repeat it.”
“We tried to talk them out of biopsying the tumor,” Dr. Mason said. “We can now make the diagnosis of medulloblastoma with an enhanced MRI. But they wouldn’t listen. You see we have to biopsy it regardless of whether they did or not. We have to grow some of her tumor cells in tissue culture. It’s an integral part of the treatment.”
“When can it be done?” John Cabot asked.
“The sooner the better,” Dr. Mason said.
“B UT YOU didn’t have to scream,” Sean said. He was still shaking from the fright he’d experienced when he’d flipped on the light switch.
“I didn’t scream,” Janet said. “I yelled ‘surprise.’ Needless to say, I’m not sure who was more surprised, me, you, or that woman.”
“That woman works for the Forbes Cancer Center,” Sean said. “I’ve told you a dozen times. She’s in their public relations department. She was assigned to deal with me.”
“And dealing with you means coming back to your apartment after ten at night?” Janet asked with scorn. “Don’t patronize me. I can’t believe this. You haven’t even been here twenty-four hours and you have a woman coming to your apartment.”
“I didn’t want to invite her in,” Sean said. “But it was awkward. She’d brought me here this afternoon, then took me to a Forbes function tonight. When we pulled up outside for her to get her car, I thought I’d try to be hospitable. I offered her a beer. I’d already told her I was exhausted. Hell, you’re usually complaining about my lack of social graces.”
“It seems strangely convenient for you to gain some manners just in time to bestow them on a young, attractive female,” Janet fumed. “I don’t think my being skeptical is unreasonable.”
“Well, you’re making more of this than it deserves,” Sean said. “How did you get in here, anyway?”
“They gave me the apartment two doors down,” Janet said. “And you left your sliding door open.”
“Why are they letting you stay here?”
“Because I’ve been hired by the Forbes Cancer Center,” Janet said. “That’s part of the surprise. I’m going to work here.”
For the second time that evening, Janet had Sean stunned. “Work here?” he repeated as if he hadn’t heard correctly. “What are you talking about?”
“I called the Forbes hospital,” Janet said. “They have an active nurses’ recruitment program. They hired me on the spot. They, in turn, called the Florida Board of Nursing and arranged for a temporary 120-day endorsement so I can practice while the paperwork is being completed for my Florida nursing license.”
“What about your job at Boston Memorial?” Sean asked.
“No problem,” Janet said. “They gave me an immediate leave of absence. One of the benefits of being in nursing these days is that we are in demand. We get to call the shots about our terms of employment more than most employees.”
“Well, this is all very interesting,” Sean said. For the moment that was all he could think of to say.
“So we’ll still be working at the same institution.”
“Did you ever think that maybe you should have discussed this idea with me?” Sean asked.
“I couldn’t,” Janet said. “You were on the road.”
“What about before I left?” Sean asked. “Or you could have waited until I’d arrived. I think we should have talked about this.”
“Well, that’s the whole point,” Janet said.
“What do you mean?”
“I came here so we can talk,” Janet said. “I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to talk about us. In Boston you’re so involved with school and your research. Here your schedule will undoubtedly be lighter. We’ll have the time we never had in Boston.”
Sean pushed off the couch and walked over to the open slider. He was at a loss for words. This whole episode of coming to Florida was working out terribly. “How’d you get here?” he asked.
“I flew down and rented a car,” Janet said.
“So
“We tried to talk them out of biopsying the tumor,” Dr. Mason said. “We can now make the diagnosis of medulloblastoma with an enhanced MRI. But they wouldn’t listen. You see we have to biopsy it regardless of whether they did or not. We have to grow some of her tumor cells in tissue culture. It’s an integral part of the treatment.”
“When can it be done?” John Cabot asked.
“The sooner the better,” Dr. Mason said.
“B UT YOU didn’t have to scream,” Sean said. He was still shaking from the fright he’d experienced when he’d flipped on the light switch.
“I didn’t scream,” Janet said. “I yelled ‘surprise.’ Needless to say, I’m not sure who was more surprised, me, you, or that woman.”
“That woman works for the Forbes Cancer Center,” Sean said. “I’ve told you a dozen times. She’s in their public relations department. She was assigned to deal with me.”
“And dealing with you means coming back to your apartment after ten at night?” Janet asked with scorn. “Don’t patronize me. I can’t believe this. You haven’t even been here twenty-four hours and you have a woman coming to your apartment.”
“I didn’t want to invite her in,” Sean said. “But it was awkward. She’d brought me here this afternoon, then took me to a Forbes function tonight. When we pulled up outside for her to get her car, I thought I’d try to be hospitable. I offered her a beer. I’d already told her I was exhausted. Hell, you’re usually complaining about my lack of social graces.”
“It seems strangely convenient for you to gain some manners just in time to bestow them on a young, attractive female,” Janet fumed. “I don’t think my being skeptical is unreasonable.”
“Well, you’re making more of this than it deserves,” Sean said. “How did you get in here, anyway?”
“They gave me the apartment two doors down,” Janet said. “And you left your sliding door open.”
“Why are they letting you stay here?”
“Because I’ve been hired by the Forbes Cancer Center,” Janet said. “That’s part of the surprise. I’m going to work here.”
For the second time that evening, Janet had Sean stunned. “Work here?” he repeated as if he hadn’t heard correctly. “What are you talking about?”
“I called the Forbes hospital,” Janet said. “They have an active nurses’ recruitment program. They hired me on the spot. They, in turn, called the Florida Board of Nursing and arranged for a temporary 120-day endorsement so I can practice while the paperwork is being completed for my Florida nursing license.”
“What about your job at Boston Memorial?” Sean asked.
“No problem,” Janet said. “They gave me an immediate leave of absence. One of the benefits of being in nursing these days is that we are in demand. We get to call the shots about our terms of employment more than most employees.”
“Well, this is all very interesting,” Sean said. For the moment that was all he could think of to say.
“So we’ll still be working at the same institution.”
“Did you ever think that maybe you should have discussed this idea with me?” Sean asked.
“I couldn’t,” Janet said. “You were on the road.”
“What about before I left?” Sean asked. “Or you could have waited until I’d arrived. I think we should have talked about this.”
“Well, that’s the whole point,” Janet said.
“What do you mean?”
“I came here so we can talk,” Janet said. “I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to talk about us. In Boston you’re so involved with school and your research. Here your schedule will undoubtedly be lighter. We’ll have the time we never had in Boston.”
Sean pushed off the couch and walked over to the open slider. He was at a loss for words. This whole episode of coming to Florida was working out terribly. “How’d you get here?” he asked.
“I flew down and rented a car,” Janet said.
“So
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