Page 20 of Hearts on Fire

Naomi knew the real reason she was avoiding seeing Scotti was because she couldn’t stop thinking about how it had felt with Scotti’s fingers inside her. She couldn’t stop replaying the sound of Scotti’s moans as she reached orgasm in her mind. She couldn’t get the vision of a naked and sleepy Scotti with tousled golden hair and come to bed eyes out of her head. Naomi wanted her so very badly and she knew she would find it so hard to resist her in person.

Hence the phone calls. Phone calls were safe. Phone calls made her happy. Hearing Scotti’s voice and having her in her life made her happy.

As a friend, of course.

The following wednesday, Naomi was called in by the chief of surgery, Dr. Agnes Frame.

“Naomi, how are you doing?” Agnes greeted, gesturing toward a seat in her office. Naomi sat in it and smiled across the table. She liked Agnes Frame a lot. Agnes was a kind and empathetic boss, although firm, her eyes were generous. Naomi also liked that Agnes was a lesbian.

They weren’t close- Naomi wasn’t really close to anyone, except perhaps Scotti now. But Naomi liked Agnes, nevertheless.

Naomi wondered casually what the meeting was about, but imagined that Agnes would clue her in pretty quickly. The director hardly ever called in surgeons for private meetings. So when she began to speak, Naomi listened carefully.

“Recently, there's been several serious incidents- fires, car accidents etc in town. I'm sure you've noticed how many times we've had to work with the fire department in the past weeks. I know you have been dragged out to some of them and obviously have done some very valuable trauma work.”

Naomi nodded.

“I’ve had meetings with the Head of the Fire Department and we had Cora on standby first notice to go out to any incidents marked as severe to assist with casualties on the scene. I noticed that you and Cora have just about the same processes in surgery. And I am sure you have noticed that Cora has injured her ankle this week playing soccer?”

Dr. Cora Hope was Agnes’s wife and Naomi always found her to be a talented trauma surgeon. She enjoyed working with her. Naomi had worked with Cora yesterday and seen that Cora was wearing a Moon Boot. She had laughed when Cora described the tackle where she had injured it.

Naomi nodded. “Cora is my preferred co-surgeon and as you know she has been assisting me on some of my research. And, yes, of course, her ankle. It isn’t serious though?”

“It's not hard to see why,” Agnes said with a smile. “Oh, yes, her ankle is just a sprain- it will be fine. But meanwhile, she has obviously been the trauma surgeon going out to the serious incidents. I’ve spoken with Cora and she thinks you're the best to replace her at the scenes while her ankle recovers. Obviously she is still working, but she won’t be going out to trauma’s for a while.”

“Oh, well, it isn’t something I had really considered. Trauma isn’t really my speciality.”

“Obviously, I understand that, but even so, you are the best surgeon we have and certainly the coolest head in a crisis. I think you are the best fit. Cora will handle any surgeries you have to leave behind to go to serious incidents. And while your research is on hold since the lab fire, I thought…”

“Of course. Yes, it makes sense.”

“And, I heard you made friends with the firefighter who saved you.”

Naomi bit her lip to stop herself from grinning. Was Agnes’s question loaded or was Naomi imagining things?

Naomi nodded. “We get on well, yes.”

“Then I believe this is settled, isn't it?”

Naomi wasn’t sure how she felt about this. It would mean she would regularly be working with Scotti at incidents.

“If it's the best way to save lives, you can count me in.”

“Great. I'll send a response to the fire department immediately and let me know that the famous Doctor Crane will be on first call for serious incidents. Thank you for your time, Naomi.”

Naomi left the office conflicted within herself. She wondered if she should call Scotti and tell her or wait for the information to get to her first.

In the end, she chose the latter, deciding that she'd let Scotti wonder if it was coincidence the next time they were paired in a work setting.

The next time she saw Scotti came sooner than expected.

It was that evening when Naomi’s pager beeped.

A patient coming in with the Fire Department with severe chest trauma and burns.

Naomi stood at the hospital entrance till she heard the sirens pulling in. Immediately, she ran toward it with her team.

It was Scotti who jumped out of the back door immediately as it opened.

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