Code Blue

By Renee Christine Smith

Life takes us on several journeys. For these five friendsBrandon, Kevin, Marc, Miguel, and Sunlife will take all of them on an array of journeys. The first journey will be graduating from high school. The second journey will be their acceptance to Bethel College Medical School. The third journey will be as resident doctors, where their lives will take an unexpected turn. The final journey will be a second chance to start life over.

Code Blue is the story of five teenage boys who graduate high school and get accepted to medical school at Bethel College. These five medical students will forge a bond in college and become friends. Do these five friends have another interest besides medicine?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496930118

Renee Christine Smith

Renee Smith resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read her other books, Talking Hats, a must-read childrens book, and Code Blue, a must-read suspense novel.

Book preview

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CHAPTER 1—EARLY YEARS

Push, Amarie! Come on; you can do it. Ahhh! You did it, honey, said William Cox.

Yes, she did. Here is your new eight-pound, twenty-one-inch baby boy, Brandon William Cox, said the nurse.

That was a special day for my parents, who had waited to have a baby. Both of them knew prior to my arrival that I was going to be a boy. That is why they gave me the name Brandon. Those were happier times for my family. My mother made sure that everyone on her unit knew who I was—Brandon, her new baby boy—before she was discharged from the hospital. My father drove the car up to the entrance. The nurse brought me to my mother, who was sitting in a wheelchair outside the car. The nurse helped my mother sit.

Don’t forget to hold his head up, said the nurse.

We arrived home, and my father helped my mother out of the car. There to greet us in the driveway was Kremie, who would be my nanny. My parents had painted my room in shades of blue. The rest of the day, my mother was on the telephone, calling her family in France to tell them about me. They all promised to visit.

As time passed, I began to realize that I was an only child. I wondered why my parents had bought a house so big. They told me that they planned to expand our family and that someday I would have a brother and even a sister.

For my first birthday, my family from France came to visit me. Later, my family on my father’s side came from Britain. My parents were becoming busy with their careers. My father was in the process of starting a technology company, and my mother had made some important clients in the fashion industry.

Eight years passed, and I was still the only child. My parents continued to grow their careers. I was not so sure I was going to have a sibling.

One weekend, my father and I went on a camping trip before he left to go on a business trip overseas. He wanted to have a father-son weekend. There we were, driving for two hours to Camp Wooster. It was a fun campsite for families. We found an area and set up our tent and other supplies. We started by studying the map that my father had bought that showed the layout of the campgrounds.

What point do you think we should start from? my father asked.

I think we should start from point C, I said.

Let me see where C begins, my father said. Here it is. We need to follow your compass on trail one.

Okay, Dad.

Off we started, the two of us walking on trail one. It was a long trail, and my father was pretty tired by the time we got to point A.

Do you need to rest, Dad?

No, I am just fine.

Okay, the compass reads to walk this way. According to the map, we should see some restrooms.

I do need to go to the bathroom after drinking all of this water.

I see something ahead of us that looks like a cabin, I said.

As we continued walking, we saw a raccoon eating. Don’t worry, Brandon, Dad said. It’s just a raccoon.

I’m not worried. Are you?

No. Here are the bathrooms. Do you need to go?

I’m okay.

Wait here. I will be right back.

I went to sit on a bench. All of a sudden a multicolored frog jumped on the bench right next to me. I looked at the frog and the frog looked at me. I took a picture with my camera. The frog turned his face as if to strike a pose.

Dad came out of the restroom. Okay, Brandon; let’s continue.

Hey, Dad, look! I just took a picture of this frog.

Wow. I have never seen a frog with so many colors.

I know! Me either. Can we take him with us?

I don’t know. Let’s see if the frog will be able to keep up with us on our hike.

I guess you’re right.

***

At night, my dad and I started a fire. Once the fire was burning, we took some marshmallows and placed them over the heat.

Yum, I love toasted marshmallows, I said.

Me too, son.

Do you think Mom would like this campsite?

I don’t know, Brandon. I am not sure if camping or outdoor living is her style. All of these mosquitos would drive her crazy.

So when are you and mom going to have another baby?

I don’t know. Right now our careers won’t allow us the time we need.

Well, I wanted to ask if I could get a puppy.

