Before she became a surgeon, she had already been awed at how humans had gone past the barrier of the flesh when it came to saving lives and into the territory of cutting the human body open to get to the source of an illness. When she had been gifted the chance to lead her first surgery, she had been terrified but so full of joy that at the end she had not wanted to leave the OR.
Her patient’s surgery had been successful, and she had watched an almost dead mother of three leave the OR with renewed chance at life, all because of the surgery that she had performed. Now seeing it all again, she was stunned at how she could have forgotten this.
How she could have allowed her fear and grief to overwhelm her so, that she had given up on the one thing that gave meaning to her life.
The door to the OR swung open and a nurse came in to announce the results. “Dr. Pace, the tumor is benign.”
“Alright then. Prolene suture. Forceps.”
She watched, perhaps too attentively as he began to repair the artery. His hands moving so purposefully, as though he were playing a musical instrument, the notes engraved into his heart. His technique was pure magic and it reminded her that it was one of the things that had first attracted him to her. As an intern, and when they were not slaving away with work, they would sit in their break room and gossip about their superiors.
She raised her head to gaze at him and recalled in awe, the first time she had heard of him.
“Did you hear of the artificial heart replacement surgery that Dr. Pace performed today?”
“I did,” came the response. “That was a surgery scheduled for nine hours, but he would have lost the patient if it had taken that long. The bastard completed the entire thing under six freaking hours.”
“That’s impossible!”
“It should be, but the guy is a wizard,” another lamented. “Which of us here even after years of slaving away would ever be able to carry out such a feat?”
One of her colleagues had run in then with excitement. “I got the tape! I got Dr. Pace’s surgery procedure.”
They had all gathered like vultures to a carcass. Those that were too hungry to let their food go held onto it as they watched, while others boiling with ambition dumped their meals and grabbed their notepads. Hours later they had all collapsed back in exhaustion, the entire room of almost seven interns struck with awe.
“I can’t believe we’re also wearing a white coat like he is,” someone said, and she couldn’t have agreed more.
“Dr. Graves!” she heard the bark, and it jerked her back to the present.
“I’m so sorry,” she immediately apologized and cut the string of the suture that he had just completed. However, she couldn’t help the smile on her face.
“Are you smiling?” he asked, and she wiped it away before lifting up her head. “Of course not, I mean... no, I’m not.”
He stared with eyes that had never ceased to unsettle her. “Can you close him up?”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Um, sure, I would love to.”
“Have at it,” he said, and she went over to his side of the table. She picked up her needle and laced the string through the flesh, drawing out the thread with precision. It took her a few moments to get used to it once again, but before she knew it, everything came back to her. She was done in no time, and the operation was declared a success.
They stood side by side to wash their hands, and her nervousness came rushing back. “You were smiling in the OR?” he asked.
“I apologize.”
She quickly rinsed her hands, grabbed a paper towel, and hurried off before he could say anything else. A few minutes later, she was updating charts at the nurse’s station in the ER when one of the residents came over to her. He was a slim, red-haired guy with a good mustache and friendly eyes.
“Hey,” he greeted, and she smiled back politely.
“Hello.”
“I’m Jeremy Reed.”
“I’m Aisha Graves.”
“I missed your introduction to the team, but I heard what you did today in the ER. You sounded pretty amazing. I am a wimp, there is no way I would have taken such a risk.”
She blushed at the compliment. “That’s probably because you have common sense, unlike me. I’m a ticking time bomb.”
“Incoming patient!” someone suddenly yelled, and they both looked up to see some paramedic officials rolling in a bloodied patient.
“Duty calls,” he said, and they both headed over.
A few hours later, he came back to her and said, “We’re about to head out for a quick drink. Are you down?”
She gazed at the clock on the wall. “Our shift is not over yet.”
“It’ll be over in an hour,” he said. “Since some of the bars are still open, we want to catch a drink and perhaps something to eat before we head home. You should come along, it’ll be a chance to get to know the rest of the team better.”
“Who will tend to the patients?”
“Dr. Pace will remain on call, probably even until the afternoon. He never leaves the hospital. This is literally his home; I could never live like that. I feel sorry for him sometimes.”
“Um, alright then,” she said.
“We’ll wait for you in the reception.”
“Alright,” she agreed.
A few minutes later, she was changed and heading for the reception when she decided to stop by Caleb’s office. She could see that the lights were on so she knew that he was in, but then she hesitated when it came time to knock. Eventually, her courage failed her so she turned away to leave. However, in that moment the door was pulled open, bringing her face to face with Caleb Pace.
