by Naomi Niles
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PERFECTING FOR LOVE
By Naomi Niles
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Naomi Niles
Chapter One
JJ
The building was sleek and sophisticated. There were huge panels of glass everywhere, serving to bring in huge amounts of light and brighten up the building’s interior. There were a number of plants lining the hallways, corridors, and reception areas, and I suspected that it had to do with softening the feel of the intimidating space.
I went up to the third floor and walked over to the reception counter, behind which a young woman sat. She looked to be in her early twenties and was wearing a white shirt and a bored expression on her face.
“Excuse me?” I said, trying to catch her attention.
She took a second to look up from her screen. “Can I help you?” she asked as she passed a critical eye over me.
“My name is John Burbank,” I replied, intentionally omitting the doctor from my name. “I’m here to see Doctor Zackary Burbank.”
“Oh,” the girl said, standing up immediately, as though my introduction had caught her off guard. “Yes, yes, of course. He’s been expecting you. He’s in his office already.”
She walked around the desk and led me to the massive closed doors a few feet away. “My name is Marla,” she said. “I’m Doctor Burbank’s personal secretary, but he’s informed me that I am to serve as your secretary, too, for as long as you’re with us.”
“I appreciate that.” I smiled at her before walking through the door she was holding open for me.
“Doctor Burbank?” Marla called. “Doctor Burbank is here to see you.”
“John!” Zackary cried, the moment he looked up from his computer screen. “There you are! Come on in.”
I walked into his huge office and shook his hand. Zackary Burbank had been one of the leading surgeons in the hospital where I had done my residency. He had been more than just a teacher, though. He had been my mentor, and I had tried to emulate him in everything I did.
It had been over seven years since I’d seen him, and time had made a few changes in his appearance. The sprinkling of gray in his hair had turned into a deluge, he wore thick glasses now, and his manner seemed slower than I remembered. I did the mental calculation and realized he would be coming up on sixty now.
“You’ve got quite the impressive set up here,” I told him sincerely.
“It took almost a decade to get to this point,” he said, looking around. “But I managed it in the end.”
“I had no doubt you would,” I nodded. “You were always my best teacher.”
“That’s kind of you to say.”
“It’s true,” I insisted. “I want to thank you for letting me work here temporarily. When I came to California, I didn’t think I would stay very long. And when my plans changed… Let’s just say this opportunity was more than I could have hoped for.”
“It’s not like this is wholly one-sided,” Zackary reminded me. “I’m getting a leading plastic surgeon to join my team… And you don’t know my ulterior motive yet.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Should I be scared?”
“I’ll let you decide that,” he said with a smile.
“How’s Bessie?”
“We got a divorce about two years back.”
“No!” I said, in surprise. “I had no idea.”
“It was an unexpected decision,” he replied. “Well, more so for me than for her. But in the end, I realized she was right. We had drifted apart… This practice was partially to blame for that. I didn’t have any time for her towards the end.”
“I’m so sorry, Zackary,” I said.
“Don’t be,” he replied. “There are good changes, too. Martha got married a year ago, and I’m going to be a grandfather in a few months.”
“That’s wonderful news,” I said. “Congratulations.”
Zackary nodded. “And what about you, John?” he asked. “Are you married?”
“No,” I replied, feeling slightly self-conscious about the question.
Zackary gave him an appraising look. “How old are you now?”
“My next birthday will be my thirty-third.”
“Hmm… All work and no play, it seems.”
I smiled. “I’m okay with that, though. It’s the kind of lifestyle that suits me.”
Zackary shook his hand. “That’s what I thought when I was your age, too. That mindset doesn’t always last. How are your brothers?”
“They’re doing well,” I nodded. “Alan’s newly engaged, and Peter just moved in with his girlfriend.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Not at the moment,” I replied.
“You were always a quiet one,” Zackary observed, almost as though he were talking to himself. Then he clapped his hands together and his tone changed instantly. “You can start working right away. I just have one favor to ask of you.”
“Of course,” I nodded. “Anything.”
“I have a promising new surgeon on staff,” Zackary explained. “He’s young and enthusiastic, but his experience is limited. I would like him to shadow you for a few weeks. I want you to teach him as much as you can.”
“That’s no problem,” I said willingly. “I’d be more than happy to teach him.”
“Excellent,” Zackary nodded. He leaned in towards his desk and pressed a button that linked to reception. “Marla,” he spoke into the receiver. “Have Daniel come up here; I have to introduce him to doctor Burbank.”
“Of course, sir,” Marla replied before she hung up.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door and a sturdy young man in doctor’s whites walked in. He was of average height, with blue eyes and thin blond hair. He strode over confidently and extended his hand out towards me.
“Doctor Burbank,” he said. “I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to finally meet you. I’ve followed your career for a few years now, and it is truly a privilege. This is what normal people must feel like when they meet Beyonce.”
