Saving Forever - Part 1 (5 page)

Chapter 8

Stripes of bright light shone on Charity’s face. She tried leaning her head back and then dropping her chin down but the lines wouldn’t leave her be. Her eyes fluttered open and closed again as she rolled to her other side. Her apartment. She’d made it back late last night and only half closed the blinds before dropping onto her bed.

Rays of sunshine reminded her the day had already begun. She rolled onto her back, grabbed her phone off the nightstand and scrolled through her messages.

Julie had sent her a selfie shot of the two of them. Her dark brown curls, hazel eyes and tanned skin made Charity look like she lived in New York and Julie lived in Atlanta. Both of them were smiling and for a selfie, the picture had turned out really good.

She scrolled down the picture and read the message:

Great catching up yesterday. Let’s plan on going out a night next time you are here. So glad you took the job. It’ll be good for you… and for Dr. Thompson. See you next weekend. Simon’ll be there too.

Charity laughed at the last line. Simon would use every excuse in the book to avoid going. Julie would have to drag him there. Free beer might tempt him to stay a tad longer.

She checked her watch. Quick shower, breakfast on the way to her office and she’d have the whole day to work.

Forty minutes later she
stepped off the elevator and headed to her office. This floor at Forever Hope had a number of doctors’ offices set on it. Malcolm’s office was further down the hall, hers right by the elevator. It was quiet for a Sunday morning.

She set the large box she carried on the floor and unlocked the door. The room had been completely transformed from the first time she’d seen it just a few days ago.  The polished wood floor now gleamed, the one large wall had been painted with chalk paint and she’d set up a shelf on the far side now stalked with chalk, erasers, pens, paper and anything else brainstorming meetings might require. A large round table with
comfy office chairs surrounded it. The mini food bar was stocked with little snacks to tempt anyone who looked at it. The place looked… perfect.

The box.
She turned around to grab it and nearly collided with Malcolm. He stood at the doorway, holding the box she’d left outside. He looked every inch the doctor, dress pants and button up under a lab coat.

“Hi stranger.” He smiled. “I stepped off the elevator and heard noise coming from this direction. The…” His eyes drifted past her to room. “Wow! This looks awesome.”

Charity stepped to the side. “You really think so? I mean, I love it but it’s good to get an outsider’s opinion.”

Malcolm set the box on the table and pointed to the painted chalk wall. “I love this. I could use it in my room.”

Charity smiled. “I’m not sure the chief of Forever Hope needs a scribble wall. Might not match the professional look of your room.”

“Who cares? It’s super cool.” He walked over and took a piece of chalk out, drawing a little square house and the sun.

“That’s quite the drawing.”

Malcolm stepped back and pretended to admire it. “I like to get in touch with my inner self and basic shapes.”

“Looks like a Picasso.” She had to press her lips tight together to hold in the laughter.

“You’ve got a very good eye for exquisite art.” He chuckled before grabbing an eraser and wiping the drawing away. “Need to keep my secret talent under wraps.”

“Gotchya.”

“So what are you doing here on a weekend? I thought you were in
New York?”

“I got back last night and wanted to get some work done here. I’m almost finished
with the first press release.”

“Did you settle on a catch phrase?”

She pulled the file out of the box and set it on the table. “I actually have a few ideas. No major tongue twisters but I do like the idea of something people can easily remember. It’s going to end up being the theme for the next two years.”

Malcolm sat in one of the leather chairs and leaned back. He tested the rollers on the seat. “I may be stealing one of these and leaving my office chair in its place.”

“Artist and thief? That’s a deadly combination.” Charity sat down across from him. “What do you think of Fixing Hope? Or Hope Reborn?”

“Hope Reborn sounds interesting.”
             

“I have a few more. I started with finishing a catchy phrase with the word hope. Except hope is used everywhere. So I came up with a few phrases us
ing forever. Forever Hopeful, and a bunch more like that. Nothing puts the hospital as the focus. You guys perform miracles here, you save people’s lives.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s it!”

Malcolm glanced around. “What’s it?”

“Saving Forever. We’re saving the hospital and fixing it just like the doctors here save patients.” She scribbled it down on the top of the first page. “Simple, relatable and remember-able.”

