"Ok so what are the five principles of implementing a hospital budget?"
...
"Anyone?"
The silver head looked around the class in expectation. "Ah, Miss Vines. Tell me what the first one is."
"Miss Vines?"
Rya's blank expression let the professor know her answer. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. As she shook her head apologetically, Professor Miller let out a deep sigh and glanced at his watch. They were out of time.
"Well... by the looks of Miss Vines; you all seemed to have contracted a case of amnesia. For homework read chapters 9, 10 and 11 from the text, plus the online study material and the additional commentary."
A chorus of groans echoed throughout. Those chapters were really long reads. Rya could feel the accusatory glares all around her. While she was usually the one who knew all the answers, she had completely spaced out in that moment. This was the only class she actually participated in, all the others she made sure she was invisible.
"And I expect an engaging discussion next class... maybe even a quiz." His narrowed eyes lingered on some discontent faces.
"You are dismissed." Sounds of shuffling papers and chairs scraping the floor resonated in the room.
Rya quickly gathered her belongings and tried to make a quick escape.
"Miss Vines, please stay behind." Rya fought the urge to scream.
When everyone cleared out of the room the professor's attention was completely on her.
"Ok, out with it, what's wrong?"
Rya nervously shrugged. "Nothing... Well, I don't know."
The stagnant silence was uncomfortable.
"You don't have to be so hard on everyone." She mumbled, and then nibbled her inner cheek. A trademark sign of uncertainty.
The professor couldn't help but smile. It was a habit she'd picked up as a child.
Richard Miller could never forget when he first laid eyes on eleven-year-old Rya Vines.
Long plaited pigtails swayed anxiously as she waited by her mother's bedside. A hospital was no place for a child. And yet Rya wore eyes of a 70 year-old woman with ease. Resigned to accept whatever came their way.
Working as the Director of Health services at the time, Richard didn't really interact with patients. His job was behind the scenes, ensuring the hospital and staff ran smoothly. Much like the Wizard of Oz he was incognito but powerful; he encountered few problems without a solution.
However at hearing of a young mother's rare condition with only a child at her side, he'd been moved, but mostly curious. When he saw the girl, his heartstrings pulled him right into their room and struck up a conversation with her. Her mother was heavily sedated and so he asked the girl how the facilities and staff were treating her.
Maturity oozed from her very bones as she tactfully told Richard that although the facilities and staff were fine, her mother wasn't. In the end that's all that mattered. Her small hand clutched her mother's weak one as she claimed her position as sole caregiver. There was no one else but her. Her father came around, but wasn't really present in their lives.
Richard melted and felt a sort of kinship with her. He made a point to come by and bring her a lunch or a snack and ask how she was doing. It wasn't enough. Determined to help her further, he called in a few favors and pulled some strings. Rya's mother was chosen to be treated with an experimental drug which she responded favorably to. When she was finally released from the hospital, Rya found herself continuing to visit Mr. Miller whom she remembered as kind and helpful in her time of need.
A friendship was formed. Richard soon discovered that although Rya was extremely mature and serious when it came to her mother's care, in all other things she was almost whimsical. Her active imagination transported her to different worlds she created. Perhaps she did it as an escape from her reality.
Whatever the case, he enjoyed their talks and the time they spent together. His family did too.
His wife, Elaine often joked that having Rya was the easiest birth she'd ever had. Zach their oldest and most stubborn, took 36 hours to finally grace them with his presence. Two years later came the girls. When it become obvious that the twins Madison and Caroline, could not be coaxed out of the womb, they were finally born via emergency C-section. But with Rya... within first couple of minutes of meeting her, they fell in love with and made her part of the family. Even though she didn't actually live with them, Christmas cards and family dinners were never complete without Rya. Among friends and family she was known as their bonus child.
In turn Rya always felt right at home. Her mother, Sondra didn't mind; in fact she appreciated how the Millers had taken Rya under their wing. God knows kind-hearted, generous people were hard to come by. Anything to ensure her daughter of a brighter future. One of the best days of her life was when Sondra saw her baby start college. With her deteriorated condition, she didn't think she would live long enough to see it, but it brought her great joy and peace of mind to know the Millers would there for her long after she was gone.
Richard and Elaine, who was also a schoolteacher, helped Rya with her scholarship applications and essays and were delighted when she received a full ride to some great schools. Although Richard wasn't sure it was the right fit, Rya insisted on pursuing a career in the medical field. He ended up taking a teaching position at a renowned New York college and as luck would have it, she was in his class this semester.
It was odd at first, but they adjusted. Rya wasn't used to this side of him. He was always kind and patient like a surrogate father, not this militant instructor. Her peers had no idea she knew him personally and didn't hesitate to express how much they hated his class. Even though they'd later admit they learned more from him in a month than years with other professors.
Professor Miller sighed. "I wasn't being hard on them. It's imperative you learn the material. But let's go back to my previous question, what's going on with you? You seem off."
Rya held her tongue. Was it that obvious? Ever since meeting Haseem she's been all out of sorts. She tried to keep a straight face. "I'm fine."
His eyes narrowed. She wasn't fine, but he'd let it go for now. He couldn't help but feel overprotective when it came to her. "Alright then, I'll talk to you later."
