Page 4 of Mercy
“Simply put, it targets the cancer cells, and the goal is that it stops them from growing and ultimately kills them.”
“Okay,” she says with an annoyed expression on her face. “That sounds very expensive.”
I sigh, “It will be. However, there are payment plans available if you talk to billing. Also, like last time I will not be charging my fees.” When Ivy went through chemo last time, I knew finances were an issue. My fees were all waived. It’s something I do whenever I have patients in this type of situation. I don’t need the money. I could retire today and never want for anything. Money is not why I’m a pediatric oncologist. If there was a hospital that provided free treatment I’d work, there. I hate the pharmaceutical companies that get rich off poor, dying people. It makes me sick.
She folds her arms across her chest in obvious annoyance.
I nod to the social worker, and she comes over.
“This is Ivy’s mom, Linda. Maybe you could show her to the billing office?”
She smiles, “Of course, doctor.”
I put my hand on Linda’s shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”
I’m rewarded with a scowl, “That’s easy for you to say. You're not the one that has to pay for this.”
I paste a fake smile on my face, “I’ll be back for lunch.”
I go to the doctor's on-call room to take a breath before my consultation. Days like this are hard for me. You never want to see a cancer patient relapse. It’s almost worse than when they first get diagnosed because they know what the road will look like. I sit on the bed as I shake my head.
I try to distract myself for a moment, I read through my emails. There is one that catches my eye in an instant, ‘Welcome to Our New Employees’. Opening it I scan it looking for one person. My dick twitches when I see her picture. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. Mercy Madison. I can’t. She’s working here now, and damn, she’s young. She would get hurt, this much I know. I’m an asshole, but even I have lines that I won’t cross. What is it with this woman? Why can’t I get her out of my head? I pull up Instagram and search for her now that I know her name. Fuck me, this picture of her in a gold bikini is going to do me in. God, she’s stunning.She’s beautiful in such a natural way. Mercy doesn’t wear a ton of makeup to cover her flaws. I’m not sure she has any. And those curves… I love a woman with meat on her bones and damn does she have the perfect amount.
The last woman I was with wanted vanilla, candles, flowers, a gentle lover, all the shit I simply don’t do. I know it works for most people, but it does nothing for me. The other problem is I don’t do relationships, sex only for me. I’m simply not cut out for relationships; I can’t bethatguy. I’ve never been in one other than Nash’s mom, and back then, I was too young to know what I wanted. I wouldn’t know how to start. Besides, if cancer has taught me anything, it’s that getting attached to people is dangerous. Everyone around me seems to die.
I grab my phone off the bed and put it in my pocket, and I can’t get that face out of my damn head. I’m sure a woman like that has a boyfriend, anyway. I drag my hand down my face and rise off the bed and head to my next patient.
The morning races by in a flash, and it’s lunchtime. I ordered hamburgers, French fries, and dessert from a nearby steakhouse. My phone goes off, letting me know the Uber driver has dropped it off, so I grab it from the nurse’s station before heading to Ivy’s room.
I knock on Ivy’s door and walk in, “Lunch time!”
She beams at me as she puts down the iPad in her hands. She squeals, “It smells so good! I’m starving to death.”
Her mother has a disinterested expression. Something is off there, but I can’t put my finger on it.
I pull up a seat beside Ivy and take the food out, handing hers to her first.
“A steakhouse?” Linda asks, her pitch slightly raised, “You didn’t have to do that. The cafeteria would have been fine.”
“I wanted steakhouse hamburgers. Have you had the food in the cafeteria?” I shudder dramatically.
Ivy giggles as she takes a bite of her hamburger.
As we sit there eating, my phone chimes, and I fetch it from my pocket to see who it is.
Nash: We’ll be there tonight, just so you know.
I groan. Great, thanks for the notice, kid. He had said they’d be at my house tomorrow. I guess he can’t wait to torture his old man.
Linda looks at me questioningly.
I chuckle, “Spoiler alert. They don’t get any easier when they’re grown up.”
She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
I’m tempted to stay at a hotel while his friends are there, but I also want to make sure he doesn’t destroy my damn house. I’m sure now that they’re old enough, there will be alcohol and sex.
Taking the last bite of my hamburger, I toss my trash in the bag. Ivy ate almost all her food; she must have been quite hungry.