“It’s perfect.” He grinned, his eyes bright with mischi
ef. “If people will remember it, why are you writing it down?”

“I don’t know
. Force of habit probably.” She set the pen down. “So why are you in today?”

“I’m on call and I also scheduled a surgery for a patient who can’t wait.”

She didn’t want to be curious but she couldn’t help. She hadn’t quit med school because she didn’t love what it was about. “Can’t wait?”

He pointed at her. “Dr. Thompson’s daughter is a chip off the old block, I believe.” He leaned forward, excited. “She’s thirteen
and is about to regain her sight.”

“No freakin’ way!? Very cool.”

“I know! I love this job. She lost it from an accident about eight month ago and the swelling has finally gone done enough to remove the scar tissue. She has minimal blurry vision but after today… well let’s just say she’ll be able to see her date for prom.” He stood. “Unfortunately I need to get ready. I don’t want to make her wait any longer.” He paused by the door. “I got the message regarding you helping your father with a charity night for his birthday. I’m sure it’ll be a big success. When you’re here on a weekend let me know, there are some local restaurants you need to try out.”

Still thinking about the girl about to go in surgery, Charity nodded her head. “Sure.  I’ll be up in
New York next weekend but if everything goes well, I should be around the following one.”

“Let me know. Have a great day.” He smiled and closed the door as he left.

She sat up quickly. Had Malcolm just asked her out?

Chapter 9

I’ll drive, Dad.
Why had she offered? Her flight had arrived about an hour and a half ago. Since then she’d basically run a whirlwind marathon. She’d checked into her hotel, met with the owner of the heritage building, gone over dates and promised she would give the guy a definite location and deposit by the end of the evening. So she had to rush to the hospital and convince her father to see the location. Her gut told her this was the place; now she had to get her father to agree.

Charity parallel parked the car and reached for her purse to get change for the parking me
ter. They had just spent the last fifteen minutes in silence. She had pretended to focus on the roads; her dad appeared busy on his phone.

She tightened her jacket belt and walked around the car to the parking meter. As her father got out, he slipped his phone into his breast pocket.

“The parking garage is less than a block away.” She pointed in the south east direction. “People will be able to park there. From previous experience, I’ve dealt with a taxi service and have been able to hire two or three drivers for an evening. We pay the taxi a flat fee for the evening. It’s only for driving people home.” They began walking to the old theatre, passing beautiful old, heritage houses and offices as they made their way. “It’s a bit of a cost but a big win in the end. People who have been drinking don’t risk driving, those who took a taxi down get the benefit of not having to pay for one home – which tends to get them spending more at the benefit and it gives them something to talk about. It sounds silly, I know, but it works.”

“It’s a great idea.”

She glanced over at her dad, surprised at the compliment. “I did a charity stint out in LA about two years ago, for a fire station actually. One of the firefighter’s brother-in-law owned an independent taxi service and offered to have three of his drivers work the evening. He paid them their hourly service, got a write-off for the time and money spent, and the drivers made a boat-load off the tips. Everyone was happy, so I tried the same thing at my next contract and it worked great again.” She shrugged, now embarrassed for telling him the whole thing instead of taking credit.

“One of the nurses on the post op floor… I think her husband owns a taxi service. Or her brother or something.” He shook his head and scrunched one side of his mouth.

Charity knew he was trying to go through a previous conversation and remember who the connection was. He did the same thing when she lived at home and Mom used to always tease him and ask if he was rewinding the video in his brain again.

“It’s her sister’s husband.” He waved his hand.  “The nurse’s name is Anne. She’ll be going to tomorrow night’s cocktail party. I’ll introduce you to her.”

“Perfect.”

The concert hall was built out of old limestone, the early nineteen hundreds era of gallant stone and design. Ivy had spent the past few decades trying to take over the outside of the building but had recently been removed and the building sandblasted to look like it originally had.

