Ruth McLeod-Kearns

The morning was brisk and the coffee was hot and roasted with little gurgles in the room. Rosie hadn__ moved, but she let out a tiny snore every now and again that made everything perfect.

In the beginning we start with roses. The king__ flower right? Only they wilt in less than a day, especially when exposed to the elements. But Carnations? Oh, what a beautiful flower. They come in every color. True, some are painted, but that doesn__ mean they are less beautiful, and they never wilt.

Becky was a weed._ Nobody ever wanted them taking over the bigger, prettier plants._ People went to all extremes to make them go away._ They sprayed poison, pulled until the roots gave way. They felt only like their garden was complete when every tendril was extirpated._ This was how she felt from birth.

Without direction, the respiratory technician goes to the head of the bed. She takes the tubing, attaches it to the oxygen, and turns it on as high as it will go. She provides a seal with her hand cupped over the plastic mask, over the nose and mouth of the toddler, and methodically provides oxygenated air. Doyle__ tiny chest rises and falls while I listen with my stethoscope. I am reaching for another breathing tube.__ib!_ Dr. Pedras feels for a pulse while another places gelled pads on her chest.