Hard Work

Reno Schneeberg pushed open the heavy glass doors of the hospital, immediately enveloped by the warm, clinical air of the lobby. The hum of activity was already palpable, with patients, nurses, and other medical staff moving through the room. He walked quickly towards the elevators, the soles of his shoes squeaking faintly against the polished floor. The glow of fluorescent lights overhead was harsh but familiar, a constant in the ever-changing world of the hospital.

Inside the elevator, Reno checked his wristwatch: He had fifteen minutes before the morning briefing. This exact moment always reminded him of something. He remembered the first day he had started working here. His heart had raced slightly, a mix of excitement and nervous energy. It had been the start of his journey into the world of neurosurgery, a path he had dreamed of since his second year in medical school.

As he swelled in those memories for only a little more, the doors slid open on the neurosurgery floor, and Reno stepped out, greeted by the controlled chaos of the nurse's station. Monitors beeped rhythmically, and the low murmur of voices filled the air. He nodded at Clara, a night shift nurse, who would work the same shift as him today, and handed him a steaming cup of coffee. He had only had the bagel but no coffee. The prices for those were way too expensive for his taste at the bakery he usually went to.

"Morning, Dr. Schneeberg," she said, her voice warm despite her exhausted eyes caused by many already finished 24 hour shifts in the past.

"Morning, Clara. Ready for today?"

"Of course," she replied with a light smile.

Reno took a sip of the coffee, appreciating its bitter strength, and made his way to the conference room. As he entered, he saw Dr. Marks, the head of the neurosurgery department, already at the head of the table, flipping through patient charts. A few of his fellow trainees were seated around the table, their faces a blend of anticipation, fatigue, and determination.

"Good morning, everyone," Dr. Marks began, looking up from her notes. "Let's get started. We have a full schedule today."

The briefing covered the patients admitted overnight and the surgeries planned for the day. Reno listened intently, his mind absorbing the details of each case. There was a young woman with a malignant brain tumor, an elderly man with a subdural hematoma, and a middle-aged patient with a spinal cord injury from a car accident. Each case presented its own set of challenges, and Reno felt a mix of eagerness and apprehension as he thought about the role he might play in their care.

After the briefing, Reno followed Dr. Marks and the rest of the team on morning rounds. The halls were bustling, and the fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow over everything. Reno's first patient was Mrs. Thompson, a 62-year-old woman who had undergone surgery for a brain aneurysm the previous day. Dr. Marks quizzed Reno on the symptoms of an aneurysm, the surgical procedure, and post-operative care as they walked.

"She's doing well," Dr. Marks noted after examining Mrs. Thompson. "But we need to keep a close eye on her for any signs of vasospasm."

Reno nodded, taking mental notes. The gravity of his responsibilities weighed heavily on him, but he felt a sense of purpose with every step he took. This was where he belonged.

The morning rounds continued, each patient presenting a unique learning opportunity. By the time they returned to the conference room for a quick debrief, Reno's mind was buzzing with information. He had barely finished his coffee when his pager beeped. It was an emergency in the ER—a young man in his twenties had been brought in with severe head trauma from a motorcycle accident.

Reno hurried to the ER, his heart pounding but his mind calm. He arrived to find Dr. Marks already assessing the patient, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaotic scene around them. The patient, unconscious and with a deep gash on his forehead, was being prepped for an urgent CT scan.

"Reno, you're with me," Dr. Marks said, her voice steady. "We need to determine the extent of the injury and get him to surgery immediately if necessary."

Reno assisted in stabilizing the patient and preparing him for the scan. The minutes felt like hours as they waited for the results. The CT scan revealed a severe epidural hematoma, and the decision was made—emergency surgery was the only option.

In the operating room, the tension was palpable. Reno scrubbed in alongside Dr. Marks, the surgical lights casting a stark white light over the patient. He focused on steadying his hands, recalling every lesson and practice session he had undergone.

"Scalpel," Dr. Marks requested, and Reno handed it to her, watching intently as she made the first incision. The surgery was intricate, every movement precise and calculated. Reno assisted where he could, suctioning blood and keeping the field clear.

"Reno, I need you to monitor his vitals closely," Dr. Marks instructed. "Any sign of instability, and you let me know immediately."

Reno nodded, his eyes fixed on the monitors. The surgery lasted several hours, and by the end, his muscles ached from the tension. But they had managed to remove the hematoma and stabilize the patient. As they closed the incision, Dr. Marks glanced at Reno.

