“Nah,” she said. “My cohort was me and three guys with anger management problems.”
“We’re dressing up for Halloween too,” Cami said. “Everyone’s going as twisted takes on different specialties.”
“Explain that to me like I’m five,” Meri said as she scrolled through her phone.
“I’m going as orthopedics so I’m wearing a flannel with cut-off sleeves, a hard hat, and a tool belt,” Tori said. “I also have all of those at my apartment, so it seemed like a good fit.”
“And I’m going as pediatrics,” Cami said. “I have the cutest set of teddy bear footie pajamas and I’m drawing little freckles on my cheeks. Reza is nephrology and we found a t-shirt for him withsaltyacross the chest. That’s the maximum amount of dressing up he’ll do.”
“Hazlette is supposed to be a hematology vampire, but we hardly ever see him so I’m not sure if he remembered,” Tori said.
He remembered. He told me about it when we talked last night.
“It would be so cool if you joined us for a drink. It’s a really good time,” Tori added.
“We’ll be there,” I said.
But some of us won’t be staying long.
I didn’t know what was going to happen tonight and it was better when I didn’t obsess over the specifics, but I’d showered like I expected someone to see me naked very soon.
“Are we now?” Meri asked.
“Yeah,” I said, ignoring the surprise in her tone. I still didn’t know how to juggle my relationships with Henry and Meri, but like everything else with Henry, I hoped to make sense of it all soon. “We’ll drop in to say hello.”
“I’m not wearing a costume,” Meri said. “I haven’t dressed up for Halloween since I was five and I wanted to be a Cabbage Patch Kid, but all my parents heard was cabbage.”
“It’s true.” I tipped my head toward Meri. “I’ve seen the photos. She was an actual cabbage.”
“I’d pay money for more details on that,” Tori said.
“Even if you don’t dress up, we’d love to see you tonight,” Cami said, handing me a note with the location. “This has been such an amazing rotation. We’re excited for pediatrics, but we all hate that it has to end.”
Notallof your cohort.
I smothered a laugh with a weird cough that had Meri eyeing me. She knew exactly where my mind was and there was no chance of getting this one past her. “I’m happy to hear that.”
“Don’t misunderstand this as an invasive comment on your body,” Meri said, circling a hand at Cami, “but you smell really nice and that’s going to be a big problem for some of the respiratory patients you’re going to meet next week in pediatrics. Whatever it is—and it really is nice—get rid of it.”
“Okay. Got it.” She blinked at Meri, her dark eyes wide. “Not that you asked but I am a little afraid of you, Dr. Mercer.”
“See? I’m fine. I just have a random resident who doesn’t know how to act.” Meri glanced over with a shrug. “I suppose you know all about the best ways to handle your residents—and the ones who used to be your residents. Isn’t that right?”
I choked down a laugh.
My phone buzzed againas I headed toward the elevator. I was already behind schedule for the afternoon and did not want to spend the rest of the day fighting to catch up. To make matters worse, I had to cancel the time Jenelle had reserved on my calendar. Which would’ve been fine if I hadn’t canceled on her during the transplant marathon a few weeks ago and again for my trip to Vermont the other day. Instead of another scheduling issue, I found a message from my sister.
“Going up?”
I startled to a stop. Henry stood outside the elevator, his hand holding the doors open. He wore dark trousers and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his thick forearms on display for the whole world to see.Obscene.A stethoscope peeked out of his pocket and his tie was slightly askew.
In my mind, I grabbed that shirt and ripped it open, sending buttons flying everywhere.
In reality, I offered him a polite smile and stepped onto the elevator.
We settled along the back wall, standing close enough that our elbows bumped. Returning to my messages, I asked, “Conferences this morning?”
“Yeah, endocrine surgery,” he said. “Cami tripped and spilled coffee all over my coat.”
