Introducing Dr. Elaina Gainsford
858 Words
When Graham finished speaking, he noticed a change in Jalen’s expression.
“When?”
“I was just told this morning,” Graham replied.
Jalen gave a swift order:
“Have someone look into it immediately. I don’t care how you do it. Find her.”
Graham quickly nodded.
“Of course, Mr. Halton.”
It was early morning.
Everyone at Northwestern Memorial Hospital was buzzing with conversation.
“Who do you think the new deputy director is going to be? A man or a woman? Someone easy to get along with?”
“Who knows? Anyone who lands the position of deputy director at our hospital out of nowhere has to be a big deal. Either medically… or—” The woman paused with a knowing smile. Her insinuation was clear.
“I heard they’re pretty young. Maybe it’s nepotism.”
“Exactly,” the others nodded.
After all, experience was critical in medicine. Many doctors worked for decades without ever reaching the role of deputy director. So for someone to come out of nowhere and jump straight into that position naturally raised eyebrows.
As they talked, a young nurse came running in.
“She’s here!”
“And she’s stunning!” the young nurse exclaimed.
Everyone looked surprised and rushed toward the Neurosurgery Department to see who the new deputy director was.
Elaina stepped out of the dean’s office and walked into the deputy director’s office under the curious stares of everyone she passed.
After closing the door, she sat down and immediately began working, not wasting a single moment.
Originally, she hadn’t intended to stay in New York. After all, she had always worked abroad. By reputation and habit, staying overseas had always been the better option.
However, the dean of Northwestern Memorial Hospital had found her number and personally called to request she stay.
He spent a long time trying to convince Elaina, giving excuse after excuse, saying the field of neurosurgery in New York desperately needed development—and she could help so many more people by staying.
For a moment, Elaina had hesitated.
On top of that, both Andrew and Theodore had expressed their hopes that she would stay. The result was clear.
“How can she be so young? She’s not even thirty, is she?” someone exclaimed in shock.
“What do you think? I heard she’s only twenty-six.”
“No way!” Everyone was stunned.
“Why not?” someone shot back.
“She’s young, but she already has a PhD.”
“Also—how have you never heard of Dr. Gainsford?” Joyce Wallace couldn’t believe it.
How could these people be so out of touch?
Everyone else stared blankly.
“Dr. Gainsford? Who’s that? Someone important?”
Joyce rolled her eyes.
“Look it up online. Bunch of ignorants.”
After saying that, she jogged over to Elaina’s office and knocked. She entered after receiving permission.
“Dr. Gainsford, hello. I’m Joyce Wallace, an intern here. The dean has arranged for me to be your assistant for now. Please let me know if you need anything,” she said with a smile and admiration in her eyes.
Joyce thought to herself:
Dr. Gainsford has always been my idol. I heard she was a straight-A student who skipped grades and got her doctorate at just twenty-two.
I’m so lucky to be working with her. Even just being her assistant is a dream for so many!
Elaina had no idea what Joyce was thinking—nor did she care to guess.
“Hello. Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” Joyce shook her head, beaming.
“Alright, please gather the hospital’s neurosurgery records from the past ten years,” Elaina instructed. Without waiting for Joyce’s response, she added:
“And the list of neurosurgery patients currently waiting for operations.”
Elaina was new here, and everything was unfamiliar. She needed to get up to speed as quickly as possible.
“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” Elaina noticed Joyce wasn’t moving, so she stopped working, looked up, and met her eyes.
In that split second, Joyce tensed up.
Although Elaina seemed gentle, she had an intimidating presence.
“O-of course!” Joyce nodded immediately.
Elaina gave a small nod and said nothing more, returning to her work. Joyce turned and left to begin gathering the files Elaina had requested.
Elaina spent the entire morning reading through medical records in her office. Joyce, concerned for her wellbeing, prepared lunch for her.
Elaina continued flipping through charts with one hand while eating with the other. She was so absorbed in the files that she barely noticed Joyce standing in the office.
“Dr. Gainsford, are you… always like this?” Joyce couldn’t help but ask.
Hearing her voice, Elaina paused and looked up.
“Like what?”
“Um…” Joyce hesitated, then said,
“You know… forgetting to eat because you’re so busy.”
“It’s fine.” Elaina shrugged casually, clearly not bothered.
“No, it’s not! Your health is—”
Suddenly, the sound of a siren from an ambulance interrupted Joyce.
- Writer
