The Sidewalk Incident

11. The Vernon Dursley Incident

The new week arrives and I feel focused.

Fake Dating James Li has had its perks.

Instead of only grabbing a coffee halfway through the morning when I'm way past grumpy and snappy AF, it's hand delivered to me each morning on our drives to work so I feel somewhat human during ward rounds. And my interns and residences have shown their appreciation by being on the ball and all the more tolerable.

Being James Li's fake girlfriend also means the ladies working at the cafeteria deliver my lunch to me if they haven't seen me by 2pm. They do this (not because they're being nice nor do they like me) upon Dr. Li's insistence.

I suppose it was my own fault. I routinely, and undeliberately, forget to eat when I'm busy. Which, as a trauma surgeon in a rather large hospital, is practically everyday. And then I usually only have a snack or something to eat when I'm faint and/or hangry. Since, James has also insisted that we get our three thirty minute workouts in together because quote, "Couples who train together, stay together," (a #cringeworth quote if ever there were one), I nearly passed out during our one session and it was either admitting I was incredibly unfit (which he already knew) or telling the truth.

"I forgot to eat." I said breathlessly.

After that revelation, I was handed a smoothie while a rather angry but handsome Asian man glowered at me, until he heard the slurping sound signalling the complete ingestion of that nourishing juice.

"How do you forget to eat, Charlotte?" He scolded me. "Do you forget to breath?"

"It's not the same thing." I argued.

"Yes, it is. And you're a doctor, so don't get smart with me. When was the last time you ate?"

"Last night." I piped, quietly.

"Last night? Jesus, Charlotte it's 3:30 PM! What did you eat?"

"I don't cook. As in I can't. So... uhm..." couldn't wiggle my way out of this one. "Froot loops? Before you come at me, it's a multigrain with at least nine vitamins including riboflavin, and a high source of iron."

James kind just looked at me like I was a wet dog who ran onto his pristine Turkish rug to dry itself off. And the fact that he didn't say anything else to me for the rest of the day, and made me walk up to my apartment after he dropped me off, meant he was really pissed.

So, it's no surprise that when I hopped into his car this morning, and reached out for my coffee in the cup holder, he swatted my hand away and instead, handed me an almond croissant.

"Eat first." That is the instruction, as opposed to the usual chirpy 'Good morning.'

When we arrive at work and throughout the ward rounds, James has a giddy look on his face and everyone has silently been high-fiving him and thanking him, there was a fist bump and even a bro hug.

"What's going on? Did you get laid or something?" I ask suspiciously, momentarily forgetting that if he was having sex, it technically would have to be with me.

James simply smirks and continues gloating for the rest of the morning.

"Seriously, what the fuck is going on?" We arrived early for a meeting, and I'm sitting next to James in the boardroom, with our surgical residences present. We presented a groundbreaking surgery for a pregnant patient and are awaiting the verdict from Saul and Meera, so we wanted to dot our i's and cross our t's in case we get quizzed any further.

I know, we're such nerds.

"Whatever could you mean?" He teases, and everyone else avoids eye contact.