Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Must focus on Dr. Botstein.
“…third time we’ve had to have this conversation, Dr. Finney, and I do not know how much clearer I can be about the severity of this situation…”
Must not think about Nico.
“…can’t prove it was you, but switching the colonoscopy training with a porn tape was extremely unprofessional…”
Must not think about Nico’s face.
“…seriously considering a formal reprimand for misconduct. And, honestly, that would be a shame, and a waste of your talent, not to mention a disservice to the hospital…”
Must not think about Nico’s exasperating hands.
“…believe in your abilities, your skill with diagnostics, your passion for your patients. This has to be the last time. I’m warning you…”
Must not think about Nico’s maddening voice.
“…if I get the slightest indication that you’re planning any more of these pranks, then, despite my personal feelings about the matter, I will be forced to request…”
Must not think about Nico’s infuriating body.
“Have I made myself clear?”
Must appear to be contrite.
“Yes, sir.” I nodded once.
Dr. Botstein exhaled through his nose in a way that reminded me of a horse. I had to bite the inside of my cheek.
Must not compare Dr. Botstein to a horse.
He shook his head, his voice abruptly and unexpectedly adopting a softer, paternal tone.
“I don’t understand why you do it, Elizabeth.
Your attitude mystifies me. I’ve never seen someone with so much talent, who works so hard, and who is so well respected and admired by staff and faculty, who just wants to throw it away like you seem to. ”
When I heard those words, I didn’t have to appear contrite. I felt contrite, and ashamed. My gaze dropped to the floor. “I’m sorry.”
He waited until I met his glare again; his eyes searched mine. Abruptly, he leaned back in his desk chair and flicked his wrist, dismissing me with an impatient, irritated wave. “Leave.”
I didn’t wait to be told twice and closed the door to Dr. Botstein’s office as softly as I could. Once safely in the hall, I closed my eyes and released a frustrated, yet quiet, growl. I couldn’t understand how Dr. Botstein had ended up with the exploding latex gloves.
If I were honest with myself, the main reason for my frustration was that Nico didn’t come back to the clinic room before I left.
I was paged, and had to leave Angelica and Rose before he returned.
I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye, and it was likely the last time I’d see him in person. I was perturbed.
Furthermore, I couldn’t stop thinking about Nico Manganiello and his beautiful face, voice, and body—and his eyes…and his lips…and his….better not go there, I told myself, and changed the channel in my brain.
“How’d your meeting with your mentor go?
” A voice that resembled nails on a chalkboard, only worse, sounded from my left.
I contemplated pretending that I didn’t hear her, but I dismissed the idea immediately.
She was the type to pick, nitpick, and prod until noticed, and I was in no mood for her brain junk today.
“Hello, Meg.”
“Hello, Elizabeth.”
Meg was odious; nevertheless, we had a few things in common.
Like me, she was younger than most second year residents.
Also like me, she was fumbling through the concept of becoming a responsible adult at the age of twenty-six.
Again—like me—she was trying to find her way outside the comfortable and safe confines of academia.
Additionally, like me, she was of medium height and had long blonde hair and blue eyes.
Otherwise, we were polar opposites in just about every regard.
Where she was polished and stylish, I was messy.
Where she was meticulous with every blonde tendril and plucked eyebrow, I was haphazard and messy.
Where she embraced and wielded her inner femme fatale with practiced proficiency—batting eyelashes and casting about come-hither mojo—I just threw it all out there, wore a slutty dress, and was messy.
Putting it in Star Trek Voyager terms, I was the B’Elana Torres to her Seven of Nine.
I waited for a moment, then opened just one eye. “Are you still here? What—no kittens to drown? No children to frighten? Can’t locate that eye of newt you need?”
“Ha, ha, very funny, Dr. Finney. One would think you’d be a bit more repentant after getting your ass chewed out.”
I opened my other eye and squinted at her. “What do you know about that?”
Her smile was wicked, as usual, and I knew. In that moment, I knew—Megalomaniac Meg had been the one to rat me out.
I breathed through my nose in a way that reminded me of a horse. “How did you know?”
“I saw you take the box of gloves into the room; it’s April Fool’s Day; the clinic room was assigned to Dr. Ken Miles. Honestly, Elizabeth, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you were planning a prank.”
“What did you do?”
