Mustn't Fall for the Patient

Ana and I looked at each other as we walked out of our hotel rooms in New York. We were on our way to the building where our boards were being held. I looked her outfit up and down and smiled, she looked awesome.
“I’m so nervous.” I said
“You’re going to do fine.” She said linking her arm into mine.
I smoothed out my shirt sleeves and we walked out of the hotel and got a cab to the boards building. When the cab came to a stop we both let out a heavy sigh and walked in.
“Aussie Ashmore and Anastasia Moore.” I said at the check in.
“Alright, Ashmore over there and Moore over there.” She said pointing to opposite sides of the room.
We walked away and hugged each other good luck.
“Meet back up at the coffee cart over there.” I said
She nodded and we walked away and I was called into the room.
An hour and a half passed by when they were finished with me, I walked out and sighed. My legs were shaking and I almost fell to the floor. When I calmed down a bit I walked over to the coffee cart and Ana wasn’t there yet. I sat down and waited, about twenty minutes later she showed up.
“How’d you do?” I asked
“I had a meltdown.” I said
“What?” I asked
“Can we go shopping and then I’ll talk to you about it.” She said
“How about you tell me about it while we’re shopping?” I asked
She nodded and we linked arms again and headed outside. We got into another cab and it took us to the shopping strip in New York City. We got out of the cab and smiled at each other and walked into the closet dress store.
“So what happened?” I asked as we hit the fitting room
“I had a minor melt down.” She said
“What was the situation?” I asked
“It was about a trauma due to a plane crash. I know the answer but instead of saying put “pressure on the wound and carefully take out the shrapnel” I said “uhh, umm. Can I have some water?” And then I almost cried.” She said
“Jesus Ana.” I said
“I panicked.” She said
“You passed. I know you did.” I smiled
She smiled.
The day went on and we tried on so many expensive dresses and even bought a few and some shoes. When the sun went down we caught our plane and it landed back in Baltimore.
“Oogie Boogie.” Ana said as we entered our house.
He came flying down the stair case leaving his shedding hair floating behind him, he stopped at her feet and stared up at her. She picked him up and squeezed him until he squeaked at her.
“Home sweet home.” I said
“Ugh, Monday is tomorrow.” I said
“You don’t work.” She said
“I know.” I said
We walked upstairs and I walked to my room and Mac And Cheese was sitting on my bed waiting on me.
“Hi baby.” I said setting my bags down
He mewed at me and I kissed the top of his head, he squeaked at me until I picked him up. I cuddled him until he wanted down.
The night went on and Ana fell asleep on the couch after eating our dinner of pizza. I decided to leave her there and just set an alarm on her phone so she could get up for work the next morning. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and headed up to my room, I stared at my phone trying to decide if I wanted to call Jack but I decided against it.
I woke up to two cats meowing in my face, I opened my eyes and Mac and Cheese was sitting in front of my face staring.
“Ana didn’t feed you guys?” I asked
Oogie mewed and I got out of bed and trudged down to the kitchen. After I fed them I stood around deciding to go to the hospital and have lunch with Jack but first I had to make sure he was alone. I picked up the land line and dialed Lisa’s number.
“Hello?” She answered
“Cabbage its me.” I said
“Hey Aussie. Everything okay?” She asked
“I was just wondering where you and Alex were.” I said
“We’re at home, he’s still in bed.” She said
“It’s noon.” I said
“Rock stars need their beauty sleep. But anyways why?” She asked
“I just wanted to make sure Jack was alone, I want to take like a picnic lunch in and eat with him. I get my results of my boards today.” I saod
“He’ll be alone all day, go have fun and the best of luck. You should come by sometime.” She said
“What’s your address?” I asked
She gave it to me and I made a plan to go over there sometime this week. When we hung up I went upstairs to get dressed I grabbed a small basket and loaded it into my car, I drove to the local Chinese restaurant and ordered lots of take out and drove to the hospital. I sat in the parking lot for a few minutes loaded the basket with the Chinese food, when I was done I grabbed it and walked into the front door. I flashed my I.D at the security guards and they nodded. I rode the elevator up and walked into the doorway of Jack’s room, he was sitting up reading a book I left. He had his glasses on and he looked good. I set the basket down and quietly slid it in so he wouldn’t see it.
“Knock knock.” I said
He looked up and looked me up and down.
“Damn.” He said
I smiled and rubbed my arm.
“Why do you read this?” He asked holding my book up.
“It’s good.” I said
“It is but its fucking sad.” He said
“Haven’t you seen the movie?” I asked
He shook his head.
“I’ll have to bring it in.” I said
“So what’s the occasion for you looking so stunning?” He asked
“I was just wondering if you were hungry.” I said
“Starved.” He said
“Do you like Chinese?” I asked
“Who doesn’t?” He asked
I smiled and walked in and picked up the basket.
“Picnic?” I asked
He smiled and closed my book, I pulled the sliding table next to the bed and set the basket on it. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the bed.
“Three days without seeing this face drove me crazy.” He said pushing my hair behind my ear.
I smiled and he leaned in and pressed his soft lips to mine, I melted into it and there was knock at the door. We pulled apart and Nyla was standing there.
“Sorry to break up the party but Aussie I want you to come find me when you find out.” She said
I nodded.
“Don’t tell Ana I’m here.” I said
“I won’t.” She said
I nodded and she walked away.
