be the next victim in Matt’s viewfinder. Troy didn’t blame them. Live and let live. He wouldn’t have jumped into the fray like Valerie had. He would have been one of the cowards sitting and watching.
Glaring at Valerie, Matt knocked Troy’s pile of charts off the table. “Good thing I don’t hit girls. This isn’t over, Saunders. Just stay out of my way and I might let you finish first year.”
“That’s not up to you,” Valerie called after him as Matt stormed out of the room.
Troy shook his head. “I’m not sure you’re right about that Valerie. He has a lot of pull here. You know his dad is on the hospital board, right?”
Valerie bent down and picked up the charts, placing each one on the table. She raised her eyebrows, considering Troy. “You don’t know, do you?”
Confused, Troy shook his head. “I guess I don’t. What are you talking about?”
“Matt and I were brought in under the same scholarship program. Our parents are both on the board. My mom is the president and CEO of the hospital. So my Queen trumps his Jack, so to speak.” Valerie spoke in a quiet voice that only Troy could hear.
He kneeled down to help her. “Does Matt know?”
Valerie laughed. “I don’t think so. Mom goes by her maiden name. So in Matt’s mind, I’m just as much a peon as the rest of the interns. Believe me, I’ve mentioned Matt’s behavior several times over the dinner table. I’m sure one more incident and his dad’s going to find out what a little shit he’s raised.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Troy pulled Valerie to her feet.
“Oh, the pleasure is all mine.” Valerie patted Troy on the arm. “Now get busy so you can eat lunch with the group today. We’ve been missing your witty charm.”
Troy opened the first chart and started reading the updates. However, his thoughts kept going back to Matt and Valerie. For two people both raised in privilege, they couldn’t be more different from each other. Nature versus nurture in action. Luckily Valerie liked him. Good can win over evil.
* * *
“These flowers are beautiful,” Annie smelled the red roses bundled in a sea of baby’s breath. She looked down at a smiling Bess. “From your honey?”
“Nope. Read the card.”
Annie searched the flower for an envelope. “Are you sure it’s not too private?”
Bess shook her head. “I already read it. There wasn’t a name on the envelope. The flowers were just here. You read the card.”
Confused, Annie pulled the little card out of the envelope. She read the words aloud. “Annie, looking forward to seeing you this weekend. I have an important question to ask you. Craig.”
“Craig. Isn’t he the guy you were dating back home? So what’s he going to ask you? Are you getting married? Why didn’t you tell me you already had a man on the line?” Bess rapid fired her questions at Annie.
“Anything Craig is going to ask me, he’s already asked and that boat has sailed.” Annie threw the card in the trash. “Do you want the flowers here or should I throw them away too? It doesn’t matter to me one way or another.”
“You don’t want them? But isn’t this Craig going to ask you to marry him? That’s what the note says.” Bess looked confused.
Annie sank into her chair. “Listen. I know the flowers are beautiful. We can keep them on the station or give them to one of the patients. I don’t care. Really. Craig is out of my life and will never be allowed back in. Ever. Not after what he did.”
“What could the man have done that was so bad?”
A call light buzzed. Annie flipped off the light and stood. “He left me at the altar. Literally. In my white dress and all our relatives watching. His note claimed he wasn’t ready. I’ll get the call.”
Annie walked down the hall. The Band-Aid which had covered that wound in her soul needed patting down. She knew she didn’t love Craig. Not now, and, if she was honest, probably not then. His change of heart propelled
Glaring at Valerie, Matt knocked Troy’s pile of charts off the table. “Good thing I don’t hit girls. This isn’t over, Saunders. Just stay out of my way and I might let you finish first year.”
“That’s not up to you,” Valerie called after him as Matt stormed out of the room.
Troy shook his head. “I’m not sure you’re right about that Valerie. He has a lot of pull here. You know his dad is on the hospital board, right?”
Valerie bent down and picked up the charts, placing each one on the table. She raised her eyebrows, considering Troy. “You don’t know, do you?”
Confused, Troy shook his head. “I guess I don’t. What are you talking about?”
“Matt and I were brought in under the same scholarship program. Our parents are both on the board. My mom is the president and CEO of the hospital. So my Queen trumps his Jack, so to speak.” Valerie spoke in a quiet voice that only Troy could hear.
He kneeled down to help her. “Does Matt know?”
Valerie laughed. “I don’t think so. Mom goes by her maiden name. So in Matt’s mind, I’m just as much a peon as the rest of the interns. Believe me, I’ve mentioned Matt’s behavior several times over the dinner table. I’m sure one more incident and his dad’s going to find out what a little shit he’s raised.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Troy pulled Valerie to her feet.
“Oh, the pleasure is all mine.” Valerie patted Troy on the arm. “Now get busy so you can eat lunch with the group today. We’ve been missing your witty charm.”
Troy opened the first chart and started reading the updates. However, his thoughts kept going back to Matt and Valerie. For two people both raised in privilege, they couldn’t be more different from each other. Nature versus nurture in action. Luckily Valerie liked him. Good can win over evil.
* * *
“These flowers are beautiful,” Annie smelled the red roses bundled in a sea of baby’s breath. She looked down at a smiling Bess. “From your honey?”
“Nope. Read the card.”
Annie searched the flower for an envelope. “Are you sure it’s not too private?”
Bess shook her head. “I already read it. There wasn’t a name on the envelope. The flowers were just here. You read the card.”
Confused, Annie pulled the little card out of the envelope. She read the words aloud. “Annie, looking forward to seeing you this weekend. I have an important question to ask you. Craig.”
“Craig. Isn’t he the guy you were dating back home? So what’s he going to ask you? Are you getting married? Why didn’t you tell me you already had a man on the line?” Bess rapid fired her questions at Annie.
“Anything Craig is going to ask me, he’s already asked and that boat has sailed.” Annie threw the card in the trash. “Do you want the flowers here or should I throw them away too? It doesn’t matter to me one way or another.”
“You don’t want them? But isn’t this Craig going to ask you to marry him? That’s what the note says.” Bess looked confused.
Annie sank into her chair. “Listen. I know the flowers are beautiful. We can keep them on the station or give them to one of the patients. I don’t care. Really. Craig is out of my life and will never be allowed back in. Ever. Not after what he did.”
“What could the man have done that was so bad?”
A call light buzzed. Annie flipped off the light and stood. “He left me at the altar. Literally. In my white dress and all our relatives watching. His note claimed he wasn’t ready. I’ll get the call.”
Annie walked down the hall. The Band-Aid which had covered that wound in her soul needed patting down. She knew she didn’t love Craig. Not now, and, if she was honest, probably not then. His change of heart propelled
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