Once again, Sara arrived before Dr. Burke. Was he one of those people that was always late? On the other hand, she was always early. She put high standards on herself and typically met her own mark, but when she failed, she was her own worst critic. She learned at a young age that education was the ticket to a better life. Her mother had to give up her education when she got pregnant, and so she had drilled into Sara its importance. Sara never settled; she studied to ensure she was always the top in her class.
Sara's real ticket to a better life was the one that brought her mother and her to Maine, but it was a sadder life after she lost her mother. It was the remnants of that loss that led her to leave civilization and work in some of the worst conditions on the globe. She succeeded professionally, but personally she failed.
While she waited for the doctor to arrive, she checked her phone hoping for word from Joe.
The doctor arrived late but was ready to work. "Let's get to work." He skipped a greeting.
She wanted to wish him good morning, but was afraid it would sound rude after he omitted any nicety. Instead, she followed him into his office and sat across from him. While he was logging into his computer, she looked around the small room. It had light grey modular furniture. She assumed every other physician's office in the building looked the same. From his framed diplomas, she learned he attended Harvard. His full name was John Nicholas Burke. Everyone called Tim by his first name, but not the younger doctor. The only personal items were the pictures of two small children, a girl and a boy and a family picture with Santa which had been taken when the children were younger. The littlest looked about nine months in his smiling mother's arms. She was beautiful with dark hair. She had expensive highlights, the expensive kind, which Sara could never afford. They were a perfect, happy family.
The doctor drew her attention away from the photos. "I'm assuming they showed you this in training, but we'll do it together to make sure you've got the hang of it."
She nodded to confirm, and they worked together until their first appointment. He was a patient teacher. As they sat side by side to view the computer screen together, she could smell his clean soapy scent. It was pleasant with no strong aftershave. Her eyes glanced sideways at his scruffy face and just as quickly back to the screen.
A few minutes after they finished in his office, Dr. Burke was scowling. He had thanked her, so she doubted he would have been upset with her.
If his mood improved as the day went on she didn't notice, because she stayed clear of him. His brother was jovial and had decided her name was Betty. Chloe, a nurse overheard. "Don't worry. We all have nicknames. I'm Monica, because he thinks I look like a young Courtney Cox."
"Why Betty?" She asked him.
He just smiled. "Because you remind me of someone. Don't worry she's someone I like."
Sara caught the younger doctor shaking his head with a hint of a smirk as he walked out the door.
One morning after she'd been working for three weeks, she stopped at the hospital. Her uncle had left his wallet on the kitchen counter. She had time to bring it to him before work. Walking into the lobby she came face to face with Dr. Burke.
He said, "This is a surprise."
"I'm just dropping something off." She held the wallet up.
"Since you're here, you can join me on rounds. If you'd like, that is." He looked at the wallet. "Do what you came for and meet me on the fifth floor."
After stopping at Uncle David's office, she went to the fifth floor. Their practice only had a few patients, although they shared coverage with a few other practices. After three cardiac patients and two newborns, they went over to the children's hospital where Sara used to work.
They entered a room together. "Hello Lily. I brought a new friend. This is Ms. Abbott."
The bald child was tiny in the bed. Her mother sat beside her, looking more exhausted than poor Lily.
"Hello Ms. Abbott."
"It is very nice to meet you, Lily. You can call me Sara."
"I like your voice, Sara. It's pretty. Do you like it, Dr. B?"
Doctor leaned over and whispered in Lily's ear and her eyes widened. "Really!"
Sara said, "What?"
He winked at Lily. He put his hand on her mother's shoulder. "You okay, Christine?"
She nodded as the doctor turned his focus back to Lily. He checked the IV cannula in her hand.
In the elevator, Sara asked, "What did you say to her?"
"It's a secret." His face gave no hints.
"The Doctors Burke have a lot of secrets. I still don't know what my nickname means."
"You're right, we have a lot of secrets." He laughed. "We try to keep our personal life out of the office."
She frowned. "What about Lily?"
"Malignant brain tumor."
It felt as if she swallowed a lead weight. His face expressed what she felt. He cared deeply for his patients.
She glanced at him, before reminding herself not to like him too much. He was married and her boss.