She's Not Worthy of Being Human

When my mother-in-law Margaret learned that her husband Charles was critically injured in a car crash, she had a massive heart attack. The only one who could save her was my wife, the heart surgeon.

I frantically called her, but her ex-boyfriend answered.

Emily's tied up right now. What's the urgency?

Desperate, I shouted, "Put Emily on the line! It's a matter of life and death!"

Irritated, my wife responded, "Can you chill? I've been slammed all day. Can't I catch a break and have a drink in peace?"

She hung up abruptly.

I tried calling back, but her phone was off.

An hour later, both Margaret and Charles had passed away.

*****

"Margaret's situation is critical! You need to get Dr. Dickens, she's the only one who can handle this!"

My wife's coworker spotted me dazed outside the emergency room and yelled, "What are you waiting for? Move it!"

Torn because of Charles' condition post-crash, I felt stretched too thin.

I had tried calling already but got no answer.

I was a bundle of nerves, constantly redialing her number.

Finally, it connected.

"Emily, get over to the hospital now! Both your mom and dad... they're fading fast..."

The call was cut off.

I tried again, but her phone was now off.

Overwhelmed with anger and worry, I punched the wall in the hallway.

They had always treated me like family. There was no way I could just let go.

When the ER doctor finally emerged, I quickly briefed him on the situation and asked him to keep me posted. I then rushed off to find Emily.

I remember Emily once mentioned her ex, Matt Polly, lived close by in Harmony Gardens.

On my drive there, anxiety almost had me crashing into the car ahead several times.

Upon reaching the complex, I immediately saw them exiting a convenience store.

Matt was carrying takeout and beers, while Emily walked beside him, both of them giggling like they were on a first date.

When a delivery bike whizzed by, Matt instinctively wrapped his arm around Emily, murmuring, "Careful there."

Emily giggled, looking down shyly.

My heart sank, but I had no time to dwell on jealousy.

"Emily, thank God I found you!"

I rushed towards her.

Her smile vanished, her brows knitted in displeasure.

"Steve, what's this about? Are you tracking me now?"

I had no time to waste. I grabbed her hand firmly, "We need to gonow! Your parents are in dire straits!"

She pulled her hand back sharply, her expression hardened, "Why are you being so dark? Don't make up terrible things about my parents."

I understood her disbelief given the sudden news.

With no time to spare, I got straight to the point. "Your dad's been in an accident, and your mom had a heart attack from the shock. We need to move, now!"

"I was just on the phone with Dad. He's fine, just playing chess at the neighbor's. How could he be in an accident? Mom's check-up was clear last weekno way she had a heart attack. You've got to do better than that if you're lying!"

She looked at me like I was out of my mind!

"I'm not lyingplease, just trust me!"

As I spoke, Matt moved to protect her, as if I might snatch her away.

"Steve, why go to such lengths? Emily wanted to chill with me. Why drop such harsh words about her folks?"

Before I could clarify, he added, "They love you like a son, and you repay them with this? Man, that's low. Even I'm losing respect for you now."

He took Emily's hand, pulling her away.

"I'm out of patience. Get back home already!"

Emily dismissed me with a wave; she looked cold and dismissive as if I were nothing more than an annoyance.

At that moment, all I could focus on was getting her to the hospital.

The doc had warned that Charles might not pull through, and Emily was the only hope for Margaret.

My ego was totally irrelevant right now.

I bolted over to stop Emily, desperation cracking my voice. "I swear I'm not lying! Your mom and dad are in deep trouble. Please, just come with me."

She looked skeptical, so I pulled out my phone with trembling hands.

"Don't believe me? I'll call your colleague right this second!"

Emily's eyes sparked with anger. "If it were true, I would have heard by now!"

I wanted to explain that her phone was offhow could anyone reach her?

But before I could speak up, Matt interjected.

He scoffed, "Run out of tall tales, have you? Look, I know you're green with envy because Emily's here with me. We're just buddies, dude. You don't need to go all psycho ex on us."

"Come on, be a bigger man! Acting all petty and jealous will just push her further away!"

"Playing dirty with her folks' lives? That's just vile."

He stood there, arms crossed, looking down his nose at me as if he had moral high ground.

But he was the last person to preach.

"Mind your own business! This is between my wife and me!" Anger bubbled over, and I lost all pretense of calm.

Anger bubbled over, and I lost all pretense of calm.

A reasonable guy would have zipped it by now, but Matt? No chance.

He turned to Emily, putting on a victim's face. "See, Emily? I was spot on about him."

Emily's face turned stormy.

"What's with you? Why can't you just back off? I just wanted to unwind with Matt, and you're making a mountain out of a molehill!"

