Stole My Heart ❤️ {A Jackson Avery love story}

Chapter 128:

I'm sitting in the board room waiting for Jackson, reading over protocols the foundation sent us, while the others complain.

Arizona: Jackson Avery really has a bigger say than any of us in running this hospital?
Cristina: that can't be true. Can it Lilah?
Dad: well, he's a voting member of the management team and he also represents the Harper Avery Foundation, alongside my daughter.
Callie: and their 175 million bucks.
Arizona: as opposed to our 15 million a piece.
Delilah: guys, Jackson has been sitting in board meetings since he was 15. You need to relax.
Dad: according to Stan, not only do these two have the deciding vote, they can veto ours.
Cristina: that is ridiculous. You guys are fellows.
Meredith: so are you.
Cristina: but he's a Plastics fellow. And I'm me. And Lilah's—
Delilah: I'm gonna stop you right there Cristina. Don't you dare insult my husband's specialty just because you can't do it. And you have no right to turn your back on me!
Meredith: well, let's not overreact. I mean, it's Jackson and Lilah. They're not some corporate strangers. They're one of us.
Dad: you're right. They're smart kids. They'll follow our lead.

I give my dad a thankful smile. Then, Callie interjects.

Callie: no. No. We made this plan. We pulled it together. Look, I'm grateful to Harper Avery for an infusion of cash, but I'm– I'm not gonna let some– some...
Cristina: Plastics fellow and his wife?

I look at Cristina in shock.

Callie: Plastics fellow and his puppy dog wife tell me how to—

I scoff at Callie in disbelief then I cut her off.

Delilah: I'm gonna stop you right there Callie Torres before you say something even more stupid than you already sound.

Callie looks at me in shock. She opens her mouth to say something but I keep going.

Delilah: may I remind you that the father of your child, aka my godfather, was a Plastic surgeon, so you have absolutely no right bashing Jackson, or myself for that matter, because you believe that you're better than him. You belong in this group just as much as my husband does. So you are going to shut the hell up and you are going to listen to what Jackson has to say. We are going to wait for him and you are going to listen!

The whole room goes silent as I sit back down in my chair and continue reading the protocols. A couple minutes later, Jackson shows up.

Jackson: I'm sorry guys. I was running on time, and then my last rounds' patient turned into a crier. Pow.

Jackson opens a box of doughnuts and I immediately grab a bunch as Jackson kisses my cheek. The room had awkward tension hanging in the air for a moment.

Meredith: uh, we were discussing the reopening of the ER and the trauma department.
Jackson: oh, yes. Um, we're not ready for that just yet.
Dad: if you and Lilah need more time with the material, we can go ahead—
Jackson: no, no, we've– we've read it. Uh, it's just that...
Delilah: the foundation feels like the ER is not a forgone conclusion.
Jackson: they need a site visit, a chance to look over the numbers.
Delilah: it could be a month before a decision.
Arizona: okay. The foundation knows we plan on getting our level 1 trauma designation back, right?
Jackson: they know that's the idea, yeah.
Callie: uh, it's the fact.
Cristina: I think we should table this until we can bring in Owen. Uh, he'll have a lot of thoughts on this too.

Jackson and I share a look of concern before breaking the news.

Jackson: that's– that's the other thing.
Dad: what thing?
Delilah: um... okay. Since we are starting fresh, the thought is that new leadership would be good for morale.
Cristina: what, like, uh, Chief of surgery?
Callie: oh, no way.
Meredith: firing Owen?