Carol Marinelli - Hot Docs On Call - Surgeon's Seduction

Dr. Chang sent her a furtive glance but didn’t say anything else. She just left the room quietly. Mindy couldn’t help but wonder what was up between Dr. Hanley, the chief and Sam. Any time Professor Langley was mentioned Sam would tense up.

What did he have against him?

Curiosity killed the cat .

Even though she really wanted to know what was going on, she knew it wasn’t her business. She wasn’t going to pry or push. When Sam was ready to tell her, he’d tell her, though she was really dying to know. Besides, she didn’t exactly open up to him and she wouldn’t. There had to be a good reason Sam kept it secret and she’d respect his wishes. Some things could destroy a career very fast.

Mindy sighed and cleaned up her presentation. She shouldn’t be fussing over why Sam was upset. The teams had been set up. Her focus should be on her patient. On those babies. That’s why she’d come to West Manhattan Saints. She’d come to provide the best medical care, to focus on her career.

Let Dr. Chang, the chief and Dr. Hanley deal with fighting over Sam.

She couldn’t worry about it.

Sam had to deal with his own problems.

Sam was furious. What the heck was his mother doing here? He was also so angry that she’d called him out like that, requesting him and taking him off Dr. Chang’s service. He was sure the surgery his mother wanted him to work on, placing a shunt on Baby C, would be exciting, but he’d rather learn the procedure from anyone but his mother.

Not that he’d have an actual chance to participate in the surgery. His mother didn’t really involve her residents. She didn’t let them get their hands dirty. Sam knew his mother well. She liked to hog all the glory.

His mother was speaking to Langley at the end of the hallway. She was touching his arm and laughing in an intimate way. It made Sam’s teeth grind, seeing them together, because it instantly brought back the memory of his father holding his hand almost twenty years ago and the look of heartache on his father’s face as he’d realized his wife was cheating on him.

They finished talking and Langley walked away. His mother turned around and smiled, briefly. Not in a warm compassionate way, or in a way that showed she was glad to see him. It was polite.

“Well, I can tell by your expression you’re not exactly happy to see me, Dr. Napier.”

Sam was pleased that at least he was keeping his anonymity.

“Perhaps we should take this somewhere more private.”

His mother smirked. “Of course. My temporary office is down the hall.”

Sam nodded and followed behind his mother as she led him to the office she was using. His stomach knotted when he saw all the boxes. How long was temporary?

She shut the door and Sam crossed his arms.

“I know that look,” his mother said. “You’re not happy that I’m here.”

“Aye.”

She chuckled. “So like your father.”

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked, not wanting her to talk about his father with him. She had no right.

“That’s the way you talk to your mother after not seeing her for five years?”

“I didn’t think you cared particularly.”

She shrugged and then tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I kept busy.”

So like his mother. She didn’t admit to caring. It infuriated him.

“What’re you doing here, Mother?”

“Saving a life?”

Sam glanced around at the boxes. “Dr. Walker requested your presence? I thought she only just discovered the issue with Baby C in the last week.”

“No Dr. Walker did not request my presence. Gareth did.”

Sam cringed inwardly at his mother’s familiarity with Langley. It was another kick in the pants to him. A reminder about how she and Langley had broken his family apart.

“Again. Why?”

“There’s a patient here in your pediatric ward. One with an inoperable brain tumor.”

“Janie?” Sam asked.

His mother nodded. “Her parents have agreed to allow me to try and resect it using a new technique. That’s why I’m here for some time. If the surgery is successful then I’ll publish a paper and credit Gareth and West Manhattan Saints.”

“How generous of you.” Sam was very familiar with Janie and her family. Janie was one of his special patients and it broke his heart that she had a tumor that was ending her life. He didn’t particularly like the fact that his mother was here and was planning on using poor Janie as a guinea pig to further her research.

“You’re mad that I requested you,” his mother said.

“I don’t want anyone to know that you’re my mother. You know that and you agreed to those conditions if you were to ever come here.”

His mother snorted. “I really don’t know why.”

“I want to earn this fellowship on my own.”

His mother snorted again and moved to sit behind her desk. “Really a waste.”

“Pediatrics is a waste?”

“No.”

“Then a waste of my talent?”

His mother shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen you operate, but given that you’re my child I would assume that you have decent surgical abilities.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “How generous of you to compliment me.”

“You’re being immature.”

“Why did you request me?”

“To test your surgical abilities. Chief Langley speaks very highly of you and I want to see if you live up to his praise.”

“I don’t need to live up to anyone’s expectations. I came here to learn under Dr. Chang.”

His mother snorted. “You could be extraordinary. Brain surgery is cutting edge. If your abilities are as good as Gareth says they are then you’re just wasting your talent in pediatrics. Do you want to settle for the ordinary?”

“Aye. I do.”

His mother shook her head and then picked up a file, effectively dismissing him as she opened it up and began to read. “You’re on my service. There’s no point in arguing about it.”

“I would rather not be.”

“If you raise a stink don’t you think people will question why you don’t want to work with me?”

She had a point .

“Fine,” he agreed grudgingly, but he was not happy. Not that she cared. His mother only cared about herself.

“Good. Well, if we’re done talking I’d rather like to get to work.”

“Of course, Mother .” Sam opened the door and barged out, slamming it behind him. As he turned around he crashed right into Mindy.

“Dr. Napier!” She gasped in surprise.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Walker. What’re you doing here?”

“Bringing Dr. Hanley the information she requested on Baby C. Is she busy?”

“Yes, but I’m sure she’ll want to see the file.”

Mindy glanced up at him and frowned. “Are you okay, Sam?”

He frowned. “Perfectly.”

He wanted to tell her he wasn’t fine. That he was annoyed, but if he did then he would have to tell her that Dr. Hanley was his mother and then the whole story about his mother and Langley would come out.

The only people at West Manhattan Saints that knew about his situation were Langley and Dr. Chang. Sam knew that Dr. Chang wouldn’t say anything and he thought Langley had enough couth not to say anything either.

After all, his mother had eventually made him a cuckold as well. Still, there was no reason to take it out on Mindy, but he really didn’t want to get into it right now. He just had to go somewhere and calm down. Maybe do some charting in a broom closet.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Good day, Dr. Walker.” He walked away from her, brushing her off. It hurt him to do it, but it was for the best.

This kind of situation was why he didn’t want to get involved with anyone he worked with. Messes like this. Rumors and secrets. He was here to practice medicine, not fall in love.