Fireworks of Love

by Jessica Gray

  The first day after being gone for a few days was filled with craziness like always. Colleagues updated him on the operations and patients of the weekend, but more than anything else, the main issue was getting back into emergency mode.

  In his work, every minute counted and when a new patient was delivered, he often had to make life-and-death decisions within a split second. The Chinese ambulances weren’t as well equipped as the ones back home, so the first aid given in transit was often insufficient and the heavy lifting laid upon the receiving emergency doctors.

  His lack of language skills didn’t help either, but with the help of his colleagues, Rowan soon fell into the proper mindset and worked through his shift without one single thought of sweet Joanna. By the time his shift ended, he was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

  Once in the locker room, and changing out of his scrubs, he looked forward to his first meal of the day. As usual, there hadn’t been time to go to the canteen and he’d lived on sweets, quickly stuffed into his mouth between changing sterile mouth protections and disinfecting his hands. He’d just rushed out the front door of the clinic, when he was waylaid by one of the nurses.

  “Professor looking for you.” She batted her dark eyelashes at him, as she talked with her thick accent.

  Rowan bit back the flare of temper and nodded. “Thank you.” Then he changed direction and returned into the bowels of the hospital. He knocked at the professor’s door and waited for the man to invite him.

  “Jìnlái.” Come in.

  He entered and made a small bow towards the man who was in charge of the exchange program for resident doctors. Rowan suppressed a smile as he remembered their first meeting, when he’d approached the professor to shake his hand. Now he knew that was a no-no in China. People didn’t usually shake hands and most definitely not with superiors.

  “Professor Zhang, you wanted to see me?”

  “Yes, yes. Have a seat?” The skinny older man with a balding head gestured towards a chair facing his desk.

  Rowan took a seat and then waited patiently.

  “Do you enjoy your stay here?”

  He didn’t have time for small talk, but unfortunately this was the way conversations went. “Very much. I mean, there are hectic days, but that’s to be expected in an emergency clinic. And I’m learning a lot. Many things are so different from back home.”

  The professor smiled mildly. “Yes. Many students say so. And you will appreciate to learn even more. Things you might not have heard about before…”

  Rowan didn’t flinch, although he couldn’t imagine a topic of emergency medicine he hadn’t studied before.

  “…you are doing very good work in the emergency room, but I was looking through files today and came across yours. I noticed a discrepancy I wanted to make sure you were aware of.”

  “A discrepancy?” Rowan asked, his neck hairs rising. He could sense something coming he wouldn’t like.

  “Yes. I’m sorry I haven’t noticed before, or I would never have let this happen.” The professor wrinkled his face into an expression that resembled Doug the Pug. “Part of the cultural exchange program is exposing foreign doctors to traditional methods of treatment and medicines native to the exchange country. That means effective tomorrow you’re transferred to the TCM department for a two-week internship.”

  “What?” Rowan’s jaw dropped to the floor. “But, I’ve been trained in emergency medicine…”

  “I know this, and you are very good at it, but to become a wholesome doctor you need different perspectives. The exposure to traditional Chinese methodologies will give you a three-hundred-sixty-degree view of the patients and make you a better professional. A wholesome doctor.”

  I seriously doubt that. All that TCM stuff is superstition and magic. It’s not real medicine. Rowan controlled the sarcastic comments wanting to spring forth and strove to maintain a calm exterior.

  “Professor Zhang, I appreciate your kindness, but I came here to finish up my ER residency so that I could go back and practice in the States.”

  “I do know all that, and after the internship in the TCM department you will do just that.”

  Rowan groaned in disbelief. When it came to medicine, he believed in nothing but science. “But…my manpower is needed in the ER department. We’re short-staffed as it is, and with the holidays coming…”

  “This is why you’re starting at TCM tomorrow. You’ll finish your internship in time for the holidays. And I wanted to thank you personally for offering to take on a forty-eight hour shift. Most of our colleagues crave to be with their families during Chinese New Year.” Professor Zhang leaned back in his chair and put his fingers together as if praying.

  Rowan knew the decision was made, but nevertheless he tried one last time saying, “Professor Zhang, emergency medicine and traditional Chinese medicine don’t really have anything in common…”

  “That is where you are wrong,” the professor said with a small smile. “My decision is made. It is like it is. Report to Professor Wu first thing in the morning and he will get you all sorted out.”

  Rowan nodded in defeat. “I’ll do my best then.”

  “I know you will. That is all,” the professor said, dismissing him.

  Rowan left the hospital building and slumped on a bench in the garden, his mind awhirl with this new development. The growling in his stomach reminded him of his earlier plans to catch dinner. He was walking towards the canteen when Nelson sauntered out to get changed for his upcoming shift.

  “Hey man, you still here? I thought you got off an hour ago,” Nelson asked with a broad grin.

  Rowan grimaced. “I got waylaid in the professor’s office.”

  Nelson studied his face and then questioned, “Bad news?”

  “Kinda. Courtesy of the rules and regulations, I am bound to do a two-week internship in the TCM department.”

