The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 236
Floyd laughed heartily. “Of course! At my age, opportunities like this don’t come around often. I have to seize the moment.”
He paused, a thought occurring to him, and turned to Leilani with a more serious expression. “By the way, now that the antidote is ready, I’ve already had Mr. Chilton’s team make preparations. We’ll administer the medication shortly. It’s a good opportunity for you to observe his reaction to the drug.” Leilani nodded. “Understood.”
They discussed the dosage details for a while longer until an assistant knocked to remind them of the time. Floyd closed the file folder, still looking eager, and smiled at Leilani. “Let’s go. Time to see our patient.”
Leilani offered a faint smile and followed him toward Mr. Chilton’s room.
By the time she emerged from the ward, it was nearly evening.
She checked the time and turned to Floyd. “Mr. Dillon, Mr. Chilton’s condition has stabilized for now. I need to head back to Alloy City.”
Floyd, who was organizing the medication records, looked up in surprise. “In such a rush? You won’t stay to observe him overnight?”
Leilani shook her head. “I can’t. I have another patient waiting in Alloy City, and his condition can’t be put on hold either.”
Floyd frowned, his tone laced with concern. “Can your body handle running back and forth like this?”
Leilani smiled. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
Floyd sighed and patted her shoulder. “It’s good for young people to be driven, but don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Don’t worry,” Leilani assured him. “I know my limits.”
She paused before adding, “For the next week, I’ll drive over every morning to check on Mr. Chilton. If
bnormalities after the medication, contact me immediately.”
“I will.”
ve.”
persistence, Floyd didn’t try to persuade her further. “Alright. Drive safe, and text me when
Over the next few days, Leilani’s life settled into a grueling routine.
Every morning, she drove to Brass City to monitor Mr. Chilton’s reaction to the drugs and discuss treatment adjustments with Floyd.
In the afternoon, she returned to Alloy City to perform acupuncture and detoxification treatments for Arnold, then spent her evenings catching up on medical records.
16:15
The non-stop schedule left her with almost no time to rest, but fortunately, both Mr. Chilton and Arnold were showing steady improvement.
Floyd looked at the latest lab report, unable to suppress a grin. “Leilani! Mr. Chilton’s toxin levels have dropped again! At this rate, it won’t be long before he wakes from his coma completely.”
Leilani took the report, scanned it, and the corners of her lips curved upward. “Yes, it’s working even faster than we anticipated.”
Floyd felt a mix of joy and relief. The entire medical team had been working around the clock for nearly six months to treat Mr. Chilton. Now, victory was finally in sight.
While Floyd was getting emotional about the milestone, Leilani remained pragmatic. She checked the time; she needed to get back to treat Arnold.
“I’m heading back now,” she explained to Floyd. “I’ll be here tomorrow.”
This time, Floyd didn’t try to keep her. He simply sighed with appreciation. “You’ve worked hard lately.”
He had seen the toll it was taking on her. Commuting between two cities meant Leilani was driving at least eight hours a day. In just one week, she had noticeably lost weight. Even as an outsider, he felt bad for her.
Leilani just smiled, dismissing the concern. She didn’t feel like she had lost any weight.
After finishing her conversation with Floyd, she got back in her car and raced toward Alloy City.
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