Chapter 4 - Trauma Bay Three
The doors of Trauma Bay Three slammed open with a metallic crash.
A team of doctors and nurses swarmed the area like a well-oiled machine, transferring Ava from the EMS stretcher to the high-tech hospital bed amidst a tangle of monitor wires and oxygen tubing.
"Nine-year-old female, acute abdominal crisis, suspected internal trauma and severe localized infection," paramedic Sarah barked crisply to the attending trauma surgeon, a tall, imposing man with piercing gray eyes named Dr. Marcus Vance. "Vitals are unstable, tachycardic, and initial ultrasound at private clinic showed major pelvic fluid collection and internal structural damage."
Dr. Vance didn’t waste a single second on pleasantries. He stepped up to the bedside, his eyes scanning the digital monitors before shifting to Ava’s pale, sweat-slicked face.
"Ava, can you hear me?" Dr. Vance asked, his voice deep and authoritative yet surprisingly gentle. "I'm Dr. Vance. We're going to take care of you, but I need you to be brave for just a few more minutes while we look inside."
He turned to the nursing staff. "Prep her for an emergency exploratory laparotomy right now. Call the pediatric surgical specialists and page Dr. Henderson from pediatric gynecology and trauma forensics immediately."
Trauma forensics.
The word hung in the air like a death sentence. Lauren, standing frozen in the corner of the trauma bay where a nurse had gently guided her to keep her out of the way, felt the floor drop out from beneath her feet.
Forensics. That meant the police. That meant a crime.
"Excuse me," Lauren stepped forward, her voice cracking violently. "Are you saying... what kind of surgery is this? What did you find?"
Dr. Vance turned his head, his expression grim and professional. He looked at Lauren with a deep, sorrowful gravity that confirmed her worst, most agonizing fears before he even spoke a single word.
"Mrs. Hale," Dr. Vance said, walking over to her and lowering his voice so the medical staff could continue working around Ava. "Dr. Bennett transmitted his preliminary ultrasound findings and notes to our secure server before you arrived. Based on the imaging, Ava is suffering from severe, acute internal trauma to her pelvic region, accompanied by advanced infection and tissue damage."
He paused, letting the heavy, brutal reality settle over her.
"This is not a natural condition, nor is it the result of appendicitis or a normal gastrointestinal illness," Dr. Vance continued steadily. "The physical trauma Ava has sustained is consistent with severe abuse. We have already notified the hospital's mandatory child protection liaison and the municipal police department."
The room seemed to spin into a sickening vortex. Lauren grabbed onto a metal instrument cart to keep from collapsing. Her knees buckled, and a suffocating sob tore its way out of her chest—a sound so raw and animalistic that several nurses turned to look at her with profound pity.
Daniel.
The monster wasn't a stranger hiding in a dark alley. He was sleeping in her bed. He was eating breakfast at her kitchen table. He had kissed her forehead on Friday morning before she left for her weekend shifts, wishing her a good time at work while her daughter was left alone with him in that house.
"Where is she going?" Lauren choked out, watching as the medical team began wheeling Ava’s bed toward the heavy double doors leading to the surgical suite.
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"We are taking her straight into surgery to repair the internal damage and stabilize her condition," Dr. Vance said, placing a firm, steadying hand on her arm. "You need to stay here. Social services and the detective in charge are already on their way to speak with you."
Before Lauren could reply, the heavy doors swung shut, sealing Ava away in the sterile sanctuary of the operating room, leaving Lauren alone in the brutal, glaring light of the hallway.