I laughed involuntarily and Zackary joined in, too. “Daniel graduated from Harvard Medical School only a few months ago,” Zackary explained. “He graduated at the top of his class, but as I’ve told him before, nothing beats experience. And, I think the best experience he can get is by shadowing you.”
“Well… I shall try not to let either one of you down,” I said earnestly.
“Excellent,” Zackary said. “Well, John, Marla will have the details of your first patient this morning. And, she’ll show you to your office. It’s on this floor, down the corridor to the left.”
“Right,” I nodded. “Thank you.”
Daniel and I left Zackary’s office to find Marla was standing outside his door waiting for us. She already had a client file in her arms and handed it to me immediately.
“Tell me about the patient,” I said, as we started walking down a corridor lined with ficus plants.
“Her name is Betty Milton,” Marla started rattling off immediately. “Forty-two years of age, and she’s had no previous plastic surgery. She interested in breast enhancement surgery and a possible lift.”
“I see,” I nodded, with professional interest. “Are you familiar with her files, Daniel?”
“Roughly,” he nodded. “And please, feel free to call me Danny.”
“Is that what you prefer to be called?” I asked.
“Yes,” Danny nodded. “I’ve told Doctor Burbank a few times, too. But he insists on calling me Daniel.”
I smiled. “That’s Zackary for you. I
used to go by JJ in medical school, but he never copped to that nickname. He likes things to be done in the proper way.”
“Hmm,” Danny replied, as though he would have liked to add something to that statement.
“Here’s your office, Doctor Burbank,” Marla pointed out to me. “The patient isn’t here yet, so feel free to make yourself at home.”
I smiled at the way she phrased it. “Thank you, Marla,” I said, dismissing her politely. Danny and I walked into my new office. It was similar to Zackary’s, except smaller and more obviously a consultation room to examine patients in. I was impressed by how personalized everything was. It looked much less like a clinic and much more like an exclusive surgery facility for rich celebrities.
In hindsight, I realized that that was exactly the vibe that Zackary had been aiming for. It promoted a feeling of competency, privacy, and experience. Surgery was such a sensitive subject, and for many patients, it was a deeply personal decision. I appreciated the pains my mentor had taken in ensuring comfort and a feeling of safety had been achieved here.
I sat down behind my desk as Danny sat down in one of the two chairs standing across from it. I could tell he was making a silent study of me, just as I was studying him. He seemed like a decent guy. I sensed a touch of immaturity, but that was true of most young doctors who were just starting out.
The phone next to my computer screen beeped, and I pressed the red button on the side. “Yes?”
“Your patient has just arrived, Doctor Burbank,” Marla informed me, in a professional tone.
“Send her in, Marla,” I instructed.
We rose to our feet as the patient was sent in. She was a small woman with blonde hair and dark eyes.
“Hello, Mrs. Cash,” I said. “I’m Doctor Burbank and this is my understudy, Doctor Wall. He’s going to be shadowing me in the following weeks, so you’ll be seeing a lot of him.”
“All right,” she nodded. She looked a little nervous as she shook hands with Danny and I, but when she spoke, she seemed certain of what she wanted.
“I’ve always wanted bigger breasts,” she said bluntly. “But I just never had the money to even consider it. But I’ve recently remarried and can finally get them done.”
“Of course,” I nodded, noticing that Danny was smiling from ear to ear. “How big do you want them, Mrs. Cash?”
“At least two sizes bigger,” Betty replied. “I want them to be noticed. I want to be noticed.”
“I’ll have to examine you,” I told her.
“I understand,” Betty nodded. Without waiting for instructions, she started unbuttoning her blouse immediately. I saw Danny’s eyes go wide and could sense the excitement waft off of him. He reminded me in that moment of Sam.
Betty cast off her blouse and then she unhooked her bra and slipped it off. She stood before us in her black pants, with her breasts exposed, but didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Perhaps I had misjudged that initial nervousness I thought I had sensed in her.
Her breasts weren’t as flat as they appeared to be, but they were certainly small. I put on my gloves and instructed Betty to take a seat in the large chair behind her. Danny came a little closer as I started my inspection.
“If you are uncomfortable with anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to say so,” I said.
She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Doctor.”
I turned my brain on professional mode and didn’t stop until I had made a thorough check.
“Will you be able to do them?” Betty asked.
“Without a doubt,” I nodded.
“I want them to be big, but perky,” she said.
“We can do both,” I told her. “Doctor Wall, take down these measurements please.”
“How soon can we do them?”
“That depends on you,” I told her. “We can schedule the surgery today if you’re willing.”
“Today, then,” she said immediately. “I’d like to schedule the surgery for today.”
“All right,” I nodded. “You can speak to my receptionist, Marla, and she will book you in for an appointment.”
“Good,” Betty said, clapping her hands together. “Thank you, Doctor.”
