"Campion!"
"You are here to learn. You are here to become brilliant doctors. You are NOT here to kill anyone! Or otherwise worsen the situation of any of our patients. You will achieve this by listening and doing what I tell you to do!"
The cheerless registrar stared at them all for a moment for effect.
"There are two cardinal rules to get you started. One – don't get in the way. Two – don't piss off the nurses."
This is it, thought Frank Campion, my internship begins. He would have denied it strenously but he had butterflies in his stomach and a nervous sense of anticipation. The registrar, Dr. Morrisson, moved on and the group of several interns followed eagerly.
"I certainly don't plan on pissing off the nurses," Jeremy Fisher, a fellow intern whispered, "especially if they all look like her!" he nudged Frank and nodded towards an attractive nurse. Frank rolled his eyes, Jeremy had a one track mind.
"Can't you think of anything else, even today?"
Jeremy just grinned. Frank turned his attention to Eve Ballantyne and Alison Newell who were whispering to each other as they followed after Morrisson. Eve caught his eye and smiled. She was about to speak but Morrisson came to a halt and launched into another lecture.
The end of his first shift and Frank was exhausted. He wasn't sure what from however because he felt as though he hadn't done anything useful. It had been strictly "look, don't touch" all day. He walked outside and saw Eve sitting on some grass nearby. She smiled as he approached.
"Tired?" she asked.
"Nah!" he said cockily but then laughed and plonked on the ground beside her.
"I think I must have walked the length and breath of this hospital at least a hundred times." Eve said.
"At least!" Frank agreed.
They were both quiet for a minute. Eve looked at Frank.
"It wasn't..." she began tentatively but didn't finish.
"What you expected?"
"Exactly! I'm not sure why...I just felt...useless today." She looked uncertainly at Frank.
Frank felt a sense of relief. Thank god I'm not the only one, he thought.
"Me too." He admitted.
Eve looked surprised. Frank was the star student, brimming with confidence all the time or so it seemed.
"I...
"Alison's here." Frank cut her off.
Alison arrived and sighed dramatically.
"You look like you need a drink." Said Frank.
"I need food, I'm starving."
"I'm with Alison." Eve said.
"We have to go for a drink after our first shift." Frank grinned. "I'm pretty sure it's mandatory."
"Compromise – dinner at my place, you can bring the wine." Alison suggested.
"You're on!" Frank agreed and outstretched his arms. "Help me up."
Alison pulled him to his feet laughing and they linked arms.
"Aren't you coming?" Alison asked Eve who hadn't stood up.
"Oh, uh." She hadn't realised she was invited. "Yea." She got up.
"I wonder where Jeremy is." Frank said.
"He's taking some nurse for a drink." Alison told him.
"He doesn't waste any time." Eve laughed.
"Nope." Frank rolled his eyes. "Now...dinner..."
Jeremy approached Frank whistling smugly. Frank looked at him with one eyebrow raised.
"Why are you so smug?"
"Brenda." Jeremy said dreamily.
"Who's Brenda?"
"Who's Brenda?" Jeremy asked appalled. "Brenda is the longlegged, blue eyed bombshell from Ward 9."
Frank looked blank. Jeremy sighed.
"Francis, Francis, Francis. I worry about you."
"Why's that?" Frank asked warily.
"When's the last time you went on a date?"
"I don't have time." Frank replied.
"Make time! Because all work and no play will make Frank a cranky boy. It's already making him incredably boring."
"Thanks." Frank sneered.
"You need some female company. It'll sort you right out."
"I don't need sorting." Frank grumbled.
"Trust me, I'm a doctor, I know these things."
"What things?" Frank asked exasperated. "Actually never mind. Did you hear there is a patient with..."
"How about I get Brenda to set you up with Lauren..." Jeremy continues.
"What are we in year 9?" Frank asked. "I don't need to be set up." Especially not by Jeremy, his taste in women tended towards vapid, high maintenance types.
Suddenly Eve appeared.
"Hey Frank, I'm singing at the bar tonight. You want to come along? I get free drinks for my friends!" she said temptingly.
"I can't, I'm helping Alison move." Frank apologised.
"Ok." She said, hiding her disappointment.
"Ahem!" Jeremy cleared his throat. "What am I? Chopped liver?"
"Would you like to come?" Eve asked.
"Can't, I have a date!"
Eve sighed and shook her head.
"Well if you and Alison finish up early...come along." She said to Frank.
"Sure. Break a leg." He smiled.
Eve left and Jeremy glanced slyly at Frank.
"Maybe I was wrong about you." He said.
"Hmm?" Frank said distractedly.
"So which of them are you..."
"What?"
"Or is it both? You sly dog." Jeremy whistled.
"I have no idea what you're rambling about. But I'm sure it's lurid rubbish." Frank opened a file and started studying it intently.
Jeremy just laughed.
Frank Campion stood in the doorway of the Emergency Department and surveyed all before him. He took in the noise, the smell, the seeming chaos and to-ing and fro-ing of staff and patients. He smiled to himself. It was six months into his internship and there was nowhere on earth where he felt more comfortable.
"Campion! Follow me!" Morrisson summoned him. "I need an intern with half a brain." Morrisson turned to a sheepish Jeremy. "Don Juan – you can help Davis give the pungnant patient in nine a wash!"
Jeremy rolled his eyes as soon as Morrisson turned his back. Frank couldn't help but feel a little smug.
"Teacher's pet!" Jeremy whispered.
"Have fun sponging!" Frank replied and followed Morrisson.
Lunchtime arrived but Frank paid no heed. He was about to offer to help with another case but got cut off by Morrisson.
"Go have lunch Campion!" the grey haired man said.
"I'm fine, I thought..." Frank began.
