Dr Masters and Dahl
Part 1
Dahl is a sculptor at heart, she loves nothing more than being at her workbench kneading her knuckles into her latest figurine, trying to eke out those vital dynamic details that her clients love so much. However, to fund this passion she currently has to work part-time elsewhere and that just happens to be as a secretary in the local hospital. The admin based job does little for her, but the last couple of weeks have been something of a wonderful deviation from the norm. That is in no small part due to Dr Masters.
Dr Jessica Masters is one of seven Consultant Cardiologists at Manchester City Hospital and is the most captivating woman Dahl has ever met. In her early 40s, intelligent, formidable, funny, interesting and wonderfully charismatic. Standing at 5' 10", slender but toned with beautiful long blond hair, blue eyes and a mischievous smile. One that seems hell-bent on causing Dahl's cheeks to flush every time it's flashed in her direction.
Dahl, who is in her early 30s and could easily be described as emphatic, dynamic and chic is also undoubtedly her equal in the looks department. She is an eclectic mix of ethnicities and had gained the most paramount genes from all of them. Her mother is half Spanish, half French and her father is British born to a South African mother and an American Father.
She has big brown hazel eyes you could easily get lost in, warm sienna skin and wavy dark auburn hair. The beginnings of some impressive athletic muscles on a 5' 9" frame, cute dimples in her cheeks when she smiles and a scattering of random tattoos all over her body.
Although she's always been pretty she's had to work hard to get where she is now. She'd been slightly more rounded a year ago due to a low point when nutrition had gone out the window but she's pulled it around and is finally looking how she's always felt.
Dahl's job is essential but dull, she thrives on the importance of the role and her ability to aid others in processes they do not themselves fully understand but it is, at the end of the day, an admin job and does little for the imagination of an expressive sculptor. It dragged her down and she lost motivation where her health was concerned.
However, in June last year, she reached rock bottom, claimed enough was enough and began the steady climb back up again. She swapped out bad for good food-wise, keeping the occasional treat in so as not to get too disheartened and began climbing, literally. She joined a walking group and climbed hills and mountains on her weekends.
During the week she and her best friend Hattie climb walls covered in plastic versions of rocks and bet each other a bar of chocolate that they can reach the top before the other. She also reduced her working hours and on occasion has the help of one of the admin clerks who supports her with any major issues that might come her way.
Dahl and Dr Masters have been colleagues for a few years now and they'd gotten to know each other in the polite work colleague way that most people do, the surface level chatter and the "Hi. How are you? Yes good, you? Yes fine thanks." way that you do with those you work with. There had been the odd extra moment of laughter over Dr Masters love of bad coffee and the eccentricities of another colleague but nothing more until Dr Masters discovered Dahl's talent for creativity at a city-wide art fair and purchased one of her more provocative and emotional pieces.
A bust of a bust was how one friend had described it. The woman's head thrown back, hair draping over her shoulders, one hand tearing at her chest the other reaching towards her sex. Eyes closed, chest pushed forward baring heart, soul and bosom to the world.
It had been an innermost feeling regarding an ex that had been thrown out into the world in this raw piece of expressionist art. A deepest desire to be carnal, wanted, needed and to have no control over the action of it all.
It spoke volumes to both women and lit a tiny spark between the two of them. They began to speak more freely with each other, looked for ways to extend their usual two-minute conversations and even shared some of their lunch breaks when the opportunity arose.
*****
Dahl had always known she was gay. A few disappointing dalliances with men in her early twenties had cemented that fact and she'd been happy in her sexuality ever since. She'd played the field a bit whilst living in Barcelona for a few years, had a few close calls with husbands of neglected/closeted wives, fallen hard for the last one Ana, got her heartbroken and moved back to England to get over it.
Recently she'd begun to notice Dr Masters, their paths had begun to cross a bit more and she was thrilled when the doctor had turned up at one of her shows. Since then the two women had really hit it off and Dahl had been actively trying to figure out where the doctor's interests might lie, throwing in the odd flirtatious remark to see how she reacted. Dr Masters never rebuffed any of these comments but Dahl still wasn't sure if the doctor was open to more than just friendship.
For Dr Masters, her sexuality is a little more complicated. She has been married to a man for the past eighteen years so most people have assumed she's straight. They also have two children so the appearance of a happy heteronormative family is certainly perceived. However, she has always been aware of women and more than considered relationships with them. About ten years ago, when she and her husband had a short separation, she had a brief encounter with a woman called Olivia.
Olivia was a work colleague and friend who showed her a completely different side to herself. Jessica had panicked at the feelings though and ended it after a few months. She was offered the position at Manchester and decided it was a good move for her and her family and used the opportunity to start again. It worked, mostly, she hadn't considered another woman for quite some time and had made peace with staying in her marriage.
That was until she discovered Dahl and her sculptures.
******
A few weeks ago Dahl had hit her target weight, was feeling fantastic and emitting all kinds of confidence to the world.
Dr Masters had been on annual leave for a few weeks and upon her return to work was greeted by the fully contented and confident Dahl. As she walked into the cardiac department and caught sight of her she stopped stock-still in the middle of the reception area.
Dahl saw her and gave her a lingering smile before disappearing into her office and at that moment Dr Masters was hit by the realisation that she had feelings for another woman again. All the conversations she'd ever had with Dahl came flooding back to her and she realised she'd done nothing but try and impress her ever since she'd bought the sculpture.
She was snapped back to reality by one of the nurses who nearly bumped into her after she'd stopped so suddenly halfway into the department. She mumbled apologies for standing in the way and made her way to her office. Once inside she closed the door and leant back against it, exhaling sharply. She hadn't entertained the thought of being with another woman for over ten years. Let alone a woman who was ten years her junior, working in the same department as her and who operated to a completely different set of rules.
She ran her fingers through her hair, put her bag down, took her coat off and decided to get on with what she'd planned that morning. She had a lot of catching up to do after being off and she didn't quite know what her next move regarding Dahl would be. Things weren't great between her and her husband again but she still wasn't sure she wanted to go down this route.
She managed to get a little work done and then around lunchtime her thoughts drifted back to Dahl. She felt thrown by this new realisation and wasn't sure she was ready for what that might mean for her marriage or her job.
She decided she would see what happened, she wouldn't deliberately chase anything with her herself but if Dahl decided to make advances she wouldn't shut them down either. She did however need to speak to her about a patient. This would be a good test, she could gauge how she might function around her now that she'd recognised some hidden desires but try to keep it professional and to the point.
