Next Station

Continuation of Chapter 4 Part 2

Hospital, Emergency Room



The emergency room was filled with anxiety and chaos. Dr. Sardar and Maral were quickly running down the corridor while nurses and other hospital staff hurriedly moved around. Dr. Sardar's face was serious and worried as they made their way toward the emergency room, reaching the bedside of the young boy. The situation of the teenage boy, who had suddenly experienced chest pain and breathing difficulty, was deteriorating rapidly.

Kaan had learned about the critical condition of the boy through his secretary. The boy's father was in Ankara and couldn't be present with his family at the moment. His father was an employee of Kaan's company and had been on a work assignment in Ankara. The boy's mother, with tear-filled eyes and a worried expression, stood in a corner, watching her son's condition with tears and anxiety.

The boy's mother, with a trembling and broken voice, said, "He was fine... suddenly his chest started hurting, and he couldn't breathe..."

The nurse, who was measuring the boy's blood pressure, calmly said, "Doctor, it's 145 over 280."

Dr. Sardar, looking worried, said to the nurse, "Should we head to the operating room?"

Maral, with a serious and concerned expression, replied, "Doctor, we need to take an X-ray."

Dr. Sardar, with a saddened expression, said, "It's likely that methamphetamine has caused damage to the arteries and blood vessels, increasing the risk of a heart attack and aneurysm." He then instructed the nurse, "Bring a stretcher..."

The nurse quickly left and came back saying, "There's no stretcher available."

Kaan, completely focused on the boy's condition and hearing the nurse's words, immediately took the boy in his arms and ran toward the operating room. Maral quickly followed him.

Kaan carried the boy to the operating room door. They quickly took the stretcher, and the medical team rushed the boy into the operating room. The boy's mother, trembling and with eyes filled with fear and worry, remained outside the operating room, restless.

Aware of the mother's anxiety and the boy's critical situation, Kaan turned to Maral and asked with concern, "How is he doing?"

Maral, while checking the boy's condition, responded in a worried voice, "I hope they can do something. The blockage may cause the vessel to rupture. It's one of the complications of methamphetamine treatments."

The boy's mother, still in shock and deep worry, sat silently in a corner. Maral gently sat next to her and looked at her distressed face. The mother, breathing heavily with tears streaming down her cheeks, was wringing her hands.

In a calm and reassuring voice, Maral said, "If you're not feeling well, do you need some medicine? Would you like something to eat?"

Kaan, aware of the mother's concern, came closer and quietly asked, "Would you like some coffee?"

The woman remained silent, lost in her thoughts. Maral gently spoke again, "I think you should eat something. "If you want to stay by your son, you need to stay on your feet."

The woman slowly, with a trembling voice, said, "I'm a good mother... I didn't neglect him. I don't want you to think I failed when my son used drugs..."

Maral, with a calm and supportive tone, said, "I'm not thinking about anything specific. It's natural to be scared."

The mother, with her hand on her forehead, sighed and said, "He was a healthy and happy boy... I don't know what made him do this."

Maral, with a compassionate and calm look, said, "At this age, it could just be curiosity... The struggles of teenagers are complicated. Sometimes emotional pressure and the world around them can lead to such things."

The mother, still sitting and wringing her hands, appeared stunned and helpless. A silence fell between Maral and the mother, while both were lost in their thoughts and feelings. The atmosphere in the room was filled with stress and worry, and neither knew what would happen next.

Kaan stood by the window, his face clearly showing signs of worry and anxiety. Maral slowly approached him and asked, "Do you know this boy?"

Kaan didn't take his eyes off the street outside as he answered, "He's the son of one of my employees. His father is away on a work assignment for the company."

Maral nodded. "I see. I hope he'll be okay."

Kaan's tone became more serious, and his eyes filled with concern as he replied, "He has to be okay. He's still just a kid. Can you check on his condition for me?"

Maral replied, "I understand how you feel, but let the medical and surgical teams do their work."

Kaan looked at her, a gaze that seemed to silently plead, "Go and bring me news." Maral hesitated for a moment, then walked into the operating room and headed toward the medical team to get an update on the boy's condition.

An hour passed before Maral stepped out of the operating room. She removed her mask and walked toward Kaan. The boy's mother rushed over to them as well.

Maral looked at Kaan and said,

"He held on well — the boy you mentioned. I hope he can keep fighting from here on."

She paused for a moment, then added in a more formal tone,

"I'm not allowed to share any details. His doctor will be here shortly to update you on his condition."

Without saying a word, Maral headed to the hospital café. She returned a few minutes later with two cups of coffee. Handing them to Kaan and the boy's mother, she quietly took a seat beside the woman in the waiting area.

Her eyes were fixed on the closed doors of the operating room, waiting for the doctor to come out and update them on the boy's condition.

At last, Dr. Serdar and the cardiac surgeon stepped out of the operating room. The boy's mother rushed toward them, and Kaan quickly followed.

With a calming smile, the doctor said,

"Fortunately, the surgery was a success."

The mother broke into tears of joy, wrapped her arms around Kaan, and continued crying on his shoulders.

The surgeon added,

"The operation went well, but the post-op care is crucial."

Then, glancing toward Maral, he said,

"I'm entrusting that part to the hospital's best medical intern."

Kaan turned, and his eyes met Maral's.

There was something quietly powerful in her expression — calm, humble, and full of quiet confidence.

The boy lay still in the ICU bed. The machines hummed softly, the steady rhythm of his pulse echoing in the quiet, controlled breaths — and in the middle of it all stood Maral.

Wearing her white coat, blue gloves, and a focus that lit up her gaze, she leaned over the boy, checking his vitals with quiet precision. Her movements were gentle, measured. She adjusted the IV line with care, placed her hand lightly on his forehead, and every time she turned to jot down a note, it was as if even the silence made room for her.

Kaan stood behind the glass. At a distance — yet it felt like nothing was truly separating them.

How is this possible? He wondered. How can she still hold my gaze like this? I swore I wouldn't see her again, wouldn't step back into her world... and yet, here I am, standing like a man with no past, no promises — just a heart full of longing.

It was a strange kind of ache... a silent, relentless battle within him.

Part of him screamed; another part buried the sound.

There she was — closer than ever, and somehow more distant than she'd ever been.

Why does seeing her still shake me like this? Why can't I control myself the way I used to?

Kaan — the man known for keeping his emotions in check, for mastering his reactions — was now trapped in a fight he hadn't prepared for.

A feeling he could neither deny... nor accept.

Maral leaned over again to check the boy's pulse. At that instant, Kaan lowered his eyes.

Not out of shame. I don't even regret it.

But out of fear — fear of what his own heart might do next.

Fear that if he stayed a moment longer, every promise he made to himself would begin to crumble, one by one.