August, 2005
All through college I was told again and again how to craft the perfect resume, nail the interview, and negotiate a salary. But not one person, not a single one, warned me about what to expect on the first day of a new job.
Dressing the part was stressful enough. Forks was a small town with a relaxed, welcoming feel to it. My business clothing felt out of place as soon as I left the house. I regretted my decision to wear a skirt after seeing my fellow bus riders in jeans and plaid shirts.
The hospital was easy to find. There were lots of signs off the main road. To my astonishment, my bus driver even asked me where I was headed. This startled me; you'd have to be just short of dying to get a California bus driver to acknowledge you. Small town hospitality, I could get used to that.
This was just my second week in Forks, but every time I ventured outside I was reminded of just how…different it was from California. Instead of palm trees and sun I was met with Douglas-firs and overcast skies. It felt wild, almost timeless compared to the well-manicured landscapes of Palo Alto.
This didn't bother me. I had decided to come here. I was prepared for this.
I wasn't prepared for the mountain of paperwork in front me. It was deceptively hidden inside a shiny, new folder. I glanced around the beige colored conference room with some hesitation. A nearby projector was running, flashing, "Forks Community Hospital Welcomes You!" onto the wall. A coffee carafe was set up on an adjacent table, with some doughnuts beside it. Was anybody else coming? Or did they set all this up just for me?
My thoughts were interrupted when the door opened. A cheerful, middle aged woman with graying hair walked into the room, carrying another stack of papers. She wasted no time, sitting across from me and taking my hand in hers. "Good morning, you must be Elizabeth Parr. Very nice to meet you. I'm Cynthia Evansby. Ready to get started? Did you find the place ok?"
I shook her hand, smiling back at her. "Nice to meet you ma'am. Am I-?"
She cut me off, still smiling. "No need for formalities, call me Cynthia. After all, we'll be working together. Although, most folks don't want to see HR too often after their first day." She laughed, releasing my hand. She then grabbed a pen and opened her own folder. It looked identical to mine, so I copied her.
"Right, thanks. And you can call me Lizzie. Are we waiting for anyone else?"
"No, not today. Did you need a minute? More coffee?"
I gestured to the cup beside me, full of caffeinated goodness and a little creamer. "I'm all set, thanks very much."
"Alrighty, Lizzie. Want to start with this first set of pages? Go ahead and start filling those out, just some basic contact information, emergency contacts, nothing too strenuous. We'll handle benefit options next. I know it's a lot, but it's smooth sailing after this."
She wasn't kidding. I spent the next two hours filling out paperwork. Cynthia had the perfect temperament for this, she was patient and her smile never wavered. I couldn't say the same for me; patience was not a virtue of mine. Together, we trudged through each form.
First Name: Elizabeth
Middle Initial: A
Last Name: Parr
Date of Birth: 5/18/1985
Emergency Contact: Julia Hammond
Relationship: Aunt
Emergency Contact Number: 206-XXX-XXXX
On and on it went. My hand hadn't cramped this much since my organic chemistry final. But we finished. Cynthia stood up and started collecting my paperwork. I stretched, feeling remarkably lighthearted; hopeful that we'd leave this stuffy conference room.
"I have to say, I am so excited that you've decided to join us here in Forks. I'm sure with a Stanford degree you had plenty of other opportunities. But we're delighted to have you here with us.
I smiled and fidgeted with my new nametag. "Thank you. With my aunt living here it made the most sense. Besides, I was ready for a change of scenery."
She ushered me out of the conference room and into the hallway. "Well the rest of the staff here can't wait to meet you. We haven't had a public health specialist on the payroll for quite some time. We've been using the lady from the State but she was only in once a week. Now let me show you where everything is."
The rest of my morning passed in a blur. Cynthia rushed me from department to department, introducing me to other people in the hospital and showing me where everything was. I did my best to remember names and faces but gave up about halfway through.
"Hmm, I don't see Dr. Cullen in his office. He's just down the hall from yours. I always like to make an excuse to see him, he's a delight." She sighed, and I became a little confused. What, is he funny? Then I remembered.
"Wait, I get an office? I thought I'd be in a cubicle."
"Nonsense, you'll want an office." She stopped in front of a door. The name placard posted next to it was blank. "However, you may not thank me just yet. Your predecessor was a bit of a slob."
