CHAPTER 4
1879 Words
Three days had passed, and Andy Harrison had recovered. He is now breathing without support. Arms and legs are now movable.
But every time the door opens, he is always alarmed, always ready to meet her elegant face.
Regina checked on him twice a day. Morning and evening round. Always brief. Always professional. Though her obsessed patient craved a 24hours check.
The door opened wide. A man strolled in a blue suit.
“Tell me you got something” Andy said to Logan— his personal assistant.
“Her name is Dr. Regina Bennett. Thirty years. Cardiothoracic surgeon. Studied and graduated top of class at Cambridge. Single. No Children. Always keep to herself. “ Logan replied
Andy nodded slightly. Something like joy flickered on his eyes. He had sent Logan to research Regina.
He didn't care if that was creepy. He needed to know the woman who had saved his life twice, her voice echoing in the dark. The woman who had robbed her face all over him,
“Thank you Logan you didn't an excellent job”, Andy continued
“I only did my job boss..”
“And what about the package?”
Logan brought out a book from his jacket.
A Vintage— The History Of Cardiac Surgery.
“Amazing” Andy smiled at the book.
He wrote a few words on a note and tucked it in the middle of a page.
A nurse came in at the moment to check on him.
“I want you to deliver this to Dr Regina” Andy stretched the book towards the nurse
“Excuse me! You want me to deliver this?” the nurse frowned.
“No, I need you to find her office and drop it when she is not around”
“And what makes the difference?” the nurse protested
Andy pulled out his wallet, and handed it over.
“There is an hundred dollars in there for your trouble”
The nurse took the book and bolted out.
“I will be dismissed tomorrow, get my house in order before then” Andy said to Logan
Yes boss. I wish you full recovery, Logan replied and walked out.
******
It was 6PM.
Regina came back from a four hour surgery. She landed on her office chair, tired and exhausted. She turned her neck around to soften the stiffness they had become.
“I haven't seen that jerk today” she said as she leaned into the seat. “He will be dismissed tomorrow. I can't just wait to get his charming face off my head.”
“Let me just check on him for the very last time”
She stood up to start going. Then an object caught her eyes. A package wrapped in brown paper lying on her desk like an accusation letter.
“Who brought this here?” she looked puzzled
She unwrapped gently. A book appeared.
Vintage. First Edition. Gold lettering
“Oh my God! this is worth more than my monthly salary” her eyes widened.
A note slipped out of nowhere. She quickly grabbed it.
“For saving my life, dinner seems not to be enough”
“I knew you were the one,” Regina smiled. A soft smile that explained everything.
“Woow! The History of Cardiac Surgery. So you had to research me.”
She stared at the book. Thoughts growing on her mind
“But I never told him I needed this. How did he find out? Seen that's lovely”
“But wait…” her eyes swallowed. “Is this not too fast? Maybe the kind of thing billionaire do because he thought he could buy access with his money”
Regina sighed deeply. Her brain burned with questions she couldn't answer at the moment. She had always been careful. Always avoiding any hurt.
“Damn it. I will return his book in person. That was the professional thing to do.”
She concluded and walked out of her office
*****
Andy's eyes had glazed from staring at the door, three hours straight. Nothing in the room feels interesting than the charming face he has not beheld since the day break
The door finally opened. Even the room could sense the shiver of joy that ran down his spine.
Regina strolled in, holding the book in her hands. Her professional mask sagged on her jaw
“Mr. Harrison…”
“Where have you been?” Andy stared at her face
Regina move closer and place the book on his bedside table, “I can't accept this”
Andy's expression darkened. “Why not? Do you want something better?”
“I don't want anything. I don't collect gifts from patients” Regina protested
“And I'm not your patient. will be discharged tomorrow. Is that enough?”
“It's too much. it's just inappropriate, Regina's voice tightened.
“What exactly is too much?” Andy's eyes raised. “All I gave is just a book”
“It's more than a book. It's a first edition, worth thousand”
“And I have a thousand” Andy shouted, just slightly but audibly.
“Look, you saved me twice and I needed to appreciate it. A dinner together is not too much of a request”
“I don't date patients!” Regina's eyes darkened.
“And I will be discharged tomorrow”, Andy responded with a serious look.
“I don't date billionaire”
“We are saying the same thing”
“We are not… ” Regina said firmly, but politely. She placed the book on the table and turned to leave.
