The Surgeon

Chapter 2: Beverly

After my wonderful interaction with Mr. NoName, I was on edge. I walked to my SUV in the dead of night, deserted parking lot of the hospital. At least he wasn't waiting for me or going to follow me home. I got into my car locking all the doors. I gripped the steering wheel letting out a loud sigh. I can't believe I was held at gunpoint over a brainless student. What is even happening with my life right now. I am starting to think his whole being put on my service wasn't a coincidence in the first place like everyone made it seem. It's why the man wasn't volunteering for services. He just wanted to observe a God at work. You can learn just sitting in the background. You don't get noticed like that. Unless the teacher is me. I notice everything.

I started up my car and pulled out of the parking lot headed to my apartment. I have only been living in Texas for a short period of time. The lone star state. I pulled into my complex punching in the numbers for the gate. I was only ten minutes from the hospital. I did that on purpose. I am always on call and response time is everything. I used to volunteer as a fireman, EMT for the local fire department while going through med school. It was an adrenalin rush, but it gave me the skill for thinking in pressure situations being life or death.

I pulled into my garage. I shut off my car and sat there. What the hell am I going to do about Levi now that I think about it. What if I can't whip him into shape, what then? Does he kill Levi? Does he... Does he kill me? I rested my head back letting out a sigh. A loud knock came to my window causing me to jump. I grabbed my chest looking into the eyes of Beverly my neighbor.

I sighed getting out of the SUV "Hi, Beverly what's wrong?"

She smiled at me "I should be asking you that. I noticed you didn't get out of your car after you pulled in. It's been 45 minutes. Rough day at work?"

All I could do was nod. I didn't even want to speak or think of the events that happened today. She sighed "Come here, dear." She hugged me. Beverly smelled like popery and flowers. When I moved in here Beverly was the only neighbor that was kind to me. She made me dinner one night when I worked a 48-hour shift. Since then, I have taken care of her. Her kids never come to see her. She talks about them all the time. I have never met them nor do I know their names, but Beverly loves them. I don't. Anyone who ignores Beverly is on my shit list. I work around the clock, and I still find time to spend with her.

We broke our hug "I am off the next 10 hours, want to play rummy?"

She laughed "You should get some sleep. It's already nine at night."

I shrugged "I only worked 18 hours today and I know you will be up for the next three hours."

She patted my shoulder "You know me so well, Manny." She was the only one since my mom to call me Manny. I only let Beverly call me that, she's also the only one who knows. Beverly is the only person I truly consider family. I have none.

We sat at her kitchen table. She always made me come to her place. She said mine was too fancy and made her feel like she couldn't sit on my furniture. She's asked me time and time again to make it more homie, but I love the modern feel of no one living there. I don't even live there it's a place to sleep when I'm not sleeping in the on-call rooms.

She walked over with our deck of cards. We have one photo together, Beverly and I hugging on a bench at the park. A random person walking by took it for us and she had it printed on the deck of cards as well as printed it off to hang on her wall. I was the only one on her walls. She said her kids didn't want to be photographed as adults. Their baby pictures, however, are plastered everywhere. "Manny?"

I turned back to her "Sorry Beverly, I have been distracted. Let me see..." I looked down at the table she had already played three Aces "Damn Beverly! Who shuffled this deck?"

She giggled "You my dear."

As the night went on Beverly beat me every round. She's the rummy queen. I mostly let her win. I got up while she shuffled headed to the fridge for water. "Wait, Manny, don't!"

I opened the fridge, and nothing was in it. I looked at her confused "Beverly, why is your fridge empty?"

She bowed her head and started to sob. I looked in the cabinets and found ramen noodles. I looked back at her furiously "Let me guess your 'Kids' didn't send money for food?" She sighed looking at her hands "How long Beverly, how long has this been going on?"

"About two months."

I looked at her shocked "You have been eating ramen for two months?! What about rent?"

She got up digging in her junk drawer pulling out a pink paper saying final notice. I looked up at her with wide eyes "You are joking. Beverly, you know you can come to me with this stuff. I will get it sorted out and get you food here by nine am."

She shook her head with tears. She put her hand on my shoulder "No, Manny I can't accept anything from you."

I rolled my eyes "You know I make $500,000 plus a year, right?"

Her eyes got wide "Please, I couldn't ask this of you. My kids will remember sometime."

I put my hands on my hips pursing my lips. I finally spoke "How about this. I pay for everything, and they pay me back. "

She shook her head "I can't. They are unreliable."

I chuckled "I know, Beverly. Let me do this for you. You mean so much to me you are my family. The only family I have."

She started to cry "Ok, fine my dear. You have no idea how grateful I am for you."

I rolled my eyes "Beverly, you need new kids."

She laughed. I pulled my phone out calling my personal chef and shopper. I stepped out of her apartment as she cleaned up the cards.

"Hello Dr. Young, how may I help you?"

"I need 10 meals prepped every week for a Beverly. I will send over allergies and diet restrictions. They are to be here every Sunday at nine in the morning."

"When does this start?"

I let out a sigh "Tomorrow. I need them all here for her tomorrow. This Sunday."

I heard him pause "Ok, it's going to be tight."

"I know. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't an emergency."

"I am going to have to charge extra for short notice...I apologize if..."

I cut him off "I don't care the price. Bill me everything to my account. Price doesn't matter."

"Ok, I will have those to her by the afternoon. Is that, ok?"

"Fine."

I hung up. I can't believe her own kids forgot this shit. I set a reminder to call the landlord in the morning to pay for her rent. I walked back into her apartment while I was texted my personal shopper a grocery list to be delivered by nine in the morning. Beverley is usually up by then. I walked in to see her sitting at the table reading her newspaper. She looked up at me "Good morning, Manny. No work today?"

I looked at her funny. "Beverly it's nighttime? Are you feeling, ok?"

She looked around the apartment like she was confused about where she was. I walked over to her scanning her pupils. "Beverly, what day is it?"

She smiled into thin air "It's my son's wedding day of course!"

Sporadic emotions, loss of time, and dilation ofpupils. Beverly has a tumor.