"You did well on this one, as usual," she said.

Reno gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

A mix of accomplishment and satisfaction washed over him but it only lasted for a slight moment. He knew he had done well but he wasn't the one who had saved the patient. It was Dr. Marks. All he had done was assist.

Reno really hoped he would be ready for the day when he would be the one to lead a surgery.

The day continued in a blur of activity. Reno moved from one task to another—reviewing patient charts, attending follow-up rounds, and assisting in more surgeries. Each experience, each patient, added a layer to his growing expertise. But it also revealed the immense responsibility he had taken on.

The sun went down and it turned dark. His work still continued.

It was only in the middle of the night when he was finally able to relax a little. Reno was currently in one of the restrooms as his gaze wandered onto his wristwatch. It was 1:23 a.m. His shift was slowly nearing its end.

With a tired sigh, he let himself fall into one of the chairs, enjoying the silence and quiet of the room.

He didn't know exactly how much time had passed when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching outside in the hallway. His eyes slightly opened as someone pushed the door handle.

Then the figure of a night shift nurse stepped into the room. It was Clara.

"Dr. Schneeberg, sorry to disturb you, but … there seems to be a visitor for you."

Reno raised an eyebrow and his eyes opened completetly.

Him expecting a visitor wasn't so uncommon as sometimes patients he had treated and watched over came back to show their appreciation through presents or something different. But these scenarios rarely occurred, especially for someone in his position, and even more so at a time like this. That's why he was a little confused.

"Who is it?" he asked in a tired voice.

"It's a man. He said his name is Harris Calston. Apparently one of the patients you and Dr. Marks operated on in the past. I have no idea why he is here at such a time."

The name Harris Calston sounded somewhat familiar to Reno, but he couldn't really remember how this patient had looked liked. If he remembered correctly though he had assisted on a lower spine surgery with that man and should probably still be in rehab to properly heal. What made him come here?

Even though he wasn't really in the mood for small talk right now and could get a call any second he was curious. It would also be quite rude to not at least have a short conversation with a former patient who came all the way to meet him.

"Alright, thank you. I'll go see him right now. I'm still on my shift, so we'll have to make it quick."

Together they stepped out of the restroom and strolled along the corridors to the elevators.

After a few minutes, they arrived in the entrance hall where Reno had entered the hospital that morning to start his shift. It was completely different now, quiet, and only a few people were crossing around the room.

Clara pointed toward a figure in a dark suit, its back facing them, seated in the waiting area. Reno's gaze was immediately drawn to the man's dark brown hair. Harris Calston's appearance in the suit kind of reminded him of his dad's, at least from the back. He quickly shook his head to forget the connection.

What he noticed though was that the figure was sitting with a completely straight back and he didn't see any cutches. Had his back healed this quickly?

Reno was getting a little weirded out by the situation, obviously so.

"That's him over there," Clara whispered to him.

Then suddenly she let out a sigh. "And by the way, what I forgot to mention is that he seemingly forgot to bring his wallet so I didn't get any ID from him."

Reno frowned once more at that comment, this time even deeper - but he wasn't mad at clara. When you had to work so many hours, things like that could happen. And this situation right now was rather unfamiliar for her as well.

But even so it made him reach a stage of mind that didn't allow himto just go up to the alledged 'Harris Calston'.

"Clara, I want you to call me one of the security guards. Just to be save. This all seems weird to me."

Clara gave him a quick nod understanding his concern and went behind the reception counter calling someone on a phone. After half a minute passed a security guard appeared from one of the many corridors leading away from the lobby.

He looked around and quickly nodded toward the figure of Reno.

Only then did Reno carefully approach the waiting area. The security guard tailed after him with some distance. 

Reno slowly circled around the man in the suit until he could see his side profile. A dark black beard, similar in color to his, but grown out and well kept, covered almost half of his face. Even so, the man looked kind of familiar to him. Maybe he still remembered Harris Calston's face in some corner of his mind. But that wasn't enough to convince his paranoid nature.

He moved a little closer but not too close and the man soon noticed his approach. His head moved and two brown eyes with an intense gaze focused on his figure. 

Reno came to an abrupt halt.

While the man's quick eyes looked him up and down, Reno's expression was frozen in place as if he had realized something.

Shortly after a familiar voice sounded.

"Renato. Long time no see."