Sincerely, Dr. Cruz

Twelve: Bets of Ben

Chapter Twelve: Bets of Ben
Rhode Island Hospital: Providence, Rhode Island

The presentation was a success.

After spending literally an hour shaking hands with a bunch of grey haired doctors and saying ‘thank you’ nonstop, I finally sat down at lunch with Kat and Jaya. Oh, and Armando.

“How was it!?” Jaya asked wide eyed.

“It went exactly as we planned! I couldn’t even fathom how amazing the presentation worked out.”

“That’s amazing! I’m really happy for you Rei.” Kat said, squeezing my hand across the table.

“Yeah… I’m happy for myself too I guess.”

“So, completely off topic but did anything—”

“No Kat. Just stop.” I said, my eyes opening wide as I realized what she was hinting at.

“But—”

“No!” I said, exasperated.

“No what?” Armando asked, clearly amused by our conversation.

“Nothing.” I said quickly.

“Well—” Kat began.

“I will hurt you. Maybe not physically but I will find ways to hurt you.” I said with an edgy tone to my voice.

“Good Lord.” Kat said as she mumbled to herself and continued eating.

Why were they so stuck on Neal and I?

_______

“Can you hand me that file there to your left?”

“Huh?”

“I mean to your right, sorry.”

“Dr., are you alright?” I asked as I handed him the file.

“Huh—yeah it’s just—have you seen my red pen anywhere?””

“It’s right here Dr. Stark. Here, sit down and just calm down for a bit. What happened?”

“Nothing really important…” Neal said after he sat down and sighed.

“Look, you’re usually positive and calm. This isn’t like you. Something has to be on your mind.”

“I guess I’m just wired up will all of this work.”

“We’ve had more.”

“Damn. Nothing gets past you now does it?”

“Nope.” I said, popping the ‘p’ sound as much as I could.

“It’s nothing serious, I swear.”

“Really? Is that why you look like you got hit by a train this morning?”

“Blunt now, aren’t we?”

“Sorry!” I said immediately as Neal began to laugh.

“It’s just I’ve been having to deal with a lot of stuff at home as well as here and I think it’s finally getting to me.”  

“Really? Is it that live-in girlfriend of yours?” I asked, joking around.

“If you mean the non-existent one, then yeah it’s totally her.”

“Is there any way I can help?”

“Not really—I mean… not exactly. I don’t know.”

“Honestly though, what’s bugging you? I’m not a gossip crazed reporter you know.”

“Right, because all gossip crazed reporters worry about what annoys a doctor.”

“Okay, so you just admitted to having something annoy you. Now, what may that be?”

“Reina.”

“Come on! I want to be able to help you out! Plus it’s not fun to work with someone who forgets where they placed their prized red pen.”

“Ouch.” Neal said, smiling and placing his hand over his heart as if to signify that he was really hurting.

“Look Dr., I just want to be able to help you out here and there. If its personal—“

“It’s not, really. I just don’t know how to tell you… or if you’d be able to help really.”

“Okay, but dealing with it internally isn’t bound to help either. Is there anyone that you could talk to?”

“Not really.”

“Oh…”

“I mean, unless you want to try to help…”

My voice changed from persuasive to soft within a matter of seconds. “I would like that very much.”

“Well, I guess it’s just… I feel like I’ve been relying on other people too much outside of work.”

“Oh… well it depends on what you’re relying on them for.”

“I rely on them as babysitters.”

“Babysitters?”

“Yeah… for my son—Ben.”

AN: I’m posting the next chapter in like two seconds because a) this one was ridiculously short and b) I need to get as much as I can uploaded before school starts.