"Lunch! It doesn't happen very often that we're not run off our feet so grab some time while you can." Morrisson said without even looking at him.
"But really I..." Frank protested again.
The man turned around to face him with a weary expression.
"I could go on about how important it is to take care of ourselves in order to be able to take of others and thus why you should take your lunch break but...I can't be bothered. So...I'm simply going to say – go have your lunch BECAUSE I SAID SO CAMPION!"
With that he returned to his chart. Frank noded. There was no point arguing. He made his way towards the hospital canteen and picked up some dodgy looking lasagne and salad. He took a seat outside and breathed in the fresh air. It was good to get out for a while. Even if he was risking food poisoning! I'll have to start bringing my own lunch he thought as he poked suspiciously at his food with a fork.
"You're brave!" a voice said from behind. "I swear I saw that lasagne move when I walked past in the canteen."
"I wouldn't be surprised." Frank replied.
Alison smiled and took a seat opposite him. Frank smiled back. She looks very pretty today he thought.
"Have you had your hair done?" he asked.
"Yea, just had a little cut of the ends."
"It's nice." He told her.
"Thanks." She smiled again.
Frank felt himself blush suddenly. What the hell is that about, he wondered irritably to himself. He took a mouthful of his food and hoped she didn't notice his red cheeks. Then he noticed that she was staring intently at him. What is she looking at? Have I done something stupid?
"What?" he asked.
"How does it taste?"
"Huh?"
"The lasagne. You've braved the first mouthful." She smiled.
"Oh..uh.." he didn't know, he didn't taste anything. "Um...not good but not as bad as it looks."
He took another mouthful and a sip of his drink and watched as she started to eat her lunch. Why did he suddenly feel so awkward?
"Any interesting cases today?" Alison asked making conversation. Frank was being unusually quiet.
"Um no. Not really." He couldn't remember. "Uh what about you?"
"No. I've been charting all day. I feel like a glorified ward clerk." Alison complained. "But..." she cheered up. "One mother has come in with contractions."
"Should you not be keeping an eye on her then?" he asked.
"Nah, I checked her before I came down. She'll be ages. I've told the nurses to call me if there is any change but at the rate she's going it'll be a couple of hours yet."
Frank winced sympathetically on the woman's behalf.
"Bet it makes you extra careful with your contraception!" he laughed.
Alison looked at him curiously. He felt himself starting to blush again.
"I mean...seeing what mothers go through...it'd put anyone off sex!" he joked nervously.
"Have you stopped driving your car because of all the MVAs you've seen?" Alison asked.
"No." He grinned. "I do make sure to put my seat belt on though."
Alison laughed.
"Room for me?" Jeremy joined them, plonking his tray on the table. He looked from one to the other and grinned. "Or is three a crowd?"
"Not usually but for you we'll make an exception – go away!" Frank told him.
"Oh Francis...if I thought you meant that I would be deeply wounded." Jeremy replied. He turned to Alison and smiled cheerfully. "You look gorgeous, as usual. How is life in obstetrics? Delivered any quintuplets lately?"
"Not yet, but you never know what tomorrow might bring!" Alison said laughing. "How are you? Any exciting stories to tell?"
"Francis here is in love!" Jeremy said.
"What?" Frank barked.
"Oh really?" Alison asked interested.
Jeremy grinned devilishly.
"Yes, and the good thing is – it's not one-sided!" he continued.
"Oh that is good." Alison turned to Frank. "So who is she?"
"No one! He's making it up." Frank said huffily, giving Jeremy a dirty look.
"I am not. But it's not a "she"...it's a "he"! Frank and Morrisson are officially loved up."
Alison started to laugh but Frank was not amused.
"Very funny." He said sarcastically.
"I'd heard there was some...mutual appreciation going on there." Alison said teasingly glancing at Frank.
"Oh it's gone way past appreciation, we're talking full blown worship here."
"Yea yea, shut up." Frank said.
But the teasing continued for the rest of lunch. And the rest of his internship. And for years afterwards.
Frank walked into the staffroom and found Alison sitting at a table staring into space.
"How was nightshift?" he asked.
Alison jumped, startled.
"Sorry, didn't mean to make you jump." She looked overly frightened. "Are you ok?"
She opened her mouth as if to say something then changed her mind.
"Alison." He sat down beside her worriedly. "What's the matter?"
"A patient...died." she said numbly.
"Oh. I still can't get used to that either." He said and patted her hand comfortingly.
"It was a mistake." She whispered.
"What was?"
Alison stared at him, debating whether to continue. She didn't know what she was going to say until she heard the words coming out.
"Eve...made a mistake."
"You can't just give up." Frank insisted.
"I can't do it, Frank. I'm not up to it." Eve said.
The last few weeks had been hell for her. The hospital's investigation, the inquest...and worse, the way everyone looked at her. She was the inept doctor who killed her patient.
"You just need to take some time. The inquest has taken it out of you and it's understandable you'd question your ability after everything that has happened. But everyone makes mistakes, you can't throw everything away. You'll learn from this."
Eve shook her head.
"I have learned from this. And it's not my ability I'm questioning..."
"What does that mean?" Frank asked.
Eve was quiet as she contempated telling him.
"Frank?" Alison's voice interrupted from the doorway. "Don't forget, Jeremy's party at 7."
"I won't." He smiled and she left without acknowledging Eve at all. Frank looked curiously at the cold expression on Eve's face. "What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing." Eve said briskly. "Listen Frank, I've got to get going."
"At least wait until tomorrow. Come to Jeremy's party and slag off his latest conquest with Alison." Frank tried to tempt her.
Eve smiled wistfully.
"I can't. I've made my decision. Medicine isn't for me."