3.
Connie was in the midst of sorting her office into some resemblance of normality when Michael came knocking at her door, she knew his knock, always had done since she was his registrar all those many, many years ago. "Come in" she smirked, lifting up a wadge of files, shifting them around uneasily as she felt the presence of someone else stepping into the room behind Michael.
"Connie, this is your new registrar Miss Sherrard, she will be joining yourself and Miss Withers on the team" Michael told her haughtily, motioning towards the young brunette stood eagerly behind him, taking one look at her sort, long curls, the neat pinstripe suit covering her curvaceous form and the killer heels sent to match her own, Connie could feel the green eyed monster from within her rising up to the surface. Jealousy is a dangerous emotion.
"It's my pleasure to meet you" Connie smiled coolly, lifting up a heaving file and thrusting it towards the young registrar "first case for you, perpetual complainer by the name of Mr Butler, he needs a work up, report back when you come to a diagnosis" she continued abruptly, waiting until the pretty young doctor was out of ear shot before regaling her thoughts to Michael "why on earth was she appointed in my absence, you knew full well I was against her, Ms Merry would have been a much more suitable choice"
"She interviewed better, I just thought you would have been pleased to have the position filled, I thought I was doing the right thing" Michael replied, cupping her face lightly in his, the same action that had never failed to win her over many times before, this time however she wasn't to be fooled, pulling away from his actions she strode towards her desk chair, tiredly slumping into it.
"You thought Michael, that's the problem" she sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration "I don't need my patients to be having heart attacks when they see her stood beside their bed, hospitals are supposed to be a place of rest not arousal"
"I didn't appoint her because of her looks, she came highly recommended and interviewed well, if I turned her down it would have been highly foolish to say the least" he protested
"You may have wanted to have looked at the reasons for her high recommendation" Connie drawled "I have a full list today, we can discuss it later" Michael took the hint and left abruptly, pausing to let thought of infidelity linger on her mind, then Ric, then affairs, it all had a hurtful ring to it.
As she glided onto the ward Connie couldn't help but take pleasure in the fact Miss Sherrard, Kate as she was commonly known as, was struggling to retrieve her stethoscope from the rude patient who refused to let his tiny heart problem lie quiet.
"Mrs Beauchamp" came the familiar, southern accent belonging to her other, more preferred registrar Sarah Withers, graduate from her old haunt KCL and with a strong reputation to match, not based on the number of notches she could create but on her skills as an up and coming surgeon, for this Connie could give her the time of day
"Yes Miss Withers"
"I need a second opinion on these scans, the patient doesn't have a normal presentation but I suspect a valve defect, the echo is inconclusive as far as I can tell" she mumbled lightly, defeat wasn't in her dictionary, just like it had been missing from Connie's back in the days when she did the dog work
"Let me see the echo" Connie smiled, taking the results in hand, scanning them and spotting the problem immediately "there is something there, you were right to check though, she will need a valve replacement sooner rather than later, we can fit her in at the end of the day, good work Sarah" the registrar tried to feign a contented smile as Connie moved off down the ward to check on another patient, catching a disgruntled looking Kate on her way back up towards the nurses station "Have you reached a diagnosis with your patient yet Miss Sherrard" Connie asked contentedly
"Not yet Mrs Beauchamp, he still needs an echo but he has worked himself up into such a state I would prefer to leave it," Kate mumbled in response, feeling her cheeks blush slightly
"Well Miss Sherrard we don't want him to be kept waiting too long, get onto that echo and see me before we start the theatre list." Connie commented coldly
"But I'm not on theatre's today Sarah…. I mean Miss Withers is with you in theatre today" Kate whispered, Connie hadn't taken a shine to her and probably never would, fact of life, she was the type of person to befriend anyone, she was popular out with the realms of the hospital, and within, but to Connie she was as far as possible from popular. It must be Jealousy she thought; I'm a threat to her.
"I'm perfectly aware of that fact, but you will report to me with the results and as clear a diagnosis as you can, now, get busy" Connie huffed before stalking away,
"I really, hate that woman sometimes, drives me insane" Kate whined as she reached the nurses station, "Jessie, can Mr what's-his-face in bay 2 get an echo please" she batted her eyelashes towards the incredible gay nurse
"Darl, flirting ain't going to get you anywhere with me, but since you asked so nicely consider it done" the nurse replied, tootling off to evade the wrath of sister evil
"You know if you weren't such a flirt with her husband she may actually like you, y'know," Sarah muttered quietly, not wanting to be heard talking out of turn
"I was not flirting with her husband" Kate protested vehemently, "He's just a nice guy to be with that's all"
"Yes and if you give him what he wants you're career will fly and your moral standings plummet, choice is yours" Kate didn't quite understand what Sarah had implied immediately, for someone so incredibly clever she lacked common sense at times, as it sunk in she started off to follow Sarah but she'd disappeared off down the corridor, ready to suck up to miss big yet again, Kate meanwhile was destined for an afternoon of sheer boredom, patients, for once all seemed to be on the mend, barring any disasters it would be her and a pile of revision books, for her impending test.
