Beth

While Jo sent security on a wild goose chase Amy and I made our way to the 13th floor.

Trying to look and sound as professional as possible Amy and I approached the nurses station on the pediatric floor. "I understand some younger Covid patients are in this unit. We're looking for an Allie Preston. The nurse clickety clacked on the keyboard and pulled up Allie's Information. "Yes she's in the ICU. Are you the specialists we've been waiting for?"

"I'm a nurse practitioner from Staten Island General." I flashed her my fake ID. "I've been called in to help with the younger cases."

Amy cleared her throat. "I'm the pediatric specialist from Omaha." Amy held out her hand.

The receptionist was confused because the new protocol involved not touching people unless you wore sterile gloves.

I looked Amy in the eye and mouthed, "Omaha?" Then I shook my head. I took the lead. "May we see our patient please."

The young nurse with the blond french twist and matching french manicure pointed down the hallway. "The ICU is down there and to your left."

We scrambled away from there faster than you can say, "Mutual of Omaha."

Once we were clear of nurse manicure I blurted, "Omaha, Amy? Why are you a doctor from Omaha?"

Amy looked embarrassed. "It just slipped out. I figured if I told her I was someplace exotic she wouldn't question it."

I laughed. "Omaha Nebraska is NOT exotic but you could pull off the corn fed pretty girl next door thing."

Amy adjusted her blue surgical facemask. "Thank you Beth--I think."

When we entered the ICU there were so many young patients. There were children from infants to teenagers.

Amy looked distraught. "Which one is Allie? There are dozens of teenage girls."

We began reading the charts at the end of everyone's cot. Finally I spotted it. "This one says Allie Prestion, age 19."

Then she coded. Bells and alarms went off. Nurses and doctors rushed in. "A man in full hazmat gear grabbed Allie's chart from my hand. He read, "It says DNR. Leave her. Unplug everything. Remove her tubes.  It won't be long."

After unplugging and detubing Allie the team of 'expert's barely noticed us as they received an alert about a different pediatric patient. They scurried out of the room leaving us with Allie.

Amy asked, "Is she dead?"

I felt for a pulse in Allie's wrist. "She has a pulse but it's weak and slow."

Amy pleaded with her eyes. "Do you think she can hear me?"

"I dunno Amy. You could try."

Amy leaned over Allie's body and whispered, "I'd prefer you weren't dying. I'd prefer you were completely healed."

Allie opened her eyes. "Who are you?" Her voice was graveley from being on a respirator so long. "And why aren't you in protective gear? This stuff is highly contagious."

I'll be honest none of us had thought about contracting the disease. We figured if we did Amy could fix it. We weren't hundred percent sure but when you're on a mission you weigh  the risks (and generally do it anyway.) Well that's what we did. Impulsive maybe? Risky certainly! Compassionate? Definitely.

I helped Allie sit up. "We've gotta get you outta here."

Amy grabbed her other arm. "We're friends of your roommate Sarah. She's really worried about you. Let's get you home."

With Allie's renewed strength she broke free of us. "But what about these kids? A lot of them won't make it. If this virus doesn't kill them their cancer will. And there's the babies. So many babies in the neonatal unit."

Amy looked at me pleading with her big blue eyes.

Allie confessed. "It's probably how I contracted Covid. I volunteer here twice a week."

Amy mouthed to me, "She volunteers with the babies..."

Just then Jo entered and saw Allie. "You're alright! Good. Come one we gotta get out of here. The place is swarming with Homeland Security."

Allie noticed we were all wearing hospital uniforms. We were impersonating an array of medical professionals. "What's going on here guys? Why are you playing doctor?" Allie grabbed her head. "Or maybe I'm delusional? Or dead? Girls, am I dead?"

Jo ignored Allie's paranoia, grabbed her by the arm and began leading her toward the stairs. "Look Allie, we came here to save your life. Amy is a healer. That's why you're standing upright right now. Her bleeding heart led her to heal all the Boomers  (maybe Millenials) on the 9th floor."

"Wait!" Allie dug in her heels. "If Amy can heal the seniors she can heal the babies too right?"

Jo tried dragging Allie along but she wouldn't budge. "What part of 'the cops are after us' don't you get Allie?"

Allie firmly placed her hands on her curvy hips. "The cops are after you for impersonating doctors?" She looked kinda silly in her hospital gown and grippy yellow socks."

We all started laughing.  Tension will do that to you.

I calmed down first.  "Listen Allie, we don't have time to explain our gifts nor do we have the time to heal everyone in this hospital."

Amy and Allie whined. "But the babies!"

"Alright," Jo conceded. "But only pediatrics and then we bounce."

Amy hopped up and down and silently clapped her hands. "Yay babies!"

I helped Allie find her things and get dressed while Amy and Jo snuck into the neonatal unit. We had to put on more protective gear. Instead of doctors we looked like welders in face shields.

Amy panicked. "What if the babies can't hear me? What if they're in comas or deaf?"

Jo grabbed Amy by the shoulders to steady her. "Are we doing this Amy?"

Amy nodded. "But what if--"

Jo interrupted. "--but what if nothing! Faith comes by hearing!"

"Exactly Jo! What if they can't hear me?"

Jo finished. "Faith comes by hearing--you're hearing! You believe in the Word right?"

Amy nodded.

"If you believe Amy , it's your faith that heals them, not yours."

"You're right Jo."

With renewed faith Amy entered the heartbreaking unit of dying babies and healed each and everyone of them.. Nurses began rushing into the room not because children were coding but because they were hungry and lonely.

The four of us fled the pediatric floor and raced past the nurse's station.  Amy shouted, "I prefer every child in this hospital to be healed of every sickness and disease."

Nurse Manicure's light blue mask hung under her chin. She popped her bubblegum and said in the thickest New York accent,  "From your mouth to God's ears." She continued cracking her gum and tap tap tapping on the keyboard oblivious to the hundreds of newly healed patients.

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