Author's Note – In the scene in "A New Beginning" where he asked Matthew to be his best man, Andrew had a line that came out of nowhere: "I just wish my parents were alive to see it." This was a surprise, as there had been no indication up to that point that his parents were deceased (a version of the script that used to be online was missing that line, implying it was a late addition). Fans were surprised again when Andrew's parents were very much alive three years later in "The Heart Within," contradicting what had been said earlier. I searched for a historical event which might help fix the discrepancy, and lo and behold, I found one! Let me know what you think of my solution.
Follow Your Heart – The Cook Chronicles
Chapter 5 – Expect the Unexpected
Dr. Andrew Cook had his Saturday all planned out. Morning ablutions and breakfast with Colleen; conferring with the hotel clerk on boarding houses to visit; dropping in at Pennsylvania Hospital to familiarize himself with the institution before his lunch meeting with Dr. Sheffield; secure lodging for Colleen and himself that afternoon; and a final stop at the Woman's Medical College to formally decline the job offer before returning to the hotel for dinner and a pleasurable evening with his wife.
To say that his day did not go quite as planned would be an understatement.
Oh, it started well enough. Waking to Colleen at his side was something he didn't think he could ever tire of, and still marveled that it was real. The young woman was characteristically awake before he, the need to get up early for chores long ingrained. Seeing her first thing still brought to mind her bedside vigil when he was sick with spotted fever – only this was infinitely better, with the ability to cradle her to his side bringing him a sense of satisfaction and contentment.
In these quiet moments with Colleen cocooned in his arms, the young doctor felt reassured that he'd made the right move in marrying her now. Even with the hassle of needing to be careful in their nightly coupling, it had been right. Her feelings for him would not fade over time or distance; nor would another suiter be able to steal her heart like that Collins cad had tried to. They'd be able to make good on their pledge of partnership, building a practice together one day - and then starting a family one day, too. He didn't know where yet, but that detail wasn't much of a concern. As long as Colleen was with him in heart, mind, and body, the details weren't important.
During breakfast, Andrew recognized most of the sixteen titles Colleen would need her first year (two for Anatomy, four for Practice of Medicine, another four for Physiology, and six tomes for Chemistry) as books he had used himself in medical school, though one of them had since been supplanted by a newer edition. As this was the second day in a row that he was needing to give her cash, Andrew brought up the idea of a weekly allowance. That way, she wouldn't have to come to him for money each time she needed to buy ink or writing tablets for school. Whatever part of her allowance she didn't spend she could keep, saving up for a larger expense she might want, such as a new dress or shoes, though today he'd be giving her extra upfront for the books.
After seeing Colleen off in a cab, he bought a newspaper and headed back inside the hotel, intent on speaking with the receptionist. "Excuse me."
"Ah, Dr. Cook. So nice to see you again. I trust you've been enjoying your stay."
"Yes, I- that is, we have."
"Good, good, glad to hear it. There's another telegram for you."
"Another telegram?" Andrew echoed in bewilderment. Preoccupied by his wife, he'd never gotten around to reading the first, belatedly remembering the wire only after sending the jacket out for cleaning the day after their arrival. The jacket had been returned sans telegram, but Andrew figured an unread message from Mrs. Quinn wasn't that great a loss.
However, a second wire during their honeymoon could only mean one thing.
Something terrible had happened back in Colorado Springs!
"Yes, this one arrived two days ago," the mustached man was saying, retrieving and handing over the envelope. "You've not been inquiring about any messages, so I presumed it wasn't urgent. I thought it best not to disturb you and your wife. I hope I wasn't in error."
"No, it's my fault. I wasn't expecting any messages, so I didn't think to ask," Andrew confessed, opening the latest dispatch with a sense of dread, the same pit in his stomach which had formed when Dorothy had broken the news to him about the sinking of his parents' ship.
TO: DR. ANDREW COOK, LIBERTY HOTEL, PHILADELPHIA
DEAR ANDREW,
GOOD NEWS. A WIRE FROM BOSTON ARRIVED THE DAY YOU LEFT COLORADO SPRINGS. YOUR PARENTS ARE ALIVE. THEY WERE NOT PASSENGERS ON THE SS ATLANTIC. THEY TOOK A LATER SHIP. WE ARE VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.
