Once headed back to Rochester in the SUV, I was done avoiding the elephant in the room. I needed to know what was going on. "Okay Wam…please tell me why that phone call at The National Eagle Center upset you."
Wam visibly stiffened at my request but nodded as he took a couple deep breaths. "The call I received was from Dr. Kelly Adams."
When he didn't say anymore, I encouraged him, "and?"
"And…you remember her picture and Ray's pictures at Renowned Rochester Rehabilitation?" I nodded in response to Wam's question.
"Well, the fact that Kelly and Ray both benefit from each admission to the rehab center and they refer patients to the center from our hospital system, is a big ethics violation. The fact they both stand to gain from each therapy session, treatment, and test run there, makes them less than impartial when they make decisions regarding patient's aftercare."
"So you caught them with their hand in the cookie jar, so to speak?" I asked.
Again, Wam nodded before he explained, "that's why it's unethical, some might even say immoral to be part of a private medical company or facility, work at another, and refer patients to your own facilities. They are allowed to privately own a facility if founded before a certain date. They cannot, however, make referrals to it, without first disclosing their stake in the other company, because it can cloud their judgment," he said with a sigh.
As what he said sunk in, I began to feel sick to my stomach. "Oh my gosh…so Dr. Adams should have tried to convince Kedron to have the surgery, but instead told him about the bed opening up?" I gasped and covered my gaping mouth with my hand. If anything bad happens to Kedron, I will sue Dr. Adams for all she is worth.
"We don't know that for sure yet, but I intend to find out. I'm so sorry Kynlee," he said in a sad voice. "This kind of thing rarely slips through the cracks with our hospital system, but I intend to do my best to get to the bottom of it."
"Wait, so why did she call you then? There must be something I'm missing here," I turned to look at Wam for an answer. It was now dark outside and misting, so there wasn't much to look at anyway as far as scenery on the trip home. The rhythmic pattern of the windshield wipers were almost hypnotic until I became upset by our discussion. Now I was too angry to be hypnotized by their activity.
"You aren't going to like the rest. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Yes Wam. Please, tell me."
Another sigh from him before he explained, "Dr. Kelly Adams is threatening to expose our relationship as an ethics violation on my part, if I bring up her underhanded deeds. She is jealous of you and I so has been watching. She claims to have enough evidence to bring before the board, even though I assured her Kedron was no longer my patient when we started dating." In the dim white dash lights, I could see Wam's jaw was tight, and his eyebrows furrowed, as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Oh.my.gosh. That bitch!" Wam simply nodded at my outburst. "We can't let her get by with this. She can drag my name through the mud if she wants, but we have to stop this…." When he didn't respond and a muscle began to twitch in his jaw, I asked, "what is it Wam?"
"She is going after my medical license. If she can prove our friendship became a relationship prior to Kedron's release from the hospital, I could lose not just my position on The Board of Directors, but my job with the hospital and clinic, and have to go before the Board of Physicians. They could potentially take my medical license… if she has proof like she claims. The question is, is she being truthful, or is she bluffing?" Wam asked.
I sat back in my seat, unsure what to say to make him feel better. Wam had been nothing but kind to me and to Kedron. That bitch was the one who was in the wrong. Wam actually told me we couldn't date as long as he was consulting on Kedron's case. That was the truth. He had helped me emotionally by providing me support, helped me physically by assisting in moving my items from our old apartment and into his shed, and financially by starting the grant for families of trauma victims. Would all this work in his favor or against him?
I had to find a way to help him in return. Wam could not lose his medical license because of me. It simply wasn't right. I knew just the person to call for help. I also knew I had to move out of Wam's cabin, so it would look less sketchy than it currently does. Come Monday, I would find a job and a different place to live. I had to, out of respect for Wam and his generosity.
As we pulled up to the cabin, I placed my hand on Wam's fist on the center console and offered an apology, "I'm so sorry this is happening because of me. You don't deserve this."
"No Kynlee," he pulled me back when I tried to exit the SUV. "None of this is your fault. This is all Dr. Adams's doing. She is trying to manipulate me, you, and by extension Kedron, to keep herself out of trouble. I'm just not sure how deep this goes…why hasn't she been found out before now? Please Lee, don't feel bad. This is not your fault. I should have realized what a snake she was before now."
I scoffed, "seeing the good in people isn't a fault Wam. The fact she is acting this way and breaking rules to make a profit is not your fault. Just be glad you never took her up on her offer to be your girlfriend."
Wam shivered and said, "that's a disgusting thought. I was never attracted to her Lee. She had to get me shit faced to sleep with her because I'd turned her down so many times. Afterwards I thought nothing of it because she has a reputation for sleeping with anyone with three legs at the hospital and it seems to mean nothing. For some reason, she seemed to want our one night stand to mean more." Wam now ran both hands through his hair. "Grrr I wish I could go back to that night and never go to that bar in the first place."
"Wam, you can't change the past. We just need to figure out how to keep you out of trouble and hold her accountable for her actions."
"That may be easier said than done beautiful," he said and stroked his thumb across my cheek. "I'm wondering how many other staff members or even board members, are involved in this scheme. We have to proceed carefully. I recognized three of the six benefactors pictured."
I nod and try to imagine how deep this could go amongst the staff at the hospital, clinic, and rehabilitation center. Obviously rules prohibiting this behavior were in place for a reason. "Unless there is something we can do about this tonight, we should try to put it aside and enjoy our time together."
"Agreed," Wam said with a sexy smile. He jumped out of the SUV and ran around to open my door before reaching out his hand and helping me down. I grabbed my new dream catcher and tucked it inside my jacket to keep it dry as we entered the house. I was going to enjoy our time together while it lasted.