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“She wasn’t wearing a uniform,” Dr. Sully counters. “How was I supposed to know she was a doctor?”
“That was because she was off-duty,” Sloan hisses.
“Okay, gentlemen,” Susan says, pushing her hands out in front of her to silence them. “I think we have said enough. Dr. Sully you are free to go.”
“What about the charges? They should be fired for breaking hospital policy.”
“And you should be arrested,” Sloan retorts.
“Dr. Sully, please leave,” Susan says, irritated. “I’ve heard enough from you on this matter.”
He gets up from the table with a scowl on his face and stomps across the room, slamming the door behind him. Sloan slides his chair out from the table, as if we are also excused, but Susan stops him.
“Dr. Hart, we are not finished here. Please stay seated.”
“What is left to say?” He scoots his chair forward and leans his elbows onto the table. “You can’t prove what we were doing in the on-call room. There are no cameras to validate Dr. Sully’s story, and I just told you what happened. That man is disgusting. I am going to recommend his removal from the residency program. He has no business treating patients in this hospital.”
“While I can’t do anything about the situation Dr. Sully reported to my office or the one you are complaining about, I have to speak with both of you about the nature of your relationship. As you know, hospital policy states that doctors are not allowed to have sexual relations with employees under their direct supervision.”
“Yes, I am well aware and that is why I was going to suggest an alternative that would work best for Ava and I.”
“What do you suggest?” Susan asks, her gaze shifting between us.
“I have two more days as Dr. Roberts’ teacher, at which point Dr. Foster will resume his position, and I will go back to general surgery. Now that you are aware of our relationship, I understand that Dr. Roberts cannot remain on my service. But what about different shifts as an alternative?”
“To some extent, Dr. Roberts will still be under your supervision. You’re being considered for Chief of Surgery. If Dr. Roberts wants to be a surgeon in this hospital, the two of you will eventually cross paths. We cannot allow you to work in the same department.”
I brush my fingers along Sloan’s forearm to get his attention. “It’s okay. I can work for another doctor.”
“No, it’s not okay, Ava. You are a surgeon. Who am I to take that away from you?”
“If that’s true about you being up for Chief, then who am I to take that from you?”
Sloan covers my hand with his and gives it a squeeze. At first, he doesn’t say anything, with a beat passing between us. Then, he shifts in his chair to look across the table at Susan. “A few of the doctors in this hospital are in serious, committed relationships. Some of them are married.”
Susan closes the folder in front of her and holds Sloan’s gaze. “Yes, this is true, but they work in different departments.”
“How would it look to investors if Penn Gen fired the daughter of Lawrence Roberts over a consenting relationship she’s having with an attending? Her father’s name goes a long way in this city and in this hospital. I’m sure you would hear from his lawyer if you even consider disciplinary action.”
Susan holds up her hand to silence Sloan. “No one said anything about disciplinary action, Dr. Hart. Please don’t get ahead of yourself. All I am saying is that it is inappropriate to sleep with your subordinate while you are supposed to be teaching her how to become a surgeon.”
Sloan folds his arms over his chest, his lips pursed in anger. “My relationship with Dr. Roberts has in
no way disrupted her training.”
“While that may be true, the hospital frowns upon fraternizing with employees. Allowing Dr. Roberts to take a surgery over another doctor could cause some issues with other residents who see your relationship as a threat to their training. I never said your involvement with each other was grounds for being fired.”
Sloan pushes his chair out from the table and comes to a standing. “So, I guess we have nothing left to talk about. I will do my best to ensure I am not on the same shifts as Dr. Roberts and that our working together in no way interferes with the residency program. She will receive the same treatment as everyone else. Not that I was giving it to her. Every time I chose Dr. Roberts to scrub in with me, she had earned the right to work alongside me. I wasn’t handing it to her because of my feelings for her.”
“Understood, Dr. Hart. I’ll speak to Dr. Foster about Dr. Roberts’ schedule, and we can plan accordingly.”
“Can you please not tell my father about this?” I ask Susan, my voice somewhat pleading. “He would be less than thrilled if he knew any of this.”
She gives me a quick nod, before lifting the folder in front of her from the table. As Susan exits the room, Sloan helps me up from the chair. His fingers thread between mine, sparking a wave of heat that shoots throughout my body.
“Why would you ask her that?” Sloan’s voice is devoid of any emotion. “Are you embarrassed to be with me? Am I not good enough for your father to know we are together?”
I scrunch my nose in confusion. “No, silly. I would rather tell my dad about us in person, over dinner at a steakhouse, not through the rumor mill. You know how fast news travels around here. He should hear it from me and with you at my side. I’m proud to call you my man, but for months, I haven’t been able to tell a soul other than Stacey. Some days, I am so overcome by emotions, all of them hitting me at once, that I want everyone to know I am with you. But our little secret had to be kept. Now, we are free to tell whoever we want.”