HOPE YOU AND COLLEEN ARE WELL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOU RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE.
MICHAELA
"Bad news, sir?" the clerk asked, seeing Andrew stare at the paper in shock.
"What? Oh, uh, no, no. Good news, actually. Just... unexpected." Andrew let out a deep breath to try to regain his equilibrium. His parents were alive… well, they certainly had missed much! He'd need to contact them immediately, mentally adding a stop at the telegraph office to his list of errands. And speaking of errands… "If I may, I came to ask for your assistance. I'd like to find a boarding house to move to, preferably one near the Woman's Medical College. I have the classified listings, but being new to the city, I was hoping you could help me narrow them down."
"Yes… certainly." The pause was just long enough that Andrew wondered if the man was surprised that Andrew wished to relocate to a boarding situation after his luxury stay at the Liberty, or if he disapproved of women becoming doctors, or both. Regardless, the man wasn't about to let it affect his job, as he accepted the newspaper from Andrew and folded it to the page of classifieds before retrieving a pen. He began skimming the listings, now and then circling one which met Andrew's criteria. "I'm afraid there aren't many which meet your requirements, as most of the accommodations in that part of the city are reserved exclusively for the young ladies." When the clerk was finished, he handed the paper back to Andrew. "Will there be anything else, Dr. Cook?"
"Not at the moment. Thank you."
Once at the telegraph office, Andrew sent a short missive of reassurance to Michaela that her message had been received and composed a second to his parents:
TO: DR. CHARLES COOK, BEACON HILL, BOSTON
DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,
I AM RELIEVED TO HEAR OF YOUR SAFE RETURN TO BOSTON. I HAVE SOME NEWS OF MY OWN. I HAVE MOVED FROM COLORADO SPRINGS TO PHILADELPHIA. ALL IS WELL AND I WILL WRITE A LETTER TO EXPLAIN FURTHER.
ANDREW
Messages sent, Andrew set off for Pennsylvania Hospital. Though Dr. Sheffield's practice was in a private clinic, any patients requiring surgery or hospitalization would be referred here, and the senior physician had said he'd leave word with the matron to give him a tour.
Walking into the facility, Andrew felt right at home. The waiting patients, the nurses and doctors conferring and milling out, the smell… it brought back his memories of working at Massachusetts General while a medical student. The matron was expecting him, and it was a pleasant half hour as he toured the examination areas, recovery wards, the dispensary, and the surgical theater (a procedure was in progress, and though the matron remained outside, Andrew stepped in to observe briefly, and he became so engrossed he almost forgot the woman was waiting for him). At the tour's conclusion Andrew thanked her for her time and headed off to meet with his new partner at the café address he'd been given yesterday.
It was a pleasant hour trading stories of their medical school days and Sheffield expressing relief at no longer having to order leeches as part of his practice. He inquired about Andrew's visit to the hospital before moving on to the business particulars about their partnership. Their conversation was periodically interrupted by some of Dr. Sheffield's colleagues stopping by for introductions with the new doctor in town, as the restaurant was popular with local practitioners.
Eventually, while finishing their coffees, the senior doctor turned to personal matters.
"So, Dr. Cook, you're a newlywed," Sheffield remarked. "I'm sure Millie and I will be delighted to meet your bride. Where do her interests lie - Art? Music? The plight of the less fortunate?"
"Oh, Colleen doesn't have time for philanthropy…" Andrew began, uncertain how his new partner would react to the next piece of information. Supportive? Dismissive? He really had no inkling, though he hoped the response would be somewhat favorable as the Woman's College had been a fixture in the city for over two decades.
"A temperance crusader then?" Sheffield speculated. "Or do you have a real firecracker on your hands, and she's been caught up in this suffrage business?"
"Actually, she's just starting the course at the Woman's Medical College."
The announcement was met with a silent stare. "I see," Sheffield said finally, setting down his coffee cup. "And I don't suppose there's any possibility of her withdrawing?"
Andrew chafed at the personal question, knowing what was being asked. "I don't see how that's any of your business, or why it should matter whether Colleen remains a student."