A puppy? Since when were you interested in getting a puppy?

I have been thinking about it for a while now. Some of my friends at school have dogs.

I will have to talk with your mother about getting a puppy.

Okay.

***

Hey, buddy, time to get up and eat some breakfast.

Breakfast? I asked.

Yeah, come look.

Wow, you cooked pancakes. How?

Easy, Dad said. I just started a fire, took this iron skillet, poured pancake mix inside, and put the skillet over the fire. Here’s the syrup.

They taste great, Dad! Can I have another one?

Sure. Smile, Brandon! I’m going to take a picture, because your mother will never believe that I made pancakes using a campfire.

After breakfast, Dad told me, Today, I thought we would go fishing. I want to teach you how to fish.

I can’t wait. I have always wanted to catch the biggest fish in the lake.

Be careful what you wish for, Brandon.

My dad drove the car to the lake, which was on the other side of the campground from where we were staying. There were other people there fishing, and I was so excited.

My father taught me how to fish, and then he actually started fishing. It wasn’t even fifteen minutes before he said, Oh, I think this is the big one. Get ready, because we are about to reel in the big dipper. It’s just a fishing phrase. My father reeled and reeled, and all of sudden there it was: a big, big, trout. I just couldn’t believe it. Wait! I said as Dad was about to put it in the cooler. Let me take a picture, because Mom will never believe this.

We went back to our campsite, and everyone was in awe over the size of the fish my dad had caught. I was so proud of him. He cleaned the fish, seasoned it up, and put it in the skillet over the fire. It tasted so good. If I must say, Brandon, this is one delicious trout.

Our camping trip ended, and we drove back home. I had fun, Dad. Thanks for taking me on this camping trip.

You’re welcome, son.

After that camping trip, my dad’s business flourished, and he was rarely at home.

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CHAPTER 2—RELOCATION

Hello. I am Cindy Whitney, Marc’s mother.

Yes? How may I help you? said the school secretary.

I am here because we are relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, and I want to have Marc’s school records transferred, said Mrs. Whitney.

Just complete this form with the information about the new school he will be attending. Sign below, and we will send the records to them, said the secretary.

Great, thank you.

We will miss Marc. He is one of our best students.

Thank you. My husband decided this move was best for business reasons, said Mrs. Whitney.

I understand. Good luck in Atlanta.

Thank you.

Hey, Mom, did you get my school records? Marc asked her after school.

Yes. Now we can focus on moving to Atlanta. I think you should invite some friends for some pizza later so you can say good-bye.

Okay. What should I tell them?

Tell them your mom is inviting them to join us for a pizza good-bye party at Stilano’s Famous Pizza, said Mrs. Whitney.

***

I can’t believe our family is moving from Boston to Atlanta, Marc thought. Boston is the place I was born, and all of my friends are here. It’s even harder for my sister Beth, who is in high school. The transition for both of us will not be easy. Living in the South is going to be different from living on the East Coast. Worst of all, I will miss Stilano’s Famous Pizza. There is nothing like pizza from the East Coast. The flavor of the tomato sauce is unlike anywhere else. Now that school has ended for the year, the only thing I have to look forward to is the move to Atlanta on Saturday.

Hey, Marc, said Beth.

Hey, Beth. What are you doing?

I am sketching some pictures of Boston so I can have some memories, Beth replied. I can’t believe we have to move. I hope it’s going to be okay. It’s hard to adjust when you are a high school student. It’s different when you’re in elementary school and finding your way in life, including friends. But once you are in high school, you have figured out where you want to go in life and who your friends are.

True. I’m nervous too, but it’s what Dad has to do, said Marc. He went and found his mother. Mom, I told all my friends about Stilano’s Famous Pizza tomorrow. So far two friends, Mike and Bobby, are able to come.

***

Thursday came, and Marc was hungry and ready for his last taste of Stilano’s Famous Pizza. This pizzeria had been in his Boston neighborhood for a long time. Everyone knew Stilano’s. When tourists came to Boston, they too stopped to eat at Stilano’s.

Hey, are you guys hungry too? said Marc as Mike and Bobby walked up.

Yes! We are ready to eat some good pizza, said Mike.

