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It was lunchtime, and the room was packed. I took a deep breath before approaching him by the refrigerator.
“Who the hell took my lunch?” Hector roared and slammed the refrigerator shut. All eyes in the lounge turned to him. Shit. This wasn’t good.
“Dr. Medina,” I said. “Can we please talk in your office?”
“It’s not the time, Carolina,” he said. “I’m in no mood to talk.”
He’d said my first name at work, in front of my peers. My eyes closed for a moment as if I were trying to rewind the last few seconds. I felt the stares as all eyes turned to me.
“Dr. Medina, it’s urgent.” I pointed out of the room in a gesture for him to lead us outside.
He groaned, but then, as if suddenly becoming aware of all the eyes, he charged out of the room. On my way out, I noticed Dr. Keach. He had followed us and was lingering by the door. As I passed him, he said, “Lover’s quarrel?” loud enough for anyone near us to hear.
Fuck off,I thought. “He is having a personal problem,” I tried to explain.
“Oh, I’m sure it ispersonal,” he said suggestively.
“Dr. Keach, I don’t have the time or the crayons to explain to you whatpersonalmeans.” I also spoke loudly enough for people to hear. I left him standing there, stunned, his mouth open.
Shit,I thought as I dashed to Hector’s office. Dr. Keach wouldn’t forget that public insult so easily—but that was a problem for another day.
I busted into Hector’s office, and I was fuming.
He stood facing the window, arms crossed, as he looked onto a view of an autumn Kansas City turning yellow and orange and golden below us.
“What the hell, Hector?”
“I’m sorry,” he hissed, but it didn’t sound sincere. He didn’t turn to face me, either.
“That little stunt you pulled,” I said, “was so unprofessional.”
“I know,” he said, this time resigned. He turned and sat at his desk. He buried his head in his hands with shame. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“What is happening?” I asked as I sat in front of him. He sat up and stared me in the eye.
“Carolina, I—I’m having a bad day.”
“I was able to deduce that, thank you, Doctor. But you can’t call me by my first name at work when you are angry. It looked like we were fighting, and you know the rumors will pick up—”
“Oh, fuck the rumors, Carolina.”
Don’t lose your temper.I schooled my face. “Dr. Medina, you are a well-established and well-respected physician.Iam just starting out. I can’t just sayfuck the rumors,as you have so eloquently put it.”
“I’m sorry. I know. I really meant it when I said it wasn’t a good time to talk; I knew I’d be an ass. I have a temper.”
“It’s good to know you have flaws.”
He smiled, but it was weak on his lips.
“Now, will you please tell me what’s happening?”
Hector threw a sizable yellow envelope my way. “Go ahead. Open it. I don’t mind.”
I pulled the stack of papers out and scanned through the first page.
I took a deep breath.Oh, no.“Divorce papers?”
Hector nodded.
