Until Autumn

Fingers curl around my elbow, and my brows furrow as I’m pulled away. Anger pulses through me as my head whips around to find my supervisor, Patricia, pulling me toward the door. “What’s going on?” I question, keeping my voice low as to not disturb or distract Thorne. “I was watching that. It’s the first breech delivery I’ve had the chance to witness.”

Patricia’s head whips back and her eyes narrow on mine with fury. “There will be others,” she snaps as the door closes between us and the delivery. “That’s assuming you’re lucky enough to get back inside a birthing suite.”

“Excuse me?” I question, pulling my arm free of her grip, finding it far too difficult to show any form of professionalism or respect right now.

“You heard me,” the older woman snaps, trying to keep her voice low. “Is it or is it not true that you have been in a sexual relationship with Dr. Mayson?”

My mouth drops and I quickly try to right myself before giving it all away. “I …”

“Yes or no, Autumn?”

I let out a sigh. “Yes, Dr. Mayson and I are in a relationship,” I tell her, realizing that lying about it is only going to make things worse. “But we keep it strictly professional at work. He doesn’t favor me over the other students and he won’t be taking my assessments.”

Patricia puts her hands to her temples and turns around as though seeing my face is far too much effort for her right now. She takes a few slow breaths before turning back to me. “What was the one thing I said on your very first day that I will not tolerate?”

I think back to my first meeting with her, and all I seem to remember was that I was running late and needed to get through a whole bunch of paperwork before meeting with Thorne to be on his service, only the dick gave me the Policy and Procedures folders to read through.

I shake my head, realizing far too late that admitting that I can’t remember isn’t going to help my case. “I’m sorry, I … I’m not sure.”

“DRAMA,” she spits. “I will not tolerate drama on my ward, and dating your assessing doctor is a prime example of that. You will end things right away.”

I shake my head, fury rippling through me. How dare she ask me to end it with him. I know it’s only been a month, but when it comes to Thorne Mayson, I see the rest of my life, not just some ridiculous work fling. “I will do no such thing,” I tell her, refusing to revolve my love life around her need for peace and order on the ward. Besides, there is no drama when it comes to me and Thorne, it’s a simple case of boy meets girl, and they quickly become each other’s everything. There are no secrets, no crazy exes, no bullshit drama that’s coming in to ruin everything.

Patricia’s eyes seem to bulge out of her head. “Then I will have no choice but to go to the ethics board and discuss this with them.”

“Go right ahead,” I tell her. “But before you do, keep in mind that this isn’t just me you’re messing with. You’re not just flexing to prove that you have authority over me. This is Dr. Mayson’s career as the best obstetrician in the state. Screw with us, and you’re screwing with his career, and I can assure you that he will not take lightly to a threat like that. You may be able to railroad me and destroy any chances I have of a career as a midwife, but you can’t touch him.”

Patricia narrows her eyes. “I knew you were going to be trouble the second you showed up on my ward.”

“And I knew you were going to act like an old hag over this,” I say, knowing damn well that I’ll be regretting that later, but far too wound up to stop the words from falling out of my mouth like word vomit. “Now, if you would excuse me, I have patients to check on.”

“The hell you do,” she screeches before I can make my getaway. “Effective immediately, you are off all cases.”

“What?” I demand, spinning back to her. “You can’t do that.”

“I very much can and I will,” she tells me. “You’ll be on paperwork until this whole matter is handled and I figure out what the hell to do with you. You will be taken off Dr. Mayson’s service and any assessments completed by him since your arrival will be overlooked.” My mouth drops but before I have the chance to tell her exactly what I think, she hits me with a low blow. “Perhaps you’ll think twice before whoring yourself out to another doctor for a good grade.”