Trials

4

Ben looked around at the hospital that he had visited several times before, but never imagined actually working here. Ambulances swarmed the entryways, making tactical maneuvers to ensure their patients made it into the larger open atrium, helicopters landed and took flight in every other blink of an eye, and patients seemed to cling to the remnants of what were a remedy for the bad news to come.

He walked Inside and made his way to the locker room. Grabbing a vacant locker, he sat his stuff down and changed into his scrubs. He was anxious to meet his bosses and the new class he would be working with.

After changing into his teal scrubs, he met up with the intern class. He stood in the back not trying to be in the way since he was a 4th year resident and this wasn’t his class.

“Okay,” the male attending, of which Ben recognized immediately as head of general surgery Doctor Rowell. He came to Grey Sloan a few times and worked with Miranda.

“As an intern here you will serve out your term for the course of one year before taking licensing examination; those of you who pass shall embody what we recognizes as residents such as ourselves. Those of you who fail shall be transferred to an emergency room desk in some small town where you can carry out the course of your residency not saving lives and not wasting the time of our patients. Any questions?”

Ben watched as everyone nodded and he noted that most looked scared.

“Why do I have an extra one of you?”

“Oh sorry Sir, I’m a 4th year transfer and Chief Rogers instructed me to meet up with this intern class to get familiar with my attendings and the building.”

“Ok sorry to be blunt she didn’t tell me. Welcome.” He clapped. “Come stand up here, you could be useful for them.”
He walked around with them and getting familiar with everything. Walking into a patient room with the interns he stayed in the back. Ultimately shaking his head.

“Hey what are you doing?” Ben questioned the young guy as he started to administer anesthetics.  “If you put it in that way you are going to cause an air embolism.

“You know anesthesia too?”

“Yes. I used to be an attending anesthesiologist for 7 years prior to surgical residency.”

“Wow that’s very commendable.”

After working with a few attendings and being shown around the building Ben split ways to go find the residents he would be working with. Everyone was assigned an attending and he was glad that he was going to be working with Dr. Rowell from earlier today.

He saw Chief Rodgers talking to a group of people, so assumed that these were the kids he would be working with. He knew he couldn’t really call them kids since he was only about 10 years older than them.

“Dr. Warren.” Christian called him over.

“Alright everyone this is Dr. Benjamin Warren and he will be joining your class. Fill him in on the assignment that was given to you all today.”

“We had a 52 year old male admitted this week because he was vomiting blood. He has a long history of alcohol use and had previously been hospitalized for withdrawal complications, pancreatitis, and traumatic injuries over the past 10 years. He had been relatively stable until about 2 days prior to admission when he noted some occasional vague abdominal pain. He claims the pain was intermittent and non-radiating, but on the day of admission, he began to feel nauseated and vomited a small cup of blood. He denied syncope, coughing, chest pain, fever or dyspnea. He doesn’t have any travel or unusual exposures.” The woman filled in. Before another resident added more about the man’s life.

“The chief wants to know our plan of option and what therapeutic approach would we choose.”

“Okay.” Ben nodded.

“The chief already introduced me but I’m Ben Warren again.” He introduced himself.

“I’m Marley.”

“I’m Adam.”

“I’m Amber.”

“And I’m Matthew.”

“It’s nice to meet you all…can we walk to this patient's room. I have a couple more questions I want to know and did you guys get the lab results back?” Ben asked and Amber handed him a clip board with everything.

“Hey, how was your first day?” Miranda asked When Ben came home setting his bag by the door.

“Hey, it was great. I spent half of the day familiarizing myself with everything and meeting the rest of the attendings that wasn’t at the mixer. Then the last 6 hours we were tasked with different mild cases. They wanted to see our train of thought and could we come up with diagnoses and effective treatment options… The basics.” Ben explained and shrugged. Walking into the kitchen he saw that Miranda made spaghetti and a salad.

“Tomorrow I work from 6 to 6. I’m going to Tuck’s game if you want to go.” He offered.

“Yeah I will make sure I’m off on time and meet you there…it’s a home game ?”

“Yeah Its at his school.”

“Okay great.” Miranda responded.

2 weeks passed and Ben knew he needed to start studying for the second step or part two portion of his medical licensing exam. This is exam was a multi-part professional exam that is required by doctors holding a M.D. degree in order to practice medicine in surgery. The USMLE consists of 3 parts, known as Steps, spread across a number of years and taken at specific times during a doctor’s medical education. He already did his intern exam which was step 1 then step two was next. This test was normally taken during the 4th year. He was nervous but he knew if he failed. He would get four months to retake it.

“Hey are you ok with a couple of my coworkers coming over tomorrow night? We need to study.”

“Um yeah sure. Do you need help going over anything? I know part 2 of USMLE has to be coming up.”

“No we’re good thank you.”

