Doctor Ryan and His Healing System

Chapter 6: Ryan Finds Job Security

The journalist, Sophia Collins, looked Dr. Ryan in the eyes. She lifted one eyebrow and asked if he could prove that Dr. Gray was lying. She said, “It is said that you didn’t even do a full exam on Corbin Ward before operating. Doesn’t that make you a murderer?”

Ryan laughed. “How can I be a murderer if I saved his life? Anyway, I read his condition by checking his pulse. It was an emergency and every second was of the essence!”

“You took a risk, though. Do you deny it?”

“It was my only option,” Ryan replied. “He would have died if we had waited for a bunch of tests. I do not see what the big deal is. He lives!”

“You are insane!” The journalist frowned and said, “A doctor should never operate in such a way, with nothing but a patient’s pulse to go on. You got lucky this time, but a doctor cannot rely on sheer luck!”

“Sheer luck?” Ryan turned to Dr. Gray and gave him a dirty look. “The patient had six cracked ribs, soft tissue contusions, internal hemorrhaging, and a wound in his abdomen that measured over ten centimeters. The injuries should have taken his life, and no amount of luck could have saved him. This is the work of a doctor who has mastered the skill or healing, and you know it!”

Gray’s face turned an angry shade of red, and he seemed unable to reply.

A faint sneer of satisfaction appeared on Ryan’s face as he pulled open the drawer. He took out dozens of letters of thanks, which astonished every one. “One patient could have been a fluke,” he continued, “but my impeccable record speaks volumes. Every patient that has allowed me to treat them has had a full recovery!”

The journalist took one of the letters from Ryan’s hand and said, “There you have it. Ryan Jones must be a good doctor!”

“The letters could be fake,” Gray muttered. He was not willing to back down, but by now he knew that he was fighting a losing battle. If the journalist traced the letters back to their sources, they would doubtlessly vindicate Ryan.

Rode Gray regretted conspiring with George Foster to find fault with Ryan. He should have done a thorough investigation before taking action.

Ryan had aspired to be a doctor since childhood, and he was always attentive to his patients’ needs. He put their well-being first, and these accusations infuriated him. Now that he had the ability to heal his patients with magic, he was more determined than ever to devote himself to curing the sick and saving his patients’ lives.

The journalist smiled and said, “Perhaps if you gave a demonstration of your examination technique, we could put this to rest once and for all… What do you say?”

“So be it,” Ryan replied. He walked over to the closest patient, took her pulse, and said, “This woman has irregular menstruation due to an eating disorder. I would recommend a combination of counseling, medication, and dietary changes. My special acupuncture would also help to accelerate the recovery process.”

Moving on, Ryan took the pulse of a plain-looking man and said, “This man is overworking his body and he is very susceptible to colds. He has a cold now, but there is nothing to worry about. Ordinary cold medication will take care of this.”

One by one, Ryan diagnosed every patient and suggested treatment. He made no mistakes, and even Rode Gray was impressed – even if he would never actually say so.

Gray’s face was red from rage. He knew when to give up, though, and he snuck away as soon as an opportunity presented itself.

Ryan smiled as he watched the man weasel his way out of there. There was no doubt in his mind that his job was secure, and that it would be for a very, very long time. Over the course of twenty-four hours, he had gone from being insecure about his place of employment to having complete job security.

***

The next two weeks went by like a blur. Then, one day, Ryan arrived at the ER, only to find that it was empty. Typically, the emergency department was crowded and noisy, so the fact that it was deserted, gave him the feeling that something was wrong.

At the end of the hall, he saw Emily Griffin, the President of the Hospital. She was touching her forehead and she looked very anxious. She was the one who had initiated the reform of the hospital, turning it from a little-known hospital to the most comprehensive one in the country. On top of all that, she was young, pretty, gentle, graceful, and she had a slender figure. She had caught the eye of numerous young men, but no one had ever dated her.

“You’re finally here!” Emily exclaimed as she walked towards him.

“What’s going on?” Ryan asked nervously.

“A patient needs your help. He is fading fast and we don’t know what to do.”

Ryan nodded. He now understood that the ER had been cleared to cater to a powerful or influential patient. He could not imagine who could have this much influence, though. He smiled and said, “Lead the way. I will see what I can do.”

Emily breathed a sigh of relief. She was convinced that Ryan was the only person that could solve the problem.

“Who is the patient?” Ryan asked.

“It is Mooney Wood,” Emily replied. “Do you know of him?”

The Wood family was the richest family in Edmonton, and Wood was the head of the family.

“I know the name,” Ryan replied.

Suddenly, a young man came out of the washroom, he walked over to Ryan and said, “Your reputation precedes you, so you had better hope that you are as good as they say. My name is Den Wood. If my father doesn’t wake up today, you are screwed!”

Emily smiled. She put her hand on the young man’s shoulder and said, “Clam down, Mr. Wood. You have nothing to fear, and intimidation will have no effect on your father’s treatment one way or the other.”

Den looked Ryan up and down, and sneered, “He doesn’t look like anything special to me...”

A woman spoke up from behind them. She said, “He isn’t, and he shouldn’t be operating on your father!”

Ryan nearly jumped out of his shoes. He recognized the woman’s voice as belonging to his cousin, Penny Hayes. He turned around and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Den is my boyfriend,” Penny announced proudly, “and I am very protective of his father.”

Emily found the conversation quite confusing. She looked at Penny and asked, “How do you know Ryan, and why shouldn’t he operate on Mr. Wood?”

“We are cousins,” Penny replied. “As to why he can’t examine Den’s father: He Is not a DOCTOR!” Penny was from a family that was richer than Ryan’s, and not only did she look down on him, but she had always looked for ways to sabotage his life.

Ryan did not seem annoyed by Penny’s groundless accusations, though.

Den looked at Emily and said, “Find another doctor to treat my father.”

“Whatever.” Ryan shrugged. “I know when I am not wanted.” As he turned away, he muttered under his breath, “It’s your funeral.”

“Wait!” Emily pleaded. She turned to Den and said, “It is my belief that he is the only one that can save your father.”