The Doc Is In

Introduction

"Your mother has only a few days left to live, Ms. Lance." Mom's doctor, Mikhail Varshavski D.O. said to us.

My entire family was crowded into the hospital room at the Overlook Medical Center, surrounding my mother. Its been months since my mother had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. My aunts especially, were closer to my mother while I stood outside the room, crying.

After a while, I felt someone else's presence and looked up to see Dr. Mike. He was holding my mother's charts in his hand and I wiped away my tears, before crying again.

Dr. Mike hugged me and I cried harder into his scrubs. He rubbed my back and I was really able to break down.

"Just cry it out, release all the tears you can, Hannah" Dr. Mike encouraged. I pulled away from his hug and ran off to the nearest bathroom. I looked in the bathroom mirror, one look and my sad life was looking back with red puffy eyes.

I punched the mirror and broke down on the bathroom floor. Within minutes, Dr. Mike was in the bathroom holding me and hurrying to get me to a med bay. He started to clean the wounds on my hand, gently, before wrapping a bandage over it.

"You are going through a tough time, Hannah, I know, but please don't go smashing these pretty hands into anything again." He said.

"My family's life has gone downhill Mike, ever since my mom was diagnosed. I think you see it too every time they come here for her checkup." I said after Dr. Mike offered me a paper towel to wipe my tears.

"I don't know what to feel anymore. I come to work and just pretend y'know, devoting all my time to being here." I opened up.

"You need to focus on yourself too, to stay happy and healthy." Dr. Mike said and pulled me back into a hug.

"Why are you so nice to me, Dr. Mike?" I whispered into his arms.

"I'm always nice." He responded.

"Yeah, but with me, you're extra nice." I said.

"You're just special, that's all." He said and when I looked up, he had a smile on his face.

I pulled away and felt goose bumps run through my skin. Of course, with these last six months of my residency and coming to see Dr. Mike with my mother, I had to fall for him.

He is just one of those doctors that genuinely cared about his patients. Always checking up on them and interacting with them on the daily.

"I have my break in five minutes, we can go and grab some food at that restaurant around the corner." Dr. Mike suggested.

"Ahh, yeah, sure, let's do it." I said and Dr. Mike rubbed my hand before letting go.

I went to check up on my mother, while waiting for Dr. Mike.

"My daughter." My mom said and smiled weakly.

"I think Dr. Varshavski likes you." My mom whispered.

"Yeah right." I said and rolled my eyes for effect.

Dr. Mike then walked into the room.

"Are you ready?" He asked and my mother looked at me with a smirk.

"Yeah." I replied and kissed my mother on the cheek before leaving.

The little restaurant was a vegan restaurant and I ordered a grilled veggie burger and some green tea, while Dr. Mike ordered a Greek salad with asparagus and fries, along with a bottle of water.

We sat at a table close to the door, in case we get a call about something with my mom.

"So..." Dr. Mike started "... Are you still going to continue being a family medicine physician?" He asked.