The elder physician sighed. "Pardon me, young man… I really thought this was going to work. But I'm afraid I can't take you on as a partner. The Philadelphia Medical Society has all but forbidden its members to align themselves with anyone affiliated with the Woman's College. Allowing your wife to matriculate there… well, it's guilt by association, I'm afraid. I'm truly sorry."
Andrew sat there, fuming. How could doctors be so narrow-minded? And then he caught himself – he had once been guilty of his own bias, presuming Colleen wouldn't have made a suitable wife. How wrong he had been… but clearly, the medical minds of Philadelphia had yet to let go of their own preconceptions and prejudices.
"So am I, Dr. Sheffield. So am I." He rose from his chair and offered his hand. "Thank you for your time."
Sheffield stood to shake hands. "Good luck to you, Dr. Cook." He watched Andrew leave the restaurant before sitting back down to finish his coffee. "A Harvard valedictorian," he mused. "A damn shame."
:
Out on the sidewalk, Andrew hailed a cab. Though the poor outcome of his business lunch with Dr. Sheffield had been a significant blow, his day wasn't done yet. He still needed to find a place for he and Colleen to live, heading out to investigate the options the hotel clerk had circled so Colleen wouldn't be late to school and wouldn't have to commute far in the winter months when it became chillingly cold and dark early.
It wasn't meant to be. As the clerk had warned him, most of the lodgings convenient to the College had long since adapted to the institution's needs and were designated for women only, with a scattered handful servicing men only. Of the three boarding houses he visited that accepted married couples, their double rooms were all occupied, though one offered to place a cot in a single room for him, charging only a dollar a week extra for it. Andrew declined.
Defeated, he headed towards his final task of the day, deep in thought.
He couldn't return to Colleen completely empty handed, failing in his role as provider. At least they had a temporary place to stay at the Liberty, though continuing to live in the deluxe suite without an income would be foolhardy. Frankly, continuing to live there with an income would still be unwise, a slow, chronic drip on the remainder of his savings, for only those with Mrs. Quinn's fortune had the means to afford a lengthy stay in a first-class hotel.
Whether by sheer luck or divine providence, he'd been offered an alternative to a traditional practice. He hadn't a clue about how to command the respect of students (some of whom would be older than he was!), but then again, he really hadn't been prepared for emergency surgery on his own or train wrecks or gunshot victims or Indian uprisings or deceit from those he called friends - or falling in love with a girl with ambition.
Unbidden, he heard Preston's voice in his head, words of wisdom dispensed during one of their regular meals together. Don't look at it as a challenge, Andrew. Think of it as an opportunity.
Staring up at visage of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, Andrew made his choice.
:
Colleen wasn't in the room when he returned. At first, he thought she had lost track of time with her friends again, until he thought to knock on the water closet door. "Colleen?"
"Andrew… I'm… I'll be out in a minute."
"It's all right, there's no hurry. Just wanted to let you know I was back."
Andrew sank onto the bed gratefully after removing his jacket and loosening his tie, weary from his long day. When he heard the toilet flush and the door open, Andrew pulled himself up. "My turn," he said, and without waiting for an answer stepped into the small space.
Colleen was sitting on the bed when he came out, and he sat beside her. "Did you get everything you needed today?"
"Yeah. The bookstore was really crowded with everyone getting their books, so it took a while." She looked down, and Andrew took note of her subdued demeanor with arms folded across her stomach. Add in her time in the water closet…
He laid a concerned hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Andrew… I'm sorry. I can't… tonight."
"You can't… oh," he said, as the meaning of her words became clear. He pulled her closer so that her head rested against his chest. "Oh, darling, it's all right. I don't expect… well, after this week, I wasn't expecting us to be together every night. And your menses, that's a good sign. Every time it will mean you're one step closer to earning your degree." She didn't say anything, so Andrew simply held her, rubbing her arm comfortingly. "Do you need me to get you anything?"
Colleen sat up, eyes glistening. Immediately Andrew reached into his pants pocket for his handkerchief.
"Thanks. I have what I need." Colleen dabbed at her tears. She didn't usually cry at this time of the month, but Andrew was just being so kind to her, she couldn't help it. She felt so fortunate that her husband was a doctor who had some knowledge of what her body was going through right now.
