Remission by Ofelia Martinez
Chapter 19
Back to Normal
“You are not seriously thinking about going to Peak View, are you?” Hector caught me between patients at the nurses’ station. I blinked at him.
“I’m going to consider all offers.”
Hector’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure the offers will start pouring in once we publish the first paper on the trial.” His tone was frigid, but I could tell the smallest of smiles pulled at one corner of his mouth. It was almost as if he didn’t care what hospital I ended up at, so long as it was my choice.
“That would be nice,” I said. “But I’m not going to count my chickens. I’m just focused on my work right now.”
“Very diplomatic of you,” he said.
“That’s me: diplomatic Dr. Ramirez.”
Hector laughed, and I wondered how we could return to our old comfortable banter so quickly.
The rumors that had circulated about us a few years ago were all but snuffed out. Now, I had leverage with the chief for an attending position. And Hector was clearly still happily married, or he wouldn’t be wearing that wedding ring.
So fuck it. I missed my mentor. I missed bouncing ideas off him and brainstorming for future trials. I wasn’t going to keep pushing him away—not while he didn’t want to remain at arm’s length.
Much more quickly than I would have anticipated, everything returned to normal—the normal before we parted ways for the first time.
“This is nice,” Hector said.
“What is?”
“Being able to talk with you. I’ve missed it.”
I nodded. “I’ve missed you too.”
His gaze fixed on mine like he couldn’t believe I had said that.
“Does this mean we can go back to being friends? Work on the paper together?” he asked.
“I’d like that.”
Hector smiled. “I’d also like to catch up. You free for lunch today?”
“Sure. I have a patient at one though, so it’ll have to be the cafeteria.”
“That’s not really what I had in mind, but I’ll take it.”
We walked through the cafeteria line together, and I did my best to ignore the many eyes that followed us.
When Hector found his way to the hot food line, I pulled him away. “What are you doing?”
“Grabbing my lunch. The sign said it was turkey and mashed potatoes.”
“Dr. Medina,” I said, fighting back laughter, “have you ever eaten the cafeteria food here?”
He shook his head.
“Trust me; you don’t ever want to go through the hot food line.”
“What do you recommend then?” he asked.
“The cold sandwich station isn’t bad, but if you ask me, there is only one thing here worth having.”
“Please enlighten me, Dr. Ramirez.” He chuckled, and I enjoyed the playfulness that was back.
“Pizza,” I said.
We found a table in the cafeteria, and when Hector took a bite of his slice, I waited for his reaction.
“Not bad,” he said.
“I told you.”
“Yes. You did. So, how have you been, Carolina?”
“Busy,” I said, taking a bite of my pizza.
“Yes. I know. I was worried you would burn out. I wanted to check in—”
“But I told you to stay away from me?”
He nodded grimly.
“I’m sorry about that. I’m not sure I handled it the best way I could have, but look on the bright side. It worked. I got my professional respect back, and I’ve had no issues with doctors joining my grant proposals since.”
“I’m glad something good came of it. You aren’t worried about being seen with me now?”
I shook my head and swallowed my bite of pizza. “No. I have options now, and it’s time for Dr. Stuart to decide who is more valuable to the department.”
“Good for you. I’m glad you are realizing your worth.”
A flush swept over my face, so I decided to change the subject. “How about you? How have you been?”
Hector sighed. “Not quite as good as you. I was often tempted to ignore your commands and talk with you, so I took a lot of vacation time.”
I blinked at him. “You did?”
“It hurts that you didn’t notice.”
“I was working too much,” I admitted.
“I know.”
“What did you do with all the time off?”
“I went to the FIHR to check on some projects I handed over before coming here. I also spent some time with my mom in Mexico.”
“How is Marisela?” I asked.
“Good, though she can’t forgive me for letting you go.” He likely saw the shift in mood plain on my face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Won’t happen again.”
“Will you say hi to her for me?”
“Of course,” he said. “I also wanted to ask you about Sara. I’ve seen her at work, and she seemed well, so I haven’t checked in on her again.”
“She’s doing great. She will be finishing her graduate degree soon.”
“And that mess back then. It’s done?”
“That mess was a man who is not in her life anymore.”
“Good,” said Hector. It was still the sweetest thing that he worried about my friend. Sara was lucky to have so many people in her corner, even if she didn’t realize quite the scope of it.
When we parted ways outside the cafeteria doors, I felt lighter. There was newfound excitement in the renewed possibility of picking the great Hector Medina’s brain; with that assurance, nothing could possibly have the power to wipe the grin off my face.
I was wrong.
Almost as ifevil could sense happiness, Dr. Keach got a whiff of our returned working relationship. Two days later, he sat next to me in the hospital auditorium during a grand rounds presentation.
I initially found a seat next to Dr. Bel, whom I liked and respected. Dr. Bel was an orthopedic surgeon, and though we didn’t work together much, he had started residency the same year I had. Being a surgeon, though, he usually interacted with the cool kids—the jocks actually known as surgeons—of the hospital. Anyone who says cliques ended with high school is lying through their teeth. They were everywhere.
As we waited for the grand rounds presentation to start, I chatted easily with Dr. Bel until Dr. Keach’s hot breath graced the side of my neck.
“Dr. Ramirez,” Dr. Keach said.
“Dr. Keach.” I nodded curtly.
“I hear paradise is back.”
“If you mean Peak View was here just two days ago to offer me an attending position in their oncology department, then yes. I’m very happy about it.”
Clearly taken aback, Dr. Keach stammered for only a second. His lips thinned, and he suddenly looked uncomfortable in his seat. “That’s not what I meant,” he clipped.
I shrugged. “No?”
“No. I meant all is well in paradise with you and Dr. Medina.”
“If you mean, the results of our trial are more than we could ever have imagined, and the oncology department is still celebrating, then yes. All is well, Dr. Keach. Thanks for your concern.”
His nostrils flared, and I thoroughly enjoyed the reaction I got out of him when he failed to get one out of me.
He turned to the doctor sitting on the other side of him and spoke loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear. “Not all of us can get into med school and get jobs because of affirmative action.”
He went there. Dr. Keach freaking went there. When he failed at drumming up false rumors about Hector and me, he reverted to his previous favorite torture device. What he used long before Hector came to Heartland Metro. The line I thought he’d long ago forgotten, like a child with his old toys.
I froze. I didn’t want to snap at him and give him the satisfaction he sought. The auditorium was nearly full, and even though everyone around us was engaged in conversation, a scene in the crowd would not go unnoticed.
Dr. Bel’s hand drifted to my wrist, resting on the armrest between us, and he squeezed once. I blinked at him, but the motion was only a cause for me to be distracted.
“No, Dr. Keach,” Dr. Bel nearly shouted. “Some of us get here on the coattails of our daddies.” When Dr. Bel said daddies in such an infantilizing way, I almost lost it and couldn’t suppress my snort. “And some of us keep our jobs because of the millions our families donate, not because of our talent. It’s lucky, don’t you think, Dr. Keach, that nepotism is still alive and well?”
Dr. Bel finished his little speech with a grin at me that said I got you. If I hadn’t known he was happily married, I would have pounced him right then and there. Okay, maybe not right then and there, but soon. Why were all the wonderful men in the world taken?
Thank you, I mouthed to him,and he tipped his chin at me. Luckily, the presentation started soon after that, much too quickly for Dr. Keach to come up with a retort.
This was turning out to be the best week I’d had in a long time.