Lost Jigsaw

The Ones We Once Loved

Ma'am, you paged?" Ling entered the office of the Chief of Surgery and sat on one of the chairs intended for visitors in front of his desk.
"Yes, Dr. Kwong!" Chief Apasiri Nithibon said, acknowledging her presence. Chief Nithibon fixed the papers on top of her desk and turned to Ling, "How was your surgery?"
"It went smoothly, Chief." Ling said. To be honest, she was exhausted. She just wanted to relax in her office before her next scheduled surgery three hours from now.
"That's great!" the chief replied, "someone will contact you from the Thailand Heart Journal, they reached out to me hoping to interview you."
"What for?"
"Of course, they would want to interview the newly appointed head of cardio-thoracic surgery of St. King's Medical Hospital who received the most prestigious award for developing a new technique for heart valve replacement!" Chief Nithibon was proud of her mentee, and an additional publicity will benefit the hospital big-time.
"Okay, Chief. I'll be waiting for their call," Ling got up from her seat, ready to make some excuse about how she is needed in the Emergency Room (ER) or whatnot, because she knew that the chief will only babble about her life stories.
"Wait! That's not really why I paged you," Ling sat down on her seat once again, waiting for her chief's instruction, "The head for pediatric surgery will arrive today. I want you to give her a tour of the hospital,"
"Why me? I have a surgery at 6:00 pm, Chief. Please have some of the residents do it," Ling plead to Chief Nithibon, but the chief seemed persistent.
"She's a doctor from New York! She hasn't signed her contract just yet, and I don't want our residents to scare her off," the chief tapped her pen repeatedly on her glass table, "I heard that Bangkok Hospital also offered her the same position— so I want you to personally meet her and make sure nothing will change her mind working here. Got it?"
It's not as if Ling has a choice. She nodded in response.
The click-clacking of high heeled shoes against the marble floor indicated the arrival of their awaited guest, "Oh, she's here!" She heard her superior welcoming the new doctor to the hospital.
Ling was facing against the door so she didn't see her enter. Ling immediately turned to where the Chief and the new doctor is, offering her hand to introduce herself.
The new doctor removed her large sunglasses and took Ling's hand.
Ling could not believe what she's seeing. Ling was left paralyzed in that position, as if multiple scalpels were used to stab her spine.
Ling couldn't think. Ling couldn't talk. Ling couldn't move.
Chief Nithibon took the initiative in introducing Ling, "This is Dr. Sirilak Kwong, the head of our cardio thoracic surgery department."
"Yes, Chief. I know her." She smiled at Dr. Nithibon like it was the most natural thing in the world, "We were classmates in the university,"
"Really? Then that's great! You already have one friend in here," Dr. Nithibon continued, "Dr. Kwong will tour you around the hospital later."
"Thank you, Chief," Ling still can't believe her eyes. Ling wanted to get out of that office right now, but her feet are glued and frozen to the floor. The new doctor turned to Ling , still shaking her hand, "I don't think you remember me, I'm Dr. Kornnaphat Sethratanapong and I'm the new head of Pediatric Surgery. Nice meeting you again, Dr. Sirilak Kwong."
It's not that Ling doesn't remember her. It's just that Ling doesn't want to.
But being the professional that Ling is, she grasped her hand back and shook it once again, returning that goddamned smile Dr. Sethratanapong gave her "You're right, I can't seem to remember you. Nice meeting you again as well, Dr. Sethratanapong."
If for Dr. Sethratanapong, Ling was merely a 'classmate in the university', then two can play at that game. -
Ling gave herself a pep talk. 'You are a professional. Act like it. You are the freaking head of cardiothoracic surgery at one of top hospitals in Asia. You will not be affected by your FORMER CLASSMATE'S arrival'
Just as Ling promised the chief, Dr. Kwong toured Dr. Sethratanapong around the massive hospital.
They just passed through the other wings of the hospital. Dr. Kwong was just merely telling her which room is which. According to Ling, she didn't need to know everything anyway. All that's necessary is that she knows where the basics are for a pediatric surgeon.
"Here's the Emergency Room. We will be asked to come here for a consult every now and then— but I'm sure you already know that."
"I do," she said simply.
"It'll get busy here often, since St. King's Medical Hospital is a level 1 trauma center," Ling bragged, which earned a "ohhhh" from Dr. Sethratanapong . "So familiarize yourself with the easiest way to get in this room,"
"Copy that."
