A Heart Healed

Chapter 5

Naomi

The next morning, Naomi didn’t really feel like getting out of bed so early. Although she was on morning shift again, her body just didn’t feel like it got enough sleep the previous night. Chances were that she probably didn’t since she had absolutely no idea at what time she managed to fall asleep, but it was definitely somewhere before four in the morning.

At least she thought so.

Why couldn’t she sleep? Well, it definitely had everything to do with the transfer application forms she had stacked on her bedside table that stared at her as she laid underneath the smooth material of her blanket. It was starting to get chillier by the day, so she definitely had to dig out the duvet eventually. Heaven knows the bundle of fur dozing curled up against her chest wasn’t providing any heat, rather taking it for herself.

She gently ran her hand over Iris’ fur, thinking of the night before.

After dinner with Marc, she had been called to see Dr. Adamson and the Director of the hospital, who she was honestly surprised was still at the hospital that time of night. Her heart was beating wildly the entire walk up, any calm she had felt that night seemed to give way to worry about what this was about. Last she checked, there wasn’t anything that she had majorly screwed up on.

Naomi had even become on good terms with Marc, who was practically a celebrity around there due to his fortune.

By the time she had reached the man’s office, her hands were a little shaky in the pockets of her coat. What was going to happen to her career now? Was it something good or bad?

It had taken all of her courage to knock on the door. A muffled “come in” had beckoned her inside and she was greeted by a smiling Dr. Adamson as well as the Director of Medicine, an older man who somehow reminded her of an older version of her brother with his dark skin and grey hairs that peppered his chin and head, combined with a relaxed look in his eye. When she scanned his office for any sign of a name, one of the certificates on the wall read Dr. Lincoln.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” she asked, not sure which one she should be addressing. It didn’t look like she was in trouble. Even the thought relaxed her by a couple of notches.

“Come in and have a seat, Dr. Bennett,” the director said, gesturing towards the armchairs in front of her desk. She did, folding her hands over her each other on her lap in the hope they didn’t notice her nervousness of the situation. Dr. Adamson joined the two of them in the chair next to hers, looking rather pleased about something that he wasn’t telling her yet.

“You can relax. It’s something good,” he whispered to her, and Naomi’s eyes widened as she looked to the director as if for confirmation.

“It’s more of an opportunity. Due to the commendations from your supervisor as well as other members of staff when it came to your time as a resident, we feel that this,” the man looked around on his desk for something before picking up a page and handing it to her, “would be a good next step for your career.”

Naomi looked down at the page to see that it was a transfer notice. It was only when she saw the hospital name that was printed on it that she looked back at the director in shock. This had to be a joke or something, right? This was the one of the best hospitals in the country! Even interns there were usually from the top of their classes in medical school. Naomi had even tried her luck when she had first graduated but she had not gotten it then.

Why now?

“How is this possible?” she asked, looking at the men around her. “I don’t understand.”

Dr. Adamson was the one who spoke up this time. “I may have had a hand in this. Having several friends on the board of that hospital is one of the benefits of working as hard as I do. I told them that I had a skilled junior doctor who deserved the challenge of working with others like herself and they were willing to offer me the spot to send her. She just had to apply for it.”

Me? Was he sure? Naomi wasn’t sure if she should weep in joy or confusion. This was practically a promotion in its own way and yet she wasn’t sure if she should take it. The idea of leaving everything behind just like that to move to a new place on the other side of the country was a huge decision. She’d be leaving her friends, her brother, and in a weird way, she thought of the man she’d been having dinner with earlier.

Could she do that?

“Sir, can I have some time to think about it?” Naomi asked.

The director nodded. “Of course. Your contract here is still valid for another two months after all, by then we can either arrange for the transfer or to renew. Take all the time you need. However, don’t take too long. Opportunities like this don’t come around often.”

That was that. Afterwards, she had been dismissed with the stack of forms in her arms and what she thought was supposed to be comforting pat on the shoulder by Dr. Adamson after he walked her out. It was only when he returned into the office and shut the door that she could feel the emotions run through her. She was both excited and yet, why was she so unsure?

The longer she stared at the name of that hospital on the paper, the more Naomi wasn’t sure if she wanted to go. She hadn’t told Olivia yet, not even Julian. Her brother would tell her to go for it since he was usually her biggest supporter, but would he be able to cope with her being so far away? It was enough that she lived on the other side of town already but to live on the other side of the country?

Naomi glanced down at Iris again as the cat purred again against her side peacefully. At least if she went, she’d still have her cat with her.

But that wasn’t enough, wasn’t it?

*****

“You’re recovering quite nicely, Ezra,” Naomi commented, showing him the x-rays the radiology lab had just taken. “You could actually spend the rest of your recovery at home soon if you wanted to. That brother of yours would just have to organize a way for you to come back for physical therapy for your arms and legs.”

Ezra’s smile grew bright, reminding her somehow of what sunshine would look like if it was a human form. With similar features to his brother, apart from the air of innocent happiness he seemed to radiate lately, he very well could have been the sun. “Really?” She nodded. “That’s awesome!”

“Of course, that also depends on whether there’s someone to look after you full time since I don’t recommend trying to move until your casts are off.”

“When will they come off?” he asked.

“Just before you leave, but the person who’s going to look after you has to come in for some last-minute instructions, okay? Especially when it comes to your bathroom habits.”

The blush that bloomed on his face just made Naomi want to laugh. How precious. She knew he was a fully-grown man, but how could he seem so young at the age of twenty-five? This family of his had some really good genetics if this was the case. Then again, how old was his brother?

“Hey, Ezra, I want to ask you something before we head back to your room.”

“Yeah? What is it, Doctor?” Gosh, she really hoped this wasn’t an odd question.

“How old is your brother?”

His brows raised in confusion for a second before his face turned into an amused smirk. This is definitely Marc’s brother with that look, was Naomi’s first thought.