Gemotions

The nurse's face softened when I explained the mix-up, but the situation still felt bleak. I had been given someone else's test results, a diagnosis that could shatter their world. I pictured them, the other patient, waiting for the news, and a cold dread seeped into my core.

I felt a sudden, sharp ache for this stranger, for the anxiety they must be experiencing. I tried to imagine what they were going through. My own problems seemed suddenly small and insignificant.

"Can I... can I see the doctor who ordered the tests?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I wanted to help, to make this right, no matter how.