“The new owner is an architect. He gutted everything inside but still kept the theme. Wait till you see it. It’s not completely finished but Mr. Bott assured me it will be done in the next three to four months. The majority of the construction part is done, it’s just the painting and flooring now.” She pulled a key out of her pocket and a small note with the alarm number on it. “Let me just get this security-thing turned off.” She unlocked and slipped inside to punch the numbers in while her father waited by the door.

She flipped a bunch of the switches for the lights on and pulled the heavy antique original door open. “Come and see.”

Her father raised a weary eye as he stepped through the doorframe but his face lit up at the size of the entrance.

“Mr. Bott kept the coat check area original.” She pointed to the oak
-sided window with two old wooden openings for people to pass and collect their coats through. “The ceiling is the original double story height and the main floor is actually below ground. The theatre was built to house most paying customers up here and for drinks and box office seats. Wait till you step through the frosted glass doors and see.” Charity glanced up at the doors, seeing the bright reflection of the chandelier prisms through the frosted glass.
Like thousands of diamonds
. “Come see.”

Her father went ahead and held the door for
her. His breath sucked in as he stepped through to see the view for himself.

Charity couldn’t wait to read his expression. His eyes actually lit up. Or their brightness came from the chandelier’s reflection that hung not far from them. The floor on this level was a donut shape. A skinny round donut with a very large centre hole. People could walk around, or sit on antique benches. There were original brass bathroom and liquor signs on the outer wall.  A brass and cast iron railing ran between each pillar connecting them but still giving one full view of the scene below or across from them. Every angle seemed covered – except for the lower end of the large chandelier. It hid just a small space directly across.

The walls were rough but large golden gilded mirrors lay against the walls, evenly spaced. Her father stepped carefully over the unfinished floors and put his hands on the top bar of the railing.

Charity did the same thing. Below, all the original seating and floor plan had been ripped out. Half the flooring had been done in a dark, almost cherry, wood. It looked breathtaking with the chandelier sending zaps of gold and sparkles bouncing off of everything.

“It’s extra bright now with the sun out. At night it’ll seem like we are looking up at the stars.”

“That’s a very large space down there.” Her father continued to scan and scrutinize below.

“We’re going to need it. She pointed to several spots. “I want to have gold banners coming down from up here, all the way to the area below. Mr. Bott said the waterfall will also be ready in time. They are building it in the far corner.” She pointed in the direction. “It’s going to look fantastic.” She could picture the layout in her head already, almost down to the itty-bitty details. Her mother would have loved everything about this place. The pain in her heart made its way to her throat. She had to swallow several times to get rid of it.

Her father’s phone started to ring. “It’s the hospital.” He reached in and answered. A moment later he strode back to the entrance and hand motioned Charity to follow. “I’ll be right there. Prep the patient for surgery and ask one of the nurses to have my stuff ready. Send his chart and results to my phone right away and I’ll look over it as my daughter drives me back to the hospital.” He stuffed the phone in his pocket. “We need to go.”

“Emergency?”

“Bad accident.”

“Let’s go then. You start walking to the car and I’ll shut everything off and lock up.”

He was already out the door. Charity set the alarm and after locking the doors, she jogged to catch up to him. They drove in silence again, this time her father intent on his phone, even slipping on a pair of reading glasses Charity never knew he needed. As she turned into the hospital parking lot he took his glasses off and slipped them in his pocket. “The place will be great. Nice work.” He unclicked his seatbelt. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll be in surgery quite a while but just leave a message.” He jumped out and ran through the emergency entrance without saying goodbye.

Charity pulled away from the curb, about to head back to her hotel, when she noticed her father’s phone lying on the passenger seat. She pulled into the visitor parking area and headed into the hospital.

She had to wait for the elevator and by the time she stepped onto the sixth floor she knew her father would already be in surgery. He probably went straight to emergency instead of coming up to his office. She decided to try his office anyway.

The nurse’s station was empty as she passed and the hall was quiet. She glanced at Elijah’s closed office door. Light shone through the frosted glass but she couldn’t tell if he was there or not. Charity reached for her father’s door handle and turned. She expected it to be locked but it opened.

It felt eerie walking in, like she was snooping and shouldn’t be there. She walked over to his desk and turned the desk light on. She ripped a sheet of paper off a pad he had by the phone.

