My Head or My Heart?

Chapter 13

The surgery doors opened as Nico and I came out after another successful surgery. We were in the prep room taking off our gloves.

"Another successful surgery Nurse Jaya congratulations." he offered as he soaped up his arms and forearms.

"Thank you Dr. Nico." I warmly returned as one of the OR nurses helped me take my smock off.

"the incision you made into the pubic area with the scalpel was an interesting technique."

"well, I've been reading some journal articles about that incision being used in cesareans out in Europe and seeing promising results." I removed my gloves and opened the receptacle bin to discard them.

"have you now? I'm gonna have to read up on that article you've got. Well the cut was good and the suture position you placed will allow her to heal in no time. Soon you won't even be needing me. You'll be doing this all on your own."

I snorted as I began washing my hands. "but see that's the thing I need you. Your expertise continues to take my breath away and who else will be there to make all those great jokes and one liners?"

I didn't hear a quirky or smart ass reply from him. Did he already leave without telling me? I thought slightly annoyed as I reached forward and grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser above the sink. How rude, why didn't he wait for me? I turned around and was surprised to see him still there. It seemed as if he had been looking at something because he quickly coughed as a cover up.

"You alright Dr. Nico?" I asked.

"hmm...?" he asked his voice still somewhat distracted a bit.

I just looked at him kinda giving him a wtf look, "something on your mind?"

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(Nico's POV) My thoughts came back to the present as we walked out after another successful surgery. I know it wasn't protocol but I allowed for us to briefly switch roles for the surgery. I knew from the initial analysis it was gonna be a super simple and easy routine surgery, so I figured why not let her start getting her feet wet a bit so to speak. And just like I predicted she came through, quite spectacularly might I add. The nurses in the OR were quite confused when they saw me taking the assist chair and not the lead. But once I put everyone's mind at ease before the surgery the rest fell in place. I saw her calm herself a bit as we were rinsing off in the prep room.

"don't worry it was my first time too." I joked to ease some of her nervousness.

she softly chuckled, mission accomplished "oh yes I lived for seeing you in the assisting role."

"well if I'm not mistaken, I believe I already did that before." I hinted making sure to keep my tone as innocent sounding as possible.

She eyed me for a brief second, her cute face turned up in a mock scowl. Hey you walked into that one. I thought smirking as I finished rinsing off.

"Another successful surgery Nurse Jaya congratulations." I offered.

"Thank you Dr. Nico." she warmly replied as a nurse helped take her smock off.

"The incision you made into the pubic area with the scalpel was an interesting technique."

"Well, I've been reading some journal articles about that incision being used in cesareans out in Europe and seeing promising results." I heard the receptacle bin open as she put her gloves in there.

As always....working on her skills. I thought as I began washing my hands. If there's anything I like in my coworkers it's that they're also involved in continuing education to up their skills. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a workaholic, but I did enjoy working on my craft and making sure it stayed in tip top shape. All those accolades people like to attribute with my name didn't just come out of thin air. But I also know that being a nurse that's something she constantly has to stay on top of. I felt for Nurses at times, all the continuing education and classes they had to constantly invest in was trying if your heart wasn't in it. Thankfully in Jaya's case it was.