Chapter 10 – Don't Duck

Edward

The nurses came back in after we had exited the prep room to finish getting the child ready for surgery. Pressure was building inside her skull under the fractures, so the need to proceed was urgent. We all entered the scrub area and began the process of sterilization before surgery. As we were scrubbing, I was trying to mentally prepare myself, as I always did before a difficult surgery, but Dr. Black and Dr. Cheney began discussing the beautiful woman in the prep room again.

"Are you sure it was her? I mean, honestly, you think she could really look like that?" Dr. Cheney jeered in disbelief. "Who knew she was so fine under all that nasty polyester and dark wool! I always thought she batted for the other team. I may just have to rethink asking her out."

"You're such a dog, man!" Dr. Black guffawed. "You have most of the females and a few of the males in this hospital hot for you, and you're still looking for new conquests. You're unbelievable! Save some for the less fortunate amongst us, why don't you!"

"Less fortunate my stethoscope, dude, you know you're just as much in demand as me around here," Dr. Cheney laughed loudly, as they continued to banter. It was beginning to feel more like a high school locker room than a hospital scrub room, as I looked between the two supposedly professional doctors next to me.

Dr. Jacob Black was a pediatric maxillofacial surgeon of American Indian descent. He was tall and muscular, with wavy dark hair and a wide, gleaming smile that sent the nurses swooning every time he grinned. Dr. Ben Cheney was a neurosurgeon and just as impressive, with a golden, tanning-bed glow, thick blond hair, contact-enhanced vibrant blue eyes, and the best smile money could buy. Between the two of them, I would be willing to bet the cold tap in the nurse's locker room shower stayed fairly busy, as well as the occasional handy on-call bed. The thought made me cringe.

From the suggestive looks and inviting smiles I had seen most of the nurses giving them both, I had no doubt they each had their pick of the available female population. The girl they referred to as "ugly" seemed different, though. In those few seconds our eyes had met, I somehow knew she was far above the caliber of women they were accustomed to pursuing. I could just tell she was worthy of way more than they would be willing to give her.

I glanced between the two of them, disgusted that she would be nothing more to either of them than just another notch on their bedposts until the next new distraction came along. I found myself feeling protective, if not possessive, of this girl they obviously knew little about. I didn't even know her, but I just knew she deserved better than them.

I continued to scrub quietly, taking in the banter between them. I hoped to surreptitiously gain more information about the woman who had captivated me. They continued their exchanges, but then they glanced over at me, both smirking.

"You may have some competition there, though, Jake," Dr. Cheney was eyeing me now. "It looked like she maybe had eyes for someone else."

I couldn't resist asking any longer. "Okay, I'll bite. Who is she, and why do you all speak so ill of her behind her back?" Sometimes, being the new guy could be frustrating to say the least.

"What you saw today is NOT what she usually looks like, man," Dr. Black offered. "Normally, she looks like a women's prison warden or something. She always wears her hair all balled up tight on the back of her head and gross, oversized old lady pantsuits that are three sizes too big and make her look like she'd be more interested in the female nurses than one of us."

"Yeah, and those glasses she normally has on…I'd swear she pinched those off her old man," Dr. Cheney laughed. "Her last name just doesn't fit what she usually looks like, or at least it didn't before today. There's a reason she's called 'The Ugly Duckling' around here."

I had heard those rude nurses calling the young woman I had been drawn to that nasty nickname that first day I had seen her. Could it be…?

They went on to explain that her name was Isabella Swan, hence the "Ugly Duckling" jab that referenced the kids' story about a duckling that grew up to discover it was a beautiful swan. She was a caseworker for DFPS, and they claimed she was usually nothing to look at, at least not before today. Somehow, I just couldn't imagine her being anything but beautiful, no matter what she wore. These pigs obviously didn't know true beauty when it swayed alluringly out of the room.

We finished scrubbing and suiting up, and then we headed into the OR for what I knew was going to be a long afternoon.

After hours of tedious, delicate surgery, the child's mangled features had started taking the shape of a human again, despite the swelling. She would require a few more surgeries to completely restore her looks, but I was confident she would end up with minimal scarring on the main portion of her face. She was only fourteen and still growing, which would help with healing. As good as I was, however, she would always have faint physical reminders of her night in hell, along with the ones etched in her memory she would have to live with forever. I wished so hard I had within my power the gift to remove those marks as well.

The day had been as long and tiring as I had predicted, and I was beat and ready for a break. Thoughts of warm, expressive eyes had stayed with me all day, and I was ready to be alone for a while with my daydreams of her, and most likely some good night dreams as well.

With my patient finally stabilized and settled for the next few hours, I breathed a sigh of relief and stretched my neck, glad to be able to get out of here and get some rest. Exhausted, I headed home to my little apartment and Oliver, resigned to spending another night as a couple of lonely bachelors.