Fallen Chapter 22
by Namjr
 
 

~@~@ Fallen Ch. 22
 

~~

“Whitney you need to focus, legends aren’t born, they’re created through hard work, and effort.”

Jody stopped midstride, and barley contained her laugh, someone had been watching too many A&E Specials. Casually glancing in the direction of the voice, she nodded when she recognized T.C. Russell. He had introduced himself as ‘Coach Russell, of course she had been to the school many times on medical calls, and had yet to see him. She should have known that the husband would be as hard and straight laced as the wife.

The girl she remembered slightly was Simone’s older sister, she guessed the name was Whitney, but she hadn’t really been paying attention, she often let her mind wander when things got slow, and nothing was slower then when her esteem boss Dr. Russell got to talking. That poor girl, a condescending mother, and an overbearing father, poor kid didn’t get out soon who knew what would happen. “I’d be drunk and on my fifth kid by now.”

Turning back to the scene at hand, she gave a sigh of relief when she noticed that the girl was now alone, she didn’t know why but the elder Russell’s annoyed her. “Hello Whitney, how are you?’

Whitney met the doctors’ blue eyes, and let out a sigh full of frustration; her father was on a new tangent that was sure to drive her to an early grave. Sixteen hour days full of practice, she barley had time to study, much less see Chad, she needed a some rest or least at a shoulder to lean on, and something in the doctor’s voice made her feel at ease. “I’m having a bad day.”

“Oh, would you like to talk about it?”

“Could we.”

“Sure follow me.” Jody took her elbow, and let the young woman toward her office.

Whitney followed her into the office, she recognized it, Dr. Versachi had been the previous occupant, a little rotund Italian man, that kept the office as sterile as the rest of the hospital, but Jody had obviously decided to in the other direction. One wall was lined with degrees, and plaque’s proof of her experience, the other wall was lined with pictures. The most prominent one was centered, and featured Jody in a cap and gown in the middle of a group hug, with a short blond couple, identical smiles on their face, it was a clearly a parental moment, and thought Jody and the woman sheared the same eye color, they looked like complete opposites.

“They were good people.” Jody nodded toward the picture she caught the younger woman looking at. “Although they certainty had problems, they really loved me, and that’s always good.” She watched Whitney nod, and went on. “Of course my Dad was a little harder to please then most, you see Joe McKoy didn’t even have a high school diploma, so when he found out his daughter was a certified genius, he started thinking big.”

“How big?”

“Graduate from Oxford at ten, Harvard Law tops honors before I’m twelve, Youngest Supreme court justice ever.”

“Wow, those are big plans.”

“Yeah, you see my Dad wanted the best for me, like most fathers do, but he was so focused on the best while to give a crappy pun, he forgot about the rest.” “This is where most of my parent’s battles started, my mother wanted me too be a normal child or as normal as an interracial child genius can be in a small rural West Virginian town, she wanted me to join the girl scouts, and the four H club, and become homecoming queen.” “They both wanted t be what they never could be, and it was a lot of pressure for at six and at ten, and at twenty, but someone helped out.” Jody stood, and pointed to the picture of her mentor, and old gentleman, with an even older hat, and scraggly white eyebrows." This man taught me something, that none of those MTI guys would tell me, that I was only one person, and I could only live one person’s dream.” “He’s names Doc, and that’s just what he is, he’s the doctor of the town, not one of the doctors, THE DOCTOR, he brought you into this world, and he’d be there when they recalled ya.”
Whitney caught the last word, and raised an eyebrow, at the doctor.” Sorry talking about home always brings out the southern drawl, and improper English.” “Wow, I spent all the that time talking about myself, and just this morning I was telling Antonio, how I wasn’t conceited and self-involved, oh well so maybe I am a but just a little.” “So Whitney, what did you want to talk about?”

Whitney just shook her head, to stunned to say anything, people had been telling her, but no one had ever truly understood her situation, like Jody McKoy , she knew of the terrible stress that came with trying to live for two parents, and never really pleasing either. She hadn’t been asked to win a tennis competition, she had basically been asked to be perfect while saving the world. “No I think you helped me.”

“Good, so no problems at all.”

“Nothing, I can’t handle now.” Whitney stood, and moved toward the door.

