“Nina, the gossip mill isn't quiet. In fact, it's in overdrive, because people are talking about you.”
I release a long, slow breath. “Saying good things?”
It’s a joke, but Lily doesn’t laugh. Her face looks like she’s just tasted something bad.
“Not exactly. I've actually… I had to stop talking to Daniel because of it. We were arguing about it too much.”
Great. So even my friends are talking shit about me.
“What's he been saying?”
She leans forward to speak in a low voice, even though we’re the only people in the break room.
“He has been very vocal about his opinion that Art has been giving you favorable treatment. And so have the management of the hospital. Particularly because of the honeymoon.”
“That's company policy. It applies to everyone.”
“Sure, it does. But it’s company policy that Art made for you.”
I sigh. She’s right.
“Point taken.”
I’d hoped I could avoid this. But there’s only so much smoothing over that Art can do.
Being a medical resident is all about overwork. It’s a badge of pride in the profession. The senior doctors are always talking about it like it was their time in the military, or fighting a war.
By taking a two-week vacation in the middle of my residency, instead of the one week for residents, they’ll think that I’ve basically betrayed the whole profession.
“So they think I haven't put in the work.” My stomach twists, and I suddenly feel a little nauseous.
After being a single mother who went through med school on an accelerated pathway, with no family support, the last thing I thought I would be accused of is being lazy or shirking my responsibilities.
“Be honest with me. Do you think that it’s unfair?”
Lily freezes for a second, her blue eyes widening like a deer caught in the headlights. “I, uh…I wouldn't put it like that. But it doesn't look great.” She’s suddenly very interested in the sandwich she's eating for lunch.
“I mean, you marry the owner of the hospital, and then suddenly you're entitled to perks that we don't get.” She speaks so quietly that I almost don’t catch it.
Fuck.
My stomach drops. She's right. Art and I have been cocooned inour little love fest, but I hadn't thought about how it would look to my colleagues.
Time to come back to earth.
“I’ll work harder. I'll pick up extra shifts.”
Lily’s still not looking at me.
“Go for it. But I am not the problem here, Nina. If you want people to stop gossiping about you, you're going to have to talk to Daniel about it. He is bitter, and it goes way beyond just the vacation.”
“What do you mean?”
She blows a strand of hair away from her forehead. “I mean, he's acting like a jealous ex as opposed to a colleague.”
“That's bullshit. I never encouraged him,” I begin.
Then I remember the dance at the gala. It feels like an eternity ago, but I cringe with regret. Oh no.
