Always do

"Let's do it together!" I hear all the voices saying in unison.

1 month ago:

I was sitting on the balcony of my house on a breezy day. There was a lot to think about especially with the big day around the corner. The idea of this Board meeting seemed dreadful. On any other occasion I would've loved to call a Board meeting to discuss on pressing matters but this time, I was to dissolve the current Board or come up with a good plan of action. The very idea has given me sleepless nights. Giving away the rights to a hospital I started was not something on my mind. But if I didn't, it would endanger everyone who has supported me throughout this endeavor, most of all my Board members as well as reputable doctors of the hospital.

I was lost in these thoughts when I heard a click and the balcony door opened. Standing there, staring at me, was Ryan. As always, he had an aura around him which captivated everyone, myself including. But I dare never mention that to him. He looked at me & said, "I searched for you everywhere, figured you'd be here." I forced a smile & got up from the chair beside the coffee table. "You can freshen up, I'll have dinner ready by then."

This would've been how our normal conversation went, since we weren't really used to each other's company even after 6 months of marriage. His gaze followed me as I moved towards the door but before I could open it, he grabbed my arm and asked, "Is something getting on your nerves? You look different than usual."

I had never expected Ryan Williams to be asking me this question. We never shared a friendly conversation to begin with. It felt like an arrangement of sorts, & I had gotten used to it now. He spoke to me very formally as though we were colleagues so I always presumed he wanted our relationship to reflect in a similar way. Today felt different somehow; he sounded concerned.

"Earth to Ellie?" I snapped out of it upon hearing my name. "Yes, all good. Thanks for asking." I kept it formal, like always. But he insisted & said, "Sometimes, we just need to vent out in order to clear our heads. Is it about the issue with your hospital's acquisition?" I was really surprised at how he got that piece of information. But then again, I was forgetting that he was a man of influence & network. He could get any information he wanted.

"Since you already know, why would you ask?"

"I would like to hear the complete details from you. Has Apex already started the acquisition?"

"They might, soon." My voice sounded heavy, like I was about to cry. But I held back my tears. I didn't want him to see me cry.

"Why don't you look for an additional investor then?"

"We need a reliable person, someone who can gain the trust of the entire Board. Our current situation in the market is not very good so no one is willing to pitch in. Apex Group of Hospitals has a huge network throughout the country. Since they've been in the game for quite some time, nobody wants to go against them."

"You don't want to give away the hospital, is it? You could live a stress-free life if you do, you know?" Ryan provoked further. "Ryan, my entire life's work is put in to build this hospital. How can I just give it away?" My voice broke down & I couldn't speak any more. The next minute, I was walking away from his grasp, with his voice still lingering behind me.

We ate in silence. I didn't want to talk & Ryan had somehow sensed it. He was one his phone most of the time while we were eating so there was little room for conversation. After dinner, we went into our respective rooms. I couldn't fall asleep though; I twisted & turned for an hour & then decided to take a walk to help calm my nerves. The night sky was beautiful! There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, one could easily spot the Orion. I took in the fresh air of the night, & my mind drifted to the problem at hand. I have to find a stable investor soon. I jotted down the names of some eminent people whom I had once shared conversation with & made a mental note of my timetable for the next day.

The day of the Board meeting:

I woke up earlier than usual. Ryan had left when he got a business call. I told him to wait so I can prepare breakfast, but since he was in a hurry I quickly whipped up some rolls for him to eat on his drive to work. Then I got ready too. As the Managing Director, I had to reach before them to make sure everything is under control.

As I entered through the busy corridor of the hospital, I could sense an air of tension among my staff. They knew something was off since the meeting had been unexpectedly scheduled in the middle of the month. I composed myself & greeted everyone in the usual way. Then I headed towards the elevator when a familiar face popped up.

"Greetings of the day, Dr. Williams!" Dr. Michael spoke up.

"A very Good Morning to you too, Dr. Ross." Dr. Michael Ross was the most famous Paediatrician in our hospital. Not only the babies, even the staff cheered up on seeing him. It was good to have him around, he was young, dynamic & enthusiastic about everything. Initially, he had joined as an intern but his contributions outshone his portfolio & I decided to hire him full time. It took a lot of efforts to convince the other doctors on the Board but now I can see my decision has borne good results. "Important meeting, Doctor?" His voice snapped me out of the old memory & I realized it was getting late for my prep before the meeting. "Yes, and I better get going before it's too late."

"Sure thing! All the best to my favorite doc!"

I smiled, & took the elevator up to the 10th floor. This floor was exclusively meant for Board room meetings. It was quieter, contrary to the scene I had just seen downstairs in the ER. I went inside & sat on my chair when I got a ring from Stacy at the reception. "Hello Dr. Williams, you have a follow-up appointment with Mr. Adrain Smith today at 4pm. Would you like me to postpone it?" "It's alright, Stacy. I need to check on him & make sure he is doing fine. He just got off the OR. We should have him on priority. Please send someone to let me know when he comes."

"Yes ma'am. Copy that."

I hung up. Managing the hospital & being a full-time Surgeon had really drained me. But the satisfaction of holding the scalpel washes away all the fatigue. I took out my little diary & went through my notes, kept my files ready in case I had to show them the statistics & waited for everyone else to show up.

The meeting has convened:

"We have to let go." Dr. Han said.

"But it's our hospital. We are not just giving it away." Dr. Parker chimed in.

"Apex has set us up. They knew we wouldn't get anyone to invest against them. So they attacked on our SOPs." Dr. Spencer said grimly.

"Our SOPs display a strong work ethic. They shouldn't have a problem with that. Their allegations make no sense." Dr. Parker argued.

I had been listening to them all this while. It was always the same arguments, discussions & debate. But this time no one could come up with a solution to the current problem. "I know that we have been arguing about this for over 2 months & we haven't reached anywhere. None of the potential investors are looking forward to working with us now that Apex is involved." I paused, took a deep breath, & continued, "After analysing everything, I had to decide. It is in the best of all our interests that we go on with the acqui..." My voice trailed off as the door flung open.

Stacy came rushing in, "Ma'am!" She then studied the room & everyone's eyes lingering on her. She poised herself, her rapid breathing calmed down, came to me & said, "We have a visitor, ma'am."

"Stacy, this is an important meeting. Is it about a patient?"

Before she could go on, the door opened again & standing in front of me was the last person I ever expected to see.

"Mr. Ryan Williams! What brings you here?" Dr. Han's excited tone put me off for a moment.

"Ryan. What are you doing here? This floor is strictly off limits for everyone."

"I have an offer to make, it's about the acquisition."

I took him a step away from the others & spoke softly, "We already discussed this Ryan. I've decided to accept Apex' terms for the acquisition..."

"You will not give up on your hospital." Ryan stopped me midway.

"I have a proposal. Please let me present it to all of you. You are free to make your decision once I've finished."

My nod of approval was enough to get him excited. He turned towards the rest of the members & said,

"I would like to invest & become a shareholder at your hospital."