Dr. Roman. The rest of the people could go to hell, for all she cared. Sophia was capable and she knew it, plus she felt emboldened by Hollis’s support.

  Sophia cleared her throat and began,“I mean, what if she isn’t really ill and is just making up all these symptoms?”

  Sophia thought back to what she had studied about the peculiar illness.

  “So you mean to say she has Munchausen Syndrome?”

  Hollis inquired.

  “Yes,” Sophia a rmed with a curt nod.

  “It is pretty rare, plus she can’t just fake this myriad of symptoms. Multiple organs are involved,” Ava interjected.

  “Exactly!” Hollis agreed.

  “The symptoms are real, but they are all self-imposed,”

  Sophia said, defending her argument. “Maybe she is messing up all the drugs we give her, creating side-e ects,” she continued.

  “For that, she’ll have to be either a nurse or another healthcare worker. A layman could not do this with such

  precision,” Hollis argued, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “We don’t have any past data on her. She just moved to this state. Patients like these use gaps in data to their advantage,” Sophia pressed, cautiously.

  “Yes. All her symptoms and labs reach a plateau and then improve, but nothing actually fits. Dr. Wells could be right.

  For all we know, she could be a healthcare worker,” Ava said, defending Sophia’s stance. “But there is no test for Munchausen, except psychiatric history, and we don’t have that.”

  “Yes, but we can test your theory, Dr. Wells. Just check what we gave the patient last night and match it to her symptoms,” Hollis ordered Sophia. Sophia grabbed her chart and had a quick scan of the previous night’s meds.

  “The patient was given Verapamil. A higher-than-normal dose of it can cause the cardiotoxicity that she has,” Sophia returned, speaking triumphantly. The people in the room started a hushed chatter.

  “Stop all the drugs and refer her to Psychiatry,” Hollis ordered, as Ava and Sophia gave each other a high five. Hollis looked again at Ava, this ballsy paramedic with her breasts straining against the fabric of her shirt and her long wavy dark hair that was an absolute mess. Ava hadn’t been wrong.

  She had stood by her belief and Hollis respected that.

  “I’m back to paramedic life, then. A pleasure working with you, Dr. Roman,” Ava said, smiling boldly. Hollis nodded, curtly. But her eyes were on Ava’s round ass as Ava turned and walked away.

  7

  “Hello, my lovelies!” Karen's voice rang out, as she entered the house. Putting her coat on the coatrack and taking o her shoes, she made it to the lounge where Hollis and Vivienne sat, watching TV.

  “Hello, ex-wife,” Hollis replied with a small smile.

  “Hi Karen!” Vivienne was used to calling Karen by her first name, despite the fact that Karen was her birth mom.

  Vivienne ran toward Karen and the woman enveloped her daughter in a tight hug.

  “Hi baby! How is my beautiful girl?” Karen asked Vivienne as they sat on the sofa, side by side. Karen held both of Vivienne’s hands in her lap.

  “I’m good. How are you? You’ve been visiting less,”

  Vivienne said, her voice hinting at her sadness.

  Karen put her arm around Vivienne, pulling her close.

  “It’s been tough these past few weeks, sweetheart. Lots of work piled up and it just got really busy. But I’m here now!”

  she said with a smile as Vivienne nodded, a sad smile on her face.

  Karen was still serving in the army. She was a Major in the U.S AMEDD and had been performing her duties in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

  Karen turned to Hollis and asked, “How have you been?

  And how come you two are home, together? At the same time, and on a weekday?”

  “Well, I had a day o and Vivienne was feeling a little queasy, so I thought she could take the day o school and get some rest,” Hollis explained.

  Vivienne got up and climbed up the stairs to her room, knowing her parents needed some time alone to talk. Not before giving Karen another hug, though, even as she started scrolling on her phone–which was probably Vivienne’s alternative to any real human connection.

  “What is up with her? Is she all right?” Karen asked. She couldn’t help but notice her daughter’s behavior.

