Grumpy Doctor

1

Lori

“I know what you must be thinking, it’s your first day, really scary, very nervous, and honestly? You have no clue what you’re getting yourself into.”

Monica talked fast as she walked down the hallway of Westview Hospital. Her short dark heels clacked on the linoleum floor and I wondered what the heck she was doing, wearing heels to a hospital shift, but whatever, I didn’t ask. She was the chief resident, in the last year of her residency and had been given the super fun task of supervising all the new first years, myself included.

I didn’t know why I’d been pulled away from the pack of awkward, out-of-their-depth young people that had gathered in the main lobby of the hospital, waiting to be assigned their eventual attending doctor and future mentor, but when she called my name and gestured for me to follow, I didn’t question it.

So, yeah, she was right: I was nervous. It was my first day of my new residency, and although I’d gone through med school and graduated at the top of my class, and felt like I was ready for this, there was still some part of me that wondered maybe I wasn’t smart enough, maybe I wasn’t good enough.

I pushed those thoughts away. That part of my brain was hard to silence sometimes, but I wasn’t going to let it get the better of me today.

“Right,” I said, plastering a numb, nervous smile on my face, since I didn’t have anything better to say.

She glanced back. “I mean, seriously, I’m not even joking when I tell you this, but wow, do you have any clue how many people want to work with Piers Hood? He’s got a wait list like months long and he’s never taken a resident before. This is a freaking teaching hospital, and he’s an attending that doesn’t teach. It’s sort of unheard of, you know? But he’s Dr. Hood, the Miracle Hands himself.” She stared dreamily ahead before clearing her throat. “I have no clue how the heck you got assigned to him, but girl, I’m not even joking when I say, you’re lucky. Or maybe not, I can’t really tell.”

I kept that dumb smile on my lips and said nothing.

I knew how I got this position. My cousin was filthy rich, one of the youngest billionaires in the country, and on the board of directors. He must’ve pulled some strings to get me attached to this Piers guy. I should’ve known his name, or at least done some research before showing up on my first day, but med school burned me out and I needed the few brief weeks I had before getting thrown into the fire to try and recharge myself.

Besides, I figured I’d learn about my new teacher on the job. I mean, how hard could it be?

Terrible idea, in retrospect. Monumentally bonehead move. If there were Oscars for really, really dumb decisions, I’d be giving my acceptance speech already.

Monica turned a corner into a hallway of offices and pointed up ahead. “I’d walk you to the door, but, uh—” She stopped and frowned down at me. “I feel like I should warn you.”

“Warn me?” I blinked rapidly, feeling color rise to my cheeks.

“Dr. Hood is a little… difficult.” She glanced from side to side, like she was trying to make sure nobody could hear what she was about to say. “He doesn’t usually do this sort of thing. You know, like, follow the rules? He’s an incredible surgeon, don’t get me wrong, and you’re lucky to work with him, but also… be careful. And keep your chin up. And all those other clichés.”