He sat quietly waiting as I opened and then read through the letter.
* * *
Dear Ms. Q. Cavendish,
* * *
This is to confirm receipt and acceptance of your letter of resignation, received January 11th for the position of Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, which is to be effective February 8th. You will continue to receive your salary through to your last day of employment. With your final pay cheque, you will also receive a pay out of any accrued and unused holiday time in accordance with the provisions of Hospital Holiday Policy.
* * *
Please return any hospital property that you still have in your possession, e.g., parking decal and card, laptop, etc., on or before your last day of employment.
* * *
Attached you will find an information sheet for exiting employees. This form details the necessary instructions on the pension scheme, holiday and final wages. If you should have questions about your benefits, you may contact myself or the Human Resources Department.
* * *
Thank you for your service to St. Ermin’s Hospital London and good luck in your new role.
* * *
Sincerely,
Rupert Alastair
Chair, St. Ermin’s Hospital London
* * *
Five weeks, that was all that was left of my time at the hospital where I’d started my career. I was sad and elated at the same time. I wanted to cry and jump for joy and at the same time I was bummed that all these years had come to this—a single sheet of A4 paper with St. Ermin’s letterhead and a few words of gratitude for my service.
“Well?” He patted my bare legs. His eyes searching my face, “Hey, what’s the face for?”
What idiot cries when they get something they never even dreamed of?
“I think I’m having a moment. I’m okay.”
“Change, huh?”
Change.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” I sat up as he reached for the wine bottle and the corkscrew. “That hospital is all I know, Jamie. I’m excited and sad at the same time. I’m going to miss the staff and the hospital itself.”
“By the end of the five weeks you’ll be skipping out of there.” He poured us both some wine. “And I know that you’re going to tell me that you’re going to miss your patients, but there’ll be other patients and the staff at the clinic will chase you rather than you having to chase them.”
He wiggled his brows as he took a sip of his wine.
“You’ll get to see Jake every day.”
“Oh great.” I rolled my eyes. “Just what I wanted, more Jake.”
“That’s not what you were saying New Year’s Eve.” His brow hitched, “Which by the way I need to make it clear
that there is no way your lips are going anywhere near him.”
I couldn’t help the burst of laughter that erupted from me. “Ha!”