Someone to Love

Twenty-Two

Lucas
It was a busy day for me, I was in my clinic for half a day and since I decided to practice my degree in Psychology, I also went on another venture by being a clinical psychologist. I didn't have time to be a psychiatrist because I went to brain school.
Actually, I thought that this was a good pay back for my day off yesterday.
"Dr. Seo?" Mary, my nurse peeked from the door as I finished today's notes.
"Yes, are there any more patients?" I said
"No, I believe we are done for the day."
"Good, I guess it's an early day then." I said
"Not yet, Doc. We have a translabyrinthe craniotomy scheduled at 2pm." She said
"Oh right. The forty-six year old."
I got my phone and sent Ara a quick text, telling her that I got a surgery coming up and I really had a long day although I wanted to see her I might just end up sleeping on her so, I just told her I miss her.
"Mary, after that do I have any more surgeries?" I asked
"Just rounds." She said
I nodded, and told her that I'd see her in the operating room later.
The attending's room was a little bit busy when I entered, and it seems that everyone is fretting about something.
"What's going on?" I said
"Board members are going to watch one surgery today." Mitchell said
"Which surgery?" I said
And then Carl, the head of gastro entered with a graduated cup in his hands.
"Okay, I just got back from the board and it seems that there are only six surgeries scheduled at 2pm. So, if you don't have a procedure scheduled at 2 then you're safe." Carl said
I heard a few sighs of relief from other attendings, and I can't remember what time is my scheduled translabyrinth.
"I sure hope that you are all aware of your schedules." Carl said as he shook the cup.
I got my phone and shot a text to Mary, because I really just came from my clinic and I have a lot in my mind reviewing for the procedure but I forgo-
"Translabyrinth Craniotomy, Dr. Seo-" Carl said, and then the room burst into a round of applause. The noise was a mixture of mock-congratulations, sighs of relief and exhaustion.
"It's much better than a routine appendectomy." Carl said
"Uh, why are the board members watching?" I said
"There's a new board member and the hospital management thought that it would be good to make the new board member watch."
"You all are welcome to watch. I rarely do this procedure anyway." I said
I changed into my scrubs and looked at my phone once again before I talk to the patient.
"2pm. Operating Theater 2" Mara texted.
"Good luck! 💋" Ara texted. Okay, the kiss mark emoji made my heart flutter.
Before I even click the lock button, Jae Kyung is calling.
"Hello?" I said
"I have some news." He said that in English.
"What?" I said
And then he started talking to me in Korean.
"Ji Hyun and I are having a boy." He said
"Oh, that's great! Hold on-" I spotted Mary who passed by the Attending's Lounge.
"Can you have the patient prepped already? This won't take long." I said
"Right away, Doc." She said
"Are you busy?" Jae Kyung said
"A bit, I have to scrub in two minutes." I said
"Right, doctor stuff. Anyway, Hayden Industries got a new Vice President and-"
"Jae Kyung, I really have to go. I'll call you later." I said, hanging up.
I scrubbed in and entered the Operating Theater, the patient was already sedated, his face is covered for his own protection and safety, his head completely shaved and already been covered with Betadine. But since I am in the theater, there are a few cameras focused on his head which is connected to the gallery.
I didn't even look at the gallery, first because they are a distraction. They're just gonna watch me cut open a head and poke around the brain, and then Dr. Carmichael will explain to the people upstairs what I'm doing and then they'll murmur. Second, I really don't like the idea that they are here to watch a surgeon perform, we are not actors here. They just want to see if their investments are worth it.
I like to work in silence sometimes, and with the people in the gallery as a distraction, I had Mary unplug the microphone. Don't worry, it will be replugged after the surgery, I just don't want them to meddle with my technique.
"Hey, Lu." Dr. Pence, my trusty anesthesiologist said.
"Hey, Sage." I said to him as I took a good look at the head that I was gonna cut open.
"This is the fourth time that board members are to watch your surgeries." He said
"Yeah, I'm starting to think that the fishbowl is rigged." I said
"Brain surgery versus appendectomy? Dude, it's an easy win." He said
"Well, it's not just the neurosurgery department, you know? Anyway, scalpel." I said
The overall procedure took up about six hours. And this guy would be in the ICU for at least two days. If you ask me what do I look forward to every surgery, I'd answer seeing the brain and cutting the skull. Seriously, for me it gives me a sense of power and at the same time, it's actually an honor to see the control center of the body. Too bad I won't be able to see mine.
Whenever I do procedures, I only work with a few people, my trusted people actually. I don't really work with other nurses or anesthesiologists because sometimes they are too chatty and to be honest, I have trust issues so I don't think I can trust a new person easily.
I looked up the gallery and saw that it was empty, naturally because it's a six hour procedure, those board members are busy as hell and probably got no time for to watch a surgery this long.
It was almost nine o'clock when I finished scrubbing out, and I am hungry as hell.
"Oh there you are!" Dr. Carmichael said as I was walking back to the Attending's Lounge.
"I didn't know you were looking for me." I said as I stopped to wait for him.
"Good surgery today." He said as we walked together.
"Thank you." I said
"The new board member was impressed. Insisted on watching the whole procedure." He said
"Ah, they should have booked the whole day then. Six hours is not a joke." I said
"Yeah, well. Are you going home?" He said
"Yeah, I need to sit down, my back's killing me."
He patted me on the back.
