Kathy Lyons - In Good Hands

D R. A MBER S MITHSON leaned across the table, nearly dunking her silk blouse into her salad dressing. Well? she whispered to the goth-dressed teen across from her. Whatd he say?

Lizzy did a quick scan of the room, looking quite dramatic in her dark eye liner and studded dog collar.

Dont worry, said Amber. I already checked. No one from the hospital is here. Then she patted the table. Come on, give. Whatd he say?

Lizzy took a deep breath, and for a moment Amber feared the worst. And then the girl burst into a big smile. My blood test came back amazing! Thats what he said. Amazing! He doesnt quite believe it.

Of course he doesnt. Dr. Bob Brickers was as traditional a doctor as they came. He still thought penicillin was cutting edge. He would never accept that a special tea plus some energy sessions done by Amber could possibly bring type 1 diabetes under control. So everything looks good? Amber pressed, a little shocked herself that it was working.

Im producing insulin on my own! Thats what he said. Pretty soon Ill be able to get off the shots completely!

Amber held up her hands. One step at a time. The diabetes is under control. Thats huge. But

I know! I know! And I didnt say a word to Dr. Brickers about what were doing. But I know it will work!

Amber smiled, her own hopes rising. As a doctor at Mandolin Clinic, Amber couldnt possibly admit she was prescribing holistic treatments to anyone, least of all Dr. Brickerss patients. After all, the man was Ambers direct boss. But Lizzys mom was a friend and had begged Amber for help when the normal treatments had little effect. So Amber had prescribed a special tea and done energy work on the kid. And it was working!

Just keep doing what youre doingespecially the diet and exercise.

I know, I know, Lizzy said with a very dramatic eye roll. And I wont tell anyone or youll get fired. But its working!

Yes, it certainly looked like it was. The two spent the rest of the lunch hour giggling like little girls, then Amber dropped Lizzy back at school before returning to the hospital.

Some days it was hard keeping her interest in holistic healing secret from the ultra-conservative administration at Mandolin. But days like today made it all worth it. That was the reason shed become a doctor: to find out what worked and what didnt, no matter the source. Her colleagues might think she was nuts, but she didnt care if it was Eastern, Western or alien medicine. If it worked, then she was going to embrace it even if it dealt with something as loosy-goosy as qi energy.

If only she could get her colleagues to be so open-minded. Some of them were, but the administration was firmly entrenched in the Western medicine is God mode, especially Dr. Brickers and his cronies. And until they left or retired, nothing would change at Mandolin.

She lived for that day, prayed nightly for it. Because frankly, she was running out of patience. Shed picked this hospital because it was expected of her. Six generations of Smithsons had worked here as orderlies, then nurses, and then her grandfather had become a doctor here. Her mother, too. So shed caved to family pressure because Mandolin really was a good hospital and a prestigious place to work.

Then shed discovered how very narrow-minded her boss was. Not only was alternative medicine evil, in his mind, but anyone who explored it was the devils handmaiden. No doctor under his watch could suggest anything but traditional Western medicine. So Amber had hidden her interest. She saw patients like Lizzy on her lunch hour, off of hospital grounds. But she was getting tired all the subterfuge.

She was still absorbed in those gloomy thoughts when she stepped through the door and was ambushed by Dr. Jack Ross, her best friend and an extremely talented neurologist. He matched steps with her and was obviously bursting with news.

Guess whos just killed his last patient, he said as they stepped into the empty elevator.

Oh, God, she gasped. Not another! They were in a hospital, and people died in hospitals. But lately, the mortality rate at Mandolin was unusually high. It happened sometimes, but it never failed to raise alarms among the people in charge. Who then went crusading around desperately looking for an answer. Or a scapegoat.

Yup. But this time the familys lodged a complaint and its been backed up by a fellow doctor.

The elevator doors open, and before Amber could move to her office, Jack gripped her arm and steered her to a doctors lounge. It was thankfully empty at the moment, but that wouldnt last. Before long, practically the whole staff would wander through looking for more gossip to dish. Amber asked the first question on her mind.