Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 18

Theo

POV

I was late for the pool, and I could tell by the water on the ground that Bethany had already been there and done her morning swim. I was exhausted and slept in. I did not need to be at work for a few hours and hoped we would catch up. I did my thirty laps and headed back to my place for a shower. Grabbing my phone and keys, I walked out the door, staring at her door for a while, wondering if I could walk in like I had before. Making up my mind and clearing away my doubts, I reached out and tried to turn the handle, only to replace the door was locked. I knocked and waited, then knocked again.

Defeated, I left her door and headed downstairs. Before I started, I could go to work and get something to eat at the cafeteria. I had wanted to have breakfast with Bethany, and I assumed she would be there. She has a life, too.

The cafeteria was busy, and this is different from how I like to start my day. I grabbed the food and took it to my office. There was no way I could sit in that noisy place and think. Being so early, I decided to do the rounds early after I had finished my breakfast. The nurse that was on duty was one I got along with. She does not flirt with the male staff and sticks to the rules of nursing, but she is also kind and makes that extra effort to make the patient comfortable. She is the one I ask for when I operate. I know she will do her job and follow through after the operation.

'Morning doctor, Mrs. Gavins had a good night. She is already reminding us that you said if she behaved, she could go home. We found a mobile nurse who had room for another patient and would look after her. For her aftercare, could you please sign her off and leave instructions for the nurse?'

'Well done, that will make her day. Would you like to accompany her to her room now as I give her the good news?'

Gail followed me to Mrs. Gavin's room. You could hear her telling the nurse in there to get out.!' I wondered what was going on. You do not upset heart patients. I lengthened my steps and heard Gail's step suddenly quicken, but I needed to get into the room. The last person I needed to see was the nurse in her room. She was one of the flirty ones who was more interested in bedding a doctor than doing her job.

'Doctor, please get this nurse out of here. Mrs Gavin was almost in tears. And that broke my heart. She is a lovely, caring woman. For a nurse to reduce a patient, any patient to tears is not good, and it is even worse that these are heart patients.

'Get out. I kept my voice calm and clear. This was nothing at all like how I was feeling, and I wanted to shout at that nurse. 'But doctor, she..

I said, 'Get out. I was having trouble keeping my annoyance out of my voice; I would see my boss about this woman and get her removed from my floor and, if possible, the whole hospital.

'Thank you,' Mrs Gavins said with a sob. Her tears were genuine, and the relief in her voice was evident.

I grabbed her chart and read what was there. As I had expected the blood pressure to be a little higher than I wanted it to be, I assumed it was high because of the nurse and how upset she was now.

'What caused you to be so upset today, my dear?' I asked her, sitting on the chair beside her bed, prepared to sit and listen for however long was needed. It is different from those waiting for me to operate would be going anywhere, and this lady needed my time,

too.

'My son did not get the promotion and was angry. I guess I ended up getting a tearful phone call and was a little upset; that nurse said to suck it up, not everyone can get the promotion, and his time might be next time. It upset me that she could be so cold like that. What if she needed a promotion? Would she not be upset, too? I feel that girl had no compassion for anyone but herself!

'We have found a nurse to help you at home, and with the doctor's permission, you can head home today. How would you like that?'

The look on her face is what makes this job so good, and her megawatt smile was the best medicine you could ask for.

'Doctor?' Mrs Gavin was looking at me with almost pleading eyes.

'You are that desperate to leave my company?' I said, placing my hand over my heart as if she had broken it.

'Oh, give over. You won't miss me. You have lots of girls to operate on. It won't be long, and you will have replaced me with another. 'But there is only one you,' I argued back.

'That is true, but you saw what happened a moment ago. As much as I love your company, there are others here that I do not!

'We cannot have you being upset, so I am going to let you go home on the proviso that you follow the instructions I gave you and the nurse and revisit me in a week. So I can check on your progress!

'Deal.' I signed the release form and handed it to the nurse.

'Give the nurse the instructions form, S125.

'Yes, doctor. I left the nurse to release Mrs Gavin and notify her family.

In the meantime, I was off to complain about that nurse. It was not the first time, but this is not good for the patients. The rest of the day went smoothly, but just as I was about to head home, an emergency arrived, and I was back in the theater. Ten hours later, I arrived back home, tired and exhausted, and I knew that at that late time of day, I doubted that Bethany would be up. It was almost midnight, and she should be fast asleep.

My mother left a message on the answering machine reminding me of our Sunday meal and to bring some wine. I sighed; I did not want to think about that.

The bed was calling me.

Morning came so quickly. I was up at six and did not bother with my usual swim. I grabbed a quick bite to eat and rushed out the door, heading to work. I had two patients that needed my immediate attention. One, I am not sure, would still be alive. He was in a terrible state. I did all I could, and it is up to him now.

As I left my penthouse, Bethany came out of her penthouse, too. My eyes widened at the sight of her transformation, and her hair was cut short. I was so shocked to see her that I failed to comment on her hair and how gorgeous she looked. 'Hey, morning, how are you?' She greeted me with a smile, and it was a balm to my heart.

'Good, I am off to work. Can we catch up for dinner later?' I was more excited about seeing her than I would have thought possible.

'Sure, I can cook. That way, if you are held up, I can keep it in the oven!

'Sounds like a date. Catch you later. Sorry, I can't stay and talk. I rushed away before she could ask me any questions.