She took a step back so that she could breathe. “Some of the staff are heading out for drinks, and then going home.”
He glanced at his watch. “Their call is not over.”
She didn’t know how to respond.
“Did you need something? Some money?”
He instantly started to reach into his pocket, but she stopped him with a hand on his. “Oh God, no. I mean, I can afford to buy a bottle of beer, or two.”
“You shouldn’t be drinking,” he said.
“What do you mean? I’m already healed from my surgery. I’ve been working all day.”
“That’s not what I’m referring to. You cannot hold down your alcohol. You start talking gibberish and then you fall asleep as though you’ve been drugged.”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she just turned around and began to walk away.
“Hold up,” he called out. “I’ll come with you.”
“What?” she shrieked, but he had already disappeared into his office.
She waited awkwardly and nervously in the dim corridor until he emerged a few minutes later, wearing a long, dark trench coat over his equally dark jumper and jeans.
“Let’s go,” he said to her, and for a few moments, she was confused on what to do.
“You don’t have to be there,” she hurried after him, and when he stopped, she almost ran into his back.
“You don’t want me there?” he asked.
“No, it’s just that, who’s going to stay here?”
“Dr. Spencer is on call. He can handle two usually quiet hours. Moreover, he can always page us if there is an emergency, and we will be here in an instant.”
Caleb continued on his way, and they headed out into the reception to meet a handful of their co-workers.
The Head Nurse was surprisingly among them, and when she saw Caleb dressed up and by Aisha’s side, her eyes widened.
Everyone turned quiet at his presence.
“Dr. Pace, you’re going home now?” The Head Nurse asked, unbelief in her voice.
“No, I’m going to the bar with you all. Since no one thought to invite me, I invited myself. I hope you don’t mind.”
“We don’t!” came the chorus from the surprised staff. Aisha watched as he gave them all a solemn look and
then went past them to exit the reception. Even the manager kept staring from his post behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Who invited him?” Jeremy cried. And they all turned to Aisha.
“I didn’t,” she said. “I swear it. He just saw me passing and made the decision to come.”
The groans that ensued as they all filed out from the reception made her smile. “It’s not such a bad thing for him to come, is it?” she casually asked and they all turned on her.
“It is!”
“Everyone will be forced to remain collected, and stiff… and nervous.”
“How do you expect us to have any fun with Mr. Ice King watching us all?”
“We’ll manage,” she said under her breath. “I want him there.”
Chapter 15
Caleb watched the Norton County team of medical practitioners as they raised full jugs of sparkling, golden beer up in the air and clinked their glasses loudly against each other.
“Cheers…” they roared to the annoyance of the half asleep bar owner, twitching in excitement as some of it spilled on the table and splashed on their clothes. They chugged down their beer, while Caleb calmly sipped on a glass of red wine, as he shot glances toward the restroom door where Aisha had disappeared into a few moments earlier.
Her wine arrived just as she came out. She smiled and took her place at the table beside him.
“Hm? Where’s my beer?” she asked, just as the chicken wings arrived to the loud roars of applause and excitement.
“You don’t need a beer,” Caleb said without thinking and pushed a glass of red wine over to her.
She glared at him and only when he met her eyes did he realize the error he had made.
Making abrupt decisions like this earlier on in their relationship in the past had been one of the few reasons they had butted heads, and here he was doing it all over again. He sighed at the many things that he had to relearn.
“I mean, you’ll be able to sleep better without it. You’ve had a hectic day, you need something to slowly intoxicate you and not to work you up.”
After he was done whispering to her, he felt as though he had just spoken for hours. That had got to be the longest sentence that had left his lips in a while.
“I believe I can make my own decisions, Caleb,” she said and lifted the glass to her lips.
“If you could we wouldn’t be here,” he muttered and she heard him.
She turned to glare at him, and upon the feel of her eyes on him, he wondered if perhaps he had gone too far. Things were still so fragile between them.
“I have no clue of what you’re referring to, Dr. Pace,” she said, and his mouth curved into a smile. He did feel a tad bit of hope, so he hung his arm across her chair without much thought. It was only when he notice the peculiar stares from some of the still sober colleagues that he realized what the gesture insinuated.
“Dr. Pace, you seem quite comfortable beside Aisha,” one of the already tipsy nurses slurred. “Did you truly not know her before she was rushed to our ER?”
Aisha quickly jumped in. “Of course we did not, however, he has been very heartwarming and welcoming to me.”
