Chasing the Artist (Book Two)

SEVEN

Jamie

I usually never got nervous when I perform surgeries. I was pretty new however. I've been a surgeon for about four years now and I always felt like it was my first day every time I stepped into the operating room. Feeling things such as curiosity and excitement.

"Are you ready Dr. Morris?" asked Meg, one of the nurses in the room. I nodded and grabbed my scalpel.

Ms. Wang was already on the operating table knocked out by anesthesia. I made three minuscule incisions in her abdomen with my scalpel. Then, inserted a port to inflate her stomach and other organs in the abdomen so they could be easier to see.

"Pump it with carbon dioxide." I told Meg. She nodded and did just that.

My breathing was heavy. Ms. Wang trusted me. I couldn't fuck this up. I began to insert a small lighted camera through one of the incisions to identity and position the appendix while my team looked at the scene vigilantly. Through one of my incisions I implanted sterile fluid to rid her abdomen of any remaining infectious material.

Her appendix was removed.

I smiled slightly behind my mask.

"Tray!" I yell out.

Another nurse comes up to me with a tray. I removed all of the surgical instruments out of Ms. Wang and put them on the tray. The carbon dioxide gas was able to escape and I sighed.

"Meg I need bandages." I call out. She was already by my side before I finished the sentence. I took them from her and closed the incisions.

*

"How do you feel Ms. Wang?" I asked. She had just woken up from her anesthesia and I wanted to record her recovery.

"I don't know." She answers honestly.

"That's okay."

She looked up at me with a tired expression on her face.

"How long I stay in hospital?"

"We recommend every client that undergoes a laparoscopic appendectomy to stay at the hospital for at least two days. Is that alright with you?"

She nods.

"Yes. That is no problem."

I stood up from the guest chair that was placed next to her bed and looked down at her.

"The day you're leaving I'll inform you on how to take take care of yourself in order to expect a speedy recovery but for now I'll let you rest. You've been through a lot."

With droopy eyes Ms. Wang sighs in what I believe is agreement and falls back asleep. I closed her room door and went to my office. Chris was spinning in my swivel chair when I entered. A ball of crumpled paper touched my chest as I looked at him.

"Throwing paper balls? What are you seven?"

"WhAt ArE yOu SeVeN?" He mocked.

I rolled my eyes and plumped down on my offices' couch.

"God this day has been so long. Three long ass surgeries can take a toll on a man." I sighed.

"I know what can make you feel better." Chris chimed.

"Sleep?"

"The club!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Not in the mood." I dead panned.

"Not today dumbass. Tomorrow. We're both off for the rest of the week and you owe me."

I sighed heavily.

"Chri-"

"Ah I can't hear you! I suddenly turned deaf!" He yells as he exits my office.

I chuckled at my persistent friend and gathered my things.

Might as well get as much sleep as I can.

____________________

Eve was fast asleep by my side. It was really late and for some reason I couldn't fall asleep. I was not used to having a day off and my body was punishing my body because of it. My phone began to ring and it made me jump up from my thoughts. I picked up the small device and stared at the caller ID.

Dad.

Why was my dad calling me at 2 in the morning?

Hesitantly, I pressed accept and put the phone against my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello Steven."

He was the only person in the world to call me by my middle name. His reasoning was that 'Jamie' sounded too girly.

"What do you want dad?"

A sickly cough was heard on the other side of the call.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

"No." He said weakly. "That's why I'm calling you. To apologize."

I furrow my brows in confusion.

My father was apologizing.

To me?

"For what?"

Another sickly cough was given as a response.

"I haven't been the best father to you have I?" He asked rhetorically. I stayed silent and waited for him to continue.

"I took you for granted Steven. You and your mother."

When he brought up my mother I pursed my mouth.

"You're my oldest and I treated you horribly."

Cough.

"I should've been there for you."

Cough.

"Now God is punishing me for it and I deserve it."

Okay he was scaring me.

"Where is all this coming from?" I asked.

I haven't spoken to my dad for at least 4 years now. The last time I talked to him was to inform him that I was officially a surgeon then and was pleasantly gifted with a dry 'congrats.' So now all of a sudden him calling me up and telling me he's sorry and should've been a better father means something is definitely wrong.

"I don't want to leave this world without fixing the mess that I caused."

Leave this world? Mess?

"Dad what's going on?"

He sickly coughed again, this one being the worst.

"I will answer all your questions at dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, dinner. I want to have at least one meal with all my children. Make sure you bring that girl of yours. It looks she'll be the mother of my grandchildren one day, I should get to know her better."

I was shocked. This is so unlike him. I'm going to talk to mom about this.

"W-when is the dinner?" I stumble out.

"Next week Saturday."

Cough.

"I have too many important appointments this week." He finished.

"Okay." I responded still in shock.

This was surreal.

"It was good hearing your voice Steven. You've made me very proud. See you next Saturday."

"See you next Saturday." I say softly.

The line went dead.

When the light of my phone turned off I was surrounded by total darkness.

Kinda like all my thoughts at the moment.

Sorry for the long wait, writers block is a real bitch :/

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