Page 126 of Bloom: Part 1

“I didn’t do it expecting thanks. I already knew you would be pissed at me, but you were running yourself down. We can’t let that happen. You’re too valuable to the hospital. To Bloom.”

“So why are you here? Your shift has ended, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, but I thought I’d sit with him so you can attend the meeting. If they’re discussing you and your conduct, you should be there to defend yourself.”

“What can I say? I’m sure everything they’ll say is true.”

“But you can set the tone and make the context clear. Dr. Simms is there, you know.”

“What does this have to do with him?”

“Well, he is Bloom’s psychiatrist. He volunteered to speak on Bloom’s mental health.”

I could just hear his waspish voice condemning me for being in a relationship with Bloom. It was one thing for him to paint me as incompetent but another completely for him to make Bloom out to be a helpless guy who didn’t know what he wanted.

I pointed my finger at him. “You don’t leave his side.”

“I won’t. Hurry. I don’t want to lose you from this hospital. Your work here is so important and has made such a difference.”

“Not everyone thinks so.” He must think I didn’t know of those staff members who blamed me for not showing up earlier toprevent the lives of those who had been lost. I hadn’t bothered to clarify that I would have, had Bloom not tied me up.

“Don’t pay any attention to them. Everyone’s still shaken up from what happened. At least they’re beefing up security and have approved the work that needs to be done to upgrade the facilities.”

A little too late.

When I entered the conference room, the meeting was already in session. Members of the hospital’s disciplinary committee sat rigidly around the long oval table, their expressions ranging from stern to somber. At the head, Andrews, the CEO, presided, fingers tented. Next to him sat Dr. Simms. To round off the committee was the human resource director, a representative from the board, a member of the ethics committee, and the hospital’s legal adviser.

A chilled hush fell over the room as every pair of eyes turned to me. I focused on Dr. Simms, who stopped whatever he was saying. The man pursed his lips into a tight line.

“Apologies for the delay,” I said curtly, claiming the nearest empty chair.

“It’s nice of you to finally grace us with your presence, Dr. Collier,” Andrews said, his beady eyes glinting with disdain.

“Dr. Andrews,” I said, my tone frosty but professional. It wasn't worth stooping to his level of pettiness. He was only too glad to rope me and reprimand me before everyone because I’d been hounding him about the work that needed to be done on the hospital.

“Dr. Simms, why don’t you continue with what you were saying?” Andrews said.

Dr. Simms adjusted his glasses. “As I was saying before Dr. Collier interrupted, the relationship between him and my patient referred to only as Bloom has raised ethical concerns that warrant our attention. Despite the professional boundariesclearly outlined by our institution, there have been instances of…personal interactions between them that could be seen as compromising. I brought this to Dr. Collier’s attention, but he chose to ignore my warning and persisted in this inappropriate relationship. Some of their intimate contact has happened right in this very hospital building. It is downright unethical.”

I frowned. “Unethical in what sense, Dr. Simms? Had you engaged in a relationship with him, it would have been unethical because he is your patient, not mine. What I do intimately to a consenting adult is frankly none of your business. In fact, it makes me uneasy how much interest you seem to have in my relationship with my b-boyfriend.”

I’d said it out loud. Bloom was my boyfriend, and there was no taking that back. I wouldn’t want to take it back either.

The room went silent for what felt like an eternity. I met Dr. Simms’s gaze, his cheeks flushing a deep shade of red as he struggled to regain composure. I’d caught him off guard, and for a moment, it felt good. What they didn’t know was that my time at Smoky Vale was more than likely up anyway, so I had nothing to lose.

If we have to relocate you again, we’ll have to recommend a change in your job.

“Dr. Collier, you will have the opportunity to speak,” Andrews said. “Please allow Dr. Simms to continue. Let’s not forget this is a professional hearing.”

“Thank you, sir.” Dr. Simms fixed his glasses. “Dr. Collier doesn’t seem to understand the severity of what he’s done. You see, my patient is a rather unique man whose mind works in peculiar ways that is fascinating to study.”

“You’re supposed to be helping him, Dr. Simms, not treating him like a lab rat.” Maybe I should have paid more attention to Bloom explaining he didn’t feel comfortable with the psychiatrist.

“I am trying to help him, but he’s declined since you began your relationship with him. You see, Bloom has several mental—”

“Don’t you dare!” I climbed to my feet, glaring at the doctor. “You already violated Bloom’s privacy by divulging the nature of his conditions to me. You do so in this hearing without his permission, and I’ll see to it you’re sued so hard you won’t be able to afford the paper to write your prescriptions.”

“This is a disciplinary hearing and—”

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