Someone to Love

Thirty-Four

Lucas
"Lucas...uh...Lee Kyung-" she said
I got an emergency page shortly after that. But I was still down on one knee, holding a ring box from Harry Winston.
Oh god, please say yes. I mean, not only is this ring hella expensive, but I really did choose this because it suits her and oh my god, does it look elegant.
Would she say no? I mean, first off, why would she? I'm very stable, I earn well, and I'm a pretty nice guy. I think.
And now I think I'm shaking, I di hope that the patient who needs me would not be dead when I get there, come on Ara, please answer.
My eyes were fixed on the ring box. This is one hell of a sparkler. If she says no, then I just wasted a great fortune for this ring.
"Uh, you don't have to take my su-"
"Yes. I'll be Amara Hayden-Seo." She said as she hugged me.
"Really?"
"Yeah-"
"Really?"
"Yes, love. I'll marry you." She said
I hugged her tighter.
"Even if I don't know your birthday?" I whispered
"Yes, we have a whole lifetime to know." She said as she let go of me.
"When is your birthday?" I said to her as I removed the ring from the box and she handed me her hand.
"Uh, well-" she started as I put on the ring.
"Believe it or not, it's today." She said
I stopped putting on the ring, mid-finger.
"What?"
"Yeah, it was odd when we decided to get married when we don't even know each other's birthday."
I smiled.
"Happy birthday, my love." I said as I put on the ring on her finger.
"This is actually the best birthday gift anyone has ever given me." She said
"Really? No Porsches? Or yachts?"
"Baby, I'm getting a lifetime committment. And I fucking got a Harry Winston ring." She said
"You know, you don't really have to change your surname. It's really not needed in Korean law."
"Well, I'll think about it. But right now, I think you should answer the page you're getting." She said
"I'd really love it if we could just stay here and-"
"You're the one who decided to propose in the morning."
"Yeah, well, dinner proposals are a bit cliché."
"What if I said no? Your whole day would be ruined."
"No, my whole life would be ruined."
She smiled.
"Go answer the page. Charles isn't here yet so I don't think he can-"
"I'll just book an Uber."
"Can you see if you're working late tonight?"
"Oh no."
"Oh-"
"Do you think I'd propose to you in the morning and not have dinner with you in the afternoon?"
She smiled.
"You're not just having dinner with me."
"Who?"
"Wi-" she was cut off when I got another call.
"I have to go, Mrs. Seo." I said as I hugged her.
"Go cut off some brains baby." She said
Oh my god I can't believe I am engaged. So much so that my thought processes are in English now and well, I'm getting married.
During the Uber ride, I decided to call my mother. She'd be beyond happy to hear that I'm marrying soon and well, I really need to share the news to someone who actually cares.
"Annyeong, eomma." I said
"Lee Kyung-ah!" She said
"Hi, uh, I have some news for you." I said
"What? You're the newest department head?"
"Uh, no. Even better, eomma. I just proposed to Ara."
She gasped.
"What did she say!?"
I smiled.
"Well, I'm getting married, eomma."
And I swear, I have never heard any pitch sound that high from my mother.
"Where are you gonna have it?"
"Oh! We haven't talked about that yet-"
"Where did you get the ring? Please tell me it's not Tiffany's, I raised you far better than that!"
I smiled again.
"Harry Winston."
And then the high pitch sound came back again.
"Eomma-"
"Do you have a picture of it? I need to see it-"
"Mom-"
"You two should go back here. Get married here."
"Eomma, it's not that easy. We both are very busy and-"
"How will I help with the wedding planning?!"
"Mom, we literally just got engaged 45 minutes ago-"
"Isn't it like, morning in New York?"
"Yeah."
"You proposed during breakfast?"
"Yes. Because dinner proposals are cliché."
"I am proud of you son. Congratulations. Is Ara there?"
"No, actually, I'm in an Uber. I have to get to work."
"You left her?"
"Mom, I have an emergency at work. I had to."
"At least take her out to dinner tonight."
"That's the plan, if I ever get out of work early. Today is her birthday."
"And you just got her the engagement ring?"
"Mom, it costed a lot."
"And an engagement is whole lot different from a birthday, son."
"I guess I'll get something from the hospital gift shop."
"Seo Lee Kyung!"
"I'm kidding, mom."
"Just get her something."
"Yes, ma'am. I miss you."
"Then come back home. You look like you haven't been eating."
"Ara and I will try."
"I love you, son."
"I love you too."
Nothing like an emergency in the morning wherein the patient who has an aneurysm is experiencing a seizure.
And well, I had to clip that aneurysm at I finished clipping at about 3pm. God, sometimes it just makes me think if I really do love this job. The pay is beyond great but at the end of most of the days, my legs are killing me.
And aside from the breakfast that Ara prepared this morning, I haven't eaten nor drank anything yet. All for a couple of thousand grand a month.
I was about to take a bite of my Subway sandwich when Ara decided to call.
"Hello." She said
"I missed you."
"Well, is the emergency handled?"
"Very well actually. What's up?"
"Can you leave work at about 7?"
"Uh, let me check-" I opened up my schedule.