Dr. Kwong and Dr. Sethratanapong went towards their next destination- Ling showed her the Intensive Care Unit, the laboratories, the patient rooms, the on-call rooms, and the conference room. They exchanged short conversations about the hospital, who's the head of each department, but nothing short of pure work talk.
When Dr. Kwong showed her the operating rooms, she saw the board. The board indicated the surgeries for the day, including important details such as the time, the attending surgeon, the resident, the intern assigned, and the operating room they will be using.
It was a busy board, Dr. Sethratanapong thought to herself. She scanned through what's written, and she saw Dr. Kwong's name written in almost five surgeries of different kinds.
"Dr. Hotshot," she mumbled under her breath. She already know that Ling's one of the top cardio thoracic surgeons in Thailand. She read all about when she was still in New York.
"Hmm?" Ling asked, pretending that she hasn't heard what the other doctor just said. "Nothing, Dr. Kwong."
It took them almost two hours walking around the hospital, and Dr. Sethratanapong felt the pain brought by walking around for that long, considering she's wearing those red-bottomed five inch pumps.
"Dr. Kwong, wait for a minute.." Dr. Sethratanapong said, looking for a bench or a chair to sit on. She took another step and winced, and Ling noticed.
"Is something wrong, doctor?"
"Nothing, my feet just started hurting," she tried to continue walking but the stabbing pain in her feet hindered her plan.
"My office is located not too far from here. Come on," Dr. Sethrathanapong was clearly in pain, and Dr. Kwong used all her willpower and self-control not to take her in her arms and carry her. Ling looked at Dr. Sethratanapong, who just stared blankly at the corridor they're walking in, also refusing to ask Ling for some help.
'Its for the better,' Ling said to herself.
Moments later, they reached Dr. Kwong's office. Dr. Sethratanapong stopped at the door, looking at the sign at the door:
Dr. Sirilak Kwong
Head of Cardio Thoracic Surgery, St. King's Medical Hospital
Dr. Sethratanapong looked at Ling with an expression Ling can't read, and Ling stared at her with the same exact expression she was giving Ling.
Ling turned hher back against Dr. Sethratanapong, walking inside her office. Ling knew that Dr. Sethratanapong immediately followed because Ling heard a voice behind her, "I know it was long overdue, but congratulations," It was a different tone to the ones Dr. Sethratanapong was using earlier for her cold replies, much to Ling's surprise.
"Thank you," Ling replied, still not looking at her. Dr. Kwong is thankful that Dr. Sethratanapong is not seeing her reaction right now, because hearing that voice again hit Ling solid in the chest.
Ling grabbed the first aid kit in her cabinet and Ling walked towards her. Dr. Sethratanapong was already sitting on the patient's chair, looking around Ling's office—Eyes set on Ling's shelf full of certificates and awards.
She didn't even see Ling, not until Ling knelt in front of her and removed her Louboutin pumps, setting it aside as he checked her foot for sprains.
"Ya.." Dr. Sethratanapong said in protest, but wincing in pain. She just let Ling bandage her foot, simply because the pain on her foot is bigger than her ego right now.
Dr. Sethratanapong actually twisted her ankle in the ER earlier, trying to dodge a stretcher running towards the
trauma room. She still maintained her poise, of course. So she walked for almost two hours, enduring the pain in her foot.
"Why did you wear this?" Dr. Kwong said referring to her high pumps as she wraps her foot in a bandage. For a second there, she wanted to snatch her foot away from him because his gentle touch made her palpitate with every contact, "You know you couldn't hold your balance well.."
If she wasn't sitting down, her knees would probably wobble- not from the pain of her sprain, but from that voice. That pang of concern in Ling's voice was all she needed at the moment. Their eyes met— Saying all the things their lips couldn't say.
Dr. Kwong was the first to break eye contact.
Both were silent for a good 10 minutes. Dr. Kwong finished wrapping her foot and elevated it to the other chair in front of her.
Finally, the silence was broken.
"How are you?" Dr. Sethratanapong said out of nowhere. Dr. Kwong looked at her, trying to utter any word her mind could think of. ANYTHING.
"I...I...I have to go. I have a surgery." Ling grabbed her white coat and walked towards the door, leaving Dr. Sethratanapong in her office. "Your office is located on the west wing. Walk straight ahead and turn right. It's across the nurses' station."
And just like that, Ling ran out of her office, leaving Dr. Sethratanapong dumbfounded in her seat.