Page 147 of The Ampersand Effect

“We have two problems. You might want to sit.” Haleigh gestured to the desk chair as she sat in one of the chairs opposite Grier.

Grier sat without logging into her computer. Whatever Haleigh was about to say, it going to require her full attention.

“Jonah was readmitted last night—and it’s bad.” Haleigh’s eyes met hers, and Grier felt the sympathy in the look more than saw it. Her own eyes were already welling, releasing the burning tears she’d been fighting since Tobin’s expression shifted.

“He can’t bear weight. He’s lost at least ten pounds. His lungs are full of fluid, and he’s septic.”

“No.”

Grier swiped at her tears, futilely. She stood, grabbing her lab coat. She had to see him—to evaluate Jonah herself, because surely Haleigh was wrong. Jonah was in remission. He was doing well. This couldn’t be the end of his story. Not like this.

“I need to see him.”

Haleigh intercepted her at the edge of her desk and placed both hands on Grier’s shoulders. They didn’t touch often, and this was entirely too intimate for Grier to handle right now. A sob broke from her throat, and Haleigh pulled her into her chest, holding her while she cried—briefly, because this wasn’t the time or place for a breakdown. She needed to get a grip on her emotions, or she would be no use to Jonah.

“You can’t see him right now,” Haleigh said gently. “He’s in radiology.”

She was still holding her.

Grier forced herself to take a steadying breath, then stepped back away and returned to her chair.

Haleigh grabbed a fresh tissue from the box on her desk and wiped at her cheeks. The gesture was more intimate than anything Grier had experienced with her before, and it fueled the sense of kinship she felt with the other physician. In that moment, she was profoundly grateful for the kindness.

“You said we have two problems,” Grier said quietly. “I don’t think I want to ask what the second one is.” Grier was alreadycertain she knew where this was going, and who the responsible party would be.

“You don’t, but I’m going to tell you anyway,” Haleigh scoffed, irritation sluicing through her voice. That was all the confirmation Grier needed to confirm her suspicions.

“Vanders wants him scheduled for immediate amputation.”

Grier’s head swam, and her vision danced with black dots.Of course he did.

“That’s not even slightly surprising—or helpful, Haleigh! I’m not a surgeon, and even I know his body can’t survive surgery right now. What is he thinking?”

“He’s not,” Haleigh said, voice tight. “And that’s the problem.”

Grier saw the anger and fear on her friend’s face, and for once, knew she was not alone.

“What about Dr. Miles?” she asked, grasping for hope. “He has to have more sense than Vanders.”

Grier practically begged, sending waves of hope into the universe—anything—to protect Jonah and give him a fighting chance.

“Dr. Miles is out sick. Pneumonia.” Haleigh sighed. “I put a call into him, but his wife is gatekeeping everything until he improves.”

“Shit.” Grier’s anxiety climbed as her hope dwindled. She brought her hands into her lap, twirling her fingers in restless circles.

“So, what do we do, Haleigh?”

“We have to stall Vanders until Dr. Miles can be contacted.” Haleigh’s voice was firm. “I’m confident he’ll back us, but Vanders is in charge while he’s out. There are only a few things that can stop him right now.”

“And what are those things?” Grier asked.

She would literally doanythingto buy Jonah some time. To heal. To fight. To live.

“Our most viable approach is through grand rounds—to have the majority votes present place an injunction on the surgery until Dr. Miles can return or Jonah stabilizes,” Haleigh said, her eyes drifting up in thought. “But that would mean overtly petitioning the others. Vanders would be hyper aware of our subterfuge. Which would only make the relationship worse.”

“Fuck him,” Grier hissed under her breath.

“I thought you might feel that way,” Haleigh said dryly. “I’ve already reached out to a few people. They agree with us, but… they’re also terrified of Vanders.” Haleigh leaned forward on her crossed legs, pursing her lips in frustration. “He has the power to ruin a lot of careers in this hospital, and no one is particularly eager to subject their reputations to his wrath.”