Residency: Origins
(I intend for this to be the first chapter of many more to come, with a progressive increase in intensity as the characters explore their relationship. It would mean the world to me if you could leave a comment letting me know what you think about this story, and how you would like it to progress. Thanks)
Natasha couldn't tell what was wrong with him. He seemed so lost and confused in the OR. It was almost as though he was suffering from hyponatremia far more than any of their patients were. It had already been three weeks since they had begun their residencies -- his in Orthopaedic surgery and hers in Anaesthesiology. Still, it seemed like he hadn't found his bearings at all. He seemed to be perennially dazed, tired or afraid on the two days of the week that she saw him in the OR.
In that first month, she often found herself wondering what in the world this guy was doing in a residency programme for Orthopaedic surgery. Surgeons were known for their charisma, their infectious confidence, that calmed both the patients and their families as well as the entire healthcare team, including the junior surgeons, nurses, and OR staff. They all knew that this surgeon was the man/woman for the job -- just from the way the surgeons walked, talked and carried themselves. They knew that if they had the misfortune of encountering a complication during surgery, their captain would not panic and would in all likelihood singlehandedly steer their ship through the stormy waters and back to the safety of the shore. All great surgeons she had seen over her years as a medical student had these qualities, irrespective of their specialities. The neurosurgeons were just as calm as the cardiac surgeons, who were themselves just as innovative and talented as the plastic or the urosurgeons. But even in her med school days, she had heard all about the Orthopaedic surgeons. The tallest, sharpest, strongest and smartest men in med school almost always ended up opting for orthopaedic surgery as their speciality of choice. It was practically an exclusive club for well built, handsome, intelligent and supremely confident men. They were, as a group, the highest paid surgeons in the country. It was as though the orthopaedic surgeons were as unflinching and unyielding as the bones they primarily dealt and worked with. Which then begged the question, how did HE get here and how was he going to cope?
It was undeniable that he did fit the bill. He was 6'4", broad shouldered, and lean. His scrubs clung to his chest and biceps, as they glided past his muscled back to his trim waist. She had no difficulty imagining smooth, toned abs under those scrubs. His scores were the best in the institute -- and he had walked into his residency on a red carpet. From all the residents present at the event, the Dean had asked him to speak at the orientation programme before their residencies began, because his portfolio, scores and credentials were exemplary. He had politely declined to speak on that occasion. She wondered how a young man, so obviously gifted and talented, could be this underwhelming in every day interactions. He looked gaunt, shabby and hungry, with dark circles dominating an otherwise shapely face and jawline.
Natasha worked with him and his colleagues all the time. As an anaesthetist, she was responsible for evaluating and certifying that the patients that the surgeons needed to operate were fit for surgery and could safely tolerate the procedure. She needed every last detail about these patients, including the reports of their investigations, their medical histories, allergies, the surgical plan, the approximate duration that the surgeons expected the surgery to last, and so much more. He never seemed to know what the surgical plan was. He never knew how long it would take. He could not for his life tell her which patients had known illnesses that could potentially complicate both the surgery and anaesthesia. To make matters worse, he was so afraid of making a mistake that he would barely speak, mumbling under his breath, so much that he was effectively a liability in the ward. Even though his sheer size prevented his immediate orthopaedic colleagues from seriously scoffing at him, she could tell that his ineptitude was taking a serious toll on him. It did not help that his senior colleagues were a bunch of assholes. They were barely a few years ahead in their own residencies, and by no means accomplished surgeons themselves. However, they still took a deviant pleasure in humbling the big man and showing him his place. They were forever condescending and mocking him, reminding him of his ignorance and constantly joking about the burden he was on them.
Fortunately, her own colleagues and seniors were far more welcoming and accommodating. A few girls a year ahead of her went out of their way to make Natasha feel safe while she learnt the ropes. They all basically lived together in buildings close to the hospital, away from their friends and family, and she was glad that she wasn't going through the same hazing that Alexander was. They hung out at each other's places after work all the time. Many among them returned from the hospital late into the night on multiple nights a week, and the people that finished work a little earlier often took it upon themselves to cook for everyone, so that they could all have a warm meal before getting ready for another day at the grind. It was on one such night, after a long day at work, when Natasha was unwinding with her batchmate Sophia and her senior Luna that the topic drifted to the guys in Orthopaedics and Alexander in particular.
"What is going to happen to the patients in the city when Alexander becomes a consultant? He looks like he will collapse and break his own bones any day now," Sophia joked.
"I wonder what's up with him sometimes," Natasha said. "He doesn't seem to be okay."
Luna didn't seem to agree with the two of them. "Give him some time. You can't possibly imagine what these guys are going through. Their residencies are a lot more intense than ours. They literally work like 20 hours every day, with barely any time to eat or sleep. All these guys that are being hard on him weren't doing any better themselves a year or two ago. The whole system for them is just a lot more difficult."
"Come on, surely no one can be this lost. Why do they show up for this if they can't take the heat? He could have picked an easier stream if this wasn't his cup of tea," Sophia said.
Natasha didn't say anything. She couldn't help but feel drawn to Alexander, but didn't want to admit it to her friends.
Luna shrugged off Sophia's scepticism. "I'm not saying he's great or anything, but just give him a little more time. It's a long road and people have different capacities to cope with stress at this level. Give him a chance, and he may soon surprise you."
The conversation soon meandered off into different directions from there on, and they soon called it a night. Natasha fell asleep that night with thoughts of Alexander and his rippling body, gently chiding herself for having a crush that was so purely physical.
In due time it became obvious that Luna was right. As the weeks turned into months, Alexander successively became stronger with almost every passing day. While he was meek and timid before, he now appeared strong and confident. His knowledge was improving with the day, the patients always waited for him to round on them and he smiled SO much more. Natasha was getting more and more drawn into him, and suddenly, she realized, with knots in her stomach, that this guy could probably get any girl he wanted. She couldn't tell if he liked her or not. He looked so great off late, and by 3 months into the programme when he spoke to her, he was so charming and funny that she got butterflies in her stomach every time she saw him. She felt so special when she was with him, but she was crestfallen when she saw that he spoke to almost all the girls that way. He always seemed to have girls around him, joking with him and whispering inside jokes into his ear, and the sight of it made her sicker than she was prepared to accept.
