Page 2 of Healing Her

Oakridge was an older hospital, she knew. But it was the leading surgical hospital in Los Angeles and one of the top ones in California. She felt fortunate to be coming on board here. Heading up this hospital’s organ donation and transplantation team was a real feather in her cap in what she thought might be the last decade of her storied career.

And if she was facing her last years as a surgeon, Jen was delighted to be spending them in California, after a lifetime in Boston and Philadelphia. Despite this particular day turning out to be surprisingly gloomy and wet for LA, she knew that most of the time, the weather here was fantastic. Sunny, warm… all the things the American Northeast tended not to be quite a lot of the time. It had almost been a bigger draw than the prestige and the patient work she was going to get to do at Oakridge.

Jen squeezed into a crowded elevator full of people in white coats. “What floor?” asked one of them, a broad-shouldered young man with twinkling brown eyes and a ready smile. He stood with his index finger hovering over the elevator keypad.Intern, Jen decided.Preference forPeds.He was too open-faced and optimistic to be anything else, and kids probably loved him. She’d put money on him coming from a family of pediatricians.

“Four, please, and thanks,” she replied. He nodded and punched four. Next to Jen, a petite woman in her mid-thirties raised her head and inspected her with cool detachment. She was beautiful, with perfect tawny skin, but her large dark eyes were hard, and her jaw had a firm set to it.Surgeon,Jen thought.Cardio? No, Oncology. And she’s seen alot.

“You’re going to the surgical wing?” the petite woman asked, lifting her delicate chin into the air.

“Yep.” Jen smiled. She could feel the other doctor trying to figure her out. That wasn’t surprising. She hadn’t picked up her monogrammed coat for this hospital just yet, and her loose sleeveless top, flowing skirt, and flat sandals were more high school art teacher than transplant surgeon.

But to her pleasant surprise, the younger doctor gave one quick, decisive nod, and said, “I know who you are. Doctor Jennifer Colton. I did an oncological surgery fellowship at Mass Gen last year. You’re a legend in those halls.”

Jen could only duck her head. “Well…”

“Doctor Priya Majumdar.” The woman held out a slender hand. “Will you be working here?”

Jen shook the extended hand briefly. “Ah, yes. Today’s my first day.”

Life and interest sparked in Dr. Majumdar’s eyes. “You’re joining our surgical team?”

“Are you going to the meeting this morning?” Jen countered with a grin.

“Of course.”

“Then you’ll find out more there.” With a wink, Jen raised her drink to her mouth and walked off of the elevator just as the doors opened.

She found the conference room with ease and poked her head around the door to see if anyone was there. Doctor Sundstrom was alone, shuffling through paperwork. He looked up when thedoor hinges creaked, and a broad smile spread across his face. “Doctor Colton. Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you, Doctor Sundstrom.” Moving to the seat next to his, she sat down and surveyed the room. “Nobody’s here yet?”

“Everyone will be as last minute as possible, I’m afraid. No one likes these meetings. Alas, they are a necessary evil.” He ruffled his sandy gray-blond hair and winked at her over his wire-rimmed glasses. “You know how it is.”

“I do. I do. I’m only here because I wanted to impress my boss on the first day.” She beamed at him and sipped at her chai.

“Well, you know I’m already impressed by your body of work. And your reputation.” He sat back in his chair and regarded her with admiration. “You have done pioneering work in the field of transplants. And I hear you were on your way to being a fantastic general surgeon before you specialized. What you’re going to do for our organ transplant and donation program here… I can’t even begin to imagine how many lives we’ll save with you at the helm.”

“That’s my goal, Doctor Sundstrom. My purpose in life is to save other lives. I’m grateful to you and Oakridge for giving me the opportunity.”

“Please. Call me Steve. We’re going to be working closely together, and I think we’ll become great friends.”

She liked him. He was affable, intelligent, and his reputation was as formidable and legendary as hers. Jen liked to think she had a good people sense, and she was only getting green flags from Dr. Stephen Sundstrom. Yes, she also thought they’d be good friends. She reached her hand out for a firm shake. “I agree, Steve. Call me Jen.”

“Fantastic.” He smiled. “How are you finding LA? The weather’s a little hinky lately, I promise it’s usually more like it was when you came out here for your interviews.”

“It’s great,” she replied honestly. “I think I’ve found an apartment, I’m going to see it later, if I can take a long lunch.”

Steve nodded. “Of course. Today will mostly be meetings and introductions for you, a more comprehensive show-around; the long lunch won’t be a problem. You need to get settled right away, build a life here. The social scene in LA is good, whenever we find time for it.”

That, Jen knew already. The minute she’d arrived last week, she’d started poking around the lesbian scene. Just yesterday, she’d happened upon a café/nightclub called Indigo Lounge. She couldn’t resist dropping in to have a couple of drinks and to work off some of her nervous energy about her new job on a pounding dance floor.

She might be AARP-eligible, but she was not the type of fifty-five-year-old who couldn’t appreciate good music and a lively dance beat. She wasn’t about to spend every night at home curled up in a chair with a cup of tea and a stack of medical journals. She’d done that during med school, her residency, and her fellowship. And she’d promised Nina that she’d live, once it became clear that Nina wouldn’t…

Jen shook her head, sending the memories back to the cobwebs. “I don’t think socializing will be a problem. I’ve been prowling the city for a few days now; I’m finding all sorts of interesting places to go.”

“Great! That’s great. Let me know if you need any recommendations. Do you like reading? My wife runs a book club—” Steve looked up as the door creaked, interrupting him. A slow stream of doctors and nurses was beginning to flow into the conference room. “Oh, it looks like it’s time for our meeting to begin.”

Sitting back with her chai, Jen watched the surgical wing staff filing in and beginning to jockey for seats and standing positions. It was enjoyable to watch Priya Majumdar’s eyeswiden when she spotted Jen in the chair next to Dr. Sundstrom. She already liked Priya. But then, she had a soft spot for oncologists.

---