The last day of October dawned in New Jersey with a magical atmosphere typical of the transition from autumn to winter. The sky was tinged with deep blue and soft orange tones as the sun rose on the horizon, spreading a golden light over the landscape. The trees, dressed in their leaves of red, orange, and yellow, swayed gently in the fresh morning breeze.
The air was invigorating, with a hint of crispness indicating the imminent arrival of the new season. Fallen leaves carpeted the sidewalks, creating a colorful path for passersby. As the city slowly awakened, the inhabitants of New Jersey prepared for another autumn day, making the most of the fleeting beauty of this enchanting season before winter arrived.
In Groove Heights, a neighborhood known for its bustling nightlife with streets full of bars, restaurants, cafés, and cultural spaces, Tony Stark's alarm rang mercilessly at 5:00 AM, breaking the silence of his sophisticated apartment. Without hesitation, he got out of bed, determined to face the new day. Within seconds, he was lacing up his running shoes and heading out for a morning run through the still-sleeping city streets.
The fresh morning air enveloped him as he ran, each step taking him further away from his personal worries. Upon his return, he went straight to the gym in his building, his sanctuary as he liked to call it. The morning workout was the only way to calm his mind before facing the challenges at Metropolis Mercy Hospital.
Back in his apartment, Tony took a quick shower and then savored a cup of black coffee, no frills, while reading the day's news. At exactly 7:30 AM, he left the apartment and headed to the hospital, where an important meeting awaited him.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city in SoHo Gates, a neighborhood near a small grove and natural areas, marked by quiet, tree-lined streets, Pepper Potts woke up a bit later, at 6:00 AM, with the sunrise casting a soft light through the bedroom curtains. She stretched with a yawn, feeling the tranquility of the morning.
After a brief yoga session to calm her mind, the redhead headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Her twins, Eleanor and Theodore, were still sound asleep, so she started making pancakes, their favorite dish.
As the batter sizzled in the pan, Pepper went to wake the twins. She led them to the bathroom and instructed them to take a quick shower, ensuring they wouldn't be late for school. After turning off the stove, she went to her own bathroom, took a quick shower, and got ready for another workday. Returning to her children's room, she helped them with their uniforms and shoes, gave Theo's hair a quick brush, and braided Ellie's favorite style.
Everything seemed perfect, meticulously calculated, but as always, the kids were distracted and playing at the breakfast table, causing everyone to be delayed. The clock on the wall continued to advance, and Pepper knew she needed to speed things up if she wanted to get to the hospital on time.
"Ellie, hurry up! And be careful with your uniform; we don't have time for a wardrobe change," she warned her daughter, who, being younger than her brother, often ended up spilling on her clothes.
"Yeah, little baby! Be careful," her son teased.
"We're the same age."
"But I'm older."
"By six minutes!" the girl emphasized, knowing the difference meant nothing.
"Hey, you two, don't make me come over there!" the older woman warned a bit louder, hearing immediate silence. "Now finish up, we need to leave."
Eleanor and Theodore shared a deep bond since they were babies. They spent hours playing, exploring the world together, and sharing secrets only they understood. However, as they grew, it was inevitable that some squabbles would arise. That morning was no exception.
The twins' arguments were frequent but never serious. They were just typical sibling squabbles, learning to express themselves and assert their personalities as they grew. The laughter and play, although sometimes accompanied by disputes, were an important part of the family's daily life.
To Pepper, the small disagreements between her children were a sign that they were growing and developing their personalities. She knew that at the end of the day, the special bond they shared outweighed any fleeting disagreements, which made her job as a single mother much easier.
A few minutes late, the Potts family left their home. The redhead took the kids to school and then headed to the hospital. That morning, she had an important meeting scheduled to start at 8:00 AM, so she wasn't surprised when the other board members gave her disapproving looks as she arrived after 8:20.
"Sorry for the delay," she said as she entered the imposing meeting room, taking the only empty seat at the large table, right next to her friend and neonatal surgeon Natasha Romanoff. "There was an accident between Lane and Meadowbrook, so traffic was terrible, and I had to take a detour."
"And even then, it didn't do much good," she heard a low remark from the opposite side of the table, followed by an almost inaudible, "Stop being an idiot." Of course, she didn't need to look in the direction of the voices to know who it was: Anthony Stark, neurosurgeon, and Bruce Banner, general surgeon.
"Dr. Potts, glad you could join us," said Coralina Harrison, the board president. "We were discussing the evaluation and approval of investments in state-of-the-art medical equipment, health information systems, and technologies that can enhance the care provided. We received a proposal from a new company, and it's in the memo sent to your emails," she explained. "This also brings us to the second item on our agenda, a review of the hospital's current budget, including expenses, revenues, and financial projections. As you know, we're working on building new facilities and renovating existing ones, so we need to restructure our plan to maintain the monthly income at 80 million dollars."
"And how are we supposed to increase our income by 15 million per month?" Bruce Banner asked, scanning the table to see if everyone was as puzzled as he was.
"That mission will fall to the chief of surgery and, upon evaluation, will be brought to the board for explanation."
"But this doesn't fall to the interim chief," Natasha spoke up. "In fact, it's not even the full responsibility of the chief of surgery in regular practice."
Cora looked around the room, noticing the tension that filled the meeting space. She took a deep breath before speaking again.
"As many of you know, over the past few months, the board of directors has been closely monitoring the performance of doctors in our hospital in search of the next chief of surgery. The selection process has been anything but easy, due to the fact that the candidates have extremely similar performance numbers, as well as impressive characteristics and résumés."
A heavy silence hung in the air as everyone in the room considered the words of the gray-haired, gray-eyed woman. It was clear that the competition for the position of chief of surgery had reached a stalemate.
"Therefore, the board has decided that the tiebreaker criterion will be the creation of a financial project to raise the additional 15 million dollars per month that we need," Cora continued. "This is a challenge we present to you, and it will be the primary factor that determines who will be the next chief of surgery at our hospital."
The surgeons present nodded, processing the information. The idea of choosing the chief based on financial skills was new and challenging. They knew they would have to prepare intensely for this task.
"And, as I mentioned, the position of chief of surgery will be available in four months, starting on March 1st next year." Directing her gaze exclusively at Tony and Pepper, Cora continued. "This should give you enough time to develop solid projects that not only increase our income but also improve our efficiency and the quality of care we provide to patients."
And, of course, this did not go unnoticed by their colleagues, and soon someone at the table dared to ask the question on everyone's mind.
"Will this be an open competition?" someone asked.
Cora smiled, giving a straightforward answer. "In fact, the decision has already been made. It will be a competition between Anthony Stark and Virginia Potts. They are the two doctors vying for the position of chief of surgery."
A wave of murmurs swept through the room, and all eyes turned to the dark-haired man and the redhead. Both took deep breaths, surprised, but at the same time feeling the excitement of the opportunity that lay ahead.
They knew the competition would be challenging but also a chance to showcase their skills and leadership. Tony and Pepper exchanged meaningful glances, aware of their own desires to win. The competition was on, and the future of Metropolis Mercy Hospital was now in their hands.