  “So why do you look like someone died?” Nelson barked out a laugh. “My two weeks there were the best time of this residence. Regular hours, less stress than in ER…and plenty of chicks!”

  Rowan kicked a pebble with his shoe, only half listening. Nelson had started his residence six months earlier than Rowan and apparently had already run through the TCM shit.

  “You know, TCM is full of sexy female students trying to please you. I mean, we have the nurses in ER, but over there, you’re literally the cock of the walk. Doctors, students, nurses…each one sexier and more willing than the next. It’s like paradise. You’ll enjoy your time there.”

  “That doesn’t make it any better. I’m not here to find me a wife or screw through half of the population.” He didn’t add that he was still hung up over Joanna. For a moment he even considered asking Nelson for Mei’s phone number.

  “That would be quite a challenge with more than one billion citizens,” Nelson said and Rowan gave him a puzzled look. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Fucking half of them.” Nelson grinned and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Get your shit up. TCM is the best thing that can happen to you. And before you know it, you’re back in ER with your hands up to the elbows in someone’s bloody guts.”

  Chapter 15

  The next morning Joanna vibrated with excitement and nervous energy. All semester the first-year students had been stuck in the classroom with their books and their daily lectures on various topics. That all ended today. Today they were going to see their first real patients.

  Professor Wu met the group of excited first semesters in the foyer of the TCM department. Joanna glanced around and noticed that most of her classmates – while trying to appear nonchalant – featured the same shining eyes and nervous hands she did.

  One after the other, all members of the TCM department, including reception staff, doctors, resident doctors and older students were introduced. Every first-semester was assigned to a more experienced person. During the first week, Joanna would more or less shadow her “teacher” everywhere and they would look over
her shoulder as she performed her tasks.

  After everyone was settled and knew the tasks for the day, Professor Wu had a special request. “As you all know, the University of Beijing participates in a foreign exchange program. For the next two weeks, we’ll have one resident doctor with us. Please help him out wherever you can.”

  Everyone nodded and low murmurs filled the foyer.

  “Is there anyone here who speaks English?” the professor asked.

  Nobody raised their hand. Joanna knew some of her colleagues had taken English classes and she bit her lip, waiting for someone else to raise their hand. But no one did.

  Professor Wu made a noise and looked around once more. “No one in this group speaks English?”

  Joanna hesitantly pushed her hand up into the air. I do.

  “Excellent. You’ll be assigned to translate for the American doctor in residence and help with his needs. I trust you will see that he gets a positive impression of our department?”

  Joanna nodded, feeling the blood spreading on her cheeks. On one hand she wanted to hide away, but on the other hand she was proud to being given such an important task. It would give her a chance to practice her English, and speaking fluent English would only improve her employability later on.

  The morning flew by, and Joanna’s head whirled with new impressions when the time for lunch break arrived. As she returned with Lin, chatting and giggling, exchanging anecdotes about the patients they’d seen that morning, the receptionist came looking for her. “The American doctor you were assigned has arrived. He’s waiting in Professor Wu’s office.”

  Joanna nodded and approached the professor’s office with a pounding heart. She didn’t want to disappoint the professor, or the American doctor. Her English was alright, but self-doubt gnawed at her. I have no idea about how to translate the medical terms or the names of the different plants and flowers.

  When she stepped inside the office after being called, the breath left her lungs in one big swoosh the moment she stared into Rowan’s impressive green-brown eyes. Wearing a white coat he looked as gorgeous as ever, but at the same time exuded the authority of a real doctor.

  Gauging the funny looks she received from the professor, she must have failed at containing her gasp of surprise. For a moment she felt the urge to turn on her heels and dash out of this office, asking the professor to assign someone else to deal with him. But that would mean giving up, and Joanna never gave up.

  Her heart beating furiously she approached the two men and bowed in front of the professor, before she turned towards Rowan. God! How am I going to address him, I don’t even know his last name!

  Thankfully Professor Wu helped her out by making the introductions. “Doctor Ellison, this is the student assigned to translate for you and help you with anything you might need during your internship. Her name is Jin Yue Wei.”

  “Jin Yue Wei.” Rowan butchered her name in such a way that even the professor pursed his lips in a hidden smile.

  “Please, Doctor Ellison, call me Joanna. For foreigners it’s much easier to pronounce,” Joanna said.

  Rowan glanced at her and then at the professor. She gave a slight shake of her head and hoped he’d understand to keep up the pretense of formality while inside the professor’s office.

  “Thank you.” He cast his butterfly-inducing smile at her, but thankfully didn’t offer for her to call him Rowan, which would be totally inappropriate inside the clinic.

  After some polite talk with the professor, he dismissed both of them to catch up on their tasks. The way it looked, she was stuck with Rowan for the next two weeks, whether she liked it or not. And she already disliked the erratic reactions her body parts showed in his presence. It was completely unchartered territory for her and would only serve to distract her from her studies.

  Joanna squared her shoulders saying, “Please follow me, Doctor Ellison. I’ll introduce you to the department staff.”

  Just as she’d reached the safety of the hallway, out of the sight of the harping eyes of the professor, Rowan caught up to her and held her arm with a feather-like touch. A touch that sent bolts of heat coursing through her body until a funny feeling settled low in her stomach region.

