Chapter 65: A Successful Trade

December 30, 1987, McKinley, Ohio

“Self-deprecating, for sure!” Sheila declared as we got out of bed. “And I’m VERY glad you had lube, because even licking me didn’t get me wet enough!”

“That should improve over time,” I replied, leading her to the shower.

“You did surprise me in another way,” she said when we got under the spray.

“How so?”

“Tasting my milk!” Sheila declared.

“I prefer a different fluid created by your body by a longshot, which should be obvious from how long I had my tongue inside you! But you did say my mouth on your breasts was required.”

“And I figured you would just lick them and kiss them! Imagine my surprise when you took my tit in your mouth, teased my nipple with your tongue, then sucked! It felt weird and nice at the same time.”

“It was kind of weird, but it was something I wondered about.”

“And you were OK with it?”

“I did it, didn’t I? I mean, all things being equal, how does that differ from kissing after a blowjob or sixty-nine after we’d already screwed once?”

“When you put it that way...”

“Exactly.”

“I was right, by the way,” Sheila said with a smirk.

“About?”

“You being damned good in bed! Shelly is going to be VERY jealous!”

“Play by play?” I asked as I soaped Sheila’s body.

“Detailed, including size! She’s going to be fit to be tied! And I’ll love it!”

“Well, I won’t give anyone details, but red pubic hair and freckles are an awesome combination!”

“I know it’s not likely to happen, but I wouldn’t mind having an additional meeting of the Mike and Sheila Mutual Admiration Society in the future.”

“Let’s stay in touch and see what happens.”

“Absolutely!”

December 31, 1987, New Year’s Eve, McKinley, Ohio

“Mike?” a young woman I recognized as a classmate, but didn’t know beyond her name being ‘Kylie’, said coming into the lounge

“Yes?” I responded, looking up from the pediatric journal I was reading.

“Do you have a minute to talk?”

“There are only four kids on our service, so unless the ER calls, yes.”

She came over to sit down on the couch next to me.

“I need a huge favor,” she said. “And I was wondering if you could help.”

“I hope this isn’t something for the Student Ethics Board,” I said warily.

“No, nothing like that! I think besides you, I’m the least likely person at McKinley Medical School to do something that would even get me called to see my advisor, let alone need the Student Ethics Board! I’m like the most boring person on the planet!”

“Making me the most boring person in the universe?” I asked with a smile.

“That’s not what I meant at all!” she said quickly.

“Relax,” I replied. “I was teasing. What’s the favor?”

“It’s huge,” she said warily, “and I can only promise to do any favor you ask in the future, but you probably won’t need one.”

“Just ask, Kylie,” I said gently. “There’s no need to be nervous.”

“It’s just it’s super important to me. My January shifts totally don’t work for me for personal reasons, and when I explained it to Doctor Sumner, he suggested I speak to you. You’re the only one with two twenty-four-hour shifts. Obviously, I’ll do my assigned shifts if I have to, but he thought you might be willing to consider switching.”

“What shifts do you have?”

“Overnight Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10:00pm to 10:00am. Saturday, half-day in the clinic.”

That would actually cut my hours by four a week, but those were office hours, so I wouldn’t miss much. It would also allow me to go to church, if I wanted to, but would mean sleeping during the day. That created a serious childcare challenge and would mess up my social life, though I could work around that. Rachel was the challenge. All in all, though, I liked the schedule better if I could work things out with Lara, Serafima, and Alyssa.

The other problem was Doctor Rosenbaum. He’d made the schedule, and was an Attending, which meant he could cause no end of trouble. That said, Doctor Sumner was the Chief and had the power to override any decision Doctor Rosenbaum made. I’d just need to make sure it was clear that this was done at Kylie’s request.

“Two things,” I said. “First, is Doctor Rosenbaum aware?”

“Yes. I went to him to request a different shift, but he said the schedule had been published and he couldn’t change it. He said I could ask Doctor Sumner. I went to Doctor Sumner, who agreed with Doctor Rosenbaum that the schedule couldn’t change, but if I could get someone to switch, he’d approve it.”

