Keeping Score

“What does the reason behind our decision matter?”

Marilyn paced to the windows in front of her family room. She tipped the curtains to peek outside. Still no reporters. She drew the curtains wide open and let the early afternoon sunlight sweep the shadows from her home.

“If I accept your offer—and for the record, Arthur, that’s a pretty big if—I want to know why you want me back.”

Arthur was silent for so long. Was he going to ignore her question?

“We recognize the value you bring to the hospital.” He sounded as though he was forcing the words through a restriction in his throat.

“My value?” Marilyn’s laughter was disbelieving. “You didn’t recognize it before you fired me?”

“We recognize it now.”

Same old Arthur. Smug, arrogant, and facetious. His tone matched the man to perfection.

“You fired me less than three weeks ago. Now you’re asking me to come back.” Marilyn turned away from the window and wiped the sweat trailing from her forehead into her eyes. “I want to know why, Arthur. The truth. I’m not rushing back to the hospital unless I understand what’s going on. And I can wait you out.”

Though not for long. Her body was cooling in her dampened clothes. She was getting chilled. And she desperately wanted a shower. But Arthur didn’t know any of that.

Marilyn heard tapping in the background, like a pen hitting a desktop. Arthur was agitated.

More silence, then a heavy sigh. “Your patients are asking for you.”

Marilyn stilled. A thrill raced through her system. “Really?”

She’d been thinking about her patients as well. How were their pregnancies progressing? Were they on schedule? Were there any complications?

“Really.” Arthur didn’t sound as pleased. “They’ve been asking for you since the Monarchs won the Eastern Conference series.”

Some of Marilyn’s pleasure dimmed. In asking for her to return, were her patients expressing their preference for her medical care or were they acting on their Monarchs fanaticism?

Marilyn pushed the question to the back of her mind. “So you’re inviting me back because my former patients are asking for me?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that the only reason?” Although she had a large number of patients, she doubted the hospital considered their preference for her enough of a concern to bring her back.

“The board wants you back. Are you going to accept their invitation or not?”

“The board, huh?” Marilyn smiled with bitter satisfaction. “I take it they didn’t support your decision to dismiss me?”

“Not exactly.”

“I suppose that answers the question of whether you’ll fire me again if the media becomes an issue.”

“What’s your answer, Marilyn?” Arthur bit the question.

It was Marilyn’s turn to be silent. She wanted to return to practicing obstetrics and gynecology. She wanted to care for her patients again. But did she want to work under Arthur?

Marilyn pulled the clip from her hair and dragged her cold fingers through the damp mass. “I don’t have one for you.”

“What?” Arthur’s response rang with disbelief. “The board is offering you your hospital privileges back.”

Marilyn settled her hands on her hips. “You and I didn’t get along well the first time. Why are you pressuring me to return?”

Arthur’s tone stiffened. “I would think you’d be more appreciative of the board’s interest.”

Her confusion cleared as disappointment settled in. “The board members aren’t happy with you, are they, Arthur? How many of them are Monarchs’ season ticket holders?”