  “Yeah. Same as usual–detached,” Hollis replied, looking toward the staircase where Vivienne had just been.

  “She still hasn’t opened up?” Karen inquired, with a frown on her beautiful face. Hollis shook her head and sighed. Karen's frown deepened and she looked toward Vivienne’s room before turning back to Hollis.

  Karen looked so much like Vivienne, with her glossy chestnut hair and hazel eyes. Karen had never looked her age and was still so beautiful, Hollis noticed. Karen sat on the sofa, legs crossed, the navy blue midi dress hugging her curves perfectly.

  Hollis still felt a stir between her legs when she looked at Karen, but their relationship had been a nightmare. They had fought all the time. But since they divorced, their relationship as co-parents and friends had been so much better. Now Karen could pursue everything she had wanted in the army and in her career, but without the guilt of being a terrible wife and mother because of it. It turned out that Karen was a much nicer person when she had complete freedom.

  “So how are things at work? The new hospital treating you right? How is Forest Vale?” Karen asked, as she helped herself to a glass of red wine and, without asking, poured one for Hollis.

  “Well, yes. It’s less hectic. I can finally find some time for myself, and apparently the paramedics there know more than the doctors,” Hollis said with a dry smile. For some reason, Ava Rodriguez was still on her mind.

  “Oh really? What’s the story?” Karen asked, surprised. So Hollis narrated the incident.

  “Oh just admit it,” Karen said. “You are growing old now.

  You are past your best,” Karen said, laughing at Hollis’s annoyed expression.

  “I am not. And actually, we were both right!” Hollis exclaimed, taking a sip of her wine. Ava’s tight shirt and pants were still on her mind. Ava should wear a bigger size.

  She shouldn’t be allowed to go around the hospital looking like that. Ava looked like she shouldn’t be a real paramedic—

  like at any moment it would become clear that she was a stripper, just wearing the outfit. Ava’s full lips stuck in Hollis’s mind, her blazing dark eyes like pools of passion that Hollis could get lost in. She shook her head to pull herself back to reality.

  “Do you think it’s our fault that Vivienne has become like this?” Hollis asked, diverting the topic. She raised her wine glass and twirled it slightly, watching the fluid move.

  “No, I think she just doesn’t like either of us enough,”

  Karen said, chuckling. Hollis allowed a small smile to slip across her face.

  “But yeah, I wish she liked her moms and got along better with us. Maybe our arguments and breakup had more of an e ect on her than we thought. Vivienne’s still just a kid. And with our hectic jobs, it must be hard on her,” Karen said, and sighed.

  “I guess we do our best,” said Hollis. “It definitely isn’t for lack of trying. Maybe it’s just our approach that’s the problem.” Hollis stared at the co ee table, deep in thought.

  “Anyway, how long are you in Forest Vale?” she asked, turning her attention back to Karen.

  “Well, not long. Just tomorrow. I have work,” Karen replied.

  “Well then, we could give Vivienne a day she would never forget,” Hollis began as Karen stared at her, perplexed.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “There’s an amusement park about forty miles from here.

  Vivienne’s been talking about it a lot lately. I think some carnival is taking place. Why don’t we take her there, together?” Hollis suggested.

  A wide smile swept over Karen’s face. “That’s an amazing idea! Your icy heart has melted, I see.” Karen teased Hollis with a wink, to which Hollis shook her head.

  “Vivi, baby! Come down here for a second.” Hollis called out.Vivienne’s footsteps sounded as she descended the stairs, more like a bear than a gazelle.“Yes, mom?” she asked.

  “We’ve got a surprise for you!” Karen said, excitedly.

  Vivienne’s expression lifted in anticipation.

  “How would you like to go to that amusement park with both of us tomorrow?” Hollis asked, her green eyes sparkling.

  Vivienne’s whole face lit up, as she smiled in a way that neither Karen nor Hollis had seen in years.