The Doctor on Call

"Hi, I'm Nyla Grove. I'm supposed to start here today" I never thought those words would ever fall out of my mouth. I've been on school for two years working my ass off and it's finally paying off. I'm finally going to be working in a hospital clinic as a Medical Assistant. I'm only 19 and have never had a job thanks to my parents for shoving the silver spoon down my throat but now that I'm finally on my own I feel extremely independent and ready to make my own life worth wild. I hope. As I walked into the hospital clinic this morning I felt overly confident but it died down as the elevator sped closer and closer to the appointed floor. I had bought the best scrubs and even bought a new stethoscope for my first day. Despite being prepared, my nerves continued to ride in my chest as the elevator moved me higher to my fate. Staring at my reflection in the elevator wall, I smooth my hair down, checking to make sure high bun was still nice and sleek. I struggled this morning doing my out of control wild hair and thought it was going to be the death of me. When I arrive at the desk and introduced myself, a tall red head girl spins around in her chair. "Great, you are right on time. We have been expecting you. Today has been busy and I could definitely use the help" She stood up and extended her hand. "I'm Rosie and I can tell you now, no one else on this floor is as nice as I am. The nurses are sharks and us M.A's are the tiny fish" Rosie starts showing me around immediately and gives me brief summaries on everyone on the floor. Most are rude nurses who have been here longer and felt entitled to treat the people below them like they are invisible. "Okay and this is Dr.Pryce's office. He isn't here today but stay clear of him. He is all business. He likes everything on point and he is never wrong. He fired the girl who worked here before you because she didn't put the vitals into the computer on time. Dr. Leo Pryce is hot but mean." I look at the gold letters on his door and dread the day he comes in. If I did one little thing wrong I would be fired and back at square one. Rosie begins showing how to work the computers and when she finishes she assigns me to go check on some patients for the physician that is on call today. Working my way around rooms, I hear a few nurses speak about Dr.Pryce. I don't like to eavesdrop, but they are standing right by the door. I hit the button on the blood pressure machine as the patient goes on about the weather and listen as the nurses say how nice it is without the doctor around. Could the man really be that horrible? Throughout the day I hear so much about how mean and cocky the doctor is, I feel like I know him. It makes me more nervous about him being here eventually. It doesn't matter how well I do today. If I don't impress him then I'm out. The only people who aren't talking about the doctor is 2 male nurse name Bennett and Ryan. During my lunch break I sit with them since all the girls are cliqued up and Rosie is still working. "So Nyla how are you liking the place?" Bennett mumbles as he chews in a Doritos "Um I like it. It seems laid back but I keep hearing little comments about the doctor. Y'all two are the only ones who haven't said anything about the guy" Ryan snorts and Bennett looks at me strange. "You aren't from California, are you?" I frown "What makes you think that?" "The fact that you said y'all. Sounds like you're a little country girl" He laughs. I smirk at Bennett "As a matter of fact I am a country girl. I'm from Alabama, born and raised" Bennett bites his lip "That is.....hot as hell." My eyes scan over Bennett and the boy is good looking. He looks like the typical beach boys I've been seeing around only cuter. His hair is a curly mess and his blue eyes can make a girl swoon, but I only see him as a friend. I don't really have time to date a fellow employee. Ryan laughs and shakes his head "So, what brings you to California?" "My daddy and mama wanted to move somewhere new. So they dragged me with them. They stay outside of the city on a small ranch and I live in a loft in the city." I take a sip of sprite and Ryan nods "Cool. My boyfriend is from Gulf Shores" I blink once realize that Ryan is gay but I have no problem with it. He is cool and friendly. That's all care about. When our break is almost very and Bennett is running out of pick-up lines, Rosie comes around the corner. She has a pen in her mouth and a stack of papers in her hand. "Pryce is coming in at 3." "Oh s**t" Bennett mumbles and stands "I hope you're ready, little lady." he says using a fake southern accent. "Is he really that bad?" I stand to