"Do you want to skip dinner? I don't mind dining alone tonight if you're not feeling up to it."
"I'm not hungry, but I want to go to dinner. I want to hear all about your lunch with Dr. Sheffield and where we're going to live. I started packing so there wouldn't be as much to do tomorrow." She handed the cloth back to him.
Andrew gave a short nod and tight-lipped smile at her thoughtfulness before stepping over to the mirror to fix his tie. All would be revealed shortly… he'd already verified with the desk clerk that they could stay in the suite another week. He'd swallowed uncomfortably at hearing the cost and briefly considered requesting to be moved to a less expensive room, but that would be so highly embarrassing he dismissed the idea. Fortunately, he had a job waiting for him on Monday to help pay for everything, and before that, a day to ready himself for the idea of being a professor and prepare a first lecture. First, though, would come church - and writing that all-important letter to his parents explaining about their new daughter-in-law.
:
On a bright and clear June morning, Colleen and Andrew again shared a carriage to the Woman's Medical College.
The thought of teaching others still made Andrew a bit anxious. His medical degree from Harvard was noteworthy, to be sure, but it didn't make him a professor. He was only two years out of medical school himself, hardly a seasoned physician who could command respect among medical students - some of whom were even older than he! Up until now he had always been on the receiving end of instruction – first with his own education, then being mentored by Michaela.
It didn't help that the idea of lecturing on the male anatomy in front of a group of young women was highly disquieting! Thankfully, that duty would come much later in the course (following the order of topics as presented by Henry Gray, lessons would begin with the skeleton). Andrew tried to comfort himself with the thought that if it were not for other men who had been willing to endure the discomfort for a couple of hours, women like Michaela Quinn and Emeline Cleveland would not be the doctors they were today. And at least he wouldn't have to cover the physiology of how the parts functioned – that would be Dr. Taylor's responsibility.
Along with the standard first day jitters there was the predictable awkwardness of having Colleen as his student. Etiquette dictated that they address each other as "Dr. Cook" and "Mrs. Cook", which seemed rather absurd; however, if he was going to treat Colleen like any other matriculant, there wasn't any choice in the matter.
There were the expected murmurings when Andrew introduced himself in front of the entire class and admitted that yes, he was related to Mrs. Cook, getting that out of the way early. For the most part, though, the students paid diligent attention the rest of the hour, with a few glancing Colleen's way now and again. Naturally, once the lecture was over, the girls peppered Colleen with questions. As she had when she'd related the story to Deborah and Hannah, Colleen omitted the detail of her husband's slip in the mud, to preserve her husband's dignity. Plus, she liked the fact that some parts of their story were personal, known only to the two of them. Colleen's classmates thought it all very romantic, though some were clearly envious that she had found a handsome, educated man accepting of woman doctors and had already claimed him as hers.
Once Colleen was out of earshot, a small group gathered to speculate.
"How will she ever finish school if she's married?" asked one.
"She won't. Once she's far enough along she'll have to drop out."
"Don't be silly," another student countered. "Dr. Cook wouldn't have let her start the course if he didn't intend on being careful."
That prompted several giggles. "It's no guarantee," said the first student. "My sister wanted to wait a year before starting a family but seven months after the wedding she was expecting."
"Well, even if Colleen doesn't graduate with the rest of us, that doesn't mean she won't be able to become a doctor. It will just take her longer to do so."
That answer seemed to satisfy the naysayers, and the group dispersed.
After that first lecture, Andrew made his way over to the hospital to receive a tour from his new supervisor. Colleen had already informed him from her own tour that Dr. Susan Reed was the hospital's resident physician (the hospital was too small to necessitate a chief of staff) as well as the college's Professor of Diseases of Children. There were thirty beds in all – ten in the children's ward on the second floor and twenty in the woman's ward up on the third – plus a few private rooms for when patients needed to be isolated or for those willing to pay for a private room. A surgical amphitheater on the first floor extended up into the second (thus the fewer number of beds on the second story). The first floor was also the location of the two doctor's offices where patients were examined, plus a small kitchen and staff dining room, and a waiting area just inside the main entrance.