“My second concern is childcare for my daughter. I’ll need to make a phone call or two to confirm with the women who help care for Rachel that they can adjust on short notice. May I ask why?”

“My mom is recovering from surgery, radiation, and chemo after uterine cancer. In January, she’ll need a lot of help, and our family can only afford to hire someone part-time, not full-time. If I have your shifts, then it’s doable. I mean, if not, we’ll find a way, but if you can do me a favor, we’d be grateful. I’ll owe you, big time.”

Now I felt as if I had to agree, which I’d been inclined to do anyway, so long as Lara was amenable.

“I’ll make the calls right away. Mind if I ask where you intend to Match, and what specialty?”

“Here, for emergency medicine. Honestly, if during our Intern year you need someone to cover, I’ll do it, no questions asked. Anything.”

“Let me make the call.”

She smiled, “I’ll give you some privacy.”

She got up and left the lounge, and when the door closed, I picked up the phone on the end table, dialed ‘9’, then dialed my home number.

“Mike Loucks’ residence; Laura Bragg speaking.”

“Hi, Lara; it’s Mike.”

“Mike! What’s up?”

“How are you on short-notice upheaval and a complete reset of plans for January?”

“That doctor is trying to fuck you over again?”

“No. One of my fellow medical students requested I swap shifts with her. She has a family situation where they’re caring for someone who needs round-the-clock care during January and the Pediatric Chief approved her trying to swap shifts to reduce the financial burden on her family.”

“The surest way to get you to agree! Sex wouldn’t work nearly as well!”

I chuckled, “I wouldn’t do that, and you know it, but given what was said, I suspect I could ask for that and get it. She’s fairly desperate.”

“What shifts?”

“Overnight Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10:00pm to 10:00am. Saturday, half-day in the clinic.”

“That’s going to play havoc with our Magical Mystery Tour!” Lara teased. “But we can work around it for a month. And it’s not as if you wouldn’t have had a shift schedule like that if the asshole wasn’t trying to fuck you over with regards to going to church.”

“True. The biggest problem will be that I’ll need to sleep during the day after those shifts, and my circadian rhythm will be totally screwed. I can try to nap at night, but obviously I can’t count on it. We’re going to need more help.”

“Let me speak to Serafima. Do you have a problem with Rachel being at your in-laws some of the time? Anna doesn’t work or go to school, so she’d be a big help.”

“That would make Yulia happy, and might help with her recovery,” I observed. “Though they have to follow my schedule and my guidance about how Rachel is treated.”

“Your father-in-law will ensure that happens. I think you can tell your friend ‘yes’. Will you miss the New Year’s Eve party?”

“No. The new schedule starts on Sunday, January 3rd. You and I will have to figure out some time.”

“Last I checked, it didn’t have to be at night or in a bed!” Lara teased.

“Something parents of teenagers often forget!” I chuckled. “Thanks, Lara.”

“Are you going to have time for your auditions?”

“Either Saturday afternoon or Sunday after church,” I replied. “I’m sure the girls will adapt.”

“I guess you’ll be able to go to Saint George in January now.”

“Yes. The problem is going to Columbus on the 6th, which is a Wednesday, because I would be on until 10:00am. I really don’t want to miss that, so let me see if I can fix that.”

“OK. See you when you get home tonight.”

“Thanks, Lara. I appreciate it.”

“Any time!”

We said ‘goodbye’ and I hung up, then got up from the couch and left the lounge to find Kylie.

“I’ll switch...”

I was interrupted by Kylie throwing her arms around me, hugging me, and kissing my cheek.

“Oh, uhm, sorry,” she said, releasing me.

I smiled, “I promise I won’t file a sexual harassment complaint even if you do it again!”

She laughed, hugged me again, and gave me a peck on the lips.

“Thank you SO much!” she exclaimed.

“I’ll need to ask for part of the favor back right away.”

“Anything, Mike! I mean that!”

