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Authors: Jaime Maddox
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yourself.”
“Well, I don’t know how much I’ll use it. They do offer housing at all of these hospitals, but who knows what it’ll be like. I could find myself in a dingy motel room.”
“Exactly. If you need a place, it’s there. If not, no big deal.”
“Will I see you and Sandy at all?”
Jeannie laughed. “Maybe one weekend a month, but who knows. We have two houses in Philly, one in New York, two in the Poconos, and now one in Rehoboth. I never know where I’m going until Sandy tells me. But I’d like to see you, so let’s try to make a date when you know your schedule.”
Ward picked up the bill and left money on the counter, then walked with Jeannie out into the cold final day of February. “Spring’s coming, Ward. New birth. New life. You’ll be fine.” Jeannie’s hug was fortifying, and Ward was thankful for her and all the good people in her life.
Driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Northeast Extension, Ward pondered Jeannie’s words. She had no idea what they meant in her situation. What new life was in store for her? Starting over alone? Starting over with Jess? Jess had mentioned a baby. Was that in her future? She’d never seriously thought of it. Who knew?
Friday afternoon traffic was light, and Ward found herself at the hospital well over an hour early. The head of human resources seemed happy to see her, and Ward suspected the woman’s weekend would begin as soon as she’d finished orienting her. Sure enough, an hour later, after processing an ID badge and filing paperwork, issuing computer codes and guiding a tour, the woman slipped out the door and left Ward to inspect the emergency department where she’d spend the next thirty-one days.
“Hi, I’m Ward Thrasher,” she said to the slim, dark-haired man seated at the X-ray monitor. “I’m the locums doc.”
“Edward Hawk. You’re my replacement. Would you like to start now?” he asked, meeting her gaze, and Ward wasn’t sure if he was joking. She was startled by the intensity with which he stared at her and his striking good looks. He was small, and his build was slender, but his demeanor suggested a confidence and competence that made him seem bigger. He wore a suit, which surprised her. Surgeons and ER docs tended to get messy, and cotton scrubs were a lot easier to launder than wool pants. Ward supposed the administration liked the suit though. He’d be a tough act to follow.
Responding to his comment, Ward chuckled. The Friday festivities seemed to have started, and Ward noticed a few patients hanging out of doorways and a pile of charts that needed attention. She wasn’t credentialed to start until the next day, though, and she knew he understood that, so she didn’t respond to his question.
“Did you have a good month?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes, I did. It’s a nice place to work. Steady volume, not usually overwhelming,” he said, and waved his hand to the stack of charts. “Competent staff, good back-up. I can’t complain.”
“Where do you go next?” she asked.
“Carbondale,” he said.
Ward smiled in recognition. That was the next leg of her journey, too. “So I guess I follow you, huh?”
“I guess. I don’t know all the rules. This is my first month with the company.”
“Gotcha. Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to introduce myself. Have a safe trip.”
He nodded as he walked away, and Ward talked to a few other staff members before heading out. The ER was busy, and no one had time to chat.
It wasn’t quite five o’clock on a Friday night, and it took Ward only half an hour to unpack and settle in at the quaint home provided by the hospital. It featured a stellar view of the parking lot. There was off-street parking, and she could walk to the hospital and the corner store. If Edward Hawk had stayed at this house, he had already packed his bags, because the place was empty. Everything was in place, and the surfaces sparkled as if recently attacked with a dust rag.
“Well, I don’t know how much I’ll use it. They do offer housing at all of these hospitals, but who knows what it’ll be like. I could find myself in a dingy motel room.”
“Exactly. If you need a place, it’s there. If not, no big deal.”
“Will I see you and Sandy at all?”
Jeannie laughed. “Maybe one weekend a month, but who knows. We have two houses in Philly, one in New York, two in the Poconos, and now one in Rehoboth. I never know where I’m going until Sandy tells me. But I’d like to see you, so let’s try to make a date when you know your schedule.”
Ward picked up the bill and left money on the counter, then walked with Jeannie out into the cold final day of February. “Spring’s coming, Ward. New birth. New life. You’ll be fine.” Jeannie’s hug was fortifying, and Ward was thankful for her and all the good people in her life.
Driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Northeast Extension, Ward pondered Jeannie’s words. She had no idea what they meant in her situation. What new life was in store for her? Starting over alone? Starting over with Jess? Jess had mentioned a baby. Was that in her future? She’d never seriously thought of it. Who knew?
Friday afternoon traffic was light, and Ward found herself at the hospital well over an hour early. The head of human resources seemed happy to see her, and Ward suspected the woman’s weekend would begin as soon as she’d finished orienting her. Sure enough, an hour later, after processing an ID badge and filing paperwork, issuing computer codes and guiding a tour, the woman slipped out the door and left Ward to inspect the emergency department where she’d spend the next thirty-one days.
“Hi, I’m Ward Thrasher,” she said to the slim, dark-haired man seated at the X-ray monitor. “I’m the locums doc.”
“Edward Hawk. You’re my replacement. Would you like to start now?” he asked, meeting her gaze, and Ward wasn’t sure if he was joking. She was startled by the intensity with which he stared at her and his striking good looks. He was small, and his build was slender, but his demeanor suggested a confidence and competence that made him seem bigger. He wore a suit, which surprised her. Surgeons and ER docs tended to get messy, and cotton scrubs were a lot easier to launder than wool pants. Ward supposed the administration liked the suit though. He’d be a tough act to follow.
Responding to his comment, Ward chuckled. The Friday festivities seemed to have started, and Ward noticed a few patients hanging out of doorways and a pile of charts that needed attention. She wasn’t credentialed to start until the next day, though, and she knew he understood that, so she didn’t respond to his question.
“Did you have a good month?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes, I did. It’s a nice place to work. Steady volume, not usually overwhelming,” he said, and waved his hand to the stack of charts. “Competent staff, good back-up. I can’t complain.”
“Where do you go next?” she asked.
“Carbondale,” he said.
Ward smiled in recognition. That was the next leg of her journey, too. “So I guess I follow you, huh?”
“I guess. I don’t know all the rules. This is my first month with the company.”
“Gotcha. Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to introduce myself. Have a safe trip.”
He nodded as he walked away, and Ward talked to a few other staff members before heading out. The ER was busy, and no one had time to chat.
It wasn’t quite five o’clock on a Friday night, and it took Ward only half an hour to unpack and settle in at the quaint home provided by the hospital. It featured a stellar view of the parking lot. There was off-street parking, and she could walk to the hospital and the corner store. If Edward Hawk had stayed at this house, he had already packed his bags, because the place was empty. Everything was in place, and the surfaces sparkled as if recently attacked with a dust rag.
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