Meanwhile, Rayleigh had settled into Isabelle's cozy apartment and made herself at home. She sat comfortably on the sofa, her iPad resting on her lap and her iPod headphones in place, closely focused on the screen. Isabelle couldn't help but notice Rayleigh's informal appearance today, clad in a basic black t-shirt and white shorts, in stark contrast to her usual elegant, professional clothes or last night when they spent all night naked.
Isabelle came with a cold cola, which Rayleigh had asked for. Sitting beside her lover, Isabelle couldn't help but glance at the iPad screen, where she noticed an x-ray image of a broken spine.
"Please check with Peter regarding the surgical procedure," Rayleigh said into the phone, her voice calm and insistent. "As my departure is scheduled in ten hours, and I will be having my girlfriend with me, I'm not sure about my ability to arrive on time, as I'm currently situated in Bangkok." She hesitated, her face furrowed in worry. "And it's not a little fracture. Tamara, the patient, needs surgery to correct the displacement of her spinal bones. It is important that we ensure she receives adequate medical care. Spinal fractures have the potential to cause permanent spinal cord injury, nerve dysfunction, and paralysis. Based on her age, please pass it on to Peter."
Peter Huang, M.D., is Rayleigh's colleague, who is also an orthopaedic surgeon and the one Rayleigh always trusts to help her if she's facing a difficult case, and vice versa.
Rayleigh's effortless command of the technical medical jargon captivated Isabelle, who remained silent and fixed her gaze on him. She was astounded by Rayleigh's capacity to communicate even the most complex concepts in a way that the average person could understand.
Rayleigh gracefully received the cola from Isabelle's hand, silently mouthing "thank you" before returning her focus to the conversation. With a light peck on Isabelle's cheek, she resumed her conversation with the nurse, carefully reviewing the records on her iPad and contemplating the suggestions made.
Isabelle couldn't help but appreciate the doctor's consistent professionalism and care as Rayleigh listened intently with her brow bent in concentration. It was a side of Rayleigh that Isabelle had come to cherish, proof of the depth of her dedication to her patients and her commitment to providing the best possible care.
Seeing how seriously Rayleigh was engrossed in her conversation, Isabelle decided to take care of her needs. "I'll get you a burger," she said softly, giving Rayleigh's knee a gentle squeeze.
Rayleigh glanced up from her iPad, a grateful smile spreading across her face. "May I please have two burgers with a side of large fries and another cola? Please?" She asked in a low, soothing tone, her eyes meeting Isabelle's with a look of pure adoration.
Isabelle couldn't help but laugh lightly at Rayleigh's request. "Alright, baby. I'm always amazed at how much you can eat, considering how slim you are." She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Would you like some nuggets as well? Or perhaps a chicken skewer or a chicken stick?"
"Can I have both?" Rayleigh asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Then, remembering her responsibilities, she quickly added, "Wait, use my card." She stood up, grabbing her bag, and said, "Tamara, two minutes," before handing her black credit card to Isabelle.
Isabelle gently pushed Rayleigh's hand away. "I have money too, you know," she said, a playful sparkle in her eyes.
Rayleigh smiles, her expression softening. "Please prioritize using your money for yourself and your mother, and feel free to use mine for both of us or in case you need anything. There's no need to bother with rejecting."
"May I place an additional order?" Isabelle asked, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Mona is coming because we are going to the airport together tomorrow."
Rayleigh chuckled, shaking her head fondly. "Sure, do whatever you want," she said, pulling Isabelle close for a gentle peck on the lips before returning her attention to her iPad.
Even in the midst of her professional duties, Rayleigh remained the same steady, focused, and compassionate woman that Isabelle had fallen in love with. Isabelle couldn't help but admire the way Rayleigh seamlessly balanced her work and her personal life, always putting the needs of her patients first while still finding time to shower Isabelle with affection.
Isabelle opened the application and placed an order for all the burgers available, including the Regular, Jamie's Burger, Mexican Chilli, Swiss Mushroom, Underground, and Bacon Grilled Cheese Jalapenos. She also added a mini salad, a smoked salmon salad, and two large portions of fries with cheese. She called Mona and asked her to bring two large bottles of chilled Coca-Cola before heading to her apartment. Mona's house is a bit far from the airport, and it will take three hours to get there. Thus, whenever they have a flight together, Mona will spend a night at either Isabelle's or Isla's place.
"Two bottles? The big one?" Mona is questioning her friend's demand.
"Yes."
"Isn't that too much?"
"You will see later. My girlfriend eats a lot, Mon. Like, a lot."
"Oh, I see that you have a girlfriend now. It's great that you have a two-bedroom apartment."
Mona arrived just as the food delivery arrived. She noticed a stunning blonde with long, silky legs sitting on the sofa in front of the TV. The blonde was engaged in conversation and appeared to be writing something. Mona couldn't help but stare a little too long at the beautiful blonde, who was also wearing glasses. "She's stunning; I understand that, and she's mine."
"Can you just let me admire her, I mean Rose? What kind of good stuff did you do in your past life to score such a fine human lounging on your couch?"
"Haha, nice one. Come on in."
Isabelle couldn't help but burst into laughter when she saw how amazed Mona was by Rayleigh's enormous appetite. Despite still writing and hearing a nurse's voice in her ears, Isabelle found the situation incredibly amusing. After attending two days of seminars, Rayleigh needs to assess the condition of all her patients and prepare a report for the hospital as well as for her journals. She had already elegantly eaten three burgers in fifteen minutes. "That was exactly my reaction yesterday."
"Did she not make an effort to appear attractive? On your first date?"
"Isn't her way of eating interesting? She can eat all of that with class." Isabelle noticed Rayleigh sitting with excellent posture, gracefully eating her burger and quickly devouring it, as if she could magically summon three more burgers in an instant.
"You're lucky she's rich." Mona spoke, eliciting a hearty laugh from Isabelle.
-
As required, Rayleigh introduces herself to her girlfriend, Mona, and two other flight attendants. She says, "Hello, my name is Rayleigh MacKenzie, and I wanted to inform you that I'm a doctor and a surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York." With a cheerful demeanor, she proudly displayed her doctor's badge and playfully winked at Isabelle.
"Oh my goodness, this is going to be a lengthy flight." Mona muttered under her breath, while Isabelle returned the wink with a smile and gracefully escorted Rayleigh to her seat in First Class.
"Is she?" A curious male flight attendant asked Mona.
"Yes, Rose's girlfriend." Mona answered nonchalantly, maintaining a professional smile for the incoming passengers. The other flight attendants, who were nearby and overheard Mona's words, quickly shifted their attention to Rayleigh and Isabelle.
"She's hot." They said it in unison.
"Tell me about it; focus everyone."