AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As I pull away, I still have a big smile, but that smile quickly fades when I see his face. He whispers, “Harley, we have company.” He motions behind me.
I turn my head and see Dr. McCrevis and Dr. Powers standing there. Both look completely shocked at the display in front of them.
I turn back to Brody and close my eyes. This cannot be happening.
I unwrap my legs. He places my feet back on the ground. He looks at me with both love and compassion, knowing this is the moment I’ve feared.
Dr. McCrevis clears his throat. “Dr. Cooper, Dr. Lawrence, a word in my office please.” We both nod and follow him in silence to his office.
Just before we enter, Brody whispers into my ear. “I love you. We’re in this together.”
We enter the office and Dr. McCrevis closes the door. We sit down in the chairs in front of his desk.
He moves to his side of the desk and sits. He briefly closes his eyes and takes a breath. He then waves his finger between the two of us. “How long has this been going on?”
Brody answers, “About five months.”
“So, the entire time that you’ve been back?” Brody nods. Dr. McCrevis twists his lips. “Interesting. Did anything go on while she was in medical school?”
Brody looks at me. I put my head down and sigh. This is the moment I’ve been fearing for nearly four years. This is the moment that I’m going to lose everything I’ve worked my entire life to achieve.
I lift my head back up and answer for him. “Yes, it did.”
Dr. McCrevis holds his lips in a straight line. He looks at me. “Dr. Lawrence, you are an excellent doctor, and have shown signs of becoming an exceptional surgeon in the making. Unfortunately, I have a duty to report this to the Medical Board. I know that Dr. Cooper was a professor of yours, and he controlled some of your grades. They’ll need to investigate the propriety of those grades. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I nod. “I do.”
I can see Brody getting angry. “Phil, this is complete bullshit. She’s obviously highly intelligent. Do you honestly think she wasn’t deserving of top grades?”
He shakes his head. “I have no doubt that she was deserving of her grades, but it’s not my call to make. I risk the hospital’s accreditation and my own medical license if I don’t report this. Truth be told, Dr. Waters has expressed concern over the nature of your relationship, but I told him that I saw nothing inappropriate. Clearly, he was right.”
Brody pounds his fist on the desk. “Greg Waters is a piece of shit who has wanted and harassed Harley for years. He can’t manage the rejection. He’s out to get her.”
“Brody, don’t lash out. It won’t help her. Frankly, Greg Waters doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“He haseverythingto do with this, Phil. Everyone turns a blind eye to his overt harassment of women, yet the integrity of an intelligent woman like Harley is being brought into question, and her entire career is in jeopardy, all for her involvement in aconsensualrelationship.”
Brody’s furious. He points his finger at Dr. McCrevis. “I’m telling you, Phil, if she so much has one mark on her record, I am resigning. Good luck maintaining a reputable neurosurgery department with me gone, Greg at the helm, and the stink of the Mancini debacle still fresh.”
I grab his arm. “Brody, stop. We knew in the back of our minds that this day was always coming. As soon as our relationship started, we knew. It was always only a matter of time. It was never an if, it was a when. Don’t get angry with him. He’s just doing his job. It’s not his fault. It’s ours. Ultimately, it’s mine. It’s time for me to face the music and let the chips fall where they may.”
Brody takes my hand and kisses it, not caring at all that Dr. McCrevis is right in front of us. “I’m so sorry, Harley. You don’t deserve this.” He rubs my cheek and I lean into it, letting him comfort me.
Dr. McCrevis clears his throat, breaking our moment. “Dr. Lawrence, you’re suspended pending the outcome of a hearing of the Medical Board. Dr. Cooper, I’ll have to talk to the hospital administration, but you’ll likely receive some sort of letter of reprimand in you file for having an intimate relationship with someone in your charge, and failing to report it to HR.”
“That’s it? I get a stupid, meaningless letter, and her entire career hangs in the balance. What a bunch of sexist bullshit.” He stands and grabs my hand. “Let’s get the fuck out of here, Harley.”
He turns his head to Dr. McCrevis one last time. “I’ll be back when Harley is welcome back. Not a minute before then.”
We start toward the door when Dr. McCrevis interrupts. “I’m sorry, Harley. I certainly take no pleasure in this. You’re one of the brightest minds we have here. The good news is that the Board will want to deal with it quickly. It’s Friday, so it won’t happen this week, but likely next week. You should think through your testimony over the weekend. Brody, you’ll be asked to testify as well.”
We walk out in stoic silence, but as soon as we get to the car, the dam breaks. I sob, while he holds me, whispering reassurances and apologies in my ear.
After about twenty minutes of crying, I wipe away my tears. “I have lunch with Mom. I need to fill her in oneverything. She going to go all lawyer apeshit on this, but I think I need her help.”
He nods. “I’ll come with you.”
I shake my head. “No. Absolutely not. She doesn’t know the whole story. She’s going to blame you when she hears it. I have to finally tell her everything. I’ve kept so much from her the past few years. It’s going to be rough. I don’t want you there. I need this time alone with her.”
