Open Heart AU 1 (Ethan Ramsey x Valerie Valentine)

Art Of Persuasion: AU1 Chapter 12

Ethan

"I know...we'll come up with something," I said to Naveen as we spoke in his office.

"Ethan....you know out of the both of us, I try to be the most optimistic, but like the governor said, hard decisions have to be made. and we've already had to cut the pay of junior fellows who are bound to be swimming in debt..."

"Valentine..." I said under my breath, realising she was going to be affected by this.

"hm?" Naveen raised a brow.

I sat up and shook my head slightly. "*cough* doctor Valentine, she works for the diagnostics team and works relentlessly. Any way that we could give her some if any leeway?"

Naveen considered me and a smile played upon his face. "You want to help out a mentee?"

"...Like you said. Student loans are going to be a killer. t's been over a decade since I paid mine but I remember how difficult it was. And the rent in Boston isn't cheap, especially for a young doctor."

"Son, I admire that you're trying to help her out, but it's not as easy as that. Other people may be in a similar spot and we don't have the money to be able to help out the ones who need it. Not our doctors...not our patients..." He glanced down.

There was a gentle knock at the door and Naveen said "Um come in!"

"Doctor Banerji? I..." A familiar soft, elegant voice said.

I turned around to see Valentine and she smiled...

"Oh hello Doctor Ramsey."

"Goodmorning, Doctor Valentine.." I gave her an approving nod.

Our eyes lingered on each others faces before she shook her head gently and turned to Naveen, stepping inside the office but holding the door open ever so slightly with her foot.

"I can come back later if you..."

"No, nonsense doctor Valentine! Please, come in. You might be the right person to have this discussion with." Naveen said.

She nodded and came in, sitting into the chair next to me.

Naveen glanced between the two of us with a smile, Rookie and I cautiously shared a glance.

"Naveen?" I raised a brow.

"Oh yes! So, Doctor Valentine, as you heard this week, Edenbrook has ..a bit of an iceberg..."

She crossed her legs and said,"Oh no Doctor Banerji anything but an Iceberg..."

"An iceberg?" I raised a sceptical brow.

"Yes, an iceberg normally connotes a disaster in this context. The titanic sinking for example..." she clasped her hands together on her lap.

"I think there is something to be done about our problem and that it definitely is Edenbrooks iceberg." she said.

I scratched the back of my head and tore my eyes away from her and looked to Naveen.

"Do you have any ideas?" He raised a brow.

"...Not as of now. But I'm sure I will...or if I don't someone else will, like doctor Ramsey, who has great initiative." she said.

"But Valentine, these are unprecedented times. I have tried to come up with something and if Naveen can't..." I started to say.