A few of the staff spilled beer from their lips in spite of their efforts to suppress their amusement. “Dr. Pace? Welcoming?” the drunk nurse continued. “He is cold, and bosses everyone mercilessly around, and seems lonely and won’t let anyone be around him. Do you know how many times he has rejected me?”
Caleb watched with discomfort at the lightweight woman until her head fell on the table with a thud. She was lucky she passed out so quickly, otherwise, she had already been on the fast lane to regret.
The drunk chatter continued and Caleb could feel Aisha getting increasingly uncomfortable and drowsy. But then, each time he turned to her, she had a huge smile plastered on her face. Despite how forced it was, it still lighted up the entire room to him.
Eventually, he whispered into her ear, and although she flinched from the close proximity, he still got his words across. “We’re leaving soon. Finish up your drink.”
“We can’t leave together,” she immediately whispered back to him.
“Yes, we can,” he replied without looking at her, and he could feel her eyes enlarge to the size of saucers. His heart was dancing at all of this, but he kept his smile off his face. He couldn’t believe she was right beside him and that they were back to bickering.
She began to rise then, and he wanted to stand up with her but she pushed him back into his seat. He gazed at her in surprise and so did the others at the table that were still somewhat sober. Her face flushed red at the unwanted attention that she had drawn to the both of them. She tried to play it off.
“I’m so sorry, doctor,” she said, and then turned her gaze to the rest of the table. “I have to leave now, my home is pretty far away, thank you all so much.”
The roars of complaint sounded, but still, she turned to walk away. “I’ll take her home,” Caleb announced loudly unable to help himself and walked with her out of the bar.
The drive back to his place reminded him of her grave site, where he had visited countless times. He had always believed that she was present, especially when the air became frigid. There was not much difference now.
He maintained his calm, knowing that she would not speak of her grievance as she wanted to keep what shards remained of her charade.
When they arrived, she headed straight up to take a shower without a word to him while he whipped her up a cup of soothing chamomile tea. He brought it to the bedroom, and just then she emerged, fully dressed in a pair of shorts and one of his T-shirts. She held a towel to her wet hair.
“Here’s some tea,” he said to her and placed the steaming cup on the dressing table. She thanked him.
He was about to leave when she asked, “Can I have some advance on my salary?” Caleb stopped and turned back to her. He knew where this was going, and needed the support to go through it, so he backed up against the opposite wall and leaned against it.
“Up till yesterday, you didn’t even want to work there.”
“Now I do,” she said.
“So do you now admit to being Aisha?”
“I’m not your dead fiancé,” she blurted, but then lowered her gaze from his. “I’m sorry.”
Caleb walked a thin line between amusement and confoundment. “Either way, I don’t think I am the one you should be asking about that. You can speak to the Director tomorrow.”
“You got me in, didn’t you?” she asked. “A doctor without a single qualification to show. I haven’t even met the Director. All I need is some money to pay for a place to stay.”
“And what if you decide to run away again?”
“You know that I won’t,” she replied.
“No,” he said. “I do not know. Because it now seems that the moment something goes wrong, your first response is always to run away… just like you did four years ago.”
“Dr. Pace, I appreciate your care for me thus far with all of my heart, but it’s not proper for me to continue to remain here freeloading off you. Please lend me a hand one last time.”
Caleb glared at her, his temper rising. “Where’s the ring I gave to you?” he asked.
Silence.
“If you return it to me, then I can fulfill your request or better yet, just sell it yourself. It’s worth at least 60 grand. But that’s if you still have it.”
She brushed her hair away from her face, and then parted her lips to speak but no words came out. With a sigh, she began to walk past him but Caleb grabbed her hand to stop her.
“We’re not done talking,” he said, but she jerked her hand from his grip.
“We are!”
He only allowed her a few more steps before he grabbed her hand again and softly pushed her against the wall. He caged her in with both of his hands above her head, his insides boiling with frustration. He gripped his hair in his hand, and then before
either of them could anticipate it, drove his hand into the wall.
Chapter 16
Aisha shrieked in terror. “Caleb! What are you doing?”
She grabbed the hand that he had driven into the wall with both of hers, and despite his reluctance, inspected the blood that had gathered on his knuckles. However, he jerked his hand from her grasp with such force that it sprained hers. With a wince, she held her hand as she gazed into his pain-filled eyes.
“Why are you doing this to me?” he asked her. “What did I do so wrong?”
Bad Boys Rule Page 19