Page 21 of Doctor One Night

“So, you’ve been meeting with him a lot lately. How’s that going, anyway? You never give me the juice I so desperately crave.” She is clearly fishing for gossip, but she knows I'm about as exciting as the dress’s hanger now lying on the floor.

I sigh, stepping back into the fitting room to try on another dress. “He’s all business and a little moody,” I tell her from behind the closed door as I shimmy out of the dress. “But he’s really into the project. I have to admit, I’m impressed with how passionate he’s gotten about it in such a short amount of time.”

Carly chuckles. “Grumpy and passionate, huh? Sounds like the perfect combo.”

“Don’t start,” I warn, pulling on a midnight blue dress. “He’s just…really focused. And he’s a damn good surgeon. You don’t see that kind of dedication very often these days.”

Carly peeks around the door, a mischievous glint in her eye. “That’s not the only admirable thing about him, if you know what I mean.”

I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me. “Yes, Carly, he’s attractive. But that’s not the point. Been there, done that, you know.”

She laughs, leaning against the doorframe again. “Just saying. You’re probably right to be leery of him. He’s got a reputation. Thank goodness you're more sensible than I am.”

I look at myself in the mirror again, considering her words. The green dress fits even better than the last one, and it somehow makes me feel more confident. Maybe this won’t be such a waste of time after all.

“I know,” I say, stepping out of the fitting room to show her the dress. “Hands-off. Strictly business.”

“Good,” Carly says, giving me an approving nod. “This is the dress. Now, let’s find you the perfect shoes to go with it. We’ve got sponsors to impress and maybe a few hearts to break.”

I laugh despite myself, shaking my head as we head to the cash register. I can't believe I'm buying this. She's a good saleswoman, I'll give her that. Maybe she's in the wrong line of work.

Saigon Noodle House

6:20 pm

I sink into the chair at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, suddenly aware I could fall asleep right here and now. Shopping all day has drained every ounce of energy from me, and I’m grateful to finally sit down and relax.

The warm, spicy aroma of Bún Bò Hu?, my favorite dish, wafts through the air as the waitress places it in front me, bringing a small smile to my face despite my exhaustion. My mouth waters with anticipation.

Carly sits across from me, still buzzing with energy, even after dragging me through quite possibly every boutique in the city. She’s scrolling through her phone, probably looking at more dresses or shoes, but I’m too tired to care.

“Thank you for today,” I say, my voice coming out more tired than I intended. “Even though I spent way too much money, I appreciate you helping me.”

Carly looks up and grins. “Of course! What are best friends for? Besides, you needed a new dress, and now you’re going to look amazing so you can woo all of the rich guys to fund your trial. You know everyone falls for the hot scientist.”

I smile back, feeling a pang of something deeper as I look around the cozy restaurant. “You know, this is something I wish my mom could have been here for. She would’ve loved shopping with you and me like this.”

Carly’s smile softens, and she reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “I know, Frankie. She would’ve had so much fun with us today.”

The memories of my mom tug at my heart, a bittersweet ache that I’ve grown accustomed to but never fully shake. I glance down at the steaming bowl in front of me, the rich broth swirling with herbs and spices, and take a deep breath.

“It was a heart attack, right?” Carly asks gently, her tone cautious but caring.

I nod, picking up my chopsticks and stirring the noodles in my bowl. I pause for a second. “It was more complicated than that. But yeah, essentially, her heart failed, and it killed her. We were stuck with what was available back in twenty-twelve, and it wasn’t enough. She was thirty-four, only six years older than I am now. As I approach that age, I realize more now than I did then, how young she was.”

Tears well at the trough of my eyes as I think about how frustrating it was for me to know they couldn’t do anything to save my mom, an otherwise vibrant and young woman with her life ahead of her. It still gets me everything I think about it.

Carly’s brow furrows. “I didn’t mean to pry. You don’t have to explain if it’s too much.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. Awareness is key. Talking about it is how we advance research, how we save others. My mom had restrictive cardiomyopathy. Her heart muscle became too stiff, so it couldn’t fill properly with blood. It led to heart failure.”

Carly blinks. “I’ve heard of cardiomyopathy, but restrictive?”

“Yeah,” I say, the weight settling in my chest as I talk about it. “It’s rare. Her heart couldn’t pump well enough, and by the time they figured out what was wrong, there wasn’t much they could do. Back then it was so unknown and caught so late because of little research, the treatment options were almost nonexistent. It’s why my passion now in research is on the heart. I want to make sure people don’t go through what she did.”

“Wow, I’ve known you all these years and I had no idea how this all unfolded for you. As a nurse, it is so frustrating when we have sick patients that we can do nothing for and we know it. It must be ten times worse when it’s your mom.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and take a sip of the broth, letting the warmth soothe me. “It is. It’s hard not to think about what could have been. Knowing what I know now, there are procedures that might have saved her, or at least given her more time. But back then we didn’t know.”

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