What would you boys like on your pizza? asked Mrs. Whitney.

I like pepperoni, said Marc.

I like sausage, said Mike.

I like anchovies, said Bobby.

Okay, we will order a large pizza with all three toppings, Mrs. Whitney decided.

How may I help you? said the pizza guy.

I would like to order one large pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and anchovies. Oh, and can you make it with extra cheese? said Mrs. Whitney.

Not a problem, said the pizza guy.

Also, I think the boys all like fruit punch? I’ll have a cola.

Okay, so, three fruit punch drinks and one cola, said the pizza guy.

I’m so glad my mom decided to do this for me. She knows how important my friends are and that it was not going to be easy leaving Boston, said Marc.

Mike and Bobby, you two are welcome to visit Marc anytime in Atlanta, said Mrs. Whitney.

Thanks, Mrs. Whitney. We will.

Saturday arrived, and so did the moving truck. Marc’s family was going to Atlanta to begin their new lives. Good, Marc thought. I am sure, with it being the end of the school year, some of my friends are off on their family vacations.

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CHAPTER 3—MEMORIES

I liked being six years old. I was the apple of my mother’s and father’s eyes. On one exciting day, my father, Luther, took me to the circus. The circus came to Detroit every year. But when I was five, my father was away performing his duties as a serviceman in the army.

Let’s go, Kevin, so we can avoid any traffic, said my dad.

Okay, Dad.

My dad drove us to the circus. I asked him, So how long will you be home?

I don’t know. When the army calls, I have to go immediately. It could be tomorrow, a month from now, or even a year. But, know that when the army calls, I must go.

We arrived. and the sign read Detroit Welcomes the Barnum & Bailey Circus. We walked toward the arena, and my dad gave our tickets to the ticket collector.

Do you want anything to eat? Dad asked.

Yes. I would like some cotton candy.

Cotton candy? You know your mother and I don’t like you eating candy; it’s not good for your teeth.

I’m going to lose them anyway, I pointed out.

No cotton candy. Pick something else.

Okay, can I have fried dough?

I guess. We’ll have an order of fried dough and a cola, Dad said to the counter clerk.

That will be six dollars, said the clerk.

Here, Kevin. And don’t ask for anything else to eat, said Dad when the order came.

The circus show was great. They had dancing pigs. It was amazing. They came out one by one and started dancing. The crowd went crazy. Then they had these rope climbers, and I just couldn’t imagine how they were able to climb so high. Next were the baby elephants, who were cute. The main attraction was the lions. The lions came out in full force. My father was stunned at how the lions listened to their trainers.

When the show was over, we drove home. As we pulled in the driveway, my mother came running out to tell my father that he had a telephone call from his sergeant. My father walked inside the house and took the call. He spoke for a couple of minutes and then hung up. My mother knew immediately that he had been called to go serve in a war.

I have to report to the army base tomorrow at 0800, Dad said.

What else is new? Mom responded.

Don’t worry. This war is not expected to be a long one, Dad told her.

My father left early the next morning. That was the last time I would see him.

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CHAPTER 4—SAN FRANCISCO

My name is Sun Lu. It’s been a year since we moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I guess it was for the best. I was so used to Los Angeles.

Today, I am going to a chess tournament with my friend, Artie. We both like playing chess. We heard about a tournament where the first prize is a thousand dollars, second prize is five hundred, and third prize is two hundred and fifty. We thought one of us had a good chance of winning one of the prizes.

There are a lot people who signed up for the tournament. Artie starts playing and wins game after game. Finally, when it comes down to four opponents, he loses. His opponent plays a checkmate on him and catches him off guard.

In the end, neither of us wins first, second, or third prize. The tournaments end, and even though we lose, it’s fun. We have had a chance to play chess against some serious players.

Often it is hard to find things to do in San Francisco. But somehow I always find something that is worth looking into. I like to play games. I’m interested in doing things where you are forced to think strategically. I like to strategize my next move. I think that is why I like playing chess. Chess makes you think strategically.

My parents are so busy with their import and export business that they have no time for games. I hope that one day you and your siblings will take over our business, my father says.

I don’t know, Dad. I am interested in medicine and becoming a doctor, I tell him.

"I can’t argue with