throw my unfinished food away. I have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach knowing that on my first day I could piss the doctor off and get fired. I'm glad I didn't throw the classified papers away. Ryan throws his arm around me. "Nope he isn't bad at all.....As long as you do everything right" He smiles hard. I take a deep breath "Just great" As I'm working on putting information in the computer, the whole atmosphere has changed. It's quiet and tense. Everyone is doing something to get ready for the arrival of the doctor. They treat the man like he is president. Rosie has left me at the desk while she went to stock empty rooms. I'm so focused on inputting vitals that I don't realize the elevator door has opened and someone is standing at the desk. I hear someone clear their throat. "Just a minute" I mumble frowning at the screen. I hear Rosie gasp behind me "Hello, Dr. Pryce." My head shoots up and my heart jumps. Oh crap. I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Time to kiss my sweet ass job goodbye. Dr. Pryce looks down at me with an irritated look "Rosemary, who is this?" She clears her throat "This is Nyla Grove, she just started today. She's a medical assistant" I force a smile "Hi" I feel my nerves all jumbled but that is not all I feel. Dr. Pryce is beyond handsome. I am taken back by sea-green eyes and my breathing slowed. His hair is cut low and his nature tan colored skin makes me want to touch him. The thought of my finger grazing over his skin sends an electric shock to my core. I am completely caught in his trance until Rosie nudges me. I clear my throat "Yes?" "I said,." Dr. Pryce says clearly frustrated that he has to repeat himself "Meet me in my office in 5 minutes. Rosemary will take over whatever you were....trying to do." He walks off and immediately starts throwing orders around before retreating to his office sending everyone scurrying around like little mice. I look up at Rosie "Girl, what happened? You froze." She laughs patting me on the back. I shake my head and mentally prepare myself to be in an office alone with the doctor. My stomach does back flips as I walk to his door. I knock lightly "Come in" "Hi, Dr. Pryce. I'm really sorry about-" I stop when his hand goes up stopping me. I bite down on my lip hard and he looks up at me. "Sit" I take a seat in front of his desk as he types something into his laptop and my eyes scan over his desk space. It's messy and cluttered. I fight the urge to straighten the papers so I twirl my thumbs. I eye the clutter of papers on his desk and it bothers me a little more. I lean forward and scoop the papers up placing them in a neat stack. Dr. Pryce look around his laptop at me. "What are you doing?" "I'm sorry, but the clutter bothers me." I scratch my forehead and stand invading his desk space as I straighten all the papers and folders. If I’m going to get fired, I would like to at least leave the impression that I’m neat. As I walk from his desk to his file cabinet his eyes follow me. Out of the corner of my eye, I swear I see him smirk but I'm not sure. When I'm done I sit down and exhale hard. "Better" I whisper under my breath. "Are you done, Ms. Grove?" He raises an eyebrow I nod "Yes, Sorry" I bite my lips and he quickly looks down at his laptop clearing his throat. "Ms. Grove, I'm looking at your resume and you have no past experience, not even a fast food job. You just finished school 3 months ago" He frowns resting his chin against his hand still scrolling down the screen. "Yes, but I’m a really hard worker and I don't want my lack of experience to make you think I can't do this because I can. I know I can" I feel a lump in my throat as I try to sale myself as the career service lady taught me at school. I try to remain composed but deep down I'm a chicken with its head cut off, ready to be fried. "How old are you?" "I'm 19" His facial expression nearly drives me to tears. Dr. Pryce groans, closing his laptop roughly. "Ms. Grove, I don't know how or why they hired you but I don't think you would be right here. I demand all my staff to give me 1000% No slack. The hours are long and the work is hard. I would have you cleaning, restocking, and taking patients. Whatever I tell you to do I expect you to do it quick. At 19 with no experience in the medical field, I highly doubt you can do any of what I require. You can gather your things and leave. I'm sorry you wasted your time" "What! No, you can't fire me. I really need this. How do you or anyone else think that I can gain experience if I get fired for having none? That's ass backward" I slap my hand over my mouth letting my anger get