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ChapterFour
Peter
I want to ask Lennox about her obvious marriage and where the hell her husband is, but I also want to enjoy the fantasy of her being here with me like old times without anything or anyone interfering. But if she is married, I have to respect that, I would never forgive myself if I disrupted her marriage and she wouldn’t be the type of woman I could respect if she didn’t honor her marriage. Well, let me start with safe questions and work my way to the harder ones. When did I become such a coward? Only Lenny does this to me.
“Well, you are obviously a doctor, or you wouldn’t be at the symposium. Last time we talked on graduation day you hadn’t even decided what college you wanted to go to let alone what you wanted to go for,” I say as I hand her a plate.
“I wanted to talk to you once I got back from my trip home to Alabama, but you had already left, and no one would tell me why. Your mom just said you were traveling before college. Brad and Emma wouldn’t even see me when I went to ask them what happened. So, I chose to go to Georgia to school. Once I was in school, I took one anatomy class, and I was hooked. I changed my major in the middle of the semester and I haven’t looked back.” She tells me.
“What is your specialty?”
“I am an orthopedic spine specialist. I thought I was going to be an OB-GYN because black women need more black women doctors who will actually listen to them. Black women have the highest infant mortality rate of any other demographic in the US. Even though they are the most educated demographic in the US they are still paid less. The lesser pay means they have less money to get proper health care causing them to be in really dangerous situations when they go to the doctor or give birth. But even women who are making the money are still three to four times more likely to die a preventable pregnancy-related death. Even outside of pregnancy black women are more likely to have a doctor ignore their symptoms and concerns. Doctors in this day and age still believe black people don’t feel pain like white people. Black women are less likely to be given pain meds and/or treatment for their conditions.” The passion for what she is talking about is clear in her voice and words.
“I can see why you are at the symposium, if you talk this passionately about a field you are not in, I can only imagine how you talk about your specialty,” I tell her very impressed but not at all surprised.
“I work as a doctor in Alabama in the rural areas with the midwives and doulas to give the women who cannot get to doctor, a chance at real, quality healthcare. I set up a few clinics for this purpose in Alabama and I am looking to expand to other underrepresented areas like Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, and even parts of Florida and the Carolinas. It’s a huge undertaking, but I am up for the challenge,” she says, and I believe her.
“So why did you decide to become an orthopedic spine specialist, when you are so passionate about black women's healthcare?” I ask her
“My dad had an accident and had spinal damage, the doctors said there was nothing they could do. That he would never walk again, so I began researching everything I could about the spine. In the end, he walked again, not only that, but he also gained most of his mobility back and was able to live a normal life until he passed away. By then I had unknowingly become a specialist in the field.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad he was ahead of his time. He could sniff out a good deal and knew when to get out of something before he lost any money. His business acumen was unparalleled. A lot of what I know about business came from your dad. I am sorry I did not get the chance to thank him for all the knowledge he gave me and the time he spent with me. He did more for me in that last year of high school than my dad did for me my whole life.”
“Yeah, he had a sixth sense when it came to business, and he loved you, Peter, like the son he never had. I am glad you both got what you needed. Once he passed my mom only lasted a year before she went to be with him the same day. Luckily for me, I had my husband, so I wasn’t completely alone.”
I feel like I abandoned her. Lenny and I grew really close in high school and I thought we would remain close friends into our adulthood but one decision on my part changed the course of my life.
“How long will you be here? Are you staying after the conference is over?”
“No, I have to go back to Alabama. The rest of my time at the conference is pretty busy and I am right back on the plane as soon as the last lecture is over. But one of the hospitals here has been trying to recruit me to become chief of staff. I had made my mind up to say no, but seeing you here has me reconsidering, I’ve missed my friend.”She says that and I wonder how her husband would feel about that.
Lennox
I notice Peter has kept the conversation on me and my career. He has not asked me about anything personal and truthfully neither have I. So I keep the conversation on the same level as him.
“How did you end up owning a hotel?” I ask him.
He smiles at me. “When I was traveling, I noticed the poor accommodations for people who are not wealthy or for young people. So, I bought one hotel in Europe, it was holding on by sheer luck when I got it. I put the money in to restore it, I did not cut corners with the finishes or the design. When it was done, I left the prices the same as the other low-level hotels. It took a little while for the word to get around but eventually, I started to see a profit. It was many days I wanted to throw in the towel, I was paying my employees out of my savings, luckily for me, it was only about five of us. We did it all, we cleaned rooms, did laundry, check-in and out, maintenance literally everything. At one point we all slept at the hotel to offset the income we were living off. But all of sudden it was booked all the damn time. More often than not the hotel would be booked up for an entire year. I was able to hire a real staff and offer more amenities. That one hotel turned into two and now I have at least one hotel and one resort in every major vacation location. Those four employees that stuck it out with me are all divisional managers now and millionaires in their own right. This hotel is my base hotel, so I usually spend the most time here.”
I am fascinated but not at all surprised. “Wow and I thought I was a busy woman I tell him laughing”
“You are a busy woman, Lenny. We’re both busy people.”
“True.”
“I know you are busy during the symposium but if you can find time I’d like to spend more time with you.”
“I would love that Benny,” I tell him
“Lenny, what about…?” he is interrupted by a knock on the door.
“What!?” he yells, and the door opens.
“Mr. Bennett, they are looking for Dr. Anderson, I think she is supposed to be on a panel, and they cannot find her. I have asked around for her, but no one has seen her,” the man says clearly nervous to interrupt Peter. He is not the easy-going boy I remember from school, life has sharpened his edges, a lot. Once the man’s words register, I look at my watch and realize I have been in here for longer than I realize and am indeed late for the next round of presentations.
“Oh my gosh, Peter, I’m late!” I say as I jump up to prepare to leave.
“Tell them you found Dr. Anderson and she will be there presently,” Peter tells him.
