Ethan- An Open Heart Story

Chapter 17- Outtakes

"The Surgery department is having a small celebration tonight. We successfully had five riskiest surgeries done and sealed. You are invited." Harper told me when I arrived to update her about the departmental works. Among them remained my firm belief to get that access card from her.

I gave her an appreciative nod, "That's amazing. Congratulations."

She smiled but it didn't reached her eyes, "The interns are amazing. Especially Dr. Lahela. I see great potential in him."

"You don't sound like a proud Chief."

She sighed, "Of course I don't! This is ridiculous. Being a Chief is equal to being a father chicken who would do nothing in the line of action."

I shot her a precarious look, "The Chief has responsibility of the whole medical side. You can't simply abandon your duty to this place to jump into surgeries, no matter how much your hands itch you to do. Trust me, I know once something has been imprinted in the bone, it will demand to resurface again and again."

She pushed her chair back and stood. She had allowed her jet black hair with ombre hued streaks to curl down just below her shoulders. She used to keep the length but now she had cut it short. It suited her, giving her a professional look.

"What if you are offered this place, Ethan?" she asked, looking to the sprawling complex from her windows, "What if you have been made the Chief?"

I made a distasteful noise, "I would say the board to kiss me goodbye but there's no way I will take up administration."

Harper smiled, "Only you would refuse that. It gives me a chance to stay close to my niece." She looked back to me, "I am not gonna have any children of my own. Aurora is all I have here."

I was strangely mortified by Harper's sudden words. Then I regretted that I had been consumed so much by work and Naveen and life that I forgot the person whom I once loved, had great relationship for years and continued to admire her. Harper was well into her family and friends but sometimes even people like her needed some brake.

"Aurora has great potential. She has continued to top in the fellowship. Just like her aunt." I smiled.

Harper nodded, "But you don't approve her methods."

"The world doesn't like many methods. Doesn't mean they won't sprout up in the wings."

Then she turned to face me with her back towards the windows. Her eyes fixated on mine firmly, "What is your assortment of Charlotte Turner."

I stilled for a bit. What....?

"Why her?" I kept my tone bland.

She slightly frowned, "I don't suppose you know it but I and her mother used to be colleagues. We didn't exactly part on good terms. Some years ago, I was having a visiting tenure to Turner Memorial on behalf of her request. Things got way off the wind. That family is troubled."

I shrugged, "Dr. Turner is fine. She is a good doctor."

"That's it?"

"What?"

"You mean to say a girl who isn't even twenty two is an intern with a prodigal mind working here and she didn't manage to impress you? Is that why you have ranked her low?" her tone was chipped.

"I didn't say that. I said she is better in her work than others."

"Is that why you are assigning her the most prejudiced cases for interns?" her tone changed into accusatory.

I scowled, "Harper, every case is different. Its just pure coincidence that she is getting the hard blows always. I can't help that. Plus we need doctors for the Diagnostic Department ever since Naveen...." I trailed off.