The crown of life

Chapter One: In the Hospital

The hospital smells have surrounded me for the ten years I've worked here. These smells relentlessly remind me of everything I've been through over the years. All those painful surgeries and all those attempts to look like any other person when I look in the hospital mirror have been in vain. All of it has left a deep mark on me.

But here I am, back again today, wondering what challenges await me at work today.

In the changing room, swapping my everyday clothes for a doctor's white coat, as I do every day, I gulped down my white coffee while changing. I pulled my golden hair over to the right side of my face, where I had a scar I no longer wanted anyone to see, not even myself, because it brought me so much pain and suffering.

I wished for a magical eraser or a fairy wand to make it disappear, but neither existed.

After five surgeries, the surgeons had done the best they could, and then I said enough.

But my scar was still there, and I had to live with it. My right eye was forever lost in that terrible fire, and the scar covered the right side of my face.

The scar ran through the beginning of my right eyebrow, spread over the missing eye, and down to the lower jawbone.

"Stephie, a patient named Pamela Roberts is waiting for you in room 34, accompanied by her brother James Haas." nurse Molly called out when she appeared at the changing room door.

"Okay, Molly. I'll be there in a second." I replied, putting on my coat with my name embroidered on the pocket, "Dr. Stephanie Sutton."

Molly was satisfied with my response, so she left, allowing me to finish preparing for the workday.

Molly was an attractive woman with long brown hair, dark brown eyes, a slim and seductive figure, and a taste for fashion, but she was wholly dedicated to her job. She was my only friend in my entire life and at the hospital.

Other doctors and medical staff mocked me, calling me a monster that scares patients, but Molly was entirely different from them.

She extended a hand when I needed it most, on my first day working at this hospital. I still hear those snickers and horrible words in my head.

"Did the monster burn your face?" some shouted, while others laughed in my face.

"How will you work with patients when you are a patient yourself?" others yelled.

"Who could love you like that, freak?" still others shouted.

On my first day at this hospital, I wanted to disappear for the umpteenth time in my life. I ran to the restroom and started sobbing, just like every time someone reminded me of the dreadful scar on the right side of my face.

Then Molly soon came to the restroom, and fate brought us together. I still remember her words when she first saw me.

"Sweetheart, why are you crying?" she asked gently.

"My new colleagues are teasing me." I said, sobbing.

"They tease everyone. You'll have to get used to it if you're going to work with us." she said softly, with much understanding.

Since I was ready for my first day at work, I had my hair tied up, but after the renewed insults and laughter claiming I was the ugliest woman in the world, I covered my face with my hair again.

That was the first time I voluntarily wanted to show Molly the scar on my face, which I had never willingly shown anyone because it always hurt me.

I moved my hair aside for a second so Molly could see what was underneath on my right cheek.

"Do you know what they say about people with scars?" she said calmly, standing in front of me, looking at my face, which I covered with my hair again.

"No, I don't know." I replied, still sobbing.

"They say people with scars are destined for great things, the greatest things in the world, and you, my dear, are one of them." she said with a smile.

I didn't know if it was true or if she made it up to make me feel better, but I smiled at it, and the tears stopped.

"Sorry, can we be on a first-name basis?" she asked awkwardly.

"Of course we can. By the way, I'm Dr. Stephanie Sutton." I said, smiling as I extended my hand to her.

"Nice to meet you, Stephie. I'm nurse Molly Murray." she said, shaking my hand.

I stood there confused, watching her, as Molly was the first person to give me a normal nickname.

"We'll be a great team, M.M. and S.S.." she said with a giggle.

I unconsciously smiled again.

"Shall we go for coffee after work?" she asked spontaneously.

I just nodded unconsciously.

And so, ten years of friendship and working together flew by. Ten wonderful years with my Molly, who encouraged me despite everything, and because of her, I became happier. However, she couldn't erase the dead soul and completely damaged heart from the mockery and insults that still follow me today.

As I walked towards room 34, I always wondered what challenges awaited me today.

I slowly opened the door to the room and saw her, but in her, I saw myself.

I was petrified by this realization and had to hold onto the right side of my face with my hand as my dried scar screamed in pain.

"Doctor, are you alright?" her brother asked, looking at me while I battled the pain.