They Know The End

Dr. Flora

About an hour earlier. . .

"You know what, Flor?" Ezra said evenly as she and Stephen worked on the boy he called Russell. "I'm not surprised that you're finding another man to have oral sex with."

She slammed her fist on the foam in annoyance. "You're not helping, Ez."

"Wait, finding another man. . ." Stephen muttered. "You've made out with other men before?!"

"And women, yeah." She rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time, okay? We need to clean his wounds and bandage them up."

He nodded. "These injuries aren't severe. But. . .his broken nose and jaw will take time to recover." He looked at Ezra, who was standing by the door of the apartment. "It's good that you found him on time."

They both worked silently, cleaning the wounds with cotton and dressing them in gauze. After about ten minutes, she stood up, satisfied.

"That's all we can do for you," she said, talking to Ezra. "After some good sleep, he'll feel significantly better."

"Thank you," he replied, rather indifferently.

For a while, it was silent. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find any words to say.

"I have to get going now," Ezra mumbled. He yawned. "So sleepy."

"You can stay in my place if you want," Stephen offered.

"Nah. It would be too awkward." He glared at her. Then, he opened the door of the apartment. He turned to her. "By the way, say hi to your husband for me. I'm sure he misses you a lot."

Before she could retort, he already disappeared. She faced Stephen, who was fuming.

"You have a husband?!" he exclaimed, his voice booming. She swore that his voice made the building shake.

She sighed. It always ended up like this. Her flings would find out that she was married and had a son and then they'd leave her. Usually, it would escalate into an argument, but now it was just tiring her out.

"Yeah," she admitted. "Well, I have to go see them now."

Stephen didn't stop her. She knew he had a lot to think about. And him seeing her would not do him any good.

So, she just left.

On her way down, she considering switching hospitals. They both couldn't bear to see each other, so might as well get out of his sight.

She can ask her son for help in writing a resignation letter.

-

2:34 am

She was already going home when her husband texted him.

-

Wade Payo
flor, you should head home

Wade Payo
it's important

Wade Payo
it's about matt

Wade Payo
he's dying today

Wade Payo
excuse yourself from the er or something. for this family, please.

-

Before the shock could register, she swerved a hard right, nearly colliding with a car going in the opposite direction.

Her son was dying today. She suppressed the urge to stop and break down. She wanted to just stop and let the cars behind kill her.

But she knew she couldn't do that. Death-Cast didn't call her today. It was like she was forced to live until the higher-ups gave her the sign not to.

Deep down, she felt like a shitty person. All this time, what she felt for Matt was indifference. She didn't care what he did or done, because, well, she was always busy with something else. the only time she became motherly was on his sixteenth birthday, two years ago.

"You're essentially an adult now," she had said. "Go and experience the world for yourself. As parents, we shouldn't be there to stop you, but to help and encourage you in the right direction. Still, don't get drunk, ever. It leads up to terrible shit."

Now she felt even shittier. Those were the same words her mother had said to her. She felt guilty for reusing the same old speech. She wished she could add something new, a little legacy to impart to him.

But what was she thinking? He shouldn't  be like her. She was a terrible person.

And he was dying today.

Oh God, he was dying today.

She pressed her foot down harder on the acceleration pad. Anything could happen within the few minutes she was going home. She needed to get there fast.

Besides, she still needed his help for the resignation letter.