“Great, well just remember if you need anything, my door is always open, unless it’s closed.” Jody said making the usually serious girl smile, as she opened the door, and stopped short of the sight that greeted her, her boss. “Good afternoon Dr. Russell.”

~~~

The limo stopped just outside the cottage, but it was basically ignored, as the movers continued to transport tables, and chairs into the large manor home. Sheridan stepped from the car, and shielded her eyes for the blinding sun; she had called ahead, so that her cottage could be prepared, but she hadn’t been notified of any event, not that they would, she added silently.

“Oh Miss Crane, we didn’t except you back this soon. We were told the jet wasn’t landing til eight.” A hurried looking maid said, as she stopped in front of Sheridan. “I’m not even sure if someone opened up the cottage.”

“That’s alright Joan, what’s going on?”

“We’re entertaining, sister dear.”

Sheridan watched the maid, give a small gasp, and hurry away, before turning to her brother, and watching him walk down the front steps of the house. “Dear God Julian, why would we do that?”

“To increase our standing in the community and pay tribute to a brilliant doctor, that has what it takes to save thousands of lives, network with others, and of course…” Julian let the sentence hang, he and Sheridan weren’t even remotely close, so telling her about host a large banquet just too impress a lovely doctor was out of the question.

“Suck up to Father.”

“Shame sister dear, I have completely no interest in pleasing our father on this occasion, it’s the furthest form my mind.” ‘And the furthest possibility, he thought bitterly. Alistair Crane had begrudgingly agreed to ‘allow’ the banquet to continue, even thought it was a ‘waste of resources’, which actually meant that he didn’t want to spend the money but as it had happened already he’d just punish him later.” Father has no interest in this dinner or honoree.” ‘The honoree especially, Julian grimaced when he thought of his father’s words about the young doctor, words unfit to repeat in even in the most common of raunchy sailors.

“And the honoree would be?”

“Jody McKoy, the newest staff member at Harmony General.”

“Kay’s doctor?” Sheridan asked trying to bring up a picture of the doctor in her mind, but only being able to remember her blue eyes, they reminded her of her mother’s eyes, warm and inviting.

“ Yes, that’s the one Antonio’s too, that what got her the ‘Stansfield’, she saved Lopez-Fitzgerald’s life, Eve is very excited, this could generate tons of good publicity for the hospital, which leads to donations and advancements.”

“Eve?” She asked cocking her eyebrow.” You mean Dr. Russell; I wouldn’t suggest you let T.C. hear you call her that, you know he’s looking for any reason to hurt you.”

“Yes of course, I must remember my place.” ‘Waiting in the wings’ Julian gave his sister a charming smile, that actually made him human, as he bent slightly and lifted her overnight bag over his shoulder. “Here let me escort you to your cottage.”

He walked away leaving Sheridan speechless and staring after him, wonders just what had happened in Harmony while she had been away.

~~~

“Whitney, I didn’t know you knew Dr. McKoy.”

Jody watched the scene in silence, Whitney’s eyes widening in surprise, and her mother’s narrowing in suspicious, any progress the young girl made was seconds from being ripped out of her.

“I uhh… well...”

“I ran into to your daughter in the hall literally, I was just making sure she was okay, I didn’t want to send out into the world injured.”

Whitney sagged against the door, relief evident on her face, her mother had made her dislike of the doctor widely know at the Russell house, she was becoming like her father and the Cranes, Simone had the luxury of ignoring theirs sage advice and behaving anyway she liked, but as the oldest she was expected to follow her parents example, and a conversation with her mother’s rival was a large no-no. “Yeah, thank you Dr. McKoy.” She nodded to the doctor, and prayed her mother didn’t see the wink as she ran out the door.

“It was a pleasure Whitney.” Jody watched the girl sprint down the hall, and turned back to meet her boss’s eyes. “Dr. Russell to what do I own this honor?”

“I was wondering what you’re plan where’s for this Saturday?”

“Uh... well it’s my day off.”

“Well I was wondering because they’re having a party at Crane Mansion, and Julian Crane wanted me to personally invite you.” Eve felt no real remorse at the lye; the ‘Stanfield’ was a prestigious award, so prestigious in fact that the entire process from nominations to final selection was held in secret. The most time consuming part wasn’t filling out the forms for the candidate, but trying to get the recipient to show up.

“Why do people keep throwing out that name like it means something, who are the Cranes?” The name had been whispered in her ear constantly since she set foot in the small town; it was usually said with fear or contempt, and she still didn’t know who they were. “What are they rich?”

Eve opened her mouth, but felt no words come out, how was it possible that she had lived her for months and still hadn’t heard of the Cranes. “They’re the riches family in North American, they live on Raven Hill, and for all intensive purposes they own the town.”

“Huh.” Jody let the words sink in, and shook her head quickly.” Nah, I’ll pass, I don’t do society functions, I’m from a miniscule town where my idea of a party involves moonshine and radio recorded tape of Alabama.”

“Dr. McKoy this is about hospital business, your refusal would be seen as a slight, and that could very well damage our funding. “

“Whoa, did you just pull rank with me?”

“Yes I did.”

“Are you aware that my personal time is just that, MY personal time, and I’m in no way obligated to attend some high society party, just because you got to suck up to ‘the man’.”

“Yes, you will DOCTOR MCKOY, or you will no longer be granted to privileges at this hospital.” Enjoying the look of surprise and bitter acceptance, before giving the young woman a sly smile, before exiting, closes the door with a satisfying thud.
 
 
 

Chapter 23
Chapter 21
Site Index