I stood there under all their stares, letting the weight of their silence wash over me. The entire place had gone quiet for far too long, and it started to settle awkwardly on my shoulders. At least in my world, people would applaud a successful save, or at the very least speak. They would not simply stand like statues struck by lightning.
Maybe that was why I always preferred the quiet, tense atmosphere of the operating room. I understood that silence. I was in control there, and the people around me knew how to place their trust in my hands. That kind of quiet never embarrassed me. It brought comfort.
Lucy tried to push herself up, forcing me to drop to my knees again as I gently eased her back down. Any sudden movement or panic could undo the treatment, and I wasn't about to let her throw herself into danger after I went through all that effort.
