Mateo walked out of the hospital board room and leaned against the door. The atmosphere in there had been stifling. He had told the absolute truth, describing details that the board hadn’t even been aware of. That certainly hadn’t helped his case.
He shook his head and fished his phone from his pocket. There were no new messages. Mateo tapped his thumb against the screen. Had Jamal gotten to Abigail? Was she safe?
He lifted his finger to dial his friend’s number when the main door to the lobby crashed open, the metal knob bouncing against the wall.
“Mattie!” His mother cried. Mateo lifted his head to find his mother, Parker, Nick and Abigail descending like a crowd of defensive warriors. He opened his arms to receive Abby as she flung herself against him.
“You jerk! Why didn’t you tell me you were in such big trouble because of Paul?” Abby demanded.
His mother pulled up to Abigail’s side. Her gaze skimmed his entire face as if searching for signs of distress. “Baby, what happened? What did they say? Are they going to make a big stink about this?”
“You told her?” Mateo arched an eyebrow at Parker.
“I thought she should know.”
“Of course I should know!” Ida swatted his arm.
“Have they come to a decision?” Nick asked.
“They’re deliberating right now.”
“Mateo, I’m so sorry,” Abigail said.
“Hey,” he clutched her arm, “this isn’t anyone’s fault but mine. I’m more worried about you. Is everything okay?” She looked down, her hand going straight to her neck and Mateo grew suspicious. “Abigail?”
“Doctor Lee! Doctor Hernandez!” A nurse burst through the doors. “It’s Judy Roscoe. She’s in cardiac arrest.”
Mateo’s mind buzzed as he took a step forward. They had always been careful of the drugs they prescribed to Judy because of her addictions. On the other hand, total avoidance of drugs could lead to further complications for Judy.
“Elaine, bring the defibrillator. Stat!” He took another step before realizing that he was on thin ice with the disciplinary committee. “What are you doing?” Abigail nudged him. “Go!” “I can’t,” he said, looking at the door.
“Mateo,” Nick stared at him.
He fisted his hands. Going downstairs would mean alienating himself further from the committee, but in this moment all that mattered was saving a life. Mateo kicked into action and raced down the stairs.
At once, Judy’s mom appealed to him. “We weren’t trying to hurt her!”
“What happened?” he asked as Nick climbed on the bed and started CPR.
“We tried to keep her locked in her room. Just until she got better,” the mother explained. “When I came in this morning to give her breakfast she was fine. I went back in for lunch and she was like this!”
Mateo nodded and glanced at Nick. “It’s cardiac arrest due to withdrawal.”
“Here,” he offered the defibrillator pads, and turned to the parents. “I need everybody to clear out!” The nurses helped to keep the order as Mateo desperately fought to save Judy’s life.
“Come on, come on,” he muttered as the heart monitor continued to spazz. “Come on, Judy!” He placed the pads. “Clear!” The shock racked her body. “Judy, you have too much to live for, do you understand?”
“Mateo…” Nick muttered, but Mateo ignored him and tried one last time.
“Clear!” The heart monitor beeped a steady rhythm and nurses held their chests and smiled. Mateo wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced up to find the president standing just outside the ICU.
“Doctor Hernandez,” he said gruffly.
“I’ll take it from here,” Parker assured.
Mateo nodded and followed the stately man back to the boardroom. The twelve men seated around the large mahogany table appraised him with expressionless glances. Mateo wiped his palms against his lab coat and took his place at the front of the room.
“Before we deliver our verdict, do you have any last words, Doctor Hernandez?” The president inquired, taking his chair.
“I do,” Mateo said. “Most of you only know me as Doctor Park’s son, but before I met Ida and Parker, I was a thug just like the kid I saved. My biological mother left me and my brother with an aunt when I was thirteen. Our aunt lived with us for a year and a half and then she started disappearing for weeks at a time. She was a drug addict and there was barely food in the house. I had Santi to take care of, but I was barely fifteen. My little brother didn’t complain. Not once. But it was hard for him. I was desperate so I started stealing, hustling for every dollar I could find.”