She shrugged. “I switched Dr. Botstein’s clinic room assignment with Ken’s.”
I closed my eyes again, my head falling to the wall behind me. “Go away.”
Dr. Ken Miles and I had been flirting for two years. He was very bad at it. His attempts usually ended with me flinching. He also had the habit of picking his nose when he was fairly certain no one was watching. He also drank coffee with a lot of cream and sugar, or combined with ice cream.
None of these were deal breakers because I didn’t want to date the guy. I just wanted to hit that. Actually, I just wanted to hit something, and soon.
I’d recently made up my mind, and committed an unrepentant HIPAA violation when I scanned his last physical. He was disease-free, and had healthy cardiac and pulmonary systems. We would have a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship. It would suit me quite well.
“Oh, don’t be a poor sport. You wanted to play an April Fool’s Day joke on Ken—and, believe me, I completely get that—but I just couldn’t pass up a chance to make your life uncomfortable.”
“Why are you here?” I covered my face with my hands then rubbed my eyes. I decided my original plan of ignoring her held merit.
“I’m here because…” She shuffled her feet and cleared her throat. Finally, she continued. “So, I’m starting my research rounds next week.”
I remained motionless.
She huffed. “I was told that a VIP patient came in today for the infusion study and that you met with them? Some kind of celebrity? Is this true?”
I shrugged noncommittally.
“Damn it, Elizabeth, will you just tell me who it is?”
I opened my eyes, not wanting to miss a moment of her discomfort, and tried not to snort at her question. I fully admit that when I scoff, I snort. I feel strongly that scoffing should be accompanied by a sound that is scoff-worthy, and for me, snorting is that sound.
Her request for information—after openly admitting to me that she’d switched the clinic rooms—was very Meg-like. She didn’t seem to comprehend the obvious: that her evildoer admission would color my response.
“Ah-ah-ah,” I scolded in mock consternation. “That would be a breach of patient confidentiality.” I knew that saying these words made me a hypocrite in light of my Dr. Ken Miles HIPAA violation, but I couldn’t help it. She brought out the worst in me.
No way in hell or heck was I going to tell Meg about Nico.
She would probably ask for an autograph, or request a picture, or propose a three-way.
The way she spoke about celebrities was just strange.
She called them by their first names, and talked about what they did as though she knew them personally. It was weird.
“Oh, please.” She rolled her blue eyes, crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m just going to find out next week. Why not just tell me now?”
I pushed away from the wall and faced her, my shoulders squared. “Aw, gee, Meg. I just can’t pass up a chance to make your life uncomfortable.”
My pager chose that moment to buzz at my hip. It was one of those perfect timing moments because I’d just said something witty and lasting. With a smirk on my face, I glanced at my pager and frowned.
CRU rm 410 asap; VIP peds cg1605 cf iv
Roughly translated, the message meant Please come to the Clinical Research Unit, room number 410 as soon as possible. A VIP pediatric patient has arrived for protocol number 1605, cystic fibrosis infusion study.
It was exactly the same message I’d been paged earlier in the day, just before I walked in on Nico, Rose, and Angelica. My heart skipped two beats.
“What?” Meg’s eyes glanced between the pager and me. “What is it?”
I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I turned away and walked in the direction of the staff elevators. I could feel Meg shooting daggers at my back.
Nico was the sole occupant in the room; Rose and Angelica were gone. He turned as I entered, and I stalled just inside the entrance. If being in a room with Nico—with his mother and niece as witnesses—was terrifying, then being in a room alone with Nico was alert level red.
Automatically, I took a half step back, and my wide eyes met his.
He spoke first. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb. “Do you want me to get one of the nurses?”
Confusion flickered over his features. “What for?”
“I….” I held my breath as I searched for an excuse to call in one of the research staff. “I thought that—I mean it might be helpful for your decision about the study if you talked to one of the nurses who administer the infusions.”
He shook his head then stuffed his hands in his pockets. “No. I want to talk to you.”
My eyebrows shot upwards. I’m sure I looked as dumb as I felt. “Me?”
“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “Come in. Shut the door.”
Shut the door? Is he out of his mind?
I didn’t move. I stood paralyzed with a Vulcan death grip on the doorknob. We stared at each other.
He was waiting for me to behave like a normal human being.
I was waiting for him to disappear, and this nightmare to dissolve.