Goodbye, Mom

Dad begged me. "This is all the money we have. Take it. Please save your mom's life. I don't want anything else. After she's out of the hospital, our house will be yours. We'll leave this place. We won't cause you any more trouble. Please, save her! She's your mother!"

I swatted his cards away and replied coldly, "Sorry, but this is a hospital. We have rules here. I can't operate on family. Don't waste my time."

The argument had drawn a crowd of onlookers.

Ethan's chest was shaking with anger as he slapped me hard across the face.

"Rosie Mitchell! All that education, and for what? The person lying there is your mother! If you don't help her, she'll die! Do you understand that?"

Dad's eyes grew dull with disappointment. He pointed at my nose and angrily yelled, "You're our only daughter! We worked ourselves to the bone to send you to school. We're not asking you to support us in our old age. But now, you can't even fulfill the responsibility of saving a life?

"When you were young, no one was there to take care of you, so your mom had to carry you while working. She was fired from five different jobs because of that! When you were in school, she'd get up at the crack of dawn, even in the freezing winter, just to make you breakfast.

"Rain or shine, she'd never let you walk home alone, and this is how you repay her? You're worse than an animal!"

I rubbed my ears in frustration.

"Are you done? Was I the one who made her do all that? She did it because she wanted to! Her illness is a genetic issue. If death wants her, there's nothing I can do. I'm a doctor, not a god.

"If you have the time to argue with me here, you'd be better off preparing for her funeral so you're not scrambling when she's gone."

Dad suddenly gasped for air and collapsed straight to the ground.

Ethan caught him just in time, but he didn't stop yelling at me.

"Your mom did all that because she loved you. She would give her life for you without hesitation, and this is how you talk about her? Mark my words, Rosie Mitchell! Karma will catch up to you."

As the crowd around us grew, I rolled my eyes.

"You're not the one about to die, so why are you all so anxious? I know she's my mother. Maybe you should ask her if she'd want me to break the rules."

I turned and pretended to ask into the ward.

Mom was still unconscious, so naturally, she didn't respond.

I spread my hands and said, "See? Even Mom doesn't want me breaking the rules."

Ethan's eyes were bloodshot as he screamed at me, "Are you insane? How is she supposed to answer you when she's like this? I'm telling you now. Either you save her, or we're getting a divorce! You won't get a single penny from me!"

I didn't even look up. I just continued texting on my phone.

"Where the heck is the kidney? Isn't it here yet? The patient's in the OR waiting for a transplant!"

As soon as I sent the message, the kidney arrived in front of me.

The family of the patient in the operating room followed closely behind. Their faces were filled with hesitation.

"Dr. Mitchell, maybe we should let your mom have the kidney. She's in worse condition than my son. He can last another two months."

Dad's and Ethan's eyes lit up at the suggestion. But a second later, I shook my head, rejecting her offer.

"They're all patients in the hospital. I won't play favorites. Don't worry. Every life matters equally."

Dad suddenly slapped his head, and blood poured down his face. "What have I done? How did I raise such a heartless daughter?"