JUST ANOTHER ARRANGEMENT

7. ISA COLLIN

"Ready to be free again Saylor?" The seven-year-old girl widened her smile when she saw me approaching her partitioned bed. As soon as I reached her, Linda handed me Saylor's chart. She was already here talking to the little girl and assisting her mother with everything they needed before Saylor can finally be discharged from the ward.

Saylor, as her name suggested, loves everything about a sailor. Specifically pirates. She lifted her fake eye patch and turned to me with her missing tooth smile. "Yeah! I had a video call with my grandma last night and guest what?"

"What?" I asked. Infected by her bright enthusiasm.

"She made me a Captain Hook bed sheet! And pillowcases too!"

"That's so awesome!" When she turned to her mother to express her excitement, I averted my gaze to quickly flip through the chart in my hand. "I can't wait to sleep on my own bed. I'm sorry to say this, but your bed is not bouncy. It's very hard."

Her mother, Linda and I can't help but laugh at the comment. "Well then you gotta stay healthy and safe so you don't come back to sleep on this bed again." Linda answered. I let them have their conversation while I turn to her mother, explaining about her daughter's condition and reminding her to monitor Saylor's medicines intake.

After running through the usual steps, I permitted Linda to proceed with the rest of the routine and said my goodbye to the cheery girl. But as I was about to leave, Linda cornered me away from the duo. "What's wrong?" I asked in a subtle tone.

"I don't know how to say this without it sounding like bad news but- Doctor Shain came looking for you at your office this morning."

My forehead scrunched. "Shain was looking for me?"

"Yeah. I told him you were attending so he told me to tell you to meet him at his office. ASAP." Linda gave me a straight smile. A pitiful smile that meant 'good luck' because nothing good happens when you are called to the head doctor's office. It's the equivalent of when you were called to the principal's office back in school. Or when your parents called you to the living room when they could've just said what they wanted. Linda gave me a small pat on the back and left to handle Saylor's discharge.

Now, standing in front of the elevator's metal door waiting for it to open, I can't help the nervousness that's slowly messing with my nerves. I'm not the kind to get easily freaked out, not when I know I've done nothing wrong. But something in the back of my mind kept telling me something was off. Call it a gut feeling.

My hands are clenched in a fist in the pockets of my scrub. I was too busy going through all the possible reasons for my appearance and all the answers I could give, I didn't even noticed the presence that came to stands next to me. A familiar but unwelcomed voice was heard.

"Doctor Isa! So great to see you here." I turned my head to the voice's owner and the least expected figure appeared. It's Doctor Shain himself, or as the staff nicknamed him, Shain 'The Sheep'.

Shain is the CMO and always has been one since the day I transferred here. People warned me about him – I heard stories too – but I was new, naturally I don't want to judge people I haven't met based on word of mouth alone. Fast-forward 4 years later, I think the name didn't do any justice to all the sheep around the world. At least, they're cute and fluffy. Shain on the other hand? Is a fox in sheep's clothing.

He's a specialist at kissing his way up to people's hearts. The Hospital Director, for instance, is one of his favourite victims. Can't really blame the Director too because Shain is terrifyingly great at doing what he does. That's how he managed to hold onto his CMO position for so long despite all the rumours and scandals swirling around him like a bad perfume.