Chapter 2
At seven, I got home.
There were three people in the living room: Susan, her dad, Mike Miller, and Leo.
Leo stood up when he saw me. "Andrew."
He grinned as if we were old friends.
"Hey." I nodded.
"Dad said we should have a family dinner tonight," Susan called from the kitchen. "Leo is here, too, so it's just us."
It was just us. Leo was Susan's childhood friend.
Her parents practically raised him as if he were their own son.
"Andrew, I heard you're still the top surgeon," Leo said, pouring me some water. "When can I scrub in with you?"
"Did you finish your presentation materials?" I asked.
His smile froze for a second.
"Uh, not yet," Leo said, scratching his head. "Susan said you'd help me out."
I picked up my cup. "You write the materials yourself. I'll help you edit them."
"Andrew," Leo said, getting anxious. "I don't know how to do that."
I set my cup down. "Then how are you going to do your presentation? Go up there and read someone else's script?"
The dinner table fell silent.
Susan came out with the dishes, in time to catch that.
"Andrew," she frowned, "Leo is new here. Cut him some slack."
"I've cut him enough slack," I said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Susan slammed the dishes down on the table.
"Nothing," I said, picking up my fork. "Let's eat."
Mike cleared his throat.
"Andrew," he said slowly, "Leo is a good kid. I've watched him grow up. Help him out, and he'll remember it."
I took a bite of food. "Whether he remembers it or not doesn't matter to me. I don't want him botching a surgery and ruining my reputation."
Leo's face turned red. "Andrew, that's a bit much—"
"I'm being honest," I said, setting my fork down. "That gallbladder surgery last month? You stitched it up three times, and it was still bleeding. The patient's family almost filed a complaint."
Leo opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
Susan slammed her bowl down. "Andrew, eat your food, and don't start lecturing at the dinner table."
"Have I ever lectured him at the hospital? I've always given him face." I looked at her.
"You—"
Mike cut in, trying to smooth things over. "Alright, alright. Let's eat."
The dinner table went quiet again. The only sound was fork tapping against bowls.
Leo kept his head down, shoveling food into his mouth.
Susan's face stayed tense.
I finished my last bite and stood up. "I'm done."
"Where are you going?" Susan asked.
"The study. Gotta work on my materials."
Susan paused for a second. "Whose materials?"
"Mine," I said, not looking back.
The study door closed behind me. I sat down and opened my laptop.
On the screen were my surgical records from the past three years. [Five thousand three hundred surgeries and zero accidents.]
I stared at that number for a long time.
My phone buzzed again.
It was Charles.
He texted: [Dr. Shaw, have you made up your mind?]
I typed: [Give me three more days.]
Charles replied quickly. [I'll be waiting for your answer in three days. The chief of thoracic surgery at Harmony Medical Center is reserved for you.]
I closed the chat window.
Outside, the city lights flickered on one by one.
I could hear Susan and her dad talking in the next room.
"What's up with him today?" Mike asked.
"Who knows," Susan said, sounding annoyed. "Maybe he feels like he is getting the short end of the stick."
"Don't be so biased. Leo is, after all—"
Susan cut him off. "Leo is my childhood friend. If I don't help him, who will?"
I closed my laptop and my eyes.