Don’t Fall for the Doctor by Lacey Bolt
Chapter 12
What an arrogant bastard! Ignores me for months, hits on me at a bar, and still doesn’t even recognize me. Talk about a stereotypical elitist, entitled man. Like to see how he’d react if the positions were reversed. “What’s your name?” Really? I’m wearing a large name tag, and I work with you all the time! You would know that if you ever pulled your head out of your—
“What did that garbage bag do to you?” A quiet voice broke into Ashley’s thoughts. She jumped and looked down at her hands. Her knuckles were white from the death grip she had on the bag of trash. She shoved it in the large garbage bag hanging from her cart before turning to the speaker.
The elderly man lay in his hospital bed, his pale face nearly blending in with the white bedsheets and pillows. His white hair further contributed to the camouflage effect. He reached towards the movable tray near his bed but couldn’t touch the items assembled on them. He looked in Ashley’s direction. “Help an old guy out?”
“Of course.” The tension in her shoulders and neck melted as she rushed to help the man, who looked feeble and weak in the bed. The faded tattoos on his arms hinted at a past where he was anything but frail. Ashley moved the table to his bedside, where he could reach all the items.
“Today’s not my best day. Used to run a business, and now I can’t even get water and my glasses without help.” Ashley waited as he placed his glasses on his face with shaking hands. His gaze moved over to her. “I’d guess today isn’t your best day either. What’s got you so upset?”
Ashley shrugged. “I really shouldn’t bother you with my problems. You need your rest.”
The old man smiled. “Honey, I’m bored as can be here. You’d be doing me a favor by chatting with me. Sit. The cleaning can wait.”
Ashley looked at the clock and then back at the elderly man. Gwen would throw a fit if she caught her chatting. She sighed.
“Alright, I have a few minutes. What do you want to talk about?” She pulled a small chair up to the side of his bed and took a seat.
“Let’s hear the story. Who put the bee in your bonnet?”
Ashley raised her eyebrows at him.
“You millennials. That means, why are you so mad that you were about to use your mop as a weapon?”
Ashley’s mouth curved into a small grin against her will. She ran her hand through her hair. “Have you ever felt like people ignore you? You could be standing there, and they never notice you because they think they are better than you?” The words flowed out of her mouth, uncontrolled. “I’ve seen him at least four times a week, every week, for the past five months. He doesn’t even notice me until last night at a bar, but then still doesn’t recognize me today! He’s just too arrogant to notice me because I clean, and he thinks he’s better than me.”
She stopped abruptly. Did she really just blurt all of that to an old stranger in a hospital bed?
He looked at her with a knowing gaze. “So this is about a man. How long have you liked him?”
“No, I don’t—it’s not like that,” Ashley stammered.
“So you are just mad because he doesn’t know your name?”
“I’m mad because he ignores me and treats me like I’m not as good as he is.”
“This guy your boss?”
Ashley shook her head.
“What does he do here?”
“He’s a doctor.” Realizing that Michael might be his doctor, she ducked her head and quickly added a small lie. “On a different floor.”
“Well, sounds like you have to get his attention. Make it impossible for him to ignore you. If you like him, it’s worth the work to show him that you can’t be ignored.”
Ashley considered his words. “Wait, I don’t like him. I hate him.”
The elderly man reached for his water, taking a prolonged sip before turning his attention back to Ashley.
“Do you know what’s on the lunch menu today?”
Ashley looked at him quizzically. “No, sorry, do you want me to ask the aide?”
“Which aide is on duty today?”
“I don’t know. I can ask.”
“That’s alright. Who’s bringing my lunch tray today?”
“It will be one of the cafeteria workers. I don’t know who.”
“So you don’t know the names of everyone who works here?”
“No, of course not.”
He didn’t respond.
Ashley waited a second. “Ok, so I can’t expect him to know everyone’s name either. But I see him almost every day. He should know my name by now.”
He raised one eyebrow and paused. Ashley pursed her lips and drew a deep breath in through her nose. She’d fallen right into his trap. The smug look on his face gave away his intentions. “What’s my name?”
Ashley stared, trying to recall.
“You came into my room three times yesterday, once today, and we’ve chatted for a while. You must know my name by now.”
Ashley hung her head. “Sorry, I should have asked.”
“It’s Henry. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand in a friendly handshake. His hand was cold, frail in hers. “If he’s a doctor, he’s probably focused on caring for his patients. Find a way to make him notice you. People are always going to ignore us if we let them. Don’t blame him if you are willing to let yourself be ignored.”
Ashley sighed. A dull headache started to form behind her eyes.
Henry’s advice would have been good if he was right about her feelings, but he was wrong. She didn’t like Michael. This was not a case of unrequited love.
If anything, this was a case of social class snobbery. Michael thought he could treat others as inferior because they weren’t doctors. Michael believed that she wasn’t worth knowing because she cleaned the hospital. He’d soon find out that she wouldn’t be ignored any longer.