“On the 6th, I need to be in Columbus at 8:00am for a church service. I’ll need someone to cover the last five hours of the shift so I can get home, shower, dress, and drive to Columbus.”

“I’ll do it! That would be from 5:00am, right?”

“Yes.”

“Done! Let’s go speak with Doctor Sumner, OK? I want him to hear it from you directly, ‘cause otherwise he’ll need to check.”

We walked down the corridor to the Chief’s office. Kylie knocked on the frame of the open door and Doctor Sumner invited us in.

“Doctor Sumner,” Kylie said, “Mike agreed to swap shift schedules. There was one conflict, but we worked it out between us.”

“OK. I’ll inform Doctor Rosenbaum and have him adjust the published shift schedule. What was the conflict?”

“I have a church function on the morning of the 6th,” I said. “I need to be in Columbus at 8:00am for liturgical services for Theophany, which you probably call Epiphany. Kylie will come in at 5:00am to cover the last part of my overnight shift. That works as her day in the clinic is Tuesday and her next shift isn’t until 8:00pm on Wednesday evening.”

“OK. Kylie, make sure Doctor Rosenbaum knows you’re covering that part of Mike’s shift. Was there a trade back?”

“No,” Kylie said. “I owe him a huge favor even after covering that shift.”

“That’s between the two of you, but remember, shift trades have to be approved in advance.”

“Understood,” I said.

“Yes, I know,” Kylie said.

“Dismissed.”

We left his office and Kylie grabbed my arm, “You’re a life saver, Mike! Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

She let go of my arm, and I returned to the lounge while she continued down the corridor as she wasn’t on shift, but had come in to speak with me. I sat down and took out the leather-covered pocket daybook my grandfather had given me for Nativity and updated my schedule, happy I’d made entries in pencil, not ink.

There were a few conflicts I’d need to resolve. First, visiting Liz, though that was more of a sleep issue than anything else. Second, I’d have to adjust my dates with Kari and Oksana for the 4th and 5th. Third, I’d have to speak to Serafima about Saturdays which she had scheduled with Susana, Natalie, and Oksana.

On the plus side, Kylie’s promise to return the favor meant I had someone who could cover for me if my psych shift schedule created a conflict with my band schedule. Overall, it was a net win, as I could visit Saint George to see Angie, and go to church in Columbus on Sundays, though I’d have to work out time to get enough sleep.

In the end, my biggest concern was time with Rachel, but I could manage, and it would only be for a month. It was a preview of things to come, though, and a warning sign for August when Lara would no longer be available. I’d be able to make use of the hospital daycare, though a shift schedule such as the one for which I just traded wouldn’t allow that as it was only available from 6:00am to 6:00pm.

I finished the updates and slipped the daybook back into the pocket of my medical coat. Instead of picking up the medical journal, I got up and went to the cafeteria to get tea, then went back to Pediatrics and sat in the lounge to contemplate the conversation I’d had with Lara. It had, I felt, given me the parameters to actually make a decision when the time came.

What I needed was someone who was mature, both from a secular standpoint and a spiritual one. That meant someone who took their spirituality seriously, such that it was truly part of them. And, as much as I regretted saying so, that was not Lara. She’d acknowledged that when she’d said that she felt we most likely wouldn’t marry, and as I thought about it, I was sure that was the true original impediment, and ordination was simply a proxy for having very different spirituality.

Elizaveta and I had been on the exact same page with regard to our faith and practice, and had both accepted the spiritual direction we’d been given. She’d supported me during the times of my worst crisis and had done everything possible to keep me from wavering. Given the conflict Lara had identified between my interior life and my calling as a doctor, that was likely going to be necessary in the future.

And that revelation made a decision to be with Kari even more difficult, especially given her comment about going to any church. That said, she was trying, but how long would it take for her to develop an appropriate spirituality, if she ever did? Under different circumstances, that might not be a challenge, but with Residency looming, and all the stress it could create, I wasn’t sure I could wait.

