"To be honest," Alex said, "the medical clinic is empty. No one will come, and we lost our staff. I managed to recruit one person, but she and I have a history, and I'm not sure I can give her too much responsibility. Besides, I keep thinking the previous wonder will come back and take the clinic away from me again."
Alex smiled bitterly, but in reality, he wasn't worried about the Woodside Clinic. He was just pretending to complain to Sawyer because he felt he owed the man some sort of explanation.
To Alex, the clinic was only a distraction. It was something to keep him busy, and it was easy to play around with. The maidens at the Moon Palace had trained him well and had passed on their ancestral knowledge, and he didn't want to let it go to waste.
"Well, I'll take the opportunity to get a break, or I'll be too busy once the medical clinic gets going again," Alex said.
He really hoped the clinic would succeed, if only for Sophie and Kendall's sake.
"You are so kind," Sawyer said appreciatively. "Alex, you are indeed a rare individual."
Alex waved his hand casually. "Thanks for your appreciation."
"By the way, I almost forgot to tell you something I learned from Dr. Isaiah Allbrook before he left." Sawyer patted around in his pockets for a few moments, then felt around his legs in the seat of the wheelchair. Finally, he produced a sheet of paper and handed it to Alex. "The Top Doctor Competition is held once every five years. It will be held here, at the county level, next Wednesday."
Alex studied the competition flier as Sawyer added, "Isaiah has signed you up for the competition."
Alex glanced up at Sawyer, and then back at the flier. "The Top Doctor Competition? I don't understand. I'm not really a doctor, as I have said many times. I practice medicine as a side gig, maybe not even that. It doesn't mean much to me."
Alex's interest in medicine only went so far. As long as it could be used to save people, that was fine. He seldom compared his medical skills with professionals unless he had to, and he had no desire to compete.
Now, Isaiah had signed him up to compete in the competition, and Alex was confused, wondering about Isaiah's motives.
Sawyer saw the look of confusion on Alex's face and tried to clarify things. "Isaiah said that by letting you compete, it might stimulate your interest in medicine."
Anticipating Alex's reaction, Sawyer patted the back of Alex's hand and smiled as he said, "If it means anything to you, I believe in you. I hope you can win the championship and gain the official title of doctor. That way, no one can doubt your credentials."
Sawyer looked at Alex carefully before going on. "The champion of the competition not only gains a place in the medical sector but also has the opportunity to become a national treasure. Alex, I think you should give it a try."
Alex scratched his head. "Sawyer, I don't need to be given false titles. I study medicine, and it's not for the praise of others."
Alex knew he wasn't as good as a professional, but he had acquired some skill. Many things could be learned without a teacher. But he didn't want to be called a real doctor, not without a professional education.
"Alex, I know your temperament," Sawyer said. "You don't need titles to prove anything to yourself or others. But think about it. If you won the competition and gained respect in the medical field, then you could make things easier on yourself. In fact, the Woodside Clinic would likely flourish, and then you wouldn't have to worry about finding patients and staff."
He shrugged. "Also, Isaiah hopes you'll carry on with medical traditions, like those of the Moon Palace, long after he is gone. I think that's one of the reasons he arranged for you to take part in the competition."
"Sawyer, it seems like both you and Isaiah want me to become famous," Alex said.
He had to admit to hoping that whether he took over Woodside Clinic or took part in the competition, he could gain some sort of recognition.
Sawyer crushed the last of Alex's hesitation when he said, "I think your parents would be very proud to see you become famous."
"All right," Alex said with a deep sigh. He gave in and picked up the flier again. "I'll join in the fun when I get there."
Maybe I won't mind being a jack of all trades, he thought.
"Ha, there's a good boy," Sawyer said, pleased. "I knew you would do it. I'll be rooting for you. Let's go back to the chapel. I'd like to light a candle for you, to give you luck."
Half an hour later, at the hospital chapel, Sawyer lit a candle and then told Alex he would like a few moments alone. Alex agreed and went to wait outside.
As Sawyer contemplated in the quiet of the chapel, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He put on his Bluetooth headset and answered, discovering it was Isaiah. "Well, did you get the chance to talk with Alex about the competition?" Isaiah asked. "Is he going to participate?"
"He wasn't interested at first, but I persuaded him to try," Sawyer responded quietly.
"Good." Isaiah sounded relieved. He had been worried Alex would refuse to compete. He needed a successor, and now there was hope.
**
After visiting the chapel, Alex pushed Sawyer back toward his hospital room. However, the street outside the hospital was filled with people, celebrating and enjoying the brisk winter air. It was nearly noon, and the street was bustling with the happy crowd.
"It's okay. Don't worry!" Alex heard a cry from nearby as he was trying to maneuver the wheelchair through the crowd. He turned his head and saw a group of five people coming down the street. An older couple walked beside a young couple who had a young baby with them. The grandparents seemed indifferent to the crowd, but the young man seemed impatient, while his wife seemed agitated and anxious. She squeezed the baby closer in her arms.
But although the young mother tried her best to pacify the child by giving her a bottle, the baby pushed it away and started to cry.
Sawyer's attention had turned toward the family as well. "My, that baby has quite the cry, doesn't she?" he asked.
The baby cried louder, her voice growing shrill.
Alex agreed, and passersby also turned their heads to stare curiously at the baby.
Seeing that people were starting to stare, the grandmother snapped at her daughter-in-law, "Can't you get her to stop?"
"Everyone is staring!" the grandfather whined. "Why must she always cry?"
The young mother glared at the older couple. "Leave me alone. I'm trying."
The young husband stopped his parents' ridicule with a hard look, but then he called out to his wife, "Really, the baby is causing a scene, and it's embarrassing. Try to quiet her down."
The young mother looked exhausted and at a loss as to what to do. She tried to give the bottle to the baby again, and begged, "Please be quiet, sweetheart. Everything is okay."
Nothing seemed to work, and the baby cried even louder.
Several people in the crowd were beginning to look annoyed, and a few even murmured derisively about the poor parenting skills of the young mother.
"Go, go," the grandmother of the baby snapped irritably, pushing her daughter-in-law forward. "This is embarrassing."
The family move on.
The crowd remained dense. Obviously, not everyone on the street was there to visit people at the hospital.