She opened the door to reveal a tiny office. The computer and furniture looked a little outdated and dusty, but otherwise in good condition. No windows, but some shelving clustered with dead plants. The desk was cluttered with different handouts, all of them looked to be educational. Titles like, "Fight the Bite! Washington Mosquito Prevention," "The ABCs of Heart Disease" and "Don't wait! Vaccinate!" stuck out amongst the piles. Old clipboards and sample cups were intermingled amongst the papers, with larger equipment on the floor.
"I'm so sorry. He was a nightmare. There are some cleaning and office supplies down the hall in the cabinet, feel free to use whatever you need."
"Thanks Cynthia, but I'm ok. It's just a little mess." Wait, did that read as sarcastic? Or would she think I'm some sort of slob? But if either idea crossed her mind it didn't show on her face.
"How about I give you some time to get settled? I'll come back around 1. I wanted to show you how to use the computer system. Did you bring a lunch? There's a cafeteria on the first floor if you didn't. It's hospital food, but I think ours is some of the best around."
I nodded and watched her go. Her friendliness and optimism were infectious. It wasn't until she walked away that I began to feel nervous for the first time today. And I wouldn't make time for that.
True to her word, Cynthia returned a short while later. I was underneath the desk struggling to untangle the computer cords. What were all of these cords for? I nearly hit my head when she gasped.
"Goodness, you finished all this already?"
To my credit, I had made tremendous strides in a short while. All of the leaflets were organized into my cabinets, the computer and monitors relocated, and the equipment reorganized. The desk was free of all clutter. I managed to wrangle a more comfortable chair out of storage. Finally, I cleaned everything, removing the stale, aged odors of the previous occupant. I would need to bring some personal items another day.
I climbed out from under the desk and stood up, brushing some dust off my shirt. "Did you even take lunch?"
I shook my head guiltily, "Not yet, I wanted to get this done." I thought I imagined it, but I could have sworn she rolled her eyes.
"Well, let's log you in. Maybe I can cut you loose today."
At the end of the day, Cynthia showed me out. She escorted me through the lobby a final time, pointing me in the direction of the bus stop.
"If you ever need parking, you're welcome to use the lot out front. I have parking permits, just come visit me and I'll get you one. Oh, Doctor Cullen! I didn't see you there!" Her voice changed, taking on a girlish quality and she sounded a little winded.
Almost immediately, I knew why. A man had approached us from the side, dressed in pressed, khaki slacks and an expensive-looking collared shirt. Tall, blonde and incredibly handsome, I could easily understand Cynthia's reaction. He looked like an actor playing a doctor on television, not someone actually working in a hospital.
"I hope I didn't startle you, Cynthia. I was just on my way out. But I'm glad I caught you, I heard you had our newest recruit." He looked at me and I looked back, noticing that his eyes were golden and but were lined with dark circles underneath. Had he pulled a double shift?
My staring seemed to take him aback, I noticed him peer at me, as though he was inspecting me. A wave of embarrassment washed over me. I have to work with him for who knows how long? Great way to make a first impression, Lizzie. I felt my face flush but Dr. Cullen seemed to have recovered. He reached out and shook my hand, his eyes on mine again, "It's wonderful to meet you, Ms. Parr. I've heard so much about you from your aunt."
I almost didn't hear him, I was distracted by his cold hands. "You know Aunt Julia?"
He took his hand back and checked his watch. It looked like something you'd see on the wrist of a Silicon Valley techie. "Yes, I speak with her regularly, especially during the school year. She'll send students my way from time to time. And I have children in high school, she looks after them for me."
"Not that they need it." Cynthia interjected. She still sounded slightly breathless. Turning to me she exclaimed, "Oh, you'll love his kids! They're all so bright and well behaved. Nothing like my children." Her voice dropped an octave upon mentioning her kids. I stifled a chuckle.
"Speaking of, I better get home. We're going camping for the next few days. I'll stop by your office when I get back. I look forward to working with you." And with that, he walked through the front doors and into the parking lot. I watched him go, seeing him go towards a car that I could only describe as, "luxurious."
"You too."
A/N: Alrighty! First chapter, I know it's long. I've been planning this story for quite some time, but I am really interested in any feedback you all might have. This story will be somewhat canonical, with some deviations here and there. Let me know what you all think.