“Do you find out if you passed today?” He asked
I nodded and he smoothed out my hair and wiped lipstick off my chin. I chuckled and he just smiled at me.
“So what’d you bring?” He asked
“A lot.” I said
He pulled the basket onto his lap and opened it.
“You’re the best.” He said
I giggled and he took all the takeout boxes out and set them around us on the bed. We grabbed the chopsticks and just ate and talked. About two hours went by and the food was back in the basket and we were laying there watching Netflix on his laptop when my email chime went off on my phone.
“This is it.” I said picking up my phone.
“Open it Auss.” He said
“I’m scared.” I said holding my phone out to him.
He took it and opened it, he read it.
“I don’t know what any of this means.” He said
I laughed and took my phone back and read it.
“Oh my god!” I yelled
He looked up and smiled at me.
“You did know!” I yelled
“When the first word is congratulations I get the gist.” He smiled
“Oh my god! I passed!” I yelled
“Congrats.” He said
I pulled his face to mine and kissed him, when I pulled away I was crying with joy.
“I have to go tell Nyla and Ana.” I said
“Go and quit crying.” He said
I smiled and rushed out of bed forgetting my shoes completely and running to Peds.
“Nyla!” I yelled down the hall
“Yes?” She asked peeking her head out of a patient’s room
I just nodded my head with a huge cheesy smile on my face.
“OH MY GOD!” She squealed.
“I did it!” I yelled
She threw me two thumbs up and told me Ana was in surgery with Chris. I ran down to his OR and she was looking at her phone, I tapped lightly on the glass and gave her two thumbs up, she gave them back and I screamed.
“Meet me back in Jack’s room.” I yelled through the glass.
She nodded and I ran back to his room.
“Ana passed too.” I smiled
Jack smiled and I was practically panting from running up five flights of steps.
“Come lay down and catch your breath.” He said
I nodded and walked back over to the bed plopping down into a horizontal position.
“I passed.” I said quietly to myself.
“You passed.” He said stroking my cheek.
“I feel accomplished.” I smiled
“I know that feeling.” He said
He laid down and I moved and laid my head on my chest.
“It was our first big concert, we had played concerts before but this was huge. It was our first real tour, Warped. The energy of everyone there, we were the new kids so it was scary. But when we walked out onto that stage in front of all of those people it sank in, goose bumps all over my arms and legs it was amazing.” He said
I rubbed his chest.
“That sounds amazing.” I said
“It was, it was so surreal. A lot of people had no idea who we were but after our first song they were going nuts. I had never felt a buzz like that before in my life; well before now.” He said
I looked up at him and he was smiling.
“Before now?” I asked
He nodded.
“I remember my first surgery.” I said
“How was it?” He asked
“It was scary, it was my first solo surgery. It wasn’t big but it was big for me. I was taking out this guy’s appendix and everything was going great until the scrub nurse dropped the scalpel into the body cavity and it cut the stomach and it was bleeding. Getting the bleeding stopped was like a high. I felt so accomplished when I got it to stop. I stayed with the patient until he woke up just in case.” I said
He chuckled.
“You’re going to be a fantastic peds surgeon. The kids are lucky.” He said
“So before now?” I asked
“Yeah.” He said
“What’s your buzz now?” I asked
He just smiled and took my hand and kissed it.
“There’s this girl.” He said
“Yeah?” I asked
“She’s smart, very smart. She’s got a lot of tattoos and they’re pretty sweet. And she’s been taking very good care of me; I think I’m going to keep her around.” He said
“Do I know this woman?” I asked
“I think you do.” He said
“What is she to you?” I asked
He smiled
“I don’t know what she wants to be.” He said
“Ask her?” I suggested
“In due time.” He said
I rolled my eyes.
“How’d you meet her?” I asked trying not to crack up.
“I woke up to her asleep with her head on my bed and my hand in hers. She fell to the ground when another doctor woke her up, it was pretty adorable. I just saw a mass of red hair fly to the floor, she didn’t even know I was awake until she got back into her chair and took my hand.” He said
I smiled remembering that day well.
“Then when I saw her in her street clothes for the first time, I couldn’t help admire all of her tattoos. I still do when she lets people see them.” He said rubbing his thumb over the tattoo on my thigh.
“Wow, I need to meet this woman.” I said
He chuckled and planted a kiss on my nose.
“She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met, besides my mom and sister.” He said
“High praise.” I chuckled
We laid there in a comfortable silence until I heard the glass door slide open.
“We passed!” Ana’s voice rang out into the room.
I sat up and she was all smiles.
“We fucking passed!” I yelled
“Oh! I’ll be here for my neuro fellowship.” She said
“You’re staying?” I asked getting out of bed.
“I’m staying!” She yelled
We slammed into a hug and jumped arounf.
“I thought girls only did that in movies.” I heard Alex say from the door.
“They passed their boards.” Jack said
“Congrats.” Alex said
“Thanks Lex.” I smiled
“Well Ana how’s my boy doing?” He asked
“He’s doing great.” Jack said
“He is.” Ana said
“Do you know when he’ll get discharged?” Lisa asked
“Soon hopefully. As long as he doesn’t crash or have any more seizers he’ll be good to go. We’ve got him scheduled for Physical Therapy in about an hour. He’ll have to do it for three hours every day until his discharge.” She said
Jack groaned and Alex laughed.
The group of us sat around and talked until visiting hours were over, Jack kissed me goodbye and Ana and I went home together.

Notes