Andy grabbed her hand. His chest hurt as he leaned forward. He took the book and tucked it in her palm.
Regina paused and stared into his face.,
“I don't date anybody.’ Andy continued. “I would like to have dinner with you. Not as a patient. Not as a billionaire. But as a man who wants to appreciate someone who saved his life.”
Regina stared with no response. She just wants to be careful. She just wanted to be herself, but her patient wouldn't rest.
“Dr. Regina, you are needed in the ER (emergency room) immediately” a nurse informed me from the doorway.
Regina slammed her mask and turned to leave.
“Hey… Keep the book or don't. But I am not taking it back from you” Andy shouted at her back.
Regina returned to her office after an hour of emergency attendance. The earlier scene played in her mind like a cinema.
“I'm scared he might be fake. He wouldn't just let me be with her charming words.”
She picked up the vintage book she had dropped on her desk. Her eyes caught his shaky writings on the first page.
Page 231. Read it
Regina flipped to page 231.
A passage underlined. The first successful surgery.
“ The surgeon's life held not just a scalpel, but a life. And in that moment the patient belong to her completely”
“Can't you just cease to stop hovering around me?”, Regina hissed and slammed the book on her desk.
“I will make sure you are dismissed as early as possible tomorrow.
********
Discharge day came like a flash.
Paperwork, Medication. Instruction Andy pretended to be reading while he actually scan every face that passes by
Logan had brought him clothes. Dark suit, crisp shirt. The real Andy Harrison, board chairman of Harrison steel.
He walked around the building, scanned every room and lobby. Finally found her in the attendant lounge.
Her dark fell across her face. She had paid full attention to the note before her.
“Hello..” Andy knocked on the door frame
Regina raised her head. Her face squeezed
“ Mr Harrison..”
“Call me Andy. I'm no more your patient. That was the agreement right?
“And what are you doing here? You should have taken your leave by now”
Andy walked towards her. His face was calm and polished.
“I will. I just have to wait behind and invite you to dinner. No patient excuse. No billionaire excuse. I promise to drop my wallet at home.” He
Regina stared at him. Different thoughts rang in her head.
Should I say no. I need to be professional. What about Vanessa’s words? What if Andy was just another man that broke women like me.
She found no answer to any.
“And why are you doing this? You don't even know me” Regina eyes widened
Andy smiled.
“I know you saved my life. I know you stayed for hours without eating. I know you were charmed when you collected the vintage but you pretended you weren't.”
He paused and leaned on the table before her.
“I know you are scared, and so am I. But I will rather be scared with you than be safe alone.”
Regina took her eyes off, but his words sank into her head like an anthem.
“Emergency!! Emergency!! Dr. Regina, your attention is needed at the third floor”
An announcement buzzed through the wall speakers.
“I need to go,” Regina jumped from her seat and bolted away.
The team were already working, before she arrived
She started her work with full focus. No thought about dinner or book or anything than the lifeless body lying before her on the table.
The next hours was tight and blurry
Hands moving, voices calling, monitor beeping. Everyone with a job, controlled chaos
It was over. The girl was stable and breathing.
Regina walked out of the OR. She was exhausted and collapsed against the wall.
“You look like you need this”
Regina turned. It was the Ice King. The billionaire, still in his black suit. Holdinging a cup of coffee and a wrapped sandwich
“You waited?” Regina was stunned.
“Six hours” He shrugged. “Nowhere to go”
Regina collected the coffee and the sandwich, sat on the floor. Andy sat on the floor with her.
“You don't have to do that”, she shouted
“Do what?”
“Sit on the floor with that suit”
“I think the floor can handle me. You just saved a life even though my suit cannot be bought back.”
Regina laughed. She stared at Andy. At the billionaire who was once a patient.
The man who researched her. Who waited six hours until she was available.
“You are not what I expected,” she said with a smile.
“ Neither are you” Andy replied
They both sat in silence, staring at each other at intervals.
“The child's mother is waiting for you.” Regina Pager announced.
“I need to go now,” Regina said in a calm voice.
Andy stood and carried her up in his hands.
“ Let me go. You are such a jerk!!” Regina laughed and poked Andy’s chest.
“Oouch… you know that still hurts right?”
“I don't care…”
“ Anyways. Dinner tomorrow. No excuses” Andy grinned
Regina hesitated
Then she nodded
“Tomorrow”
- Writer