“Oh… ok.” Miranda said sadly.

“Did I say that wrong? I wasn’t trying to be mean Miranda.”

“Its fine. You’ve been short with me a lot lately. You guys need to eat, I can make something.” She suggested.

“Its just a study session we can order pizza or something.”

“Pizza gives you heartburn.” She reminded. “ I don’t mind cooking. I can make dips and jerk chicken pasta.”

“Ooh that would be good.” Ben responded thinking about the pasta that she rarely made, but it was so good.

“Ok. I just have to go to the store. Do you want to ride with me?” Miranda questioned knowing it was a long shot.

“Uh I have to –

“It’s okay if you don’t want to go. I understand” Miranda trailed off.

“I was going to say I have to grab my shoes. I needed to go to the store anyway. I want to get some more razors, shaving cream, and stuff like that. “

“Oh okay great.” Miranda responded with a small smile.

Ben went and put his shoes on before grabbing his wallet and keys. He open the front door and Miranda followed him out.

He then opened the passenger side for her and walked around on his side of the car.

Miranda looked at the note pad and the title read PSRH therapy. She glanced at the notes on his notepad in his handwriting. Her eyes caught the sentence. “If I treated you, how you treated me…you would hate me.”

Miranda bit her lip and quickly covered it. Not wanting him to see she was in his things.

“Operative techniques in gynecologic surgery…neonatal and fetal surgery guide book….the ultimate guide to choosing a medical specialty.” Miranda read the covers of the books that were on the seat.

“Oh sorry about that. I should have cleared them out of the way.” Ben voiced starting the car.

“Are these the two specialties that you are choosing from?”

“No not necessarily. I love plastics and general as well. My Chief told me to start reading around and it might point me in the direction of the specialty. I don’t have choose for a while but I need to have some idea of where I am going.”

Miranda nodded her head in understanding. “Well you were always good with the moms.” She told him.

Ben almost had a smart remark for her but chose to hold it in. He did not want to hurt her feelings. This whole situation really put them in a bad spot and he was trying to shake out of it but it was hard as hell to let go. A real man never wants to see their wife hurt. That’s why he was always careful about his words, decisions, and actions. He tried his best to do everything for the betterment of their marriage. He never wanted to be responsible for Miranda’s pain.

There goes the silence. Miranda groaned internally. She didn’t know what to do, there was nothing really she could do to make this better. Her husband despised her right now and she could feel it every time they were around each other.

The couple went to the store and walked around silently, only asking about things they needed. She was glad he went with her. She was going to have a struggle to reach the things at the top.

They made it back home and Ben straighten up as Miranda began to cook.

She finished making the dips and chicken for Ben’s study group. She set sodas and water bottles on the counter, along with plates and utensils.

She made herself a plate to take to her bedroom, planning to stay out of the way of them.

Ben walked downstairs and answered the door after it sounded.

“Hey Warren.” A woman greeted him first before he saw everyone file in.

“Hey.” Ben said to the group.

“You have a nice house Ben.” Amber complimented.

“Thank you. My wife picked out everything.”
“Speaking of wife. This is my wife Dr- Ben started as she came around the corner.

“It’s Dr. Miranda Bailey. Miranda freaking Bailey!”

“In the flesh.” Miranda smiled, she rarely had people fan girl her. But was very flattered.

“I have studied your work since Medical school you’re amazing. You’re a legend.”

“Oh you are too kind.” She replied.

“You are married to a surgical genius. A God.” Adam praised.

Miranda blushed and smiled at them. She really was touched. These younger surgeons had good taste in heroes.

“The food is on the counter, I guess I’ll let you guys get to the books. It was very nice meeting you all.”

“It was nice meeting you too.” They responded simultaneously.

Miranda began to walk around the corner when she heard one of the guys ask Ben a question.

“Can I ask how did you two happen?”

“We met at work. I saw her standing at the nurses' station and she was and is the absolute most beautiful woman that I have ever seen. I saw her laughing with one of her colleagues and her smile was beautiful as well. It lit up her whole face and was contagious. I asked a friend of mine about her and he told me her name and what she did. I immediately went to the OR board and found that she was doing a surgery in 2 hours. I switched cases with the anesthesiologist so I could get into the surgery with her. I had no idea that the surgery wouldn’t go smooth.”

“What happened?”

“The patient woke up and of course. She deemed it as my fault. Even though it wasn’t. I later found that the person metabolizes drugs too fast but that was after she fussed me out so badly. I had never been more disrespected in my life.” Ben chuckled.

“And that turned into a marriage?” Marley asked amused.

“She pissed me off but was sexy while doing it. I was enchanted. She is the only woman who could and does have that much power over me. I fell head over heels in love with her.” He explained.

“Good for you.” Adam replied.

Miranda played with her necklace before quietly walking away.