Chapter 13 #2
“I’ll go in first,” she said. “Tell me who to talk to and I’ll set up a meeting.”
“Sarah Mathers has helped me a few times over the years when colleagues or even patients gave me trouble. Don’t back down, Pri-Pri.
” Dad’s use of her nickname didn’t detract from the grimness of his tone and expression.
“There’ll always be another Dr. Bezos. Ninety percent of your coworkers will be decent people who only want to help each other, but that ten percent can ruin your career. ”
Mom reclined in her chair, her chin propped in her hand. “And if you don’t clue Human Resources into what’s going on, that percentage will crawl far higher than ten percent. Management needs to put a stop to this behavior. We’ll do whatever we can to help.”
Yes, they would. Wasn’t that what they did?
With Devya, they cruised in front of her, trying to clear her path.
But with Priya, they stood back and waited.
Because they cared about her and supported her.
They had confidence in her. Maybe she’d only needed some in herself.
Confidence that didn’t revolve around a grade, or the dean’s list.
“Hey, um, I have another scenario to run by you. What would you have done?” As her angst over not urging Maisy to seek mental help spilled out, she marveled over the lack of guilt.
They might be her parents, but they were also colleagues and maybe that was the workaround she needed to justify talking about it.
Mom sat forward, the woman who had made known her dislike of Maisy’s actions but never forbid Priya from seeing her. “Do you really think it would’ve changed the outcome?”
How could it not have?
“Say you urged her to get counseling,” Dad said.
“She would’ve done one of three things: ignored you, stormed out, or made an appointment.
But how long would it have taken her to even make an appointment?
How many therapists would she have burned through before finding one that worked for her?
And once she reached that level, how long before her behavior changed?
Don’t forget, she would’ve had to want it before she picked up the phone to make an appointment.
None of it means she would’ve gone to the doctor for her illness in time.
She had an ear infection. Bacterial meningitis is so serious because of how fast it can take a person.
How many people would’ve done exactly what she did and waited it out? ”
“The what-ifs kill a career.” Mom snuck a glance at Dad.
Obviously, they’d been through this conversation before, between themselves.
“You made the decision you did at the time for a reason. Have faith in your experience and your education and, in this case, your friendship with Maisy to understand it was the right decision at the time.”
She bobbed her head in acknowledgment, but she had no response just yet. Their words were sinking in and needed to marinate. Being alone in her own thoughts had clouded her objectivity.
She was going to Justin’s for the night. Around him, her actions in the past made more sense. Orbiting around someone who understood what Maisy was like would help Dad’s advice triumph.
She should get going. A storm was coming. Getting snowed in at home with her parents might be fun, but her desire was to spend the night with Justin. A night both her parents were home, an entire weekend they could spend together and play Monopoly and watch movies, and she was the one opting out.
On Monday, she’d march into Human Resources and file a complaint. By herself.
“Thank you,” she said as she rose. “It means a lot. As long as I have you two behind me, I can do this. He isn’t going to lie his way into me leaving.”
“Don’t doubt it. If anyone does, we’ll set them straight.
” Mom’s hard tone made her shiver. That was what Priya called her nurse voice.
The don’t argue with me inflection that she used on lazy employees, patients who were refusing treatment to their own detriment, and doctors whose egos got too big for their patients’ own good.
Mom’s next words were softer, infused with curiosity.
“Are you going to be gone all weekend again?”
She’d managed to dance around the topic. Her parents were gone so much that she’d honestly wondered if they even noticed. “Probably.”
Dad had slipped his reading glasses back on, and he looked at her over the frames. “Surely Justin’s baby can’t still be having troubles. Are you two seeing each other?”
“N-no. Yes… Not really.” Now both parents’ laser focus was on her. Somehow, she went from being almost thirty with an advanced degree and a career to a stammering teenager who just wanted to make it out the front door to freedom. “I mean, we’re not serious.”
Mom’s lips thinned. “His decision or yours?”
“Mutual.” She shouldn’t have to explain more, but the urge was too strong. “With work, I have too much going on.”
“And his reason?” Dad wasn’t going to let it drop.
“He’s not ready to get serious with a baby, so…” Please drop it. And while you’re at it, don’t tell anyone .
Give her this. She didn’t do bars. She didn’t party.
Her old med school friend Natasha had emailed her about a fund-raiser in April, a gala to raise funds for a children’s hospital.
Emmett would be there. She hadn’t accepted yet.
On the one hand, she wanted to go if only to prove to the world she’d moved on.
On the other hand, she wouldn’t really be able to prove to herself that she’d moved on until she faced Dr. Bezos and had the talk with Justin.
Mom and Dad watched her. Bezos and her relationship status would come later, and she wouldn’t deal with them at the same time. This weekend was hers. She squared her shoulders. “I won’t be home until tomorrow, or Sunday if I get snowed in.”
“Okay.” Mom managed to say so much with one word. “If you try to drive home and it’s snowing, shoot me a message. I’m still going to worry about you on the roads.”
She would’ve made the drive in record time, but she stopped at the grocery store. Justin probably hadn’t made a trip in the last week, and in her downtime, she liked preparing meals. He liked eating them.
She grabbed the staples like milk, bread, and butter.
Meat wasn’t an issue. His basement freezer was stocked with more beef products than the store had on display, and only Justin ate it anyway.
Flax and quinoa were the last on her list. She’d promised to make the items that he’d teased her about.
I only touch flax when I’m planting it or harvesting it.
Challenge accepted.
A few snowflakes landed on her windshield as she drove out to his place.
She always looked forward to spending the weekend with Justin.
Being on call used to be an obstacle, one that meant she stayed home rather than going to his place, but that hadn’t lasted long into the arrangement.
The drive to the clinic was farther, but so far it hadn’t been a problem.
She parked in her usual spot and grabbed her overnight bag, which held her toothbrush, hair product, soap, a change of clothes, and pajamas.
How much of this stuff could be left here for the next time?
All of it. But she never did. Maybe this time she could leave her toiletries. He shouldn’t balk at that.
Would things change once she had job security again? For her? Probably. What about for Justin?
They’d been doing this for a couple of months now. She didn’t want to stop, but how long could she remain the secret lover?