You left your phone in the car.

I’ll see you tomorrow night.

Charity

She cleared a few things from the middle of his desk so he would see his phone right away and left the desk light on. She glanced out the window
; it had grown dark quickly. “That time already,” she mumbled to herself and then giggled when her stomach rumbled in agreement. She pulled her own phone out and sent Mr. Bott a message to confirm the location was a go and he could charge the deposit to her visa card. She’d send the number in the morning after he sent the contract. The deal was sealed.

Elijah’s light was off when she left her dad’s room.
Too bad.
She could have knocked on his door and asked if he wanted to grab something to eat. She walked down the hall to the elevator trying to decide what takeout to order.

“Hey stranger!” Elijah stood by the elevator. He wore jeans and a tee shirt under his leather jacket.

“Hi. You done for the evening?”

The elevator door slid open. Elijah stepped aside to let her in first.  “Just finished. You visiting your dad? I think he’s in surgery.” He pressed the “G” for ground floor and the door paused a moment before closing.

“He is. He forgot his phone in my car so I was just dropping it off.” Her stomach rumbled again, echoing in the elevator. Elijah’s eyebrows shot up at the sound and she laughed as she covered her tummy. “Sorry, I’m apparently starving.”

“Either that, or you found a baby tiger and you’re trying to hide it in your jacket.”

“I wanted a baby tiger when I was about four. My dad wouldn’t let me have one.”

“The nerve of your dad!” he joked
. “I’d have let you have one.”

She grinned.
She’d just found the perfect location for the gala and felt like celebrating a bit. Her dad had actually liked the location. Giddy with pride, she decided she was slightly invincible tonight. The elevator door creaked as it slid open. “Are you up to anything? I’m about to grab something to eat and apparently my stomach is treating.” She knew his reputation, but it would just be dinner. No biggie.

Elijah followed her out and glanced around the lobby. “S
ssssure, I’m game.” His eyes swept the room again. “Let’s go.” He walked quickly to the revolving doors.

“
Where do you want to eat?” she asked when they stepped outside. She wrapped her coat tighter around her; the air had turned chilly. “Do you want me to drive?” She slapped her forehead. “I’m in the visitors’ parking and didn’t put any money in the meter. I just ran in when I realized my dad forgot his phone. Crap! I better not have a ticket.”

“I’m not fussy.” He followed her. “You grew up around here right? Any hidden gems?”

“Hmm…” She chewed her lower lip. “Do you like Thai food? If it’s still downtown, there’s a great little place called Salathai.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Charity clicked the unlock button on the rental car and walked around to the driver’s side, checking for a ticket on her windshield. Thank goodness. No ticket. She’d gotten lucky.

“What happened to the
Mustang?” Elijah said as he climbed in the passenger side.

“
Ha ha.” She pretended to punch his shoulder but just tapped it lightly instead. “I got a lady teller at the car rental place this time.” She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

“That sucks.” Elijah
’s eyes followed the entrance of the hospital as they drove past it.

Charity watched him from the corner of her eye. “Are you supposed to be meeting someone?”

“Me? No.” He straightened to face forward.

“Really? ‘Cause you’re acting like you don’t want to get caught hanging with me.”

He sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “No! That’s not it. I, uh, I went out with a nurse and she, um, kinda thinks we’re a serious item.”

Charity burst out laughing. “
Now why would she think that? She new?” When he nodded, she chuckled again. “So she’s into you a bit more than you’re into her?”

“You could say that.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m glad you find it amusing. She’s pretty much stalking me.”

“You just went out with her once?”

He nodded, then shook his head. “Maybe twice.”

He slept with her, probably once at the hospital. She grinned but held back the laugh. “And she’s stalking you now?”

“The girl’s a piece of work! She shows up when I’m finishing a surgery, or leaving work, or bloody coming out of the toilets. It’s like she’s tagged me with a tracking device.”

Charity stopped for a red light. “She’s a nurse? On sixth floor?” She tried to remember if there were any super pretty ones she’d noticed the few times she had passed the nurse’s station. Hadn’t several of them been talking about him last weekend?

“Not on
sixth. She works on third. The maternity floor.”