With that, she jumped off the seat and grabbed for her bra and blouse. The whole time she was getting dressed, Danny never took his eyes off her. She thanked us both again and walked out of the office, leaving us alone again.
“This is an auspicious moment,” Danny said, with a serious expression. “My first boob job.”
“Just a small tip for next time,” I said. “Try not to stare so much.”
“Easier said than done,” he sighed. “She was half naked…and she was standing right in front of me.”
“It may be hard, but it’s the job.”
“Oh, it’s hard all right,” he nodded suggestively.
I suppressed a smile. I knew I shouldn’t have been amused by his crude double entendre. I felt a slight tug of nostalgia as I remembered my brothers back in Colorado.
I was a long way from home, and as nice as this work opportunity was for me, it was not the reason I had come to California. No, I had come for a whole other reason, a very personal one – and I was starting to wonder what I had gotten myself into.
Chapter Two
Kami
I stared at the glass as though it would bite me at any moment. Sometimes I felt as though reflections could. I took a deep breath and then stepped in front of the full-length mirror, trying not to be overly affected by what I saw there.
I was wearing only my underwear, white panties, and the same black bra that I had worn for the past two years. My body looked elongated and disproportionate. My stomach was flat, but it wasn’t toned. My legs looked gangly and awkward, even in stillness. My arms hung limply at my sides and made me look tense and conscious. I ran my fingers across the sharp bones sticking out at my hips and couldn’t repress the sigh on my lips.
“Well… it’s not going to get much better than this,” I sighed, as my eyes traveled higher to my face.
I had kept my dark brown hair short ever since I had hit thirteen. It was just easier to manage and any time I tried to grow it out, I ended up looking like an idiot. I pushed my bangs down against my forehead so that I wouldn’t have to see the cold disappointment in my hazel eyes.
I knew I needed to turn away from my reflection, but I just couldn’t stop looking. “I think I have some sort of disease,” I told myself. “Stop staring.”
But still, I couldn’t turn away. I was distracted by a knock on my door. But before I could even answer it, the door burst open and Haley walked in.
“Argh!” I screamed self-consciously, as I moved to cover myself up.
“Oh, don’t freak out,” she said without any concern. She slapped my butt as she moved to take a seat on my bed. “I’ve seen it all before.”
“You’ve seen it all before?” I repeated, in horror. “When?”
“When we were kids,” Haley said pleasantly.
“That was different,” I retorted. “We were kids.”
She shrugged. “You have a habit of forgetting to lock your bedroom door,” she smiled.
I wrapped my robe around my body and cinched it at the waist. “That was humiliating.”
“It’s not a big deal,” she said without concern. “What’s wrong with admiring what you’ve got.”
“Admiring?” I repeated incredulously. “You’re kidding right?”
“Why else would you stand naked in front of a full-length mirror?”
I knew she was teasing, but I couldn’t help myself. “What do you think about plastic surgery?” I asked before I lost the nerve.
“Excuse me?” Haley asked, raising her eyebrows.
“I’m serious.”
“Why would you, of all people, need plastic surgery?” she demanded. “You’re a beautiful woman. There are lots of women out there who would kill for a body like yours. I’m not kidding.”
“Certainly sounds like
you are,” I said.
Haley rolled her eyes at me. “You are way too insecure.”
“I’m realistic,” I replied.
“Hardly,” she said, shaking her head. “Delusional would be a better word.”
I sighed and walked into my bathroom. “Never mind,” I said, trying to mask my frustration. “Forget I brought it up.”
“I intend to do just that,” she called from the room. “Now hurry up and get dressed. We’ve got shit to do.”
“We have time,” I said, slipping on my jeans and reaching for the shirt I’d picked out the night before.
“I like to see the line,” she responded.
I pulled on my white shirt and walked back into the bedroom. “You have a problem,” I said.
“No, you’re the one with the problem. You actually act as though you’re unhappy about having people line up outside our restaurant.”
“I’m not unhappy,” I corrected. “I’m just weary.”
“Of what?”
“People in general,” I said, with a shrug. “I don’t want to have to talk to people… especially strangers. You know I have anxiety about that.”
“I know,” Haley sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if we’re really sisters.”
That was something quite a few people wondered, too. We lived together, so people naturally assumed we were roommates, but no one ever guessed that we were related, let alone sisters. In fact, we usually had to convince people of that fact.
The truth was we looked nothing alike. I was taller, skinner, and awkward, while Haley was shorter, curvier, and much more confident. I had my mother’s dark hair and hazel eyes, while Haley had inherited the blue eyes and blonde hair of our father.
Quite apart from looks, our personalities tended to be on opposite spheres, too. I was quiet, reserved, and shy, whereas Haley was loud, energetic, and charismatic. Despite all our differences, we were and always had been best friends. It was the one thing I could count on above all else in this world. And even though Haley drove me crazy sometimes, I couldn’t imagine living my life without her.
“By the way, have you heard from Stuart?” Haley asked, sitting up a little.