I realized that even though Katy and I had both discounted a relationship due to career plans, she wasn’t nearly as serious about her faith as I was. It wasn’t that she wasn’t a believer, but she didn’t want to practice the externals, such as fasting, or even say morning or evening prayers. That didn’t diminish her in my mind, but it did create an area of necessary compromise, which would be difficult for both of us.

As much as I didn’t want to admit Serafima was right, she was, at least with regard to a girl already being Orthodox as a starting point. And that brought into focus something I had failed to do with any of the girls, and that was discussing their spirituality. I could make some basic assumptions, but that wasn’t actually good enough. Finding out about their prayer and fasting praxis, as well as their desire to attend church as often as possible, or lack thereof, was as important as any other trait.

I was interrupted by Heather calling me to participate in rounds, which took about twenty minutes, visiting each of the patients on the ward, which, sadly, would start to fill up again after New Year’s. Once we finished, I went to the cafeteria for another cup of tea and continued my musing on what to do.

For the short term, I wouldn’t change anything, though I’d be honest with each of the girls, and explore their spirituality in addition to their maturity and their ability to act as mom to Rachel. I’d return to church on Sunday mornings, and have my conversation with Father Roman, and, most importantly, care for my daughter.

“Mike?” Doctor Olson said from the door to the lounge. “ER consult. A pair of toddlers who were roughhousing and somehow managed to break each other’s wrists.”

I chuckled, “There’s a new one!”

“Not the first time for something like this. I bet you anything they were fighting over a new toy.”

“It is that time of year!”

We went down to the ER and into Exam 1 where we found identical twin boys who were twenty months old. They did, indeed, both have broken wrists, and a bit of prompting told the story. They’d received a slot car track and there was a red car and a black car, and they both wanted the black one which had led to one of the twins grabbing the car, his brother tackling him, and both landing on their arms for matching broken wrists.

Neither of them would need surgery or need to be admitted, and I spent an hour putting casts on both wrists, which, of course, had to be identical, per the ‘orders’ I received from both boys.

“They are a handful,” their mom observed as I finished the second twin. “They have an older sister, and I figured twins would be twice as difficult. I was wrong! It’s more like eight times!”

I chuckled, “Half of that is ‘twin’; the other half is an incurable condition known as ‘boy’.”

“Do you have kids?”

“A daughter,” I replied. “She’s four months old. I’m not sure I’d have survived twins!”

“There are days I wonder! The minute the boys were born and were healthy, I sent my husband to his urologist! Snip, snip!”

“I can see that,” I replied. “Do your two junior terrorists have any food allergies or restrictions?”

“Terrorists?” she asked, though she was smiling.

“Actually, no; there’s a difference between toddlers and terrorists. Do you know what it is?”

“No. What?”

“You can negotiate with terrorists!”

She laughed, “So true! I’ll have to remember that! Mind if I use it?”

“Not at all. I have some special edibles for well-behaved terrorists. They’re high in sucrose and fructose content.”

She cocked her head, then laughed, “Nice code! Yes, that’s fine.”

“James and John,” I said. “What kind of candy do you like?”

“SweeTARTS!” they exclaimed in unison.

I said a silent prayer of thanks that I had two small matching packages of sweet tarts in my pocket. I produced them and handed one to each of them.

“Only when your mom says, and only after you eat your lunch.”

“Aww!” they both complained.

“I could take them back,” I countered.

“NO!” they both exclaimed.

“You’re all set,” I said to their mom. “Let me have Doctor Gibbs check the casts and sign the discharge forms.”

I went to find Doctor Gibbs, gave her my report, and she followed me back to the exam room.

“Mike Loucks strikes again,” she said mirthfully when she saw the boys clutching their candy packets.

She checked the casts, signed the discharge form, then left.

“Children’s Tylenol if they have discomfort or pain,” I said. “Don’t give them baby aspirin. Have them see their pediatrician as soon as possible, and he or she will monitor the healing. They’re going to itch, so do your best to keep them from sticking things inside their casts.”