Right Here

Part 5: New Year-New You...New Everything

Working Christmas Day was actually quite fun. Not much to do, but visit with patients and occasionally do some testing and transports. The rest of the holiday "break" which I didn't take- also proved to be slightly enjoyable.

Yet the New Year has come and with it- a New Everything. Not for me though. For everyone else. For example, it was just this morning, I was headed to administration, when I saw Max and -who I assume is- Alice walking towards his office with Luna and Bobbie? When Max spotted me, he smiled slightly, but received nothing in return as I passed. I did, however, hear Luna start to get upset when I didn't say anything or stop. I heard her down the hallway crying and Alice ask why she was upset. Max's response was that she's just out of routine and tired.

Okay. Yeah, alright, Max. That's what's wrong with Luna. It has nothing to do with the fact that after seeing me consistently for three weeks straight for almost three hours a day- that now she hasn't seen me in almost three weeks with absolutely no interactions what so ever. Jerk. Idiot!

I get to my office and put my things away. I hate not seeing Luna and it's almost like a punishment to her, which is unfair, but I'm sorry. Maybe your Father shouldn't be such a dickhead. Alice was pretty though and her baby was cute: but nowhere as cute as Luna. Who name's their baby girl- Bobbie? Stupid! Alice seemed smitten with Max and Max seemed rather afflicted with her, but that doesn't hide his slight disappointment that I ignored him. Sorry Max, I'm just minding my own business here. Don't worry about me. There's a knock at my door. This should be perfect.

"Hello?" I open the door and find Adele with a young Asian man in a leather jacket and jeans.

"Hi, Dr. Sharpe. This is Dr. Cassian Shin, the new Lead Surgeon in Trauma."

"Oh, hello, Dr. Shin, Helen Sharpe." The man smiles charmingly and extends his hand into mine.

"Nice to meet you, Helen. Please call me Cassian. I look forward to working with you." I smile and Adele does as well.

"Since you are the Deputy Medical Director, Mrs. Brantley asked if you would show him around for the day- until you're both needed of course." I nod and the old lady smiles and then scooters away.

"Would you like to come in?" He peeks in the office and smiles graciously.

"I'd love too." Stepping in, he removes his jacket and sits down. His black jeans are ripped and his leather boots tie with the over all esthetics. "Your office is very lovely. I like the set up. Mines a bit empty at the moment."

"Thank you. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to set it all up. I went with this- which I guess suits everyone just well enough because I haven't changed it in almost 10 years."

"You've been here 10 years? Wow, that's impressive. The longest I've stayed at a hospital was almost three." Why? Is he that bad of a surgeon or does he just play the field? "I know that doesn't sound too good considering I'm here now- but I first started out in Seoul when I was 25 and then I went to Miami, and then L.A and now I'm here. Getting the taste of the world one city hospital at a time I guess."

"What lead you into Trauma?"

"I guess it was when I was in Med school and my buddy got in a terrible car accident out in Dallas. I was on duty that night in the E.D and when he came in with part of the steering column in his gut- I sat and watched that surgeon and thought about how thrilling and rewarding it must be. I was originally going to be in podiatry...less exciting haha." We laugh and he crosses his one leg over the other. "So what about you? You must have a pretty interesting story behind you?"

"Not really. London born and raised. Went to Cambridge for the first half of my medical degree- them decided to move to the states. Came here at 21: went to NYU to finish and interned at the Dam and never left."