"Well?" She said
"Do you have access to my schedules?"
"What? No."
"Well, why is it that when you ask me if I could get of early, my schedule is clear?"
She laughed.
"So, why are you asking?"
"My mother called and she arranged this birthday dinner for me at Per Se."
"Oh, you and your rich family and your rich dinner."
"So, Charles and I would be picking you up at the hospital at around 7."
"But I don't have anything to wear. Babe, I don't think Per Se would accept me wearing scrubs."
"Don't worry, I got that covered."
"You didn't buy me a new shirt right?"
"Uh, well-"
I shook my head.
"I guess I'm finishing at 7."
"Thank you."
"Babe, are we telling your mother that-"
"Uh, we'll see if she notices Harry."
"Who?"
"I named the ring Harry."
I laughed.
"Okay, but I doubt she won't notice that. That ring is pretty big."
"And expensive. My mother has eyes for expensive stuff."
"I'll see you then."
At about half an hour later, I did my rounds again. And it's actually a good thing that this is the week that not many people needed a neurosurgeon. It's probably one of the reasons why I chose this specialization. I could have gone for plastics they sure are big in Seoul but I didn't because I just really didn't feel like it. Obstetrics and Gynecology, I don't really like the idea that my arms would be inside a woman on a daily basis, I mean, fingers I could do but arms? I doubt anyone would see that as sexual and to be honest, it really doesn't suit me and I think it would ruin sex for me. But I did great in that subject in medical school. Gastro, well, it doesn't smell good. Okay, I have a lot of issues and the brain doesn't smell that bad.
"You'd never guess who dropped by a while ago." Rick said as he entered the attending's lounge. The researchers are complete here and minding their own business when this guy entered.
"Who?" Claire said
"I was just handed a $50,000 check by a fucking research funding person."
Luckily I was already on my phone and I shot Ara a text.
SLK: Did you just spend 50 grand?
"Oh my god? Really? That's huge." Claire said
"Well, that's not the only thing that's huge baby." Rick replied
"Get a room." Alice said
"So, was it from Spencer?" Claire said
"No. Amara Hayden." Rick said and then he showed the cheque to everyone in the room. I didn't mind him. I was pretend texting.
AH: Is he bragging about it now?
SLK: Yep. Showing everyone your signature on a cheque.
AH: Funny though, I wasn't the one who handed that to him.
SLK: Katherine did?
AH: Yeah.
I smiled.
"I guess your girlfriend didn't give you the funding." Rick said to me.
"Ah, well. I couldn't careless." I said
"Sometimes, you are such a dick." Rick said
Seriously? Says the guy who's name literally rhymes with it.
Well, it really doesn't matter because whatever funding he got from Ara is just what I make for a month. He earns slightly less.
"Ara's big on helping charity cases." I said in Korean.
"What?"
"Never you mind, I got a page. Excuse me." I said as I went out.
As I went out, Ara, along with Katherine, and Dr. Carmichael are walking on the halls, discussing something.
I saw them but I don't think they saw me. So I went back up to the Neurosurgery ward and read some charts.
"Miss Hayden seems nice." Mara said as she sat down next to me.
"Excuse me?"
"She did her version of a board member rounds a while ago. She's all smiley, probably America's version of Duchess Kate."
"What?"
"The designer clothes didn't help actually. She's every bit of a rich girl."
"She is a rich girl."
"Did I mention she almost had diamonds all over her." Mara said
"What?"
"Tennis bracelets, diamond necklace, don't even get me started on the ring."
I bit my lip to suppress a smile. She's still wearing it.
"Really?"
"And of course, a handbag that worth about six months of my salary."
"Well." I said
"Well what?" Mara said
I just smiled at her.
I guess not everyone knows about me and Ara.
At about 6:45 in the evening, I saw Ara talking to Katherine near my office. And she was all what Mara said. She's my fiancée. Eek.
"Good evening, Miss Hayden." I said as I walked to her.
"Oh! Hello." She said and then she walked away. Katherine was left with me.
"What was-" I started
Katherine smiled at me.
"We'd be waiting outside in the car. She wants you to change into this." Katherine said as she handed me a huge paper carrier from Armani.
"Right."
"You have 10 minutes." Katherine said
"Right."
Ara was seated inside the Royce when I got in.
"Hey." She said
"Hi."
"And with three minutes to spare." She said as I sat down.
"Happy birthday, my love." I said as I kissed her.
"Thank you." She replied
"You didn't need to buy me an Armani shirt though."
"Oh, I did. It was for my husband." She whispered.
I smiled and held her hand.
"Nice ring."
"Thank you."
"I missed you."
"I was in MGH at about 1."
"You've been there for six hours?"
"Yeah."
"And you didn't drop by?"
"Love-"
"I just love it when you have your accent back."
She smiled.
"Well, it's gonna go back because we're talking to my mother later."
"Did you tell anyone yet?"
"No, you?"
"My mother."
"Oh! What did she say?"
"Come to Korea. She wants no, insists on helping out with the wedding planning."
"Really?"
"She's beyond happy."
"Well, I can't wait for my mother to hear."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'm actually getting married to the person I actually love."