the wrapper in my car! Do you have any idea what that smells like after a day in the Texas heat? It took two weeks for me to get rid of it. It smelled like vinegar and soured ass. No, no way... I was justified for getting rid of that guy.” She shook her head back and forth adamantly. “Nope, you just can’t trust a man who eats processed meat.” She puffed her cheeks out then made a gagging noise.
Jules and I shook our heads with matching smiles on our faces. Jamie was a single mom who had two loves in her life: her little boy, Drew, and the men she dated—which she kept completely separate. I respected her for it. She was forced to raise a man alone and did it without so much as an occasional whine session. I’d hoped for Jamie’s sake that Bart might be the man capable of adding to Jamie’s life in a way that he would eventually be granted the gift of meeting her son. Though she truly felt like she didn’t need the help, she deserved the love.
I smiled with pride as another successful surgery came to an end then leaned in and whispered to Mrs. Carter. Once satisfied with my handiwork, I pulled my smock off and began to grow curious about McGuire’s sudden mood swing.
“What do you think he wants?” Jules asked, reading my mind.
“Who knows? I’m pretty sure I’m safe, don’t worry,” I assured her, pulling off my mask.
“Want to meet up with us in an hour?” Jamie said, looking at me, equally concerned.
“Yeah, let’s do lunch inside today. It’s too damned hot.” The two women nodded and went about their jobs as they always did. I was determined to take them with me to the center once I left Memorial. We worked so well together, and though they knew I was opening a center, neither of them let on that they wanted to come with me. I was hoping they were just waiting for an invitation, one that I was most definitely going to give.
“Come in, Dr. Whittaker,” McGuire barked as he threw a newspaper down on his desk. I took a seat opposite of him. I didn’t have to look at the paper to know he’d been reading the article announcing the center’s opening.
“We’ve spent the last few years in surgery together. Should I be offended about this news not coming from the source?”
“No, sir, not at all. I just didn’t feel it was appropriate.”
“How would it be inappropriate? It’s medical related, and it’s actually quite impressive. You’re months away from being a senior resident, and I have no doubt you’ll be named chief. I had plans for you.” He sat back in his chair, his hands on the armrests as he scrutinized me. “You were a shoe-in for my fellowship.”
I couldn’t help my slight eye bulge and broad smile.
“That can’t happen now, Dr. Whittaker.”
“No, sir, I’m aware,” I said, slightly disheartened yet elated at the same time. I sat quietly as he studied me.
“You are wasting your time here, you know the ins and outs of the basics, and right now it’s like a jail sentence to you. There is nothing I can teach you that you haven’t already learned, aside from the limited rare case that everyone fights for.
“Sir, we’ve done nothing but open technique. If I can just try my hands at laparo—”
“I’m aware that we haven’t operated laparoscopic. I’m not some dinosaur who believes that I’ll be replaced by machines and afraid to adapt to newer, better, and less evasive procedures. I was the first to use that technique in this hospital. It’s important to learn both. I didn’t feel I needed to explain myself to you.”
“No, sir,” I said as I sank a little into my seat.
Teacher, student, McGuire, got it.
“While I commend you on your future plans, I must say I’m a little disappointed that I have no other candidate for my fellowship as of now. I’m sure someone will come along, more in tune, more attentive, and more talented than you, but until that day comes, I’m going to govern over your surgical education with good care. You and your sister have taken on one hell of a feat, and you need to be prepared. You being my priority, until I find someone else to mentor, I will have to insist you start standing in on some surgeries more involved in your new specialty.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, having a ridiculously