"I've been slammed at work, finally got a break, and I can't chill with a friend?"

"Ever heard of giving space? Matt's just being decent, and you're treating him like trash. Is this how you treat people?"

She was all up in my face, her finger nearly poking my nose.

I didn't have time to argue, not with Charles and Margaret hanging by a thread.

I pushed down the rising turmoil inside.

Sweating, I wiped my brow and pleaded in a low voice, "They're in the ERyour parents. Are you really gonna ignore them for a drink?"

Emily paused, seeming to catch the sincerity in my voice.

"Emily, look, it's our old school friends!"

Matt pointed excitedly at a nearby restaurant.

Through the large glass windows, a couple inside noticed them and waved.

"What are the odds? Haven't seen them in ages. Let's catch up!"

Emily started to leave, but I grabbed her, desperate.

"We're running out of time! I'm not lying! Your parents are waiting for you. You're their only kiddon't miss saying goodbye to your dad, don't just watch your mom pass away!"

Matt was relentless, his tone icy. "Steve, you done with your drama? Enough already!"

He started pulling Emily away.

She chose him without a second thought.

The thought of Charles and Margaret potentially dying alone crushed me. Tears flooded my eyes, and I dropped to my knees.

"Emily, if I'm lying, let the sky fall on me! Please, let's go to the hospital. I'm begging you!"

Emily paused, clearly torn.

"Steve, can you ever just let it go? Emily's always been patient, avoiding fights with you. Why can't you let her have some downtime with friends? Does her life have to be all about work and dealing with you?"

Matt was visibly agitated, acting like I was the villain of the century. His look of disgust was plain as day.

He took a deep breath and then said with a shaky voice, "Maybe you should just go with him, Emily. I'll smooth things over with our friends. After all, a husband matters more than friends, right?"

Without another word, he headed towards the restaurant across the street, not looking back.

His tactic worked like a charmEmily dropped everything and ran after him.

As she stormed off, she threw a fierce warning over her shoulder, "Next time you dare curse my parents, we're through!"

No matter how loudly I called after her, she wouldn't stop.

How could such wonderful parents have raised someone so cold and stubborn?

A simple phone call could confirm the truth, yet she stubbornly refused to make it.

Torn between her parents and her first love, her heart had long since tipped towards him, and there was no looking back.

How could she be so sure I was lying?

After all our years together, didn't she trust me at all?

The doctor called in a panic, "Charles and Margaret are fading fast. Why aren't you and Dr. Dickens here yet?"

I raced to the car, speeding back to the hospital.

Charles didn't make it; he was gone by the time I arrived.

Holding back tears, I went to see Margaret for the last time.

The life support was off. She lay there, gasping for her last breaths, silently waiting.

Hearing my footsteps, she slowly turned her head. When she realized I was alone, the faint light in her eyes flickered out.

"Where... where's Emily...?"

I couldn't bear to look into her eyes, my hands shaking as I held hers.

If I'd known I couldn't bring Emily back, I wouldn't have leftI could've been there for them a little longer.

I couldn't tell her Charles was gone, nor could I say that her beloved daughter was out drinking and laughing with her old flame.

"Mom, Emily's tied up with a patient and couldn't break away."

"That's... that's a doctor's duty... I don't blame her..."

Emily had always excelled, from grade school through to a combined undergrad and grad program at a top medical schoolher parents' pride.

Yet now, I felt nothing but heartache.

I hated that I couldn't bring Emily back, and I resented that she only listened to Matt.

"Steve... you've been a good son... I just wish I could see Emily one more time..."

Those were Margaret's last words.

In her final moments, all she wanted was to see her daughter, Emily.

But where was Emily?

She was reliving the good old days with her first love.

I fought back tears, but they came anyway.

I tried calling Emily again.

No answer.

Fighting through my grief, I took care of Charles and Margaret's final arrangements.

They had lived modestly and didn't want a big fussjust a quiet farewell.

I arranged for their cremation and had their ashes placed together.

Life is fleeting; in an instant, two vibrant lives were gone.

On my way home, I called Emily several more times.

Still no answer.

She hadn't gone to work and was still with Matt.

Holding the urns, I sat on the living room sofa, haunted by memories of Charles and Margaret's warm smiles. Tears flowed freely once more.

Later that afternoon, as I headed out to select their burial plots, I ran into Emily downstairs.

She stepped out of Matt's car, their goodbye lingering, their eyes nearly melting into each other.

Spotting me, Emily's smile vanished, replaced by a frosty expression. "Where are you off to?"

I tried to bypass her, but she grabbed my arm fiercely.

Noticing the black armband I wore, she asked, puzzled, "Why are you wearing that?"