“So just because everyone says it, that makes it true?”
The woman’s voice grew louder as she turned to the waiting area. “You all tell me this nurse ims Dr. Elissa hurt someone on purpose and even got involved in someone else’s rtionship. Does anyone here buy that?”
“No way!”
“Of course not! That’s impossible!”
Everyone in the room knew about Elissa’s reputation–herpassion and integrity were above reproach. With a doctor like her, there was no way her character would be anything less.
The young nurse, flustered and backed into a corner, blurted out, “Well, it’s not up to any of you to decide what’s possible or not! The kid’s already in the hospital, isn’t she—”
“Elissa!”
Suddenly, someone called out from the front desk.
The young nurse instantly fell silent, her face flushing as she looked
toward the entrance.
Elissa’s expression was calm and unbothered. Without a hint of anger, she walked over, her pace steady. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll be assigned to another doctor’s clinic. When you’ve decided where you want to transfer, let me know<i>, </i>and I’ll speak to HR.”
Then she nced at the other nurses at the desk. “If any of you want to transfer as well, tell me now.”
“No, not at all…”
“We don’t want to! We want to stay!”
Everyone knew Elissa’s clinic was always the first to fill up–being
assigned to her meant better pay, better hours. No one in their right mind would want to leave.
<b>1/3 </b>
09.54
Elissa didn’t say anything more. She simply turned and walked over to the woman who’d spoken up earlier.
The patient, a woman in herte forties, looked a little sheepish now, her earlier outrage gone. “Don’t listen to their nonsense, Elissa. We’d never believe those rumors for a second.”
Elissa couldn’t help butugh. “Thank you.”
She grew serious again. “At yourst checkup, do you remember what I told you?”
The woman shifted guiltily. “You said… to keep a positive mindset.”
“Exactly. Next time, don’t let idle gossip get you all worked up. A good mood does wonders for your health.”
With that gentle admonition, Elissa slipped away to her office, changed into her white coat, and began calling in her patients.
Halfway through, the young nurse who’d caused themotion slipped in, pleading for Elissa to let her stay,
Other clinics might be less stressful, but the pay didn’te close.
But Elissa, though a good doctor, never imed to be a saint. She didn’t even <i>look </i>up. Her answer was a quiet but firm no.
By the time she finished writing a prescription for herst patient, it was nearly one in the afternoon.
“Elissa, the security footage is back online!”
She was just stretching her neck and shoulders when Cliff burst in.
“That was fast,” Elissa said, surprised.
The day Hickey was hurt, every security camera by the fire exit mysteriously malfunctioned, leaving the police with no leads.
Cliff set a takeout bag in front of her. “You haven’t eaten, right? New Thai ce just opened nearby. Give it a try.”
09:54
“Thanks.” Elissa didn’t stand on ceremony. She opened the bag and started eating, asking, “Have you checked the footage?”
Cliff raised an eyebrow. “Can you guess how Hickey got hurt?”
Instead of answering, he shot the question back at her, a note of disdain in his eyes–not for Elissa, but for the whole ugly business with Hickey.
Elissa swallowed a bite of curry shrimp. “Was it Marcia?”
Cliff stared at her in surprise. “How did you know?”
Elissa shrugged. “Just a hunch.”
“But… even a wild animal wouldn’t turn on its own cub…” Cliff struggled to
ept it.
Elissa took a sip of soup and looked at him. “Cliff, people aren’t always better than animals when ites to loyalty.”
Sometimes, she thought, human nature could be uglier than anything in
the wild.
Cliff looked at her anew, respect shining in his gaze. She’d seen the world for what it was, and yet she’d held onto her decency and kindness—a rare thing, he thought.
He continued, “The footage clearly shows you only ran into the fire exit after you heard someone calling for help.”