The Doctor Who Has No Closure (Soulless 10)

She pulled out a thin black chain that seemed to be darkened stainless steel. “Can I have your necklaces?”

I obeyed without question, unclasping all of them and setting them on the desk in front of her.

She pulled the crosses off the original chains and slid them onto the new one. “I just figured you’re going to keep getting these, and maybe we should consolidate so you don’t have a bunch of chains hanging from your neck. Also, so when you lean forward, they don’t all hang out and get stuck in anything.” She pulled out another cross and slipped it onto the chain.

“What’s that?”

She didn’t look at me as she clasped the necklace closed and handed it back to me. “My grandmother’s.”

“And you’re putting it on my necklace because…?” I took it from her and examined it, seeing the gold cross with an emerald in the center.

She fidgeted with her hands before she answered, her back not really as straight, her shoulders sagging a little. “I know you weren’t the surgeon who saved my life, but…I would have wanted you to be if I had the choice. My grandmother was very religious, and I know if she were alive, she would be a great admirer of yours… So I think she’d want you to have it.”

My eyes left the fourth cross on the chain, and I looked at her, frozen and steady, like I was inside a chest cavity about to cut something. I had a surgeon’s hands, and now I had a surgeon’s evenness, so still, I didn’t even take a breath.

When the silence stretched and there was no response, she cleared her throat. “Enjoy your lunch, and I’ll get the next patient ready.” She turned away and walked out, closing the door behind her.

My eyes went back to the chain in my hands, looking at the gifts people gave me for doing my job, something they were entitled to and didn’t even need to be grateful for. My thumb moved over the green emerald before I placed the chain around my neck and clasped it. Having just the single chain was a lot more comfortable than what I had before.

But it was far heavier than it used to be.

15

Sicily

The donations that poured in after the TED Talk were phenomenal. In the first twenty-four hours, we got the biggest deposits and sponsors who signed up to be monthly donors. As the days trickled by, those deposits became fewer. But since the video was on YouTube and people were always watching it, a gentle stream of revenue flowed in.

But we needed more.

We needed as much money as we could possibly get.

I only booked patients three months in advance because it was too hard to see that far into the future, and if patients had a truly chronic condition, they needed to see a physician right away, not wait around for Dex Hamilton.

So, there was a lot riding on this night.

It had to be perfect.

I utilized the waitstaff at the Four Seasons to help me run the show, bribing them with tips so they would know I was the one in charge and not their event manager. Guests filed in and were immediately greeted with flutes of champagne, taking in the look of the ballroom, the wall of white irises that covered one side to make it seem like we were in a garden more than a ballroom. Most of the decorations had an expensive price tag, but the vendors didn’t charge me for things I could return since the event was a fundraiser for Dex, and the things that couldn’t be returned, like the flowers, were provided at a huge discount. That was how I was able to turn this place into the event of the century on a dime.

I splurged a bit on my dress, getting a new designer gown I would never have a reason to wear again, but I couldn’t resist.

Business expense, right?

It was a beautiful winter-blue color, with straps that led to a sweetheart top that made my tits look unbelievable. It had something to do with the contoured built-in bra. It was tight on my waist then flared out, made of a filmy material with subtle spots of glitter and shimmer to give it that special glow. I matched it with pumps of the same color, and it came with a wrap if I ever got cold. Honestly, I was dressed so nice that I looked more like a guest than the help.

Dex was late, probably because I couldn’t be there to get him out the door on time. So, I greeted people as they walked inside, introduced myself and welcomed them to the event, made small talk as best as I could with these suits that I knew nothing about. But I could tell they were all rich, judging by their watches, their suits, even their shoes.