  “I have missed you, Joanna,” he said, showering her with that glorious smile.

  She looked away, willing her pulse to slow down and her palms to stop sweating. It didn’t work. His aftershave wafted into her nostrils acutely reminding her of the kiss they’d shared. Judging by the tingling of her lips, it had been mere seconds ago.

  Joanna struggled to contain her expression and keep a professional mien in place, when all she wanted to do was to sink into his arms, soften to his touch, and feel more of him. Her reaction to Rowan’s nearness was an anomaly and she made a note to check in her books for a natural remedy to ease lust-induced anxiety.

  But while her brain searched for a potion to chase away her attraction to him, her heart did a joyful little dance. Rowan is here!

  Chapter 16

  Rowan felt like pinching himself. After thinking about Joanna non-stop for the last few days, suddenly she stood right in front of him, looking like she stepped out of his personal fantasies. And even better, she had been assigned to translate for him during his internship in the TCM department. A grin spread across his face. Maybe TCM isn’t all that bad.

  And judging by the way her arm trembled when he’d touched her, she was equally excited to see him. Aroused would be a better word. His body had taken over and every fiber had hardened at her sight – including those parts he didn’t want everyone to notice. Thankfully, he wore loose scrub pants and a long white coat, hiding his arousal.

  She still hadn’t said a word, apparently struggling to compose herself after his admission of missing her.

  I was just being honest. I thought women liked that? Damn, she’s so confusing.

  “Please follow me,” she said with a stern voice, but he could hear the slight tremble in it. The one she tried to hide. Just as she’d hidden the desire in her eyes when she’d cast them away. His heart jumped. Not all was lost.

  He followed her into the treatment areas and did his best to get a feel for how things in this department worked. Despite his prejudice about the hocus-pocus they sold disguised as medicine, he decided to make the best of it and learn as much as he could about TCM. If only to scientifically disprove the claims the next time he had a chance.

  Throughout the next few days, Joanna dutifully translated for him as needed, but made it a point to keep her professional distance. Not once did she gift him her devastatingly sexy smile, nor did she give him the opportunity for an accidental touch.

  Only when she believed to be unobserved, could he feel her eyes ravaging his body, leaving a searing path on his skin. At the end of his second day in the TCM department when nothing had changed, he knew he needed to come up with a plan. He’d be damned if he didn’t make a move on this woman who’d tied him up in knots. She had to be chased out of his system before he went back to the ER.

  Every waking hour he thought of her – and dreamt of her in his sleep – to a point that his fantasizing affected his work. Thankfully he wasn’t standing at the operation table, where a single second of inattentiveness could cost a life.

  His chance came when he received a note about his vacant apartment. With the letter in hand, he sought out Professor Wu and after some polite chit-chat, where Rowan complained about the difficult communication with the apartment administration due to his lack of understanding Chinese, he formulated his request.

  “Professor Wu, I know everyone here is busy, but Miss Joanna has been incredibly helpful translating for me, so I was wondering if it would be an undue request to ask if she could help me in making arrangements with the apartment administration?”

  “Of course not.” Professor Wu nodded and pressed the button on his phone to call his secretary. The talked in a few Chinese sentences and minutes later, Joanna entered the room.

  Rowan admired her
delicate curves and her gracious gait.

  “You called for me, Professor?” Joanna asked, crossing the room with majestic composure and a soft smile on her face.

  “Yes, Doctor Ellison needs help to deal with the administration of his apartment building. I’m sure you would be happy to assist him in this capacity, wouldn’t you?” The way the professor had presented the question, it was basically an order. One she couldn’t refuse as a first-year student.

  Joanna sent a dark stare towards Rowan, but a moment later, she schooled her features again and faced the professor saying, “Of course, Professor. It will be a pleasure.”

  Rowan couldn't keep a smile from his face, his green-brown eyes twinkling with victory. This time the way things worked in this country had played out in his favor. Respect for authority and all that…now, he just had to convince her she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  And want her he did. He’d never been so obsessed with a woman before, and replaying their kiss in his mind over and over again, he knew she felt the same. If she stopped being so shy long enough to take a chance on him.

  Rowan wasted no time in arranging to meet her outside the clinic. “I can move my things tomorrow, but there are some details I still have to discuss with the administration. Would you be able to help me this evening after work?”

  “I have studies…” she said, prevaricating, but one glance at the professor made her crumble, “…but five o’clock will be fine. Does that work for you?”

  “Perfect.”

  Rowan nodded and glanced after her as she left the room, her short black hair dancing around her slender neck. How he yearned to shower that elegant column with little kisses, tracing his tongue all the way down to her collarbone, across her jaw, and between her seductive lips. He swallowed. Now wasn’t the time to conjure up fantasies of a naked Joanna lying beneath him screaming out his name. But the way the air around him filled with electricity every time Joanna was present kept him in a constant state of arousal. It was more than a bit unsettling. Up until now, medicine had been his first love. He was sleeping, eating and breathing medicine. Women had always taken a back seat to his calling. But now Rowan buzzed with anticipation.