Henrik had been concerned when Roxanna had bleeped him on his pager, asking him to call her on his break. While he had wanted to drop everything and call her in that moment, he knew that Graham wouldn't be too happy with him shirking his duties. So he soldiered on through his rounds, listening to his patients before going into theatre with Graham and assisting with a surgery. He had been pleasantly surprised when his mentor had allowed him to take the lead and complete the procedure before finishing up and bringing the patient to recovery.
So it was with that euphoria still coursing through his veins that he slipped into Graham's office and called home. He had been grateful that Graham had allowed him this liberty, since most F2s had to use the public payphones. Sitting behind the desk, he waited for Roxanna to pick up, wondering what her news could be. They were still a year out from the wedding, so that most likely wasn't her concern. Unless they had lost the venue she had wanted. Frowning a little, he tried to stop himself from travelling down different rabbit trails of worries, knowing that such spirals would do him no good.
Finally, she picked up the phone, and from the first breath she took, he knew that she had received bad news earlier. "I'm sorry for not calling sooner, Roxanna, but I had to finish rounds and then I was allowed to lead on a surgery. It was a simple one, but still, I was allowed to take the lead. I'm progressing in my career at last."
"That, that's wonderful, darling. Thank you for trying to give me some good news today. I really needed that. I, I've had to ask my mentor for some leave."
"What happened?"
Graham came in the office, giving him a concerned look as he took a seat at the desk across from Henrik. He shrugged a little before turning his focus back on Roxanna. "Dad, he had a heart attack last night. Or, at least that's what the hospital seems to think happened. When he didn't show up for work today, they sent the police around to check on him, and found him in bed. He, he's dead, Henrik. My father is dead."
He wiped his face with his hand, wishing that he could be with her in that moment, knowing that he still had four hours left in his shift. "I want to come with you."
"No, darling, you can't. Graham, well, he's been so understanding of my sorrow so far, but we're not married yet, so Dad wouldn't be considered immediate family. Of course, you can request time for the funeral itself, but I can't ask you to put your job in jeopardy for me. Oh, god, there's going to be so much to do, and I don't really know where to begin. I'm starting to make lists, I've picked that much up from you, but it all just seems to be scribbles and scratches."
"All right, darling, I only have four hours left on my shift, and then I'll be home. Please leave all that aside until after I arrive home, and then I can help you with it. Put your focus on something tangible, like making supper, or reading the Lancet, anything that will relieve your mind for just a few hours. I love you."
"And I love you. I just, I haven't felt this adrift since Mum died, and I just…I am looking forward to having you here, so you can wrap me in your arms and shut out the world. But I should let you eat before you go back."
"All right, if you're certain. I can spend the next twenty minutes talking to you, as well, and still have enough time to eat the sandwich you prepared for me this morning."
She let out a watery laugh, letting him know that she was crying, which broke his heart a little wider. "I can only imagine the face Graham is giving you right now, Henrik. No, let me go, eat, and come home to me at the end of your shift. I, I might take a nap, actually. My head is starting to hurt from all this crying."
"Just do whatever makes you feel better, and I'll see you soon. Goodbye." Roxanna whispered her own goodbye before hanging up the phone. He replaced the handset on the receiver and then ran his hands over his head as he let out a long breath.
"Is everything all right with Roxanna?" Graham asked after a few moments had passed.
"Her father died this morning. She'll be travelling home to Bristol to arrange the funeral and take care of his estate within the next few days, and I'm supposed to stay here until the funeral. She, she doesn't want me to lose my position here by taking needless time off."
"That's noble of her, but if you feel it necessary to head there with her, you are allowed leave in instances like this, even if you aren't married just yet."
He nodded, grateful for the offer. "I'll have to talk with Roxanna about that tonight when I get home. I don't want to feel like I'm smothering her if she'd rather go it alone."
Graham arched his eyebrow a little before shaking his head. "You and Roxanna are facing the hardest hurdles in a relationship right at the beginning of your life together, with two difficult losses so close together. I know that you want to honor her wishes and give her some space, but that might not be what her heart truly wants. She could be sacrificing her desires for what she thinks is best for you. All relationships are made up of compromising, you just have to know when that compromise comes at too high a cost for your partner. And in this case, I think it is too high a cost for you not to go with her. I take it she's an only child?"
"Yes. We both are."
"That explains a lot, then. All right, finish out your shift today, and then talk it over with Roxanna. You have my unofficial permission to go with her, if that will help her to agree. However, if she declines still, you have my permission to leave early for the funeral and take a few days afterwards to support her, either by working the same shifts or by staying home to deal with loose ends. And there will be a million and one loose ends that you haven't thought of, I can promise you that. When my wife lost her father, so many responsibilities fell on our shoulders, and it took a long time to right our course."
Henrik nodded, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders by his mentor. "Thank you so much for understanding. I want to say that I hope our lives settle into some semblance of smoothness following this tragedy, but that would most likely be tempting fate, and I don't think that's a smart thing to do right now." Graham chuckled as he nodded, giving Henrik a small smile as he motioned for him to get out of his chair.
"All right, get back to your break, and then you can see about leading another small surgery with me. I think that it shouldn't last too long, and then you can do rounds and leave." Henrik gave him a grave nod before turning on his heel and leaving the office, making a beeline for the staff room so that he could eat before having to head back to work, grateful to have tangible goals to focus his mind on so that he wouldn't overly worry about Roxanna until he was home.