Drew's pager beeped, and the display screen showed the number for Alyssa's room. Thank goodness I'm between patients. He ducked in quickly. “What did you need, Alyssa?”
Through trembling lips, she spoke, her voice so soft he could hardly hear it. “My grandma just called. My dad's… dying. I need to get there quickly. What can I do?”
Oh, dear Lord. “Let me work on it.” He hugged her and walked out, finding Dr. Jimenez as quickly as he could. “I need to take Alyssa out of the hospital for a while,” he told the dark-haired doctor without preamble, the moment he cornered her outside Room 307.
“It's too soon. She can't go,” his colleague retorted. “You know that.”
“Rosie, her dad is about to die. She has to go, to say goodbye.”
Rosie wilted. “Damn. She really needs to stay. What if she exac
