Medical Center
Rachel, who had been on the verge of tears and ready to leave, was stopped outside the building by Adam.
She knew how strict the religious doctrines were and didn't hold much hope that one of Adam's friends could convince Jilly's parents. The scene of a family reunion only solidified her resolve to let go completely.
"Just wait a little longer," Adam urged. "Isn't it worth sticking around for an hour if it means you could be there for Jilly's final moments?"
"It's worth it," Rachel nodded quietly. "I just don't want to stay there and ruin their father-daughter reunion."
Hmmm…
The biggest hurdle here wasn't Jilly's parents as a pair—it was Jilly's proud, old-fashioned father. Her mother had already bent the rules once before. But talking to an "exiled one" like Rachel—someone unseen and unspeakable—was nowhere near the same as letting Rachel return to the community, stay by Jilly's side until the end, and then attend her baptism and Mennonite funeral. That was a whole different ballgame.
Even Jilly's mother, with all her boundless maternal love, probably couldn't pull that off. It wasn't that she didn't want to—she couldn't.
An hour or so later, Adam greeted Juno and her inseparable sidekick Karen as they arrived outside the building.
"You two…" Adam couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Juno and Karen decked out in bright red hooded sweatshirts. 😅
"Alright, let's get down to business," Juno said with a grin. "I'm dying to meet this Rachel you say is so much like me."
"Not that much," Adam shook his head. "Maybe a third alike. She doesn't have your sharp wit or your chill optimism."
"That's 'cause she didn't have a wise friend like me growing up," Juno teased. "If she'd had someone like that in her teenage years, maybe she'd be more like me."
"…I feel like you're throwing shade," Adam said, his lip twitching. "And I've got proof!"
He glanced at Karen, who was frowning and looking distinctly unhappy. Clearly, this "wise friend" wasn't her—because even if it was shade, Karen would've still wanted to be included. But back in high school, Juno's only real friend had been Adam.
And back then, Adam had been turned into a total drama queen by his ex, Magical Amy. That acting chops? Pretty clever, sure. But it only worked on someone like Amy, a hard-working overachiever still figuring herself out. Against a natural genius like Juno? Nope, zero effect.
As for Juno's teasing—claiming it wasn't about his acting but about Adam's "real wisdom"? Oh, come on! Back then, Adam had just crossed over into this world. His smarts hadn't had time to level up. He barely hit the "genius" benchmark—how could he be the "wise friend" of an already brilliant Juno?
"You know I'm not mocking you," Juno laughed. "Okay, maybe a tiny bit of teasing, but definitely not mockery. Back in high school, your IQ wasn't what it is now, but trust me, you were still wise. You were my wise friend. Without the you from back then, I wouldn't be who I am today. I've thought about it, and I like this version of me better."
"Fine, insufficient evidence—case dismissed," Adam said, a grin tugging at his lips. "I like this version of you too."
Juno was a mix of Juno (the pregnant teen) and Hayley from Little Red Riding Hood. In a normal timeline, she'd start as Hayley, turn into Juno the teen mom, and probably end up back as Hayley—a Big Bad Wolf's worst nightmare, an ultimate bloodthirsty Little Red Riding Hood.
Hmmm…
Beauty's deception + Senior Brother's steadiness + Dexter's "punish evil to uphold good" vibe + Sherlock's razor-sharp intellect - Dexter's uncontrollable chaos - Sherlock's "can't rest 'til the case is solved" obsession = Ultimate Little Red Riding Hood. This version of her would make a perfect dark knight anti-hero.
But the Juno standing here now? She'd mellowed out a lot. Honestly, that was thanks to Adam's influence.
For one, she had real friends now and wasn't so lonely inside. For another, she'd followed Adam's lead, studied medicine, and became a doctor. Saving lives didn't extend her lifespan like it did for Adam, but it gave her an outlet—slicing here and there when she needed to, keeping her urge to take down the "Big Bad Wolves" in check.
Crunch. Crunch.
Karen shot Adam a sideways glare, her fists clenching with little popping sounds, totally wrecking the warm moment between him and Juno. Here we go again—she was mad! 😤 Not happy at all!
"Let's go," Juno said, grabbing Karen's hand and instantly calming her down. She flashed Adam a smile. "Time to meet this Rachel who's supposedly a third like me. I wanna see what she's all about."
Adam led the way.
"Rachel, meet my best friend, Juno, and her ride-or-die, Karen," Adam said, making the intros. "Juno, this is Rachel."
"Hey, Rachel!" Juno greeted her with a warm smile.
"Hi, Juno. Hi, Karen," Rachel replied, eyeing their matching red hoodies. Juno's infectious grin instantly won her over.
"Adam, why don't you head off for a bit?" Juno suggested, glancing at him. "I'll chat with Rachel first."
"Got it," Adam nodded at Rachel and walked off.
Soul-touching heart-to-hearts were Juno's specialty. But how fast she could get there depended on the person and the setting. Adam sticking around would only slow things down.
As he stepped into the hospital building, Adam glanced back at the three women now sitting together outside. Juno was in the middle on a bench, Karen on her left, Rachel on her right. Juno turned to talk to Rachel, who tried to hold it together but soon gave in, tearfully pouring her heart out. Juno put an arm around her, pulling her into a half-hug. On the left, Karen pouted, her face turned to the side.
All three in their red hoodies looked like a trio of Little Red Riding Hoods. Adam smiled and turned away.
He hoped Juno could help Rachel and Jilly resolve their regrets. He trusted Juno's skills, but even then, he wasn't 100% sure she could overcome someone's faith in such a short time. So, bringing Juno here was partly a long shot—and partly just to let Rachel meet her and Karen. If Rachel could earn Juno's approval and they became friends, then even if Rachel had to leave her sister behind in tears, she'd have some emotional support.
Yup! Even though Adam was touched by Rachel and Jilly's sisterly bond and saw that hint of Juno in Rachel, he wouldn't push Juno and Karen to accept her without Juno's okay. That "third alike" thing could go either way—good or bad. Adam wasn't about to plant a ticking time bomb for Juno and Karen. Because if he did, it'd be like planting one for himself. If something ever happened to them, could he really just stand by?
Emergency Room
A group of interns gathered for triage training—one of the most critical skills a doctor needs. In emergencies, you've got just one minute to make a call. Often, that snap decision determines whether a patient lives or dies.
Hmmm…
For Christina and the others, this was a must-pass part of their surgical exams. Everyone took it seriously.
(End of Chapter)