Journey (3)

Chapter 73

guilty as sin?- taylor swift

I don't know how I've ended up at some sort of promotional event for the hospital, but after Maggie's extreme persuasion, and Sharon Goodwin offering to give time off to anyone who put in hours at the event, I found myself fitting into a vaguely formal outfit and standing alongside Maggie, talking to about a hundred eager med students who are clutching promotional flyers in between their hands, and are listening intently to every word that comes out of my mouth.

"This is so much more of a nightmare than you said it was going to be," I take the chance to tell her. "Why did I let you persuade me to come to this?"

"Because it's helping us to inspire the next generation of student doctors at our hospital. And we only want the best to come, as I'm sure you would agree."

"So, who had the genius idea to throw this...event and force a handful of us to stand here and talk for hours on end to these people that, let's be honest, half of them won't make it past their residency." My sarcasm is intentional, mainly because on my day off, I would rather be anywhere else and not stuck here- promoting the hospital that I spend every hour of every day working in.

"Ever since your breakup, you've become a real pessimist," Maggie commented, jokingly. It had been long enough after the extremity of the breakup, and the worst process of it- and so I actually welcomed jokes like Maggie's. "Put a positive spin on this. You're playing a role in students choosing to apply to Med."

"Lucky me," I say, sarcastically, although I make a note of Maggie's comment and do try to dig around in my mind and find that last delicate shred of optimism that might now be lost within me.

"You're right, you are lucky," Maggie jokes, elbowing me gently in the ribs. "Think of it as pre-selecting all of the little med students that you might see around next year. Freak out the ones that you don't like, and welcome the ones that you do."

I nod, because Maggie does have a point. I have a thing about those med students, scurrying around timidly, as though they wouldn't know one end of a stethoscope to the other. Perhaps she is right about all of this- hand-picking the students that I want to show up next year, and making sure that none of the bumbling ones manage to fall through.

Perhaps Maggie is right about another thing, too. I really have become much more of a pessimist after my breakup.

"Okay, don't look now," Maggie started, her eyes widening just slightly. "But on your right, about four o'clock. It's Cornelius Rhodes. And he's looking as smug as ever."

"Cornelius Rhodes?" I repeat, confused. "What, why is he here? What is he doing here?" Worry floods my body- mostly because I don't know what Connor has told his father about us, and I don't want to be subjected to an awkward conversation if Cornelius chooses to single me out at this event.

"He is on the board, so it makes sense that he would show his face here," Maggie tells me, in an attempt to be rational and stop my spiralling. She's heard enough of my spiral over the past few weeks and I'm sure that she doesn't want a repeat of it all.

"I know, but what if he talks to me?" I ask, voicing my deepest concern about Cornelius' presence. I hadn't even considered the fact that he might show up at this event, all smiles and expensive suits to cover up his backhanded remarks. I didn't even think that he'd be here, but now I'm wishing that I had.

"I guess you'd better avoid making direct eye contact with him," Maggie suggested. "Then, he won't see you, and he won't come over here. He's too preoccupied anyway, making eyes at some of the other nurses over there. He is a repulsive person."

I could wholeheartedly agree with that fact, just based off my own experiences with the infamous Cornelius Rhodes. It's often impossible for me to comprehend that he actually shares any sort of DNA with Connor, as the two of them are more polar opposites than a father and son could possibly be.