Chapter 58
Mrs. Smith: As long as it pays the bills, that’s all that matters.
Dr. Handsome: Clearly, we have different values. I think I’m going to leave this group.
Ivy’s brow furrowed as she read the messages. Wasn’t this a bit much for a grown man? Just because of a disagreement, he wanted to quit the group?
Mrs. Smith: Seriously, aren’t you a doctor? Is this all the patience you have? How do you deal with difficult patients and their families – just walk away when things get tough? Or are you just an amateur in a white coat?
The word “amateur” made Ivy think of Micah’s uncle. Now, that guy was the textbook definition of a quack – bad-tempered, moody, and always sarcastic.
Dr. Handsome: Is it your habit to throw around accusations like that?
Ivy smiled at her phone, fingers flying as she started to reply. But before she could finish—
Jay: Dr. Handsome left the group.
Dale: No way! Is he just having a bad day?
Ivy frowned, deleted her half-typed message, and sent a new one: If you don’t see eye to eye, there’s no need to force it.
Dale: Still, Mrs. Smith, you did go a bit too far. Dr. Handsome is actually a really good doctor, honestly.
Before Ivy could reply, Dale sent a long voice message. She hesitated, but pressed play.
“Mrs. Smith, um… I have to set the record straight for Dr. Handsome. He’s not just a good doctor – he’s practically a miracle worker. Last year, my little niece was in a terrible car accident, hit by a dump truck. Her injuries were so severe, her organs had shifted places. When she got to the hospital, the doctors told us to prepare for the worst. I knew Dr. Handsome worked in Neo Haven, so I reached out in the group, hoping he might know some specialists. Turns out, he happened to be off duty that day, but as soon as he heard, he raced back to the hospital, pulled strings to get my niece transferred to his hospital right away.”
“He organized an emergency consult with top specialists from every department, led the surgery himself, and spent over eight hours in the OR. He basically reconnected every single blood vessel and nerve in her body.”
Ivy listened to the two long voice messages, and for some reason, her eyes stung with tears. She could almost feel the tension of that surgery, the doctors fighting to pull a child back from the brink, utterly fearless in the face of death.
Jay: Oh, right! I saw a story on the news about that – a young surgeon who refused interviews, so the hospital director spoke to the media instead. Wait, don’t tell me… that was Dr. Handsome from our group?
Dale: That’s him! He’s so modest – he didn’t want me to talk about it, so I never gave all the details here.
Bob: How’s your niece doing now?
Dale: She’s recovering well, starting physical therapy, and if all goes smoothly, she’ll be able to start elementary school next year.
Bob: That’s amazing! Dr. Handsome’s really your family’s hero.
Dale: He is. My brother and sister-in-law tried to take him out to dinner to thank him, but no matter how many times I invited him, he refused – told us to save our money for my niece’s treatment.
Bob: Wow. I guess we all misjudged Dr. Handsome. I always thought he was a bit aloof, maybe even cold with his patients, but I was completely wrong…
Dale: He does come across as distant in person, but he’s got the kindest heart. That’s what real doctors are made of.
Coach Murphy: Dr. Handsome is a legend! When we meet up on Friday, I’m buying him three drinks!
Jay: Dale, hurry up and add Dr. Handsome back – explain everything to him!
Ivy stayed silent, watching as everyone in the group spoke up to defend and praise Dr. Handsome. A pang of regret crept into her chest. She really had gone too far earlier.
But for some reason, when Dale mentioned how Dr. Handsome seemed distant in real life, an image of Jamison flashed across her mind.