Page 17 of Hot Doctor & Secret Baby

I march into the prestigious hospital, fully armed with the perfect outfit and hair as well as the impressive slideshow to back it up, and am greeted by four of the doctors I'll be working with: Kate Langley, who I already know, in addition to Dr. Hudson Gray who is handling my official onboarding. Dr. Brett Adler is a key player in the work I'll be doing since he's the head of Oncology. Last, but not least, I'm introduced to the advisor for Neurology - the very stoic and intimidating Dr. Ford Anderson.

I'm a little nervous as we settle into the meeting room to discuss my plan of action. Kate shoots me secret thumbs up and mouths words of encouragement to me when the others aren't looking. Hudson is harder to read, but he has a warm smile and he's easy to talk to. Both of them do wonders for putting my nerves at ease. Brett always looks bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, which is a stark contrast to Ford who is always scowling.

I don't let him get to me though. No one is as off-putting as Joshua Ashford, so as long as he steers clear - I think I can handle Ford.

Once we're settled in, Hudson flips through my file and addresses the room. "We can go ahead and get started. I know everyone's time is precious. Dr. Lopez comes to us from a local research laboratory. Before that she earned her phd in Bioprocess Engineering and Chemical Biology with an emphasis on cancer research from Berkeley. And it's my understanding that you attended Barkeley on a full scholarship? Is that right?"

"That's right," I nod with a proud smile. "I don't come from an upper class background, but I think that only makes me better at what I do. I realize most of the patients you see here at Bardot as a private facility are wealthy, but it only makes your research that much more important. The more you can use your resources to help the field of oncology as a whole, the better. That's how you give back. And I intend to help you give the world a cure for cancer."

They look at each other with unreadable smiles. Maybe they're impressed, or maybe they're thinking…who the hell does she think she is?

I came prepared for either scenario.

"You might be thinking I'm being hyperbolic, but I have the research and theories to back up that claim," I continue. "I can promise you that. And I'm excited to walk you through some of my plans this morning, but there is just one important matter I want to address first."

I flip to the first slide of my presentation, which covers my plans for the structure of our team and how it will function.

"Medical professionals who specialize in such lofty goals are often given the stereotype of burning the candle at both ends and working long, ridiculous hours…stopping at nothing to get the results we want, no matter what it costs." I pause for a moment, letting it sink in, then press on. "But the way I would like to run Bardot's newest research lab and team functions in a different way. We're going to bring the focus back to a work life balance. I believe we do our best work when we're happy in our home lives…when we have time to prioritize our loved ones and live a full life outside of work. That's why I'm proposing that the lab functions under strict set hours, and that we offer a generous time off package to our employees."

"I suppose it's refreshing that you're not beating around the bush," Ford offers. I can't tell if he means it in a good way or a bad way.

"It's a common misconception that a healthy work life balance means that the work will be slow, but I do actually value efficiency a great deal," I reply. "That's what this is all about. Using less hours, but using them in the very best way we can."

"I'm in favor of this," Kate nods with a smile. "And I agree. It's refreshing."

Hudson narrows his eyes over me, then over my slide. "Do you have a family, Dr. Lopez?"

"Yes. I guess you could say I'm a single mom, actually. I'm raising my niece. She's thirteen years old. Her mom…my sister," I stop and swallow down the lump of tears in my throat, trying to keep it together. "She passed away from ovarian cancer ten years ago."

The room falls silent. Brett is the first one to speak after a long and tense pause.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you," I say softly, lifting my chin, shifting to a firmer tone of voice. "But that very personal loss is exactly what motivates me in everything I do. I know what cancer can do to people and their families, and that's why it's so important to find a cure. But we're people too and we have our own lives outside these walls to make the most of. When I'm not working hard here, I want to know that I'm showing up for my niece and being the best mom I can be. I only want the same for my entire team."

"These are bold ideas to kick off with," Hudson says.

"I hope by the time I'm finished this morning, you'll be inspired enough to trust me on this," I smile, flipping to the next slide.

I move on to share some of my theories from previous research, and how I propose we move forward with the new research team at Bardot. My plan of action covers exciting discoveries I made during my work at the old lab, but takes full advantage of Bardot's resources. I explain how the new budget and facility are all I am lacking in making major advancements in finding the cure so many are desperate for.

"As you can see, the first fold of our research focuses on neurological cancers, but the graph here shows how quickly and efficiently that translates into the cure for other types of cancers." I turn to face them with a hopeful and expectant gaze. "Thank you again for this opportunity and for your time this morning. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have and am eager to discuss our first steps in getting started."

Once again, I've stunned everyone into silence, and I have no clue if it's in my favor or not. They look at each other with unreadable expressions.

Hudson finally leans forward and clears his throat. "Dr. Adler, as our head of oncology, how do you feel about Dr. Lopez's proposals?"

"They're impressive," he answers quickly, laughing a little as if he's flustered by it all. "Really, I must say…everything you've presented here today has me really excited about what we'll accomplish with you on our team."

"Thank you," I reply, grinning ear to ear with a sigh of relief.

"Good enough for me," Hudson says. "What do you need to get started?"

"I have a full breakdown I can email to you now, but most importantly, I'll need as many research specialists from your Neurology department as you can spare. How many we need will just depend on the hours allotted, but a full time dedicated staff member in addition to myself would be a great start."

"Certainly. Dr. Langley and Dr. Anderson formed a similar research pair before we brought her on to work with us full-time. I have no doubt two full-time staff members, even with your proposed working hours, will yield excellent results. Sturgill will be happy to hear all of this. He's been on us about…"

The door to the meeting room flies open, cutting Hudson off mid-sentence. My heart stops when I see Joshua Ashford striding in - confident and cocky as ever. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised to see him here. I knew this was a likely possibility. But since he wasn't here all morning, I thought maybe I had gotten lucky. I guess not.

---