Cracked Hearts

Beginnings, Burdens, and Breaks

Two years later....

Lauren stared at the wall. Posted on the wall was the schedule. On the schedule was her worst nightmare...Double shifts all next week!

Lauren groaned, all her plans for the following week were utterly destroyed.

Working at a new hospital was tough, especially since it was her first job after residency. Nobody trusted her and everybody took her for granted. It didn't matter that she came with excellent references and high praises from her mentors and old colleagues.

Lauren was slowly starting to adjust to her new environment. Los Angeles was not her ideal location to live and work, but being a fresh faced doctor with a mark on your record didn't make for many overwhelming job offers.

Bzzz.bzzz...

Her phone was dangling precariously of her desk as it vibrated. Lauren reached over and caught it just in time.

"Hello?" She said, putting her phone to her ear as she checked her watch. Who would be calling me at 2 am?, she wondered.

"Hello, my dear. How's the West Coast treating you?"

"Doc? It's really good to hear your voice. I'm doing alright. How are Martha and the kids?"

"Martha's doing fine, the art business here is doing very well. Lily and Marcie are growing like weeds, they keep on asking for you."

Lily and Marcie were Doc's six year old twin daughters, she had spent countless hours at their house playing dolls and fingerpainting. They even referred to her as "Auntie Lori". They were devastated when she had moved.

"I wish I could really. But I just got scheduled double shifts all next week and I have a feeling that this treatment isn't going to end very soon."

"Ah! That reminds me the real reason I called. I have a job opportunity for you."

Lauren groaned internally. Every couple of weeks she would get a call like this from him. The doc had the very best intentions but unfortunately with Lauren's record it was always fruitless.

"I know what you're thinking." The doc interrupted Lauren's thoughts. "But don't worry, this job has already accepted your application."

"They what?"

"They are waiting for me to inform you that you're leaving in two weeks-"

"Two weeks!"

"Yes."

"Bbbut...my job-"

"Don't worry about it, my dear. I have talked to your employers....let's just say there will not be any problems."

"Wow...I can't believe this. Wait... where am I going?"

"I am taking that as an acceptance of my offer." Doctor Leary said with a smile in his voice. "You're going to Nigeria. Of course that means you need to get all your vaccinations..."

Lauren didn't even hear the rest of what Doctor Leary said. She was busy doing the happy dance around her desk. She brushed up against a precariously tall stack of papers, as she reached for them before they fell she lost her hold on her phone. It clattered to the floor, the screen shattered.

Lauren looked down and laughed. "Wasn't going to need that in Africa anyway."