Chapter 55 - The Two New Interns

"Hmm, Grandpa, do you know why Patrick and Emily broke-up in the past?" Rachel asked her grandpa in anticipation hoping at least he might know the reason.

"No dear how would I know"

"Hmm, right, I thought since Patrick and you are close he might have told you. Anyway, Grandpa did you have dinner?"

"Of course I did, Michael was here, we had dinner together and he left just before you came."

"Oh okay, I'll go and sleep now, I am really tired."

"Sure dear."

"Good night grandpa" Rachel pecked him on the cheek and left. James looked at her in worry.

After reaching her room, she called Patrick and then Daniel to inform them she reached safely and then she went to sleep after changing into comfortable night clothes.

Daniel felt much better after Rachel informed him about her reaching home safely, he too then went to sleep with some worried thoughts.

...

Next Day St Christian City Hospital

Daniel was in a meeting with the two new interns who were recently allotted to work under him, Lisa and Steve.

"Welcome onboard Dr Lisa and Dr Steve." Daniel greeted them.

"Thank you sir" they replied in unison.

"Call me Dr Daniel"

They nodded in agreement.

"Since it is your official first day, I'll be explaining some things to you two in advance, being an intern is not an easy job, this is where the future of your journey as a doctor begins. Don't hesitate to ask any questions, you can ask the same question a 100 times, I don't mind but ensure all your doubts are cleared. Assist me in every operation, if there are no operations then study the old cases, see how a particular case was dealt with, there are records and documents on every case. Some operations are even recorded on video, see those videos and get accustomed to the procedures. During operations I would be asking you questions on the procedure if you are right and I feel confident then I'll also let you guys participate in the operation with me." Daniel explained as a dutiful mentor.

Lisa and Steve got excited and really liked Daniel, he was completely different from how they assumed him to be. They heard doctors in high positions bully the new interns and treat them like their personal assistant, but they understood by his words that he is different and they felt they would really learn a lot of things from him.

"Thank you Dr Daniel, I'll work very hard." Dr Emily excitedly announced.

"Me too Dr Daniel" Steve added.

"Good, I'll now forward my schedule to you too, always reach the OR 30 mins before the operation, read the case before you come and also get accustomed to the Operation Room"

"Yes Doctor" they again replied in unison.

"Also…" Daniel wanted to ask something but he felt hesitant and didn't know how to ask the thing that has been bothering him about these two.

Seeing his reaction Steve and Emily, both were able to understand he wanted to ask something but he was hesitating to do so.

"Dr Daniel if there is something bothering you please let us know, we won't mind." Steve spoke up on behalf of the two.

"You two went to the same high school, then to the same medical school, took up the same major and now you two are working in the same hospital, in the same department, under the same person. Why are you two … umm always together, is it a coincidence or you two are so habituated to each other that you prefer sticking together?"

He wanted to ask if they were dating but couldn't bring himself to ask that directly.

Daniel doesn't prefer meddling in other people's personal lives but these two would be working under him and he wanted to be sure of what is happening around.

"Hahahaha" Lisa laughed out loud, Steve too chuckled at Daniel's question.

"What?" Daniel asked, confused with their reaction.

"I understand Dr Daniel, a lot of our close friends and our families think we are dating but no we are not, we were in the same school and then we both wanted to study medicine, coincidentally we ended up at the same college. Since we already know each other we used to hang out a lot but we are only good friends, we have no such romantic feelings, then it was decided Lisa would work here and I have a personal reason to join this hospital and we both majored in neurology and this is the only department here and although there are lot of doctors in the Neurology department, we requested for you seeing your profile and that's how we ended up being together here too, it all happened naturally, not intentionally." Steve explained

"Okay then. Don't mind me asking it, it's just that if you are dating your colleague it can affect your professional life too and as doctors we can't afford it unless you guys can really keep your personal and professional lives apart and can manage well. That's it" Daniel still felt a need to explain his earlier question.

"No worries Dr Daniel, we understand" Lisa replied.

Daniel then sent them a few files.

"Okay guys study the cases I have sent you, it has documents, video files and all the other important details and based on the schedules we will operate on people, so study the cases accordingly."

"Sure Doctor" they replied.

"You may leave now"

The two interns then left. 

Daniel then went through some files and scheduled a meeting with one of his patients. He then decided to go for a coffee break and went towards the vending machine.

Matt was already there buying a coffee for himself.

"Hey Dr. Matthew," Daniel cheerfully wished.

"Hey Daniel, call me Matthew didn't I already tell you no formalities please."

"Hahaha I was kidding, how was your reunion last night?" Daniel asked.

"It was good, but I wished you came too." 

Yesterday Matthew invited Daniel for their reunion, initially he promised Daniel he would invite him to meet his friends so he did invite him yesterday but it was his friends' reunion so Daniel felt it would be awkward to go so randomly uninvited and politely declined Matthew's offer.

"It was your friends' reunion, how can you invite me? It would have been so awkward for a stranger to come uninvited." Daniel explained.

"But I invited you so how were you uninvited, I and Emily know you so you are not a stranger either." Matt protested.

Daniel chuckled at his words, "That's not how reunions should be, it was your time with your old friends."

"Yeah but I knew it would be a bit awkward that was the reason I invited you, you would have been a good distraction there, I would have felt much better too."

"Why would it be awkward?"

"It is a bit complicated."

Daniel nodded although he didn't understand what Matthew was talking about but he decided not to ask anything more as it sounded personal, "I guess yesterday was a reunion day." Daniel decided to change the topic but subtly.

"Why? You too met your old friends?"

"No, but a friend of mine too went for a reunion yesterday."

"A friend? Female friend?" Matt's interest suddenly got ignited.

Daniel knew it was a trap and was wondering what to answer, just then Emily too came there for some coffee but she seemed lost.

"Hey Emily, What's up with you?" Daniel decided to ignore Matt.

"Hey Daniel, nothing much." She replied and bought a coffee for herself from the machine.

Daniel looked at Matthew signalling him, 'What's wrong with her?'

Matt signaled back, 'Nothing, she is fine' 

"By the way how did you spend your holidays this weekend?" Matthew asked Daniel.

Daniel skipped his Saturday date with Rachel and told him what he did on Sunday, "I shifted all my belongings to the new apartment I bought, it took a lot of time but it is all sorted now." Jimmy helped Daniel in shifting so he was able to sort things faster.

"Oh, that's great, which area did you buy a house in?" Matthew asked.

"Upper Riverside, Greenwich Peninsula." Daniel answered.

"Man that's awesome, me and Emily too live in Greenwich Peninsula. We should hang out with each other."

"Yeah, I am planning to throw a housewarming party soon. You and Emily should definitely come, we will have a lot of fun." Daniel smiled.

"Yeah sounds amazing, I hope you have single female friends." Matt hopefully asked.

Daniel pretended like he was thinking and this increased Matthew's hopes as he looked at Daniel with more anticipation.

"Actually no, I don't." He lied. Daniel has a lot of female friends who are single but he wanted to have fun teasing Matt.

Matt got disappointed and said, "Then count me out." 

Daniel chuckled hearing his words and looking at his sad face and said, "Sure, I'll not invite you then."

Emily who was calm, upset and seemed lost till now laughed hearing Daniel's words