"You did well today in theatre" Connie smiled lightly as the two doctors made their way down the long corridor, satisfied that all patients were recovering well, and for once Connie had been truly impressed with her registrars work, letting this fact on was a pointed move, the one thing Sarah was yet to learn was confidence in her own work, not worrying about every wrong move, but to learn from it, something each doctor would learn one day, some quicker than others Connie thought, she wasn't yet willing to give her new registrar the time of day, first impressions had not been good, but she was the least of Connie's concerns for the time being
"Really," Sarah enquired eagerly
"Yes, you have potential, now less of the talk, more of the action, I need you to get down to ITU and check the patients there, report back to me if there are any problems" Just as they were about to turn the corner onto the ward, a familiar sounding voice came up behind her, not Michael, but Nick, Sarah's fiancé
"Hello gorgeous" his voice was husky, yet warming at the same time, just the way he had been when Sarah and he had met several years before, another med school courtship, standing the rigors of time. He was about to bring her into a welcoming hug when she stopped him abruptly, aware of Connie's boring gaze into the back of her head
"Baby, not now, I need to finish up here, half an hour, please" Sarah gave him a quick peck on the cheek before quickening her pace to catch up with Connie, her face nearly pulsating in a flush of embarrassment
"Who was that?" Connie asked coyly, without needing any explanations, curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction always brought it back she thought to herself, she and Michael hadn't been entirely different, young love that grew with the passage of time, lusting for one another all day at work and then falling into each others arms at the days end, it was a perfect relationship until they got power, it was the knowledge that they held something over everyone else which made them fall apart, drawing blanks as to why they were drifting apart, the reason turning up months later in their marital bed, a receptionist by the name of Nicole.
"Errm, that's my fiancé Ben, he's a general surgeon here, I am so sorry I told him not to bother me, it won't happen again" Sarah trailed off as Connie gave her a cautious smile, she couldn't stop young love in its midst, she knew that was hurtful, Ric had taught her that much, they made not have had a young love in terms of age, but he defiantly made her feel young, verging on the teenage passions which everyone has growing up, the type of love which makes you lust and yearn for someone each parting moment. Busying herself at work had dulled these feelings but witnessing such a loving relationship in public domain undid the cover up in an instant, bringing a fresh flurry of emotions to the surface.
"Not to worry, quickly finish up and get going, you can't keep someone like that waiting too long" Connie gave Sarah a quick wink before continuing down the corridor
"Mrs Beauchamp, I did come and look for you before you went to theatres, I think Mr Butler has valve failure, his echo shows it clearly" Kate mumbled, sighing as the pile of notes she has fell about on the floor
"Well you would have known that if you read back in his notes further enough, perpetual pain in the backside who can't hack waiting on the list, go and tell him that for the mean time he is stable and get him discharged" Connie turned on her heel and left Kate to it, disbelief striking the young doctor, never in a million years had she been expecting this kind of frosty reception. Once all the files were safely back on the desk before her she was about to get up and do as she'd been asked when she spotted a familiar, friendly face, in the shape of Michael.
"Miss Sherrard, is everything OK?" he question offhandedly, taking in her now dishevelled appearance
"Not really, I don't think your wife has taken to me very well, call me the slave from now on, it seems more appropriate" as she finished the flurry of emotions overcoming her wasn't to be suppressed, tears streaming down her face faster than she could furiously wipe them away "I'm sorry, its just been a hellish day"
"Not to worry, you aren't the first to cry on your first day, and won't be the last, heavens above I would have been worried if you hadn't said anything" Michael held out a tissue to her accepting hand, an electric feeling passing between them for all of an instant "look you're to upset to be working, come and calm down in my office" he gestured down the corridor, taking her hand in his, leading her down the corridor. Not noticing the looks from staff, namely Sarah who was raising a suspicious eyebrow.
It wasn't until the door of the office was firmly shut and the blinds drawn that anyone spoke, the passion that had been felt between them un-ignorable to the other. Michael stood at his desk, lightly flicking through the latest board proposal, taking in nothing, his mind wandering to the million other places it went to.
"I feel really stupid now" Kate sighed, teasing the sheets of the tissue apart through nervous habit, watching Michael carefully make his way over to where she was sat
"You shouldn't be, I really do need to apologize for my wife, she didn't take to you and unfortunately it can get like that, don't feel bad, I'll talk to her" Michael's voice was full of the reassurance of a time tested doctor, he knew it, she knew it, false to the end but reassuring non the less
"You would do that for me," Kate's face suddenly lit up, the candle being relit in a metaphorical sort of way, hope returning to her voice, Michael lurched forward to take her into a hug, she didn't relinquish, a shoulder to cry on she thought, that's all. Wrong. The kiss began as a friendly one, a quick pass on the lips, going to the longing intense one that bore all the disgraceful marks of lust, then to more that lips touching, hands wandering, his to her shirt, teasing every button undone slowly, erotically, her hands going for the proverbial jugular, resting her hand on his thigh she waited, feeling the excitement growing with him, anticipation building and building. As the sweet, stale smell of the days clothes emanated from the pile on the floor, the only noise that could be heard from the room was mild groans, attempting to be stifled, the game too easy for Michael to play as he bit his tongue, the registrar writhing under his far more experienced grip, giggling softly, then moaning, verging on the high pitched screaming had it not been for Michael's lips locking hers, a faint cry was all that was needed for them to be given away, all that it had needed this time.
Stood just outside talking to a Joe nobody Connie plunged the handle on the door to her husbands office, ready for a quiet night at home, alone, together, unprepared for what was about to come "Michael" she cooed softly, the sanctum of his office was a place ripe to let her true colours show, or so she thought. Turning to face into the room she felt numb to the sight afore her, her registrar with her husband
"Connie" Michael attempted to sound surprised as he slung Kate off his dewy body, sweeping his trousers on, Connie continued the silence, muted anger rising within her,
"Don't, don't say anything Miss Sherrard I think your shift is over now, GO HOME" she spat before spinning on her heel and leaving