Read Online Mother's Promise by Anna Schmidt - Free Book Online Page A

approached the entrance to the skywalk, they passed a room where the window blinds were closed. When she looked closer Rachel saw the silhouette of a small body lying in bed surrounded by a network of tubes. The child was linked to a series of machines blinking their neon signals and wheezing their rhythmic codes. She could barely make out the form of a woman sitting by the bedside, her head resting on her hand.
    Rachel’s longing to stop and offer the woman some comfort was huge, but Mark was already several steps ahead of her. The one thing that Rachel had grasped after the two hours she had spent with this young man was that a hospital this large had rules and routines—
protocol
, Mark called it. It would not do to start following her instincts—at least not until she had learned those guidelines.
    Back in the spiritual care department, Eileen showed her to a small cubicle next to the reception desk. There was already a nameplate on the cloth wall of the divider that read R ACHEL K AUFMANN , C HILD L IFE S PECIALIST .
    â€œThat’s your new title,” Eileen explained when she saw that Rachel had paused to study the sign. “Human Resources seems to have this need to keep reinventing labels for what people do around here. Pay it no mind. When the rubber meets the road, you are a chaplain, just like Paul Cox is.”
    â€œBut Pastor Cox is an ordained minister and board certified.” Rachel remembered the neatly framed degrees and certification documents she’d noticed on the wall of Paul’s office.
    â€œThus his position as senior chaplain. The bottom line is that we all work from the same basic creed—you, Paul, and even me.” She pointed to a framed poster on the wall, entitled O UR M ISSION .
    Rachel stepped closer to read it.
    The spiritual care services of Gulf Coast Medical Center provide support and comfort that respects the full diversity of spiritual values to our patients, the family and friends of those patients, and to members of our staff twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
    Eileen reached around her and picked up a laminated bookmark from a clear plastic holder on the counter. She handed the bookmark to Rachel, who saw that it repeated the mission statement and also included information for contacting members of their staff when needed.
    â€œThat’s impressive,” Rachel said.
    â€œAnd ambitious, especially when it looked like maybe it would be Paul doing all the work. But you’re here now,” she added brightly. “Come check out your cubicle and let me know if you need anything in the way of supplies or a different chair or more storage above the desk. Anything at all.”
    Rachel stepped into the small space and opened the top drawer of a two-drawer file cabinet. It had already been stocked with hanging file folders in a rainbow of colors. She opened one of the overhead bins above her desk. There she found legal pads, pens, a stapler and staple remover, scissors, paper clips, and notepads in a variety of sizes. There was a telephone with an intimidating row of buttons in addition to the usual numerical keypad. And all the while she tried to ignore the computer that dominated the corner where her built-in desk wrapped itself past the window and onto the solid wall. She knew the basics of how to use a computer. In the school system she had been responsible for inserting data, but beyond that she wasn’t exactly computer savvy.
    â€œDo not ask me to explain why they would situate your computer and chair so that you are looking out into daylight. Talk about a headache in the making.” Eileen frowned, but then she took a step closer to the window and her features softened. “On the other hand, it is a lovely view with the serenity garden and all.”
    â€œIt’s very nice,” Rachel assured her.
    Eileen pulled her gaze away from the tropical scene outside and glanced around. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.