No More Mrs Nice Nurse (Doctor Happy 2)

Chapter 23

After the Dawson's finished their discussion about Jack, Carly agreed to fly home as soon as possible. She knew all too well how packed airports were around Christmas time, and how the weather can create chaos for potential travellers. Both Lee and Carly now felt somewhat bad about digging and prying into Jack's personal life because although they had the answers they were looking for, they still didn't have anything to do about it. And if Jack's past record was anything to go by, this latest intrusion may just send him out on an absolute warpath. Regardless, they both agreed that they had to help Hunter before Doctor Kent returned to resume charge of the hospital.

The next morning, Lee woke up with thankfully only the mildest of hangovers so he knew he wouldn't have any challenges at work, except for Jack of course. He completed his morning routine and arrived earlier than usual, hoping that Doctor Hunter would have the same idea.

He quickly reached the front reception and glanced around. He saw many tired looking nurses and disgruntled patients waiting to be seen. Jack wasn't there though. He proceeded to head towards his boss' office, thinking that was a wise place to start looking but accidentally bumped into an approaching Japanese doctor on his way.

"Sorry" Lee mumbled before noticing who it was that he'd almost tackled to the ground.

"In a rush, Doctor Dawson?" Doctor Nagatomo asked, not sounding bothered at all by the collision.

"Hey Shinsuke. Have you seen Doctor Hunter around? I need to speak with him" Lee hoped that would be a sufficient answer to the question he'd been asked. He didn't have time to explain everything.

"No, sorry. If I had seen him I'd be moving as fast as you are. Why are you looking for him?"

"It doesn't matter; just tell him if you see him that I am looking for him, ok?" Lee requested before realising that Shinsuke was once again working the nightshift and so the only place he was likely to see Doctor Hunter was in some twisted nightmare.

"I will, but first I have a question for you" Shinsuke smiled. Lee knew this couldn't be good.

"Make it quick, I'm in a hurry" He sighed.

"Why is it that when we lose a patient, people always assume that we did something wrong?"

"Because people can't accept –"

"I am not finished!" Shinsuke's broken English cut Doctor Dawson off, sounding much harsher than he'd probably indented to. Lee rolled his eyes but motioned for the doctor to continue with whatever his point was. "When an animal doctor . . . how do you say animal doctor?"

"A vet" Lee groaned.

"Yes! When a vet can't save the animal, it is never their fault? Now I am finished and you answer" Nagatomo ordered.

Lee sighed once more. He'd never thought about this in his life before because it had never concerned him. And he'd never really owned a pet. He was about to start ranting at Shinsuke for wasting his time but his cooler head prevailed. He guessed that perhaps Doctor Nagatomo had indeed lost a patient through the night and was once again dealing with a family that couldn't accept that this was the hand that fate had dealt them. Now he sympathised with his fellow doctor.

"I think" He began, "Animals never look as sick as people. A dog won't know it has cancer so it's not going to protest" Lee didn't know if he was making any sense but really he didn't know what to say.

Shinsuke simply nodded thoughtfully before thanking Doctor Dawson and heading home.

With that strange meeting out of the way, Lee reached the office that he hoped would be housing his boss at this current moment. He knocked on the door with three solid strikes but only heard the buzzing of the chatter in reception from down the hall, still audible at this early hour.