Chapter 8: Making the grade
Time had flown by, graduation was today and then later I would find out about the match. I wanted to match at County now for some reason. I think it was because it felt like home. I had grown attached to the doctors that worked in the ER. We'd just have to wait and see. I didn't have any family to invite really to graduation, but Doug insisted that he would be there.
I arrived at the campus and headed over to where the graduation ceremony was going to take place. It was actually a beautiful day, something you would really like to have for an occasion such as this. Most of the day was kind of a blur. Not feeling real yet as I sat thru the speeches that were given. Names started being called as we filled thru the line to receive our diplomas and become doctors.
As my name was called and I walked across it didn't shock me to see not only Doug standing out there, but also Abby and Susan there too. I had to smile seeing them standing there clapping like there was no tomorrow. Susan let out an ear-splitting whistle as I shook the hand of the Dean taking my place now no longer a medical student but a doctor.
After it was all said and done, I made my way over to where they were standing. I had a smile on my face now that I never thought would go away.
"Congrats there kiddo you did it." Doug said smiling at me.
"Thanks." I said beaming with pride of my new accomplishment.
"We are all proud of you, Dr. Ross." I hear Abby say as I am pulled into a hug by Susan.
"Yes you are now a doctor, Doctor Ross." I hear Susan say as she lets go of me.
"We need to celebrate tonight." Doug said still smiling, "how about we meet at Banana Joe's for drinks."
I smile at him, I couldn't help it, "yeah that sounds like a plan to me. But I am going to have to call it a short night since I have to work tomorrow."
"Sure that's not a problem." I hear Doug say, "I'm proud of you."
I smile back at him now, "well that's good to know."
I feel him pulling me away from the rest of the group. When we were a little ways away from everyone, I looked up at him. "What's this about?"
"I wanted to give you something." He said to me holding out a box.
I smiled now even bigger, "you didn't have to Doug." I said as I took the box from him and opened it up, unsure of what it was that he had wanted to give me.
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. You worked hard for this and someone needed to recognize it." He was looking at me now, "you might not be married to my son for much longer but you are still family. I've gotten kind of used to the idea that my daughter-in-law was in med school and that she was graduating." I could see small tears in his eyes, "and well you have kind of grown on me. You're family whether you want to be or not."
I couldn't help but have small tears well up in my eyes now too, "you might think of me as family but for some reason I get the feeling that if I start calling you Dad, you will wig out on me."
"As long as you don't do it in front of new med student," he said, "I won't wig out on you.
I opened the box now and started to cry a little more as I pulled out a white lab coat from the box, "oh wow you shouldn't have, you really shouldn't have." I said as I held onto it, my fingers tracing over the lettering on it. "Thank you." I threw my arms around his neck and hugged onto him.
"You're welcome." He said to me as he returned my hug.
I pulled back still in awe of everything. It was almost overwhelming now as the full realization set in. I was a doctor. I had made the grade and graduated no longer a student who would be under the supervision of a resident all the time, but now a doctor who was going to have to stand on her own two feet.