"The aim of the Women's Hospital is for women to be treated by women whenever possible," Dr. Reed stated from the outset. The doctor was in her thirties with blond hair. Andrew didn't see a wedding band, implying she was single. "Especially when it comes to obstetrics or ailments of a delicate nature. You will be handling the more general cases of injury or illness, unless it is an emergency and Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cleveland, and myself are otherwise unavailable. Do I make myself clear?" Her tone was firm, no nonsense, reminding him of his father.
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Regardless of whom you treat, you are to have at least one student or intern present at any examination or procedure, so they can learn from you. I understand you have surgical experience?"
"Yes, two years in Colorado Springs. Most of the time I assisted but I performed several procedures on my own," he said modestly.
"Dr. Wilson is our surgeon, but it can be difficult to reach him in an emergency. He splits his time between us and the colored dispensary in South Philadelphia. It will be handy having you around to fill in when he's otherwise engaged."
"He's your only surgeon?" Andrew asked in surprise.
"Dr. Cleveland has specialized training for obstetrical and gynecological procedures. But Benjamin handles everything else. There are still many patients - and more to the point, their husbands - who believe that men are better suited to the task. They don't even see the irony that when a woman assists as a nurse, she's exposed to the same blood and body parts as the surgeon." Irritation had crept into her voice, and Dr. Reed sighed, a private lament that as slow as society was to accept woman as doctors, it was even slower to accept woman as surgeons. "Any second year matriculant taking the surgical class may serve as an assistant unless you feel the procedure requires the presence of another physician."
Andrew nodded. Colleen had assisted him enough times that it was second nature for him to have a young woman around the surgical table – though the idea of that young woman being someone other than Colleen was a bit of a strange thought. He would just have to adapt again, as he had to everything else.
As for his wife, her busy schedule of lectures and demonstrations and laboratory work and her weekly hospital shift (which would change each month – for June she'd been assigned Friday mornings) and study time in the library was everything she'd always dreamed of – and a perfect excuse for not visiting Mrs. Perling's office as promised on Monday. After all, what was the point of stopping by if she didn't have the information the woman was expecting?
:
"Mrs. Cook? Could you spare a moment?" It was Mrs. Perling in the lobby, spotting Colleen on the second day of school as she was headed to the library with some of the other girls. Knowing she didn't have a valid excuse for ignoring the summons, Colleen told the others she'd join them in a moment and followed the secretary into her office.
"How are you, Mrs. Cook?" Mrs. Perling asked once Colleen was inside and had closed the door.
"I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"
"I'm doing well. It's good to see the college building filled with people again. This place gets a little forlorn between sessions." Colleen smiled politely but remained silent, waiting for the inevitable question. "Miss Eddy told me of your wish for a print of your mother's picture. I'm sorry, but we do not own any extras, and the photographer who took the image is not the same man the college uses now."
Colleen knew it had been a long shot, so the fruitless result wasn't surprising. "That's alright. Thanks for looking into it."
"Of course. I only wish I could have been more helpful. Now then, are you settled in at your new address?"
And there it was. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Perling, we're still at the hotel. Andrew looked for a boarding house, but he said everything near the College was full. He plans to try looking in other parts of town this Saturday."
"I see. Well, I suppose I can use the College address for now, seeing as you'll both be spending considerable time here."
Colleen nodded acknowledgement and turned to head for the door.
"Mrs. Cook?" Colleen turned back around. "I can't promise anything, mind you, but I could try looking into it. A place to stay near the College, I mean. If I don't find anything suitable by Friday, your husband could still resume his search on the weekend."
"That's very kind of you, Mrs. Perling. Thank you."
As she exited the office, Colleen wondered if the woman felt bad about not being able to produce a copy of the photograph and had offered to conduct a search for lodging in an attempt to make up for it. Though it sounded like another long shot to her, as wouldn't Andrew have made a thorough search? But, if it made the woman feel better to try, it wouldn't do any harm.
Thus, it came as a surprise a few days later when a student delivered a note to Colleen at the conclusion of her Practice of Medicine lecture.
Mrs. Cook,
Please stop by my office at your convenience. I might have found something suitable for you and Dr. Cook.