“Doctor, how is this relevant?”
“Many of you in here grew up with parents that took care of you. You could go to school without worrying about bills or where your next meal would come from. The people in my old neighborhood struggle to make it every day. We survive by helping each other out. That’s where I come from.”
“Is that your excuse, Doctor?”
“No,” Mateo shook his head. “It’s my code. If you’ve decided to penalize me for using my medical knowledge outside of a hospital then I can’t deny that I’m in the wrong. But if you’re penalizing me for seeing someone in need and using my abilities to save them, then it’s a punishment that I will receive proudly.”
“Calm down, Doctor Hernandez,” President Turner waved his hands, “even before your impassioned speech, the board decided to give you a week’s unpaid leave instead of dismissal.”
“Really?”
“This week we’ll investigate to be sure you did not receive bribes or exchanged illegal prescriptions with these… people after which you may resume your duty.”
“So, I’m still in?”
“Medical care may be a business,” President Turner stood, “but as far as I understand it, this hospital doesn’t punish its doctors for saving lives. Good day, Doctor Hernandez.”
Mateo held his chest and exhaled. A huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders and as the room cleared out, he felt like shouting for joy.
As soon as the last member of the board left, the door burst open and his mother popped through. “I got the sense that things went well?” she clasped her brown hands together. “What happened?”
“They gave me a suspension so they can investigate, but I can come back when my name is cleared.” “Honey! That’s great!” His mother threw her arms around him.
Mateo squeezed her shoulder and then glanced around the empty room. “Where’s Abby?”
“She went to visit her father,” Ida said. “Right. She told me to text her when you were out.”
“It’s okay,” Mateo stopped her. “I’ll go see how she’s doing.”
“By the way, Parker said to let you know that Judy is stable.”
“That’s great,” Mateo smiled. “I hope this time, she’ll comply with our counselor to get the help she needs.”
“Now that you have a week off, come by the house and don’t bother Abigail in that bungalow or I’m coming for you.” “Yes, ma’am.” Mateo kissed his mother on the cheek and sauntered to the Recovery Unit in search of his girlfriend.
The door to Robert Palacio’s room was slightly ajar and he heard the mutters of conversation coming from within. Mateo pushed the door open and walked inside.
“You’re just in time,” Robert Palacio said, his face grim.
“In time for what?” Mateo sensed the heaviness in the air and touched Abigail’s shoulder. She turned to him, tears sparkling in her eyes. Mateo whirled on Robert. “What did you say to her?”
“Just the truth,” Robert said, folding his arms over his chest and lifting his chin. “Abigail has more than proven that she’s ready to know what kind of woman her mother was.”
“Abigail…” Mateo gripped her wrist. “Honey, look at me.”
Robert laughed. “Perhaps Paul dodged a bullet. Her mother betrayed me when we were married. Obviously, her daughter inherited the same.”
Mateo stalked forward. He had just been granted a one-week leave so if he pummeled a patient, he wouldn’t be penalized as a doctor.
Abigail caught his arm and tugged. He could easily overpower her, but Mateo chose to back down.
“You watch your mouth,” he warned.
“Or you’ll have your thugs chase me out of the country like they did to Paul?”
“What?”
“He called me just before boarding his flight.” Robert shook his head. “My last life line. Ran like a little girl. I have nothing now.” Mateo saw Abigail wince and steered her toward the door.
“Don’t send your little friends after me, Doctor,” Robert grunted. “I’m leaving as soon as they clear me from this hospital.” “What? Leaving where?” Abigail turned and took a step toward her father.
“I’ll have to fight the board on my own and that means meeting them where they are. Not that it’s any of your concern.”
“Dad—”
“I am not your father!” Robert yelled. “Don’t you understand, girl? Your mother had an affair with some other man. Your last name is all that I’m giving you. You’re on your own now.”
“Come on, Abby,” Mateo muttered, sending a dark look at Robert. The man settled into his hospital bed, looking smug and satisfied.
Abigail ducked her head and followed him out the door.