The Writer's Heart

7

JESSIE HAD never been so nervous in her life. As she followed Doctor Siller during rounds, she found herself becoming amazed by her. Gina was definitely a woman with a lot to offer. She had beauty, brains, and undeniable eloquence. As she strutted down those hallways, all eyes would fall upon them. And Jessie found herself regretting, just for a moment, that she didn't follow in her father's footsteps to become a surgeon, "Lenny Adams. Thirty-five. In for the removal of a brain tumor that's pressing against his frontal temporal lobe. It seems to be affecting his impulse control," an intern held the patient's chart against her chest, as he looked at her with unamused eyes.

"You seem pretty uninterested about my tumor. I'm sorry, is there someplace better you'd like to be?" Lenny asked.

Jessie had encountered many patients with an attitude. At her father's practice, she'd managed the finances, and kept records of the books. But, also received lots of unnecessary complaints from not only patients, but the doctors, as well. Finally, after she'd quit, her father had hired a professional to take over. The only reason that she'd been succumbed to the job in the first place was because the previous accountant had left. It was difficult to find anyone to deal with her father.

"No, sir, I'm here to help prep you for surgery," the young intern seemed to have lost all of the color from her face.

"Then act like it, or find me someone else."

Gina clasped her hands in front of her body, and walked to the bedside of the patient. All the interns looked at her with admiration in their eyes, "if you want someone else, I'll gladly assign another intern. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to check in on a few more patients before we begin your surgery," Gina said. Jessie followed Gina, as she walked out of the room. The confidence that poured out of every inch of that woman was alarming, "how's your first day round the block going, Miss Nightingale?"

Jessie's eyes shot up from her notepad and she smiled, "great, when I was working for my father's practice, I always received complaints, but never got to witness the drama behind it."

Gina smiled back, "I'm glad that you're finding what you need."

"And you can call me Jessie."

"Okay, Jessie."

A YAWN escaped Jessie's lips, as she sat in the gallery, watching Gina execute a successful surgery. It took more hours than she'd been able to stay awake for, but she made it through, and so did Gina. They ended up in the lounge after, poking through salads.

"You're quite the spotlight in the room today," Gina said, as she tossed a slice of tomato around her platter.

"Me?" Jessie furrowed her brows, "that was all you," Jessie noticed what Marilyn saw in Gina. They were married, after all.

"You think I'd be getting all those lustful eyes? You're pretty oblivious, aren't you?"

Jessie shrugged, "beauty, brains and undeniable eloquence," Jessie pointed her fork at Gina, "we're both pretty oblivious, don't you think?"

Gina smiled widely, "I guess so," Gina looked down at her salad and sighed, "I'm sorry if I got a bit defensive that night. I can be a raging, jealous bitch sometimes."

Jessie's eyes widened, "oh, no problem. Got to make sure the vultures don't go sneaking around your wife."

Gina chuckled, "I just can't believe that no one recognized you. It's surreal."

"I'm not that famous," Jessie said.

"And unlucky for you, I was there to sell you out."

Jessie shrugged again, "no harm done," Gina looked at Jessie in contemplation, as though a question lingered on her mind—an uncomfortable one, "I'm heading out of Chicago for a while. Probably going to be back till next year," Jessie thought that she should mention.

"Oh," a noticeable wave of relief passed over Gina, "where are you going?"

"Argentina, London, Hawaii. I might take a trip to The Bahamas, as well."

"Exciting. I wish I could travel. But work's always got me swamped. I'm lucky to be able to eat lunch with you right now."

"My work takes me all over. I'm thinking about heading on a road trip through India next year. Hopefully, by then, my book will be finished and launched."

"Any luck on writing?" Gina asked.

Jessie pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and exhaled an exasperated breath, "I'm hoping my time away will help with that. Different scenery, hopefully more ideas and inspiration."

"Okay. I have to do afternoon rounds. Would you like to join me?"

Jessie immediately nodded, "of course."