𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞.
𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝗼𝐧'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
21:34

"An appendectomy is the best you can pull out your ass? Just say you didn't plan anything for Valentine's Day, you bastard! How hard it is to just buy me a couple of roses and just express your love for your woman!" I shrieked as my husband continued to drawstring his turquoise scrubs on while sliding out of our bed.

It was Valentine's Day and I come home to no flowers, balloons, or crazy stuffed animals. No. I come back to a half-awake husband who just woke up due to being paged back to the hospital for an old man who's suffering with appendicitis.

The only thing I got from him was a heavy sigh.

Yes, this was my husband. A sleepy buffoon that thinks a sigh is his excuse for not having anything planned for his wife on the first Valentine's Day as a married couple. Hell, even when we were dating he thought giving me an IV bag with a love letter attached talking about I'm the "saline" that keeps him hydrated was "creative."

At least he tried.

My arms were folded against my chest as I waited for a more acceptable response from him as he slides on his sneakers.

"I was on for fourteen hours straight, babe. I forgot, okay? I got home and passed out before you said I was watching porn or something. Look, I'll do this quick appendectomy, then we can share a glass of wine, maybe even dance a bit, then fuck one another until we pass out," he proposes. I casually roll my eyes, unsatisfied with his answer.

"Sure, SOO romantic, Michael. Hell, I was happy enough to buy you this!" I exclaimed.

I throw him the Playboy magazine against the bed then turned my head away from him, and to my surprise, his warm, protective arms were wrapped around my body from behind. His arms caused me to tussle a smile as I shake my head, "Ah, Ah, Ah! I'm not talking to you." Unfortunately, my body couldn't reciprocate the same emotion of rejection as it instantly melted against his grasp as his lips were mere inches from my ear as he whispered,

"Thanks for the magazine, baby. C'mon, I know deep down that's what you want, babygirl? Just admit it. I could sense it from the way your body instantly just melted against mine like candle wax. I made a mistake...let me make it up to you..."

His warm breath against my ear sends electric shocks to every part of my spine, causing me to close my eyes. I love the indescribable sensation he left to my body.

The heavy breaths, the palpitating heartbeat in my chest, there was something more that meets the eye when it came to Michael.

"I hate when you're on call. I hate knowing that not a goddamn surgeon can cover for you, so you can be intimate with your wife."

"Well, blame the incompetence of the medical world now. They just don't make surgeons like me anymore," he bragged.

I smiled to myself as his grasp around me tightens. Michael was cocky, yet he never shared a lie. He worked hard for years, and he worked his way to becoming one of the best general surgeons in the country. People would die to collaborate with him.

He was more than good. He was the best.

My body slowly squirmed in his grasp as I turn to him so that our eyes could meet. His dark, elusive cocoa brown orbs stared into mine as my hands slid against his broad chest.

"Don't go. Please don't spend the rest of Valentine's Day cutting open an old man over your wife," I pleaded.

His head slightly tilted in curiosity before grinning, "You want me to let a poor old guy suffer so we could have sex, huh?" I grin widely once he caught on, "Ah, I knew you were a smart man. Why don't they get another attending to cover for you like Dante? Why can't he be useful for once." His hands cupped my face before pressing his plump lips against my forehead.

"I just...can't do that, and Dante isn't a surgeon! And even if he was...he would not be good enough to my standards. Babe, if I could I would. You know I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to fuck you to oblivion if this wasn't important. The guy could literally die."

My head turned away from his. I was on the verge of just yelling at him so more, but I was tired from a twelve hour shift and didn't have the strength to commit to one of my tantrums. He continued to look at me with those laser eyes, probably trying to shoot two little holes into my cheek.

"I'll be back, okay? I'm going to make it up. I'm going to make sure we have some really good sex okay? Maybe even better than our honeymoon."

I shake my head as I start to remove my clothing to change out of my periwinkle scrubs, "Just go, Michael. Go save some old ass man with appendicitis. I'll just sit in bed and lust over my absent husband like I've been doing for the past couple of months, even on the most important of the year when a man is supposed to give it to his woman to the point where they're both passing out from such immaculate sex. Fun fact: those two people are supposed to be US." He sighs once more before mumbling, "I love you, Lisa."

"Yeah yeah whatever Michael. Go be a hero to society."

I continued to change before laying in the cold and empty king-sized bed.

