The Anatomy of You

Chapter 2 - The Encounter

"Hey Safiya! You will be walking around with Dr. Stoneham today. He's in exam room two right now with the cutest little two-year-old." Safiya's favorite professor, Dr. Malina Mott, hands her a patient chart.

"Thank you Dr. Mott! I'll head there now." Safi takes the chart and gives it a once over and makes her way to exam room two. The next couple of hours consist of typical wellness check-ups, a couple of exhausted new moms, and a very attractive single dad. Safiya heads off to a block of restaurants nearby for her lunch.

"Should I be healthy or let my unhealthy tendencies rule my life?", Safi ponders as she looks at Panera Bread and a Wendy's across the street from each. Panera Bread sounded so good, but the Wendy's is right next to her. "Let's not be lazy" , she thought to herself as she walked across the street to Panera Bread. She's watching a video on YouTube when she receives a call from her mom.

"Hey momma, what's up?", she answers before taking another bite of her broccoli cheese soup.

"Safiya, how is your first day in the pediatric ward going?" her mom asks with a tone that suggests she's fishing for a certain answer.

"It's going great momma, got to see a lot of cute kids today. It's just been regular check ups for the most part and a few new mom freak outs. Those were fun to watch" ,Safiya replies sarcastically.

Her mom laughs, "Safi, you leave those moms alone. They are trying their best. That used to be me with your older brother way back. It's a tough time. Don't forget to show them compassion, because one day that will be you with the baby and sleepless nights."

Safi groans, as much as she loved children, the idea of having her own seemed so far. She was already almost 25 years old with an almost nonexistent love life and she always envisioned herself in a happy marriage before having children.

"Yes, I know momma. Always show kindness and kindness will return to you. I remember, you say it every five seconds." Safiya giggled, remembering all the lectures she received from her mom growing up.

Safi and her mom always had a very tight bond, even while she was growing up. Her parents were high school sweethearts who followed each other to US from Kenya, had a couple of kids and began their new American life in the suburbs of Boston.

Her mom worked as a nurse and her father worked in cyber security. Both had long hours in their field of work, but always made her and her older brothers a priority. Family time was always most important, especially between Safiya and her mother since Safi was the only girl in amongst the children.

As it always does her lunch break came and went, Safi heads back into hospital when she sees Dr. Motts running up to her with a patient chart.

"Oh good, Safi you're back! I've got an interesting case for you in the pediatric psychiatry ward. A kid with ADHD is now exhibiting some other neurological symptoms. I thought you would like to see that in action." Dr. Motts exclaims as Safi thumbs through the case file. A grin creeps onto Safi's face as the excitement of a real case bubbles up in her.

"I'm in!", Safi says as she rushes into the building with Dr. Motts. They jog through the long hallways of the hospital, get on the elevator and head up to the psychiatric ward. Safi could barely contain her excitement, she dashes out the elevator eager to see the patient and how the process of this diagnosis would unfold.

She turns the corner and bumps into somebody. Papers go flying in the air, she starts falling when everything starts to slow down. Why does this feel familiar? An arm catches her by the waist. Safi looks up at the person who catches her. A surgical light that was lit passing by turns off and she finally sees his face.

"Are you okay?", he asks, the sound of his voice like the richest honey. Safi takes a breath and nods.

The man looks at her puzzled, "Have we met before?"