ahead of me. I was prepared to get fired but not from lack of experience. That's why I applied for the job in the first place. "I'm sorry...I just don't understand how everyone wants experience but no one wants to give me a chance. I'm trying." I lean back in the chair and rub my forehead. I convinced my parents that I can live on my own and make my own money. The last thing I want to do is go running back to them for help. They will never let me hear the last of it. Dr. Pryce doesn't say anything and I decided to stay and listen to anything else he has to say. I stand up and exit his office. As I’m walking by Rosie's desk she gives me a sympathetic look and I just shrug. "Thanks for giving me a chance, Rosie" I say waving goodbye. She hands me my bag and I hit the elevator button. As I stand there, I feel the tears stinging my eyes. I fight to hold them in till I get in and the doors close. I just wanted to go home and sleep for the rest of the day. I am perfectly fine wallowing in self-pity for at least one day. When the elevator reaches the parking garage, I wipe my small tears with the back of my hand and walk to my car. As I'm opening the door, I hear the elevator doors open. "Nyla!" I hear someone call out my name and I turn around. My breath hitches when I'm face to face with Dr. Pryce. He is so close to me that I’m scared to breathe hard. "Y…Yes" I mumble, taken back at his invasion of my personal space. He stares at me for a minute and I frown. "Did you come down here just to see me cry?" I'm fired now, no need to be polite. I turn away from him and open my door to get in but he grabs my arm stopping me. His touch sends a shock through and I blink a few times trying to figure out if I should punch him in his throat or jump in his arms. This man could check my pulse any day. "Look Nyla, I'm sorry. You're right. I'm not giving you a chance." I frown wondering if this is the same man that chewed me up and spit me out just 10 minutes ago. I feel a glimpse of hope rise in me and I hope he is about to say what I think he is about to say. "I'm going to let you stay, but I will treat you just as I treat everyone if not worse. You're young and I can't have that be an excuse for you slacking. You will work on the same level as everyone else. If you can't handle it then you go. Understand?" I nod fast, nearly jumping up and down like a kid. "Yes. I swear I will work hard. I will not let you down." I breathe a sigh of relief and let my head fall back. I look at Dr. Pryce when I hear him let out a deep chuckle. I frown and he stops. "What?" "Nothing, I was just under the impression that you don't laugh or smile for that matter." Well, well the doctor from hell knows how to smile and laugh. Go figure. "When I'm working, I don't. So don't get used to it. You're going to hate me just like everyone else in there. So go home, pull yourself together, and come back in the morning ready to work" He starts to turn. "Wait" I stop him "I'm ready to work now" I almost see the corner of his mouth turn up but it doesn't "Good. Follow me" I follow him back to the hospital floor we work and Rosie's face lights up. I smile lightly and give her my bag. She puts in back under the desk and continues working. Right off the back Dr. Pryce throws orders at me left and right. I have run 50 urine tests, done 100 vitals, stocked every room on the floor. He even uses me as a personal assistant asking me to get him coffee. As much as it's not in my scope of practice, I do it. I don't want him to have any reason to let me go again. If he wants me to grind the damn coffee beans from scratch I would at this point. As I’m coming out of a room with the blood pressure machine, I see him yelling at a nurse for not answering a patient’s call. I can see her start to cry and he rolls his eyes clearly not having enough patience to have someone being weak. As I put the machine against the wall he calls me over. "Ms. Grove, go run vitals on room 159 and give them their insulin injection since Nurse Charles here can't find enough time in her schedule to do her own job." The nurse gives me an evil look but I ignore it "Yes sir" I reach out and take the chart from the girl and walk off without her death stare bothering me. I have no problem do someone else job if they can't do it themselves. I'm here to prove myself. Not fall to the waist side. I walk into the exam room and the man looks at me strange "What happened to the hot little blonde?" Wow, I'm not offended at all. "She had something else to do so I'm here. I'm Nyla." I smile and he sucks his teeth. My smile falls and I give him his injection quickly so I can go on about my day.