This was normal now. Me, laying in the cold bed alone while my husband went to go play superhero. Ever since he was promoted to becoming the head physician over General Surgery, he seemed more married to medicine than me. Back when he was a normal attending, he would always call in sick days just to attempt to break the bed with me. He was reckless and fun and at times, he made me feel like I was back in undergrad or even high school. The closet behind the OR was our best friend at times as well. He was too eager to have a quickie before performing major surgery or a conference. His boss actually hated him for his silly shenanigans.

Now, I was lucky to get just a simple peck from him.

"I love you too, Michael. Happy Valentine's Day," I mumbled to myself before falling asleep.

𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥.
𝐉𝐚𝐬𝗺𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝗼𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫.
𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝐎𝐧𝐞.
23:26

"Scalpel," I demanded.

I wanted to get in and out, and laparoscopic would be the best. Easy, less invasive, and faster.

As much as I hated to admit it in front of Lisa, the idea of sex was very fulfilling to my needs.

Deborah hands me the scalpel as I make a deep yet small incision against the abdomen. The spotlight beamed against the patient's abdominal region as I continued to work as I got ready to slide the cannula into the abdomen.

"Gauze pads. Damn, okay. Clamps," I ask for as I work on prepping for the laparoscope.

Deborah chirped in, "Dr. Jackson, do you have any Valentine's Day plans?" I look at her as I slide the cannula into the abdomen as it begins to release carbon dioxide into the abdomen to slightly inflate.

"Well, I have a pissed-off wife to please at home for a couple of hours before my next shift," I chuckle as I ask for the laparoscope. She hands me the instrument as I insert the laparoscope as well.

"TV on?" I asked as one of the other technicians turn on the TV so that I could see what the laparoscope sees inside of the abdomen.

The doors of the OR open as one of the surgical nurses, Shirley, walked in with a couple of other people. I assume medical students or residents. Either way, they were pipsqueaks. I continued to work as one of the guys whispers,

"Omg, what is that on the TV!"

I chuckle as I watch myself as I guide my way to the appendix, "Hi Shirley, what new pets you brought in here?"

Shirley rolls her eyes at my comment before introducing me, "This is Dr. Michael Jackson. He's the head attending in General Surgery and you should thank him because he's the one who accepts new interns into his program. Right now, he's performing a laparoscopic appendectomy. You are VERY privileged to even be in his presence, so please, don't make a fool of yourself." I continue to work as I mentally admire my craftwork as the appendix was finally removed, "Shirley, it's fine. I don't mind the kids. Let them get excited over a simple procedure."

At this point, I have finished the procedure and was suturing the skin back together. The residents continued to whisper and pass comments, mostly about how fast I could suture or the fact that they were in an OR room with a real surgeon.

Something they will become after residency. Well, if they survive.

Once I was finished, the patient was moved from the table to the hospital bed and wheeled out to recovery, which allowed me to remove all of my mask and surgical cap. I escorted Shirley and the new interns to the hallway so that I could introduce myself a bit more...formally.

"Hi, welcome to Jasmine County Medical Center. As Shirley stated, I'm Dr. Jackson. I've been here since residency. I'm the head attending here. If you want to stay here, you better listen, learn, and make yourself worthy to be here. Incompetence is not tolerated here and I don't accept failures on this floor, do I make myself clear? You will not touch, open, cut, or even LOOK at a patient until I deem you qualified for that."

They all answered together with a, "Yes sir." My eyes couldn't help but notice a young woman in the crowd of residents. Her eyes weren't looking at me, but down at the ground as if she was anxious or hiding within the crowd to not be seen.

I shook my head for a moment to wake from the trance, "Ahem, I want everyone to be present at 5:30 am sharp. Prep well. You will be doing your first 36 hours on call. Show up late, and I will have you down in the ER, doing renal tests and cleaning up vomit. Do I make myself clear?"

"YES SIR!"

I smile with satisfaction, "Good. Shirley, where's the chart for Mr. Jenkins?"

She hands me the chart as I walk off to the scheduling chart and look at the notorious whiteboard of scheduled surgeries. I was marked down for Cholecystectomy at 9 am, Angioplasty at 11:30 am, and Hysterectomy for 3.

At least, I wasn't on call tomorrow, thanks to these pipsqueaks.

"Uh, Dr. Jackson?"

I frown for a moment before turning around to be met with the young woman in the crowd. The shy one. Even now, her complexion caught me off guard. I smile softly, "Can I help you with something?" She sticks her hand out towards me, "I'm Cleo." My eyes look at her hand for a moment before shaking it. Not many residents had the guts to approach me. Funny how the tables turned.

