The Smile

XIX - Changes and changes

Emma was sitting in the well known office, of Dr Darcy. Tired face, pale skin, and a gurgling belly, she was very anxious. A blue blouse was fold on her knees, as she try to cooperate with the cold atmosphere of the room.

Sam knocks at the door. She was no more amused nor joyful, but surprised to see her sister. Paralyzed by the icy voice of her younger sis. Situation had been worst in the past few years. It has been three years since she had no tidings of her. The Wylde family had exploded, when the father, Chris, was found dead at home. A gun in one hand, and his last bottle in the other. The mother hanged herself, she died of sorrow and loneliness, or maybe dementia. Brothers and sisters, heirs of the family had gone far away. They did not want to be attached to their boundaries, dirty origins.

Sam teamed up with Emma when they were twelve and ten. They both had a dream in common : they wanted to escape. The eldest had always wished to be a doctor, since she wanted to help. And the youngest worked hard to follow the paths of her sister. Finally, the meet again at twenty eight and twenty six years old. The smiles reappeared on their faces.

They hug for a moment. Sam makes her put the blue blouse and greets her calmly.

"Thanks Dr Wylde."

Sam prevents a laugh, she prefers to respond with the most serious voice she could :

"You are welcome intern Grey."

Emma Grey. She had changed her name and had imagined her own path. Violent quarrels were gone with the years. Scars were healing softly.

Dr Dearing knocks at the door, discovering the new recruit.

She recognizes the blue eyes, and the facial features. The stranger looked familiar. Sam agrees with tilting her head.

"Emma, this is Claire."

Emma acts polite and shakes hands.

"Claire, this is my sister, Emma."

The expression on her face, her gaze, showed an emotion of both empathy and surprise. An awkward silence settles for a long moment before Sam tries jokes.

"Intern Grey, pleased to meet you at last !"

They shake hands and chuckle under the amused eyes of Dr Dearing.

Suddenly, she realizes something.

"There is no vacant post for her.. Sam I..

- Actually, yes, there is one."

Sam smiles proudly.

"Dr Katic is about to leave us soon. I'm afraid."

Dr Dearing cracks of laughter. Her laugh was an alloy of ups and downs, as never heard previously.

"Oh you could totally take her post !"

Emma thanks them politely.

Someone knocks on the door. The three girls look at the door. They were not waiting for someone, the group was full already.

Madam Lisa Eldestein, herself, arrives. Her walk is elegant, determined. Her neck is a bit raised up and her gaze is both polite and seductive. Emma is seduced by her kindness.

"Intern Grey, nice to meet you ! We were waiting for you."

Lisa displays a large wrinkled smile under the shy laughs and smiles of the others.

"It is an honor to welcome you. But first, let me introduce you to your teacher.. Dr Wylde, I think you know her well. Am I right ?"

Emma is surprised, twice : seeing her sister, and being her student. It means they could work again hand in hand, next to each other. The conditions were perfectly established to let Emma become one of the best surgeon in dentistry.

"I know her very well, indeed. She responds."

Lisa gets out in a run in heels, with hands full of files. When her phone rang, she could not respond. Interns were tracking her quickly. This unusual scene for the new recruit was funny.

Downstairs, near the emergency corridor, Dr Damon was also running alongside his group of fresh interns. His arrogance was unappreciated. Madam Eldestein had already summoned him twice a day. The purpose of the first meeting was to prevent the philanderer to care more about his work and no longer his young and lovely interns, his conquests. The second one was a recall.

He was a real Dom Juan, and made the girls weak. Even patients were awestruck by his physics and his talking. Seduced easily, his voice was the bow to the heart and the arrow, the words, touching the heart of dozen of women a day.

The well known friendly dentists of our novel, weren't pleased to see him around. Hearing his voice was an ordeal. Dr Cate Beckett founded him, at first sight, adorable and classy. Then she heard testimonies and thought of him as someone miserable. He was humiliating interns. Promises, kisses, sex appointments in his office was his daily routine, next to his work at the clinic.

This afternoon, Dr Damon came in Dr Darcy's office with a professional idea in mind. He did not even knock before coming in, and sits next to her under the puzzled eyes of her.

"Dr Damon, what a surprise.."

She sighs discreetly between two sips of her tea.

"Hi. I must talk to you about a project I just had. It could be a great idea for you and for me. I am about to create the plastic surgery department in this humble hospital and I needed a few support. Benefits, right ?

- What do you mean ? She cuts him in his long speech.

- I am saying you could pose for a campaign. I have a team in charge of marketing stuff and..

- ..I beg your pardon ?

- I am asking again. Will you be able to accept my suggestion, that is to say, an operation.. maybe, reducing your nose, and accentuate more on your good facial features..

- You're extolling the goods of plastic surgery, am I right ?

- Exactly. So..

- It is controversial to brag about feeling good when, only, to feel confident you must endure surgery."

Touché ! Dr Damon laughs ironically, scratching his beard under the serious look of Elizabeth.

"I refuse. Please, go away before I hit your lovely face of a hipster in need of affection, sex if I may say. Let me give you a lesson. Beauty is founded in the heart of the kindest, the most generous and real people, not fake and made-up ones. Those ones who confuse self-acceptance with surgery to look better. The door is open already, you don't have to say goodbye, I can't barely bear your face and talk already."

Thomas walks out.

Elizabeth was mad after he pointed her physical complexes. Since high school, and university, she had witnessed critics on her appearance. And since then, she would never appreciate criticisms, or plastic surgeons like Dr Damon.

Lisa takes her long coat and closes the door of her office. Grabbing her key, she notices in silence, the young cardiologist. She would often meet him during breaks. He was adorable. Cate noted the changement in her talk and gesture when Lisa was near him. Elizabeth was informed of this improvement as soon as her friend told her. The three felt foolish, remembering their younger years, when ten years ago, they were gossiping and giggling about their crushes.

Elizabeth had informed Alex. During a walk, they bring the subject back :

"I swear, I've never thought of Madam Eldestein as someone seductive.

- Oh but she really is !"

The duo laugh loudly.

Also, Simon walks out. He waves goodbye at Dr Damon and Dr Donovan before getting in his car. During the ride, he thought about Eva. Was she alright ? Was she happy, now ? Did she see someone ?