My name is Dr. Eleanor Hastings, though most of my friends and colleagues call me Ellie. I spent over four decades in these very halls as a surgeon myself, though many of you might not recognize me. I retired a few years back, but my heart never quite left this place.

A collective gasp rippled through the room. The woman who had been the subject of whispers and judgment was not a lost soul, nor a wayward visitor. She was one of the unsung pillars of the hospital’s history, a pioneer in her field who had paved the way for many of the very doctors and nurses present.

She continued, her voice tinged with both humor and nostalgia.

— I used to walk these halls in surgical scrubs, much like him, she nodded toward the surgeon, with whom she seemed to share a special bond. I’ve held the hands of countless patients, taught young interns, and even shared a cup of that so-called free coffee with many of you.