With his conversation with Lisa still playing in his mind, Jack hurried across the ICU until he reached Tess’s room. When he slid the glass door open, he was surprised to see her bed was gone and Mike was nowhere in sight.
“They went down to the operating room about twenty minutes ago,” the nurse said.
Jack looked at his watch. “I thought the C-section wasn’t scheduled until noon.”
“Dr. Douglas called and moved it up. If you’re looking for Mr. Ryan, I’m sure he’s in the OR waiting room.”
Jack started for the door. “I was supposed to meet Dr. Shaw here. Would you please ask her to meet me in the OR waiting room when she gets here?”
“Of course, Dr. Wyatt.”
Fortunately, the operating rooms were on the same floor as the ICU. Two minutes later, Jack approached the waiting room. Through a large glass window, he spotted Mike sitting in an upholstered chair. His eyes were cast downward, blankly staring at the floor. Just at that moment, Madison appeared.
“They just put her to sleep but they haven’t started as yet,” she told Jack. “I told Douglas not to make an incision until he hears from me. He wasn’t happy about it and I don’t think he’s going to wait very long.”
Jack and Madison walked into the waiting room together. When they were a few steps away from where Mike was sitting, he looked up.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked Jack, coming to his feet.
“I had to speak with a patient’s family. How come you didn’t tell me the surgery had been rescheduled?”
“I called you twice. Check your voice mail.”
“I need you to authorize Madison to tell Dr. Douglas to cancel the C-section.”
“What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? We talked about all this last night and decided the best thing—”
Jack waved his hand. “I know we did, but something’s changed. I think we may have found a way to cure Tess. It’s going to sound unconventional, but I’m convinced it’s the only thing that has a real chance of working.”
“I’m…I’m not sure—”
“I’m asking you to trust me, Mike. Please tell Madison she can contact Dr. Douglas and put Tess’s C-section on hold.”
Mike took a hard look first at Jack and then at Madison. He raised his hands and covered his face for a few seconds before dropping them back to his side.
“Okay. Tell them I’d like to hold off on the C-section for right now.”
Jack turned to Madison. “Please tell Douglas it’s of critical importance that he holds off for a few minutes. I’ll come back into the operating room in a few minutes to explain everything, but first I have to speak to Mike.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Madison said, hurrying toward the exit.
With a puzzled grimace, Mike said, “I’m listening.”
In a calm voice, Jack took the next five minutes to explain the basics of his plan. Mike asked no questions. In fact, he didn’t utter a single word until Jack was finished. Finally, he looked at Jack, his face flushed with a mixture of anxiety and disbelief.
“Are you serious?” was all he could manage.
“I said my plan was unconventional.”
“ ‘Unconventional’? Jack, unconventional means straying slightly from the normal path. I’m not a doctor but what you’re suggesting sounds like pure insanity,” Mike said, looking at him as if he had grown a second head right in front of him. He covered his mouth and then tapped his upper lip with his fingertips. “Do you understand what you’re asking me to agree to? You’re not exactly pitching me on some wing-and-a-prayer business deal. We’re talking about Tess’s life here.”
“It I didn’t truly believe this would work, I wouldn’t be proposing it.” Jack blew out a breath and said as calmly as he was able, “I know I’m asking you to take a blind leap of faith, Mike, but I know what I’m doing.”
“But Sinclair is planning on beginning—”
“I couldn’t care less about what Sinclair’s planning,” Jack said, his voice gaining in intensity with each word.
Jack looked over at the door and saw Madison coming toward them. She motioned to him to continue their conversation in one of the small family rooms that adjoined the larger waiting area. After they both had taken a seat on the couch, Jack answered all of Mike’s questions. He felt Mike was able to process the information. Sittting in silence, fiddling with his watchband, he appeared anxious but not on verge of becoming unglued.
“Even though you’re my best friend,” Mike began in a measured voice, “if I were making this decision using only logic, I’d tell you that you were insane and to go shit in your hat. But since that doesn’t appear to be the case, go ahead and do whatever you think will help Tess. I’ll sign the consent.”
“Tess is already asleep but they hadn’t started the C-section. I called Dr. Willwade. She’s been fully briefed and is standing by if we need her.”
For a few moments, Jack tapped his chin with his fingertips. “Please let Dr. Willwade know that Mike’s agreed and that we will require her services as soon as possible.”
“I’ll let her know. She told me if we should decide to go ahead, she’d like to come down and speak with Mike. And in the meantime, I think you and I should go speak with Dr. Douglas. He was somewhat less than pleased about us putting his C-section on hold.”