“Another problem to deal with?” I echo incredulously. “Ally, I’m in love with you.”
“But I didn’t know that then,” she says. “I’d started to hope, but when Heather said those things, I felt like I’d been a fool?—”
“No, Ally,” I interrupt. “Heather’s the fool, and she’s full of shit. Please tell me you know that.”
“Yeah,” Ally nods, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “I know, but at the time I was hurt, and I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“I’ll handle Heather,” I promise. “Can you send me an email tomorrow with what you heard, as best you can remember? I’ll take it to HR.” Human Resources wouldn’t be my preferred way to deal with Heather, but it’s the only one that’s legal.
“Yeah,” Ally says, chewing her lip. “I’m sure Heather will deny it, though, so it’ll be my word against hers. Janine will probably back her up, so I’m not sure HR will be able to do much.”
“Don’t worry. They’ll do something.”
I’ll make sure of it. When I think of the way Heather was mooching around my clinic on Wednesday, asking about Ally . . . she must have been wondering if I knew. Wondering if I was playing a long game, and planning to serve my revenge cold.
I hope the suspense is driving her insane.
“You should know that I, uh, confronted Heather and Janine after they said those things,” Ally says. A faint blush steals across her cheeks. “I said I’d bewitched you with my magic pussy.”
I let out a crack of laughter. “I think HR will understand that you were provoked.”
“I was. She insulted you, too.”
“Oh, Ally,” I say with a chuckle. I never dreamed I could love anyone half as much as I love this girl. “I’m sure the hospital will give you your job back, if you want it.” I’ll make sure of that, too. “Not working for Heather, obviously.”
“Right,” she says, but her voice lacks enthusiasm.
“Unless you want to do something else, like nursing school?” I ask, remembering what she said earlier. “I didn’t know you were interested in nursing.”
She hesitates for a beat before answering. “I’m not sure I am, really.”
“If it’s because of Heather, you shouldn’t let that put you off,” I say. “We can find someone else to write you a reference letter.”
“It’s not about Heather,” she says. “I just . . . working as an admin assistant was fine, but I didn’t really enjoy it. I wanted a change, and nursing seemed like a sensible choice. I was going to get a practical nursing diploma and work for a few years, then go back and get my RN.”
“I think nursing could be a great career,” I say carefully. “If it interests you.”
“I know,” Ally says, but the look on her face tells its own story.
“You don’t really want to be a nurse,” I say matter-of-factly.
“Not really, no,” she admits.
“Then you shouldn’t,” I say. “And you shouldn’t feel like you have to go back to the hospital either, if you don’t want to.”
“I have to do something, Drew,” she says with a sigh. “I’m not going to sit around all day and let you support me?—”
“Not long term,” I interrupt. “But you’re giving up the opportunity to be Sarah’s PA to come home with me. It makes sense to take some time to figure out what you want to do.”
“I’m not even sure I want to go back to school.” She says it as though she’s confessing a dirty secret.
“So don’t.”
Ally blinks at me. “But . . .”
“But . . .” I prompt. “But what, Ally?”
“You’re a surgeon, Drew,” she says with a sigh of resignation. “And all your friends have degrees, and?—”
