Her movements were controlled and deliberate, not chaotic or random.
“Hypoxia, limited window, lower temperature, gain time,” she whispered to herself.
The doctor stared at her, confused and unsettled.
“That is not part of our protocol,” he said firmly.
Nora finally looked at him.
“And declaring him dead in less than five minutes is acceptable to you?” she replied.
The words struck everyone in the room.
A young nurse blinked while a resident lowered his eyes quietly.
Everyone knew that something had gone wrong during the delivery.
Lillian moved her lips weakly from the bed.
“Jonathan,” she whispered.
He stood slowly and moved closer to her, but his attention never left Nora.
Nora continued working as she pressed on the baby’s chest and adjusted his head position.
She cleared the airway again using a small device from a tray.
A senior nurse tried to stop her.
“Do not touch that equipment,” the nurse warned.
“Then you do it correctly,” Nora replied with rising anger.
Silence filled the room again.
Then something changed inside the doctor.
His anger faded into uncertainty as he looked at the inactive monitor and then at the baby.
He looked back at Nora as if trying to understand her.