A. Perling
Colleen hadn't bothered mentioning Mrs. Perling's search to Andrew, figuring nothing would come of it. Now, though, Colleen was giddy at the thought of helping her husband out, and she spilled the beans during the carriage ride back to the hotel, too excited to wait for their usual dinner conversation.
Andrew agreed they should meet with Mrs. Perling after Anatomy class on Friday as Colleen would be busy beforehand at the hospital. It would be a great load off his mind if the woman had been able to succeed where he had failed, though a part of him worried that Mrs. Perling might have misinterpreted what he was looking for and had found them a house to rent rather than a room.
There was only one way to find out.
:
"Hello, doctor. Mrs. Cook. Please, have a seat."
"Mrs. Perling, I understand you may have found a place for us to live?" Andrew asked.
"Yes, doctor. There's a two-story rowhouse within walking distance of the College, just as you requested. The owner is willing to let out a room to you - the both of you - and provide meals twice a day. I'm afraid the furnishings are rather basic, not what you're accustomed to at the Liberty, but they're clean and serviceable. Would you like to see it?"
Colleen and Andrew shared a look. What they'd heard so far sounded promising, and simple furnishings were really all that they needed. So long as the roof over their heads didn't leak, it should suffice. "Yes, Mrs. Perling, we would like to see it," Andrew replied, relieved that the end of their lodging dilemma appeared to be in sight. Boarders in private homes typically were men, so this was indeed fortuitous that the secretary was so resourceful in finding one that was willing to accept spouses. "Could you arrange a meeting with the owner for us?"
"I already have." Andrew did a doubletake at the woman's presumption. "I wanted to make sure you were interested first before I embarrassed myself. I'm the owner." Mrs. Perling wore a self-satisfied grin.
Colleen couldn't believe the luck. "We'll be staying with you?"
"Well, that is, if you approve of the room, and we agree to terms…" the woman trailed off, hating to bring up the subject of money.
"I'm sure we will, Mrs. Perling," Andrew said readily, eager to be free of the expense of the hotel.
"I'll expect you tomorrow then, nine o'clock." Mrs. Perling quickly scribbled her address on a slip of paper, and the couple thanked her and left.
"When she offered to look for a place for us, I never thought she meant her own home," Colleen marveled once they were back in the college lobby.
"Yes, it's very generous of her. I confess it's made me curious what her story is, why she's willing to become our landlady."
"I suppose we'll find out tomorrow."
:
:
Author's Notes:
-The RMS Titanic was not the only ship the White Star Line lost while on a westward crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Almost exactly 39 years earlier, the SS Atlantic struck rocks and sank off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada in 1873. It was the ship's nineteenth crossing. 952 people were on board; 535 died. Incidentally, one of the victims was a woman dressed in male attire. It is unknown if this was a woman who desired a life at sea or a transgender man. According to an article in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, April 26, 1873: "She was about twenty or twenty-five years old and had served as a common sailor for three voyages, and her sex was never known until the body was washed ashore and prepared for burial."
-The 16 books (one of them Gray's Anatomy) listed for Colleen's first year course is accurate, taken from the same WMCP pamphlet as her tuition expenses – and that's only half the number! 16 additional were recommended for Obstetrics, Diseases of Women, Diseases of Children, Surgery, and Materia Medica & Therapeutics (which will be Colleen's second year course). Back then the books would have been only $1-2 each, but with so many of them it was another major medical school expense.
-Both the Philadelphia County Medical Society and the Pennsylvania State Medical Society (not to be confused with the fictional "American Medical Society" in the show) passed resolutions discouraging their members from consulting or associating professionally with professors or alumni from the Woman's Medical College. Over time - and with much persistence - the antipathy towards WMCP diminished. The first woman to become a member of the local society was Dr. Mary Willits in 1888.
-Andrew's appointment as a WMCP professor just two years out of medical school isn't unheard of. Dr. Clara Marshall, class of 1875, was the first woman admitted to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy for graduate study and became WMCP Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in 1876 despite objections from some members of the WMCP board concerning her lack of experience. Nevertheless Dr. Marshall continued as an instructor for many years. She became Dean in 1888, serving in that capacity for three decades.