Chapter 727: Hermosa Beach
Monday, March 20th, Evening
She sat at her desk with her books open as she tried to get ahead with her program's workload. She was leaving soon to care for her dad and his up-and-coming surgery. So, in-between her rotations, sleeping, she had her nose in her books and not enjoying living on Hermosa Beach.
Doctor Candace "Candi" Scott, MD, FAAP, sat at her desk and removed her reading glasses. Candi shifted in her desk chair, trying to get that bit of comfort out of the chair as she worked. Candi wore cutoff jean shorts and her well-loved Duke University hoodie. Sitting at the desk, her one weakness sat, an empty in the corner of the desk, a pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food.
Candi sighed, stood up, and collapsed back on her bed. She sighed heavily again, cupped her head in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. Finally, giving up, she grabbed one of her medical tomes, pulled her feet up to sit cross-legged, and set the book into her lap. After one more sigh, Candi started reading the medical tome.
After a few minutes, there's a knock on her room's doorjam. Candi looked at the door to see one of her housemates, Dr. Kaelyn McCullough, MD, standing at the door. The youngest of the housemates, Candi, looked her over. Candi growled and studied her fingernails, then finally put words together.
"What can I do for you, Kaelyn?" Candi asked.
Kaelyn nodded and stepped into the bedroom. "Why do you work so hard?" she asked.
"Have to get through my program. Also, I'm going away for a while," Candi said.
"Why are you going away?" Kaelyn asked.
"My dad is having surgery, and I'm going to help with him," Candi said.
"Don't you have brothers and sisters," Kaelyn said.
"I do, but my brother is deployed, one sister is in high school, and one sister lives in Connecticut and doesn't drive. So, it falls all on one sister, so I'm going to help her," Candi said.
"Oh, what about your program?" Kaelyn asked.
"I've got it arranged, Kaelyn; I'll do my classroom work remotely. The clinical I'll make up when I get back," Candi said.
"Oh!" Kaelyn said, "It must be nice."
"I'm a top performer in my program, and you were what, Kaelyn?" Candi said.
"You know what they call the person that graduated last from medical school?" Kaelyn asked and looked at Candi shaking her head. "Doctor."
"That's not funny, Kaelyn," Candi said.
"Seriously, I was about the middle of my class," Kaelyn said.
Candi nodded, "I see," she said.
"You were near the top of your med school class?" Kaelyn asked,
Candi shrugged, "Somewhere in there," she said.
"Have you always been an overachiever?" Kaelyn asked.
"I don't know, I guess; I've always been this way," Candi said.
"So, that's why you have all these trophies?" Kaelyn asked.
Candi shrugged, "No, these aren't my achievement trophies," she said.
"What are they?" Kaelyn asked.
"Some are places I've been, some are people I've met, others are people I know growing up," Candi said.
"Oh, I see, but people seem to love your room," Kaelyn said.
"Why?" Candi asked, pointing her highlighter at Kaelyn.
Kaelyn held up her hands. "Hey, watch that; it might be loaded," she said.
"Why wouldn't it be loaded?" Candi said.
"But I'm unarmed," Kaelyn said.
"So?" Candi asked.
"So?" Kaelyn asked.
"Yeah, so," Candi said.
"I don't want to go on my date all blue," Kaelyn said.
"I'm blue da ba dee da ba di," Candi said.
"You've been studying too hard," Kaelyn said.
"No, not hard enough," Candi said.
"Why do you work this hard?" Kaelyn asked.
"It's being a mamba; you're always working to be the best version of yourself," Candi said.
"Sounds like, well, work," Kaelyn said.
"It's supposed to be, Kaelyn," Candi said.
"Too much work," Kaelyn said.
"You're a doctor," Candi said.
"I want to be just a plain old GP," Kaelyn said.
"Right," Candi said.
Kaelyn nodded, "Yeah, always," she said.
Candi nodded, "So, a date, you say," she said.
"Yeah, I'm going on a date," Kaelyn said.
"With Doctor Ross? That's his name?" Candi asked.
"Oh, no, he was, so, January," Kaelyn said.
"I see," Candi said.
"Don't you follow along?" Kaelyn asked.
"No, not really," Candi said.
"I figured since you don't date," Kaelyn said.
"Doesn't mean I need to know yours," Candi said.
"Point taken," Kaelyn said.
"So, what do you need?" Candi asked.
"Well, I am going on a date," Kaelyn said.
"Spit it out," Candi said.
"Can I borrow something?" Kaelyn asked.
Candi sighed, "Sure," she said.
"Awesome," Kaelyn said.
"Don't destroy it; have it dry cleaned, and please leave me alone," Candi said and returned to work as Kaelyn went to Candi's closet to look for an outfit.
