What would typically be an hour-long drive was forcefully condensed into forty
minutes. Along the way, Jack learned more distressing news⦠Charlotte had
been kidnapped, and Mandy was gravely injured, her fate uncertain.
Jack stumbled his way into the hospital. Perhaps the desperation on his face
was so evident that it drew the attention of many around him.
But at that moment, Jack ignored their gaze. He ran straight to the surgery room, noticing medical staff going in and out.
Jack stopped a nurse and asked, âIs Mandyâ¦?â
Upon hearing Mandyâs name, the nurse looked at him with sympathy. âMiss Swift was shot. While the bullet didnât hit a vital spot, sheâs lost a lot of blood
and has damage to some internal organsâ¦â
The nurse didnât finish her sentence, but Jack had already grasped the
implication.
He took a step back and deeply bowed to the nurse in gratitude.
The nurse was taken aback, quickly sidestepping his gesture. âWhat are you
doing?â
âPlease, do everything you can, at any cost, to save her,â Jack said, looking
intently into the nurseâs eyes. The grief in his gaze made the nurse shudder.
She let out a soft sigh, âDonât worry. Weâll do everything we can to save the
patient. You two wonât be separated like this.â
With that, she rushed into the emergency room, leaving Jack alone outside
the operating room, staring blankly at the door.
From daylight to dusk, Jack seemed immersed in a silent mime. He was deaf
to all the sounds around him, and all his emotions were tied to that door.
The surgery took a long time, almost ten hours, before the exhausted medical
staff emerged.
Jack approached them immediately. The lead surgeon smiled at him. âShe is
safe.â
Jackâs tensed muscles relaxed at that moment, his eyes brimming with tears.
He bowed deeply to the medical team. âThank you allâ¦â
The doctor quickly helped him up. âWe just did our part. Her will to live is very
strong. Sheâs fighting too.â
Jack paused for a moment, then responded with a hoarse voice, âShe⦠Is a
born fighter.â
Not long after the doctors and nurses left, Mandy was wheeled out of the
operating room.
Even though he was mentally prepared, seeing Mandyâs pale and lifeless face
made Jackâs heart wrench painfully.
He had seen Mandy in her many charming moods, had seen her pretending
to be upset, and even witnessed her showing her tough side.
But in each of those instances, Mandy was full of life. Unlike now, she
seemed as if something had drained the energy out of her, like she might slip
away from him any secondâ¦
âLet me do it,â Jack said, taking the mobile bed from the nurse and carefully pushing Mandy toward the ICU.
As he reached the entrance, he wanted to follow her in but was stopped by
the nurse. âAlthough her surgery was successful, the bullet grazed several of
her organs. Sheâs not out of danger yet. Youâll have to wait outside.â
Jack stood by the glass, watching the nurse take Mandy into the room. Even
though they were in the same space, they seemed worlds apart, unable to
reach each other.