"Nice to meet you, Cleo. Welcome to the family. Even now, I could sense potential in you. You are more than Cleo. You're a doctor. Not a nurse or a PA. Put some pride into your character. Refer to yourself as a doctor that moving forward."

She smuggled a grin embarrassing, "Yes sir. I come here to learn." My smile widens, "And learning you will receive here at Jasmine County. Do you plan to stay in general surgery?" She exhales slowly, "Well, I plan to get into the Trauma fellowship if possible." My smile seemed to have never left at her response. It was like a hanger in my mouth that was allowing me to beam for so long.

"Wow, Trauma? You have me intrigued already. I did a fellowship in trauma years back. You know we don't have many women there."

She shot back, "Well, I plan to get myself in there." My  eyes widen slightly at her brazen determination. There was something about her I already liked. She had a burning fire that raged for this. Her face...I know I've seen it. Her looks already caught me completely off guard, but her determination sparked my core.

If Lisa could see me right now, she would just chop my balls off.

Somehow, I blurted out, "Well, I wish you luck here. I'll be seeing you at 5:30." She nods her head, "Of course, that surgery you performed...it was cool." I nod my head, "Thank you. I have a cholecystectomy tomorrow morning. Go study, and I might let you scrub in with me. Well, if I seem impressed." My eyes widen in surprise, "You're joking?"

"I don't joke."

She was completely flabbergasted by my request before hugging me. My head turns to look at Shirley as she giggles slightly which caused Cleo to push herself away from me in fear.

"O-Oh my God. I'm so sorry. I didn't mea- why did I do that?!"

I shrug, "It's...it's fine. Just don't be late."

𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝗼𝐧'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝗼𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚.
02:24

"Hey, Lisa, it's me," I nudged against her limp body as I slid myself in the bed. She was sprawled along the bed, and I needed to lay down. She responded with a "Mnupf Jusdju Shufp." I only had about two hours to sleep before work, but at least I was home with her, which was a rarity in itself.

My arms pulled her body closer to mine so that her head can lay against my chest. Once I pulled her closer towards me, her head popped up and asked, "How was the surgery?" I yawned out, "Fast. Boring. He survived of course. How would you feel if I told you that we got new residents?"

Her eyes widen in excitement, "You're kidding?" I shake my head as I grin, "I'm not. If I just train them good enough, we can spend some more time together like we use to do." One thing I loved was new residents. They were eager little guinea pigs that wanted to work. Her head rests against my chest before mumbling quietly,

"There is a God huh? Ugh, we can finally start our family like we've always talked about."

I smile to myself as my fingers found themselves tangled in her honey brown strands, "Lisa..."

Her head popped up again so that she could look at me, "Don't tell me you still want to wait? Michael, we can continue to make excuses on reasons to not have kids, but at the end of the day, there will always be a reason not to." I laugh loudly before answering defensively, "All I said was Lisa!"

It's been months now, and the idea of kids did frighten me. Especially now, this is probably the peak of my career. A career I've worked for almost fifteen years to achieve. Eventually, I could sense the conversation of Lisa expressing how I need to start a private practice and leave the hospital.

At this point, she was straddling on top of me. "Your curls, they're so messy," she chuckles. Her comment caused me to smile as my hands reached over to slide the spaghetti straps of her nightgown from her shoulders as I whisper calmly,

"I got something for you. I'm so sorry for forgetting about Valentine's Day, but first, I only have two hours, and I want to use it wisely."

Her forehead rested against mine as she whispers happily, "What do you have for me?" I shake my head impatiently once her nightgown slides down her torso to her hips, allowing me to stare at her porcelain skin against the dimly lit bedroom,

"Please...after the sex, I'm desperate. God..."

She shakes her head while cheesing, "You are so horny, you know that? I bet you were thinking about fucking me while performing that surgery, huh?" I shake my head, "Nah uh! You were the one asking for sex before I left! I'm just here to deliver!" She raises an eyebrow in suspicion, "It was Valentine's Day, what do you expect!" We started to tussle in the bed until our positions changed so that I was on top of her and she was under me. I groan deeply as her lips kissed along my neck.

She murmurs, "I want you to know that even though you're busy and I easily get frustrated...I love you. I love what you do. I love the sacrifices you give for others."

My eyes met up with hers as I whisper sternly,

"I love you, too. Now shhh...let's focus on this..."

