Yet despite all that inherited privilege, Sidney is a pretty down-to-earth guy. Down-to-earth for a surgeon, that is. There’s a reason so many of them are thought to have a God complex. Slicing, dicing, or simply holding someone’s heart or liver in your hands can seriously mess with your ego. It takes a certain amount of chutzpah, plus an unwavering and massive ego to cut open living, breathing people and muck around in their insides.
Sidney has all that and more. But there is this easygoing affability about him that seems to soften those traits. He hasn’t always been that way; apparently he was something of a hellion during his twenties and thirties. But when Gina came onto the scene, Sidney settled down.
Despite her local fame, Gina remains something of a mystery, a fact that seems to only enhance her cachet. No one knows anything about her background or her family. She simply appeared at Sidney’s side when he returned from a two-week trip to New York and, a month later, they were married. They have remained childless in the twelve years since then and I’ve never been sure if it’s because they can’t have kids or because they made a conscious decision not to.
I search the room for Sidney and spot him over by the bar schmoozing with the CEO of a large manufacturing company that is located just outside of Sorenson. I plaster a friendly smile on my face and move in. Halfway there I realize that I probably should have gone to the ladies’ room first to make another adjustment on my panty hose; they are slipping lower with every step I take. But just as I am about to turn around to do that, Sidney sees me.
The CEO moves off and Sid quickly breaches the distance between us. “Mattie!” He gives me a quick hug and adds, “The prodigal nurse returns. It’s really good to see you. How have you been?”
“Good, Sidney. Thanks for asking. You?”
“Doing just fine, thanks.”
“You look a little tired,” I note, observing the bluish circles under his eyes. I think I see something dark flit across his face, but it is there and gone so fast I can’t be sure.
“Long night last night,” he says with a smile. “I was on call. You know how that goes.”
“Sure do.” Knowing my time in the spotlight of Sidney’s attention is likely to be short, I decide to plunge right in. “Damn shame about Karen Owenby, isn’t it?”
“An awful thing,” he says, shaking his head. “I hope they catch who did it soon.”
“Me, too. I’ll bet it’s really disrupted things over at the hospital, eh?”
“It sure has. That and the fact that David’s surgeries are subject to last-minute cancellations at the whim of the local cops. But then I guess you probably know all about that already, particularly since I hear your brother-in-law is defending him.”
I nod. “Yes, Lucien’s been keeping me informed. Hopefully, it will all work out soon.”
“Will you? You and David, I mean.”
“Will we what? Work out?”
Sid nods.
“I don’t know, Sid. I don’t think so. Things have gone too far.”
“He made a dumb mistake, one I know he’s come to regret. He’s a good man, Mattie. I don’t know why the cops are hassling him, because there is no way he did this. I’d stake my life on it.”
A curious choice of words. And what does it say about the future potential for my marriage if Sid has more faith in David’s innocence than I do?
“So,” I say, deciding to fish, “were you in on that investment thing with Karen? I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen with that now.”
Sidney looks puzzled for a second, then a dawning awareness hits his face. “You mean that thing with the medical supply company? I didn’t get in on that. It sounded a little too edgy to me and I don’t really need the extra cash flow.”
I have no idea what he means and am about to ask when a voice behind me interrupts.
“Hello, Sidney. Mattie.”
It’s Robert Calhoun, the hospital’s CEO. Beside him is Gina. “I found your wife over in the corner charming the socks off a half dozen men,” Robert says to Sid with a wink. “So I thought I’d return her to you.”
Gina rolls her eyes at me and it is all I can do to choke back a laugh.
“There’s something I need to discuss with you, Sidney,” Robert goes on. “If you can spare me a moment.”
“Certainly.”
“Ahem,” Gina says, leaning up and giving her husband a peck on the cheek. “While you guys talk business, we girls are going to have a little chat of our own. Try to stay out of trouble, you two.”
With that, Gina links an arm through one of mine and steers me away. So much for my time with Sidney. Maybe I can try again later.
“That was a narrow escape,” Gina says in a low voice. “Calhoun wants to talk to Sid about opening up a new women’s suite at the hospital by converting the old nurses’ quarters into an outpatient center. And trust me, when Calhoun gets to talking business, it’s a real snore.”
“I know,” I say. “Been there, done that.”
Gina laughs. “Sid knew Calhoun would approach him tonight. He got wind of it from one of the admin. secretaries. Every time Calhoun comes up with a new scheme, you can bet he’s going to run it by Sidney first. The idiot thinks he has us fooled into believing that the only reason he comes to us is because he respects Sid’s opinion and not because he wants Sid’s money to back him up.”
She pauses and flashes me a wicked smile. “You know what I told Sid last night when he mentioned this latest venture idea of Calhoun’s? I told him he should suggest they open up a sleep studies center instead. Then, to help the patients nod off, they can bring Calhoun in and get him talking business.”
We both snort a laugh and my spirits get an even bigger boost when I see that Gina has steered us to the bar, where she orders us each a glass of champagne.
“Cheers,” Gina says, holding her glass aloft. We clink and drink. Then she shakes her head and smiles that megawatt smile of hers. “Mattie, I must say, you are looking fantastic tonight. That dress is beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I say. A few more compliments like that and my head will be so big I won’t be able to fit through the doors.
“You’ve done something different with your hair, haven’t you?”
“I have. I finally found a great stylist.”
“Well, that is a coup!” she says. “Whatever you’re doing, it’s working. You’ve been turning heads since you got here.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
I take a moment to relish the concept.
“Did David tell you I called?” Gina asks, interrupting my reverie.
“No, he didn’t,” I say, mildly surprised that she has.
“I was afraid he might not, but I didn’t know how else to reach you. There’s no phone number listed for you.”
“I don’t have a phone at the moment,” I tell her. It’s a lie, bit it’s easier than admitting that I still don’t know the number of my cell phone.
“Really? It doesn’t bother you, not being able to call anyone?” She looks appalled and I imagine the thought of being disconnected from the rest of the world is tantamount to torture for someone like Gina.
“Not yet,” I say with a smile.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that I’ve been concerned about you ever since I saw you the other day. Wondering if you’re doing okay with all the…changes in your life. It must be a very difficult time for you.”
“I’ve had a few rough patches,” I admit. “But I’m doing okay, Gina. Thanks for your concern.”