"See you tomorrow then. Good job today." He said as he walked away.
I just grabbed my bag from my locker and left the hospital. I found myself wishing that I brought my car to work because I really don't have the energy and strength to walk home. Plus, it's raining, oh god I don't want to sleep in the hospital again.
I grabbed my phone from my bag hoping to get an Uber, but then I saw that Ara texted.
Wanna dinner? She texted at 7:30pm. It's an hour and a half after, should I reply? I am really hungry and tired. So I decided to just call her.
"Hi!" She said
"Hi." I said, she sounded all so happy but then I sounded all so tired.
"Wanna have dinner?" She said
"It's 9 pm. And are you here in the area?"
"Why would I ask you if I wasn't?" She said
"Can you come pick me up? I'm so tired." I said
"Okay, wait for me in the hospital lobby."
"Normally, I'd just go to you but my legs are so tired and I'm just really hungry." I said
I really didn't notice the time that I was waiting in the lobby but she sure came real fast. My eyes were so tired but for some reason I know that she was near me, it's probably the smell of her perfume, but I know she was in the lobby looking for me.
I was sitting down the couch doing some of my breathing exercises when I "felt" her presence. She was dressed immaculately as usual, actually she looked like a flight stewardess. She was wearing a white button down shirt neatly tucked in, in a beige skirt that really uh, emphasized her figure. She probably was wearing a jacket to match it but she just left it in her car. And a pair of shoes that probably costs the same price as an appendectomy or something. And I'm not even mentioning the bag.
She was walking towards me and I stood up to meet her halfway and wrapped my arms on her. I know I'm so tired to even say hello but I just really wanted her.
"Hello to you too." She said as she rubbed her hands on my back, which felt good by the way.
"Can we do this all night?" I said
"Are you that tired?"
I nodded.
"Okay, you have to let go now. We still have to decide what to eat." She said
"You decide. I'll pay, just be with me." I said, letting go.
She nodded.
"Come on." She said, I know we're still not a thing but I decided to just hold her hand while we were walking. And she did notice.
"I'm tired okay? And I just really needed you." I said
"I guess you can do that from now on then." She said
I smiled, barely.
It was a good thing that it stopped raining, but the ground was still wet, I was looking for her Maserati but then it wasn't there.
"Where's your car?" I said
"Oh, right there." She pointed at a black one in front of us.
"You don't drive the Maserati anymore?" She just smiled and shook her head.
A guy came out from the driver's side and opened the door for us.
"Enter." Ara said
"What?"
"I can't slide in. I'm wearing a skirt, plus you made me come here." Ara said
Am I asleep right now or did I miss something? Ara's not driving, and we're not in her Maserati. We're in her Rolls Royce and I haven't been in one since my parents dropped me off Incheon Airport to catch my flight to the US.
"You should take a nap first." She said
"Huh?" I said
"You've had a long day. Charles will take care of us." She said
I may or may not have drifted asleep, but I think when I felt the car stop, my eyes burst open and I was resting on Ara's shoulder.
"Hey doctor." She said
"Did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry-"
"Shush, it's okay. I decided to just get Chinese take out so that we can eat it at your place and then you can rest." She said
I looked at her and then hugged her.
"God, I love you." I said...without thinking.
And then there was silence in the Royce.
"Okay, lets go. We're here." She said
"What?"
"We're at your place." She said
"Oh! Right." I said
We were sitting down the couch, eating Chinese food, with our legs tangled with each other.
"So, how was your day?" She asked me.
"Tiring. Clinic in the morning, for both neuro and psych, and then I had this surgery in which I had to do for six hours, with eyes watching me from behind."
"What?"
"Yeah, the hospital's board members watched me do a translabyrinthe craniotomy." I said as I ate.
"You make it sound like you just attended something basic."
"It is basic for me."
She rested her head on my chest.
"My dad gave me a job at HI again." she said
"Really? You were their director of some sort right?"
"One of the board of directors yeah."
"He gave you your job back?"
"No."
"Then what's the job? Did you get a promotion or a demotion?"
She clicked her tongue and said "You sir, are now eating Chinese food with the Vice President of Hayden Industries."
"You're what?"
She sat up and smiled.
"Yeah, that explains the Royce and Charles. It comes with the promotion."
I placed the take out box on the table and hugged her.
"Congratulations! Oh my god!" I said
"Yeah, that means I can't be on call most of the time. And probably be available 9pm onwards."
"Works for me, baby." I said as I made her rest her head on me again.
"I can make you stop working, I mean Lucas seriously, I'm earning $150,000 a month-"
"Baby, I make $80,000 a month, it's not at par with your earnings but at least we get a little extra-" I said as I moved in to kiss her.
"$230,000 a month? Not bad." She said as she kissed me.
"Can I date you?" I said as we stopped making out.
She smiled.
"Great, I just got a promotion and you want to date me? You barely even looked at me while I was a fired director-"
"Yeah, you sucked being a broke ass, you got me with  the Maserati, the Royce, the Hermes and hell, the Louboutins."
"Don't forget the Rolex baby." She said as she moved to kiss me.
Did I mention that I worked hard today and I was tired?
"Show up in scrubs again, and we might get somewhere." She said as she stood up.
"What?"
She smiled.
"I got work tomorrow, hopefully whatever we did a while got you a bit powered up-" and then I stood up and kissed her again.
"Please don't go." I said
"I'll come back. Charles knows where you live." She said