She nods her head, obeying my wishes, as she unbuttons my clothing and helps me slide off my pants. Her electric cerulean eyes never mine as my head rested against the crook of her neck once I slide inside her.

Lisa was tough, probably tougher than any open surgical procedure I've performed and studied for. She was tough because she cares. It was her job to always care. She was a nurse in the NICU. Her days were different from mine as she watched small babies, sometimes smaller than a shoe.

Some live and some die.

I remember back when we were dating, we would just sit in the bed, and she would just abruptly cry about a baby she was watching for weeks that just...didn't make it. It was different. I was a surgeon. I wasn't as attached to my patients as Lisa was with hers. Not because I didn't want to, but because the job was too much to sit down and learn little things about patients. My job had me separate my emotions from the field.

My life was all about being isolated. I think that's why I always loved surgery. It was dependent on you. A patient is trusting YOU to save them. No one else. I didn't have many friends in medical school, no major girlfriends, not even a real support system.

Lisa was new, she was different. She somehow understood. She challenged me differently than what surgery did. She tolerated me and my narcissistic pride for my career somehow. Somehow, she tore at the layers of my isolationism and made me feel.

Even now as we make love, I could feel her challenging me. Challenging me to take it further, to give her more.

Her arms were wrapped around my neck as my hips consistently pounded against her pelvis. Sweet, settled moans escaped her lips as my hands reached over to grasp the headboard to control my animalistic behavior.

"Augh, Michael!" she yells out as I consume her moans with a sloppy kiss. Her hands slid down to my chest as Lisa's pager started to buzz.

I groan in disappointment as she reaches off to grab her pager from the nightstand to turn it off. She glances at it for a second before looking back at me, "Mm, come here." I smirk curiosity as she cups my face and presses her lips on mine.

"Don't stop, please..."

My body was drenched in sweat as my hips moved gradually, "You're such a bad girl, ignoring pages..." Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling my torso closer to hers. "Well, I just want to be with my husband. Is that too much to ask for?" she asks curiously.

I shake my head as I unravel her arms from my neck, "Maybe. Now, go answer your page." Her smile disappears at my response as she slides her body from mine.

"What the hell happened to you, Michael?" she asks before she turns her attention to the cell phone on the nightstand.

I sigh as I lay in the bed, "Nothing happened to me. What are you talking about?"

She continues to dial the number that she sees on the pager then turns to me, "You know, just you being relentless and always convincing me to do something sinister like missing pages for sex or I don't know...practical jokes. The old you would've never wanted me to answer a page over sex. You are normally like, 'Ugh, hell with them babygirl, let me show you what I can do' and all tough macho."

I scoff at her impression of me, "I just don't want you to get in trouble!"

She rolls her eyes, "You never worried about that when we were dating. You're acting like an old ass goody-two shoes. Stop acting like a sissy." My hand slid against her back as she answers the call,

"Yes, this is Lisa. Ahuh, really? Did she grow a pound? Wow, see if Dr. Randschaw would want another order. Yep, okay. Mhm. See you later."

She sits the phone back on the nightstand before turning back to me for a moment as I finally answer her. "We are married now, I'm not going to let you get in trouble, Lisa. Sad to say, I am getting old. I'm almost 40," I answered while looking away in pity.

She shakes her head, "Oh please. Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You barely even look 36. Ever since you got this new job, you've been too pussy to even miss a single surgery." I sigh, "Well, I'm the lea-"

"I GET IT. You're Mr. Lead Surgeon over the General Surgery department! That doesn't mean you have to act like a whole shrimp!"

She folds her arms angrily as I stare at her coldly, "What did you say?"

"Stop being a damn shrimp. Stop acting like someone is going to ship you to a nursing home like you're so old. You're not. So stop acting like you have to follow the rules to prove something to others. Just live a little, grandpa."

I sat up from the bed and pulled her back into my arms. My thumb press against her lower lip seductively, just thinking about the many indescribable and promiscuous things I want to do to her just for saying that.

"You're so lucky I have to go to work..."

She purrs, "Like I said, a whole shrimp for the job. Why can't you just call in and tell them you're too busy fucking your wife to do surgery today?"

At this point, my thumb found its way into her mouth as she gently sucks on it provocatively as I shook my head, "That's not the thing you should be sucking on."

Her lips release my thumb before grinning, "I never seem to have enough time to suck your little friend. Maybe if you stayed home..." I shake my head before raising an eyebrow as I repeat a keyword in her statement, "Little?"

