First Lies Are Never Forgotten

Chapter 5

Scarlett

"Dr. Moore, Congratulations on Mia Arnold's surgery last week. She left today right?"

"Thank you, chief. Yes, she did. I would've liked to keep her more, but they were too excited to leave when I told them everything looks good."

Chief Lou is the most kind woman I have ever met, and I am saying that even after knowing Addison. Chief Lou is even more kind and generous. She is the definition of the best chief of chiefs ever. She's trying to find ways to fix the system and make our hospital better even though it is the hardest thing to do here.

I like her. She was an Ortho attending before the chief and I always admired her. She worked closely with Addison when they did research together on a certain group of bones of...players of something. I don't know, whenever Addison talks about sports involving a ball, especially bloody soccer, I shut it out. I just can't hear about it.

Sometimes I hate myself, because Addison is an amazing sports doctor and therapist; she really cares and she has a great dream of owning a center that will come true when her and Aaron finish building it.

When she became chief, Addison told me everything about the woman and how her mind works. I got really close to her and we became friends, or at least good colleagues. I like and respect the woman, and I think she feels the same way towards me. I just hope she likes me enough to give me the chief of pediatrics spot.

I know why she's here today. She's here to tell me what will happen after Dr. Anderson retires. I heard some nurses talking about his retirement arrangement last week.

"They always are." She smiled kindly. "Listen, Scarlett. I just wanted to let you know that Dr. Anderson is retiring soon, and as you may know my system of choosing a new chief for any department, is that I will be assessing my doctors and deciding which will get the job starting now. I'll announce my choice at the charity event we have each year with the fire department, next month."

"I will be inviting the doctors from the hospital to events and dinners with me and I'll join in on some surgeries. I have high hopes for you Dr. Moore, I would love to get to know you more than just knowing how brilliant you are in an O.R. I have a couple of candidates from outside the hospital that I may consider after my inner assessment, but I would much rather hire from inside."

She gives me another smile, nods and starts to leave. She halts her movement, "The board members think you are..." She's trying to find the polite way to say them, but she won't find any.

"A stone cold bitch? Chief Lou, interns call me Ice queen. I know."

She laughs lightly and continues. "All I am trying to say is, show us another side of you that I know is inside there somewhere. I am rooting for you, Moore. You've got the lowest mortality rate in peds, you really care and your hands are miracle workers, so...you deserve it." She nods and leaves with a kind smile.

I love this woman. I love today. I want this, I want to be chief of peds. I think I could do many things to help enhance our programs, I also have many plans to make it better for interns under our service and our patients too. I want new rooms for the kids and toys. I also-

You are getting ahead of yourself, Scar!

Right. I need to focus on the board first. I need to win them.

...How will I do that again?

I don't like any of them. Actually, two of them, I don't even know that well, and the others are two old men who only want to grab my arse, fetch them a glass of stinky bourbon, and call me dolly.

Who knows these people well?

Ah! My perfect best friend. I don't think there is a doctor Addison hasn't worked with. She really did accomplish a lot at our young age. I am so proud of her.