She laughs before looking away embarrassingly, "I'm talking about you staying home and that's al- fine. Very very big friend." Her description caused me to wink at her before pecking her cheek, "I got to go."

She lets out a sigh before starting to make chicken noises to insult my character.

"Haha, very funny. You act like we don't work at the same place. I could legit fuck you there if that makes your heart content. I'm not a chicken or a shrimp or a grandpa. Anyways, how about lunch later today at the cafeteria? I just want to spend some time with you and just talk."

She squints in suspicion, "Talk? Are you pregnant, Michael?"

I laugh at her little joke as I quickly slide my scrubs back on and peck her lips, "Bye."

𝐂𝐥𝐞𝗼.
𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥.
04:58

My head gently laid against the pillow as I stared at the bold red lines that made the time on the digital clock on my nightstand. Sleep was so foreign to me for the past couple of hours, yet I was about to embrace a whole thirty-six hours on call.

My breath became heavy and condensed as I listen to my slow, steady heartbeats against my chest. I was a doctor now, yet melatonin wasn't powerful enough to grant me rest.

Rose's snoring across the room in our shoebox of a dorm didn't help my situation.

My head moved alongside the pillow so that I could face the other way.

I haven't even studied what or how to do a cholecystectomy, and I was going to be helping Dr. Jackson in the morning. Maybe if I get there early, I could get to the library and finding a book on it.

I closed my eyes as my mind replayed the sound of the smooth, buttery voice Dr. Jackson possessed. Many professors in medical school said he's by far the strictest surgeon to be mentored under. That people would crack under the pressure he put on his students.

I snuggle against the covers while smuggling a smile.

How bad could he be? He seemed awfully sweet to offer a whole intern to do a procedure with him. Wait. What if it's a test? What if he's trying to see if I'm built for this? What if he finds out I have -$60 in my bank account due to loans!

I popped out of my bed and swiftly ran out of my dorm to bump into...him. Dr. Jackson chuckles lightly while scratching the back of his neck as he looks up and down at my clothes, "Surgeons don't perform in pajamas, love."

I look down at my clothing before blurting out, "I was going to the library to..."

He finishes my sentence, "To learn how to do a cholecystectomy, huh?" I nod my head in shame as he challenged,

"Why are you embarrassed? You're a damn intern, you think I would expect you to know how to do a procedure like that? What would've been embarrassing is you showing up with a prideful smirk and a brain of ignorance in my OR. Now, go along. Go study."

I looked at him as he was sipping a cup of coffee while wearing a pair of turquoise scrubs. His name was engraved in script on the right pocket of the material that held his pens.

Just looking at those pens, I knew they cost probably more than my salary here.

He was somehow chipper although it was almost five in the morning. I let out a yawn as he continues to look at me, "You look like absolute hell, you know that?"

I answer sarcastically as his comment I took to heart instantly, "Thanks." He took another sip of his coffee while shaking his head, "Not like that. You look exhausted. Coffee. Get dressed. I'll wait right here. Get dressed and I'll buy you a cup of coffee and tell you how to perform a cholecystectomy."

Somehow, his offer caused me to smile in reassurance, "Thank you." He grumbles as his smile dissipated, "I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it so that my patient has a successful cholecystectomy and can leave the hospital with a peace of mind. Not a half-assed one due to a resident thinking it's her bedtime in my OR during MY schedule."

I gulp as I went back to my room and slid on a pair of scrubs and met him back outside. Somehow, in ten minutes, he had a set of charts he was holding in one arm and his cup of coffee in the other.

I gather that Shirley must've given him the charts for pre-op.

I walk over and grabbed the stack of charts out of his arms as he gestured politely, "Perfect. Let's go."

Not even a thank you?

We walked down to the cafeteria and he walked over to the coffee stand and grabbed one of the complimentary cups and filled it with coffee.

"Two sugars," I added.

He obeys my wishes, and we found a table to sit at beside the window where I plopped the stack of charts onto the table.

"Do your arms hurt?" he asked.

I nod my head before sitting down as he hands me my cup of coffee.

"Good," he answers before grabbing of them charts from the stack, "Welcome to general surgery, or like we like to call it...

...hell."

꧁ Don't forget to comment and like! ꧂

A/U I don't know how long you guys want these chapters to be so this chapter is a test run, just tell me kind of an estimate of how long you want the chapters to be, anything you like so far, whatever. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

I don't know how frequently I will be uploading but I will make it a habit to upload a chapter a week so yeah!