Perfectly Reasonable (8 page)

Chapter 14

Margo tried not to squirm. She gathered up his papers and handed them back to him without a word.

She ignored the speculative look in his eyes as he folded them and stuffed them in his jacket.

“Hey, do you snowboard?” he asked.

Margo looked at him, startled. She’d been sure he was going to razz her about medicine. “Yeah, I do.”

“A bunch of us are heading to Massif next weekend, if you’d like to come. I think Dan’s coming, so it won’t be all dummies like me. There’ll be some smart people for you to hang out with, too.”

Margo snorted. “When are you leaving?”

“Probably Friday afternoon. I think we’ll try to pack everyone into two cars. If we leave about three, we should be there by six and can get some night boarding in. Jess Preston has a ski in, ski out with lots of space.”

“That sounds really fun. If you’re sure she won’t mind me coming along.”

“No, she’s cool. I’ll send you a message on Facebook when we sort it all out.”

“Great. Thanks.” She swirled the beer at the bottom of her glass. “Trace?”

He looked her in the eye. “Yes, Margo,” he said with a smile when she didn’t say anything.

Those blue eyes were seductive. “Last I heard, you had to be very smart to get through a master’s degree in math,” she said.

He nodded slowly. “I don’t know about smart, but you definitely have to be calculating.”

Margo laughed. “And witty.”

“Possibly wise,” he added.

“Sounds infinitely better than smart.”

“When you put us all in the same room, we add up to something. We can get to the root of a problem. And we love pie.”

Margo grinned. “Maybe I should start hanging around mathletes more. They sound like a fun bunch.”

“We are, we are. It’s an exclusive group, but any time you want to hang out, you let me know.”

“Will do.” She finished her beer.

Trace nodded at her glass. “Want another?”

Margo hesitated. “No, I’d better not. I should get going.”

“Big plans for the weekend?”

“I’m meeting up with a friend of mine. Mikaela and I went through medical school together. She’s in the midst of an obstetrics and gynecology residency.”

“Now there’s something I wouldn’t want to do.”

“Me, either,” Margo said with a laugh. “But she loves it. She has this weekend off, so we’re getting together tomorrow night.”

“Girl time.”

“Exactly. I’m just going to call a cab,” Margo said, pulling out her cell phone.

“Let me. I’m cabbing it, too. I can drop you off and then continue on to my place.”

“It’s a bit out of your way.”

“No problem.” He called and arranged for a cab to pick them up.

They put on their coats and headed outside. The
restaurant was quieter now with fewer people to dodge at the bar.

When the taxi reached her apartment building, Trace got out with her and walked her to her door. “Thanks for all your help with the questions. Can I get you to look them over after I make the changes?”

“Sure. Email them or bring them to Breaking Bread. I’ll be there Tuesday and Thursday.”

“Perfect. Thanks.” He leaned in and hesitated. Margo knew she could move away. But she didn’t.

He brushed his lips against hers and teased her lips open with his tongue. Margo’s skin tingled from head to toe, and she stepped in to press against him. Too many layers. His tongue never stopped moving. She shivered as he moved down the curve of her neck. Oh, to go lower.

He eased back and kissed her lips one more time. “The taxi’s waiting. I should go. But I’ll be in touch about next weekend.”

Margo’s eyes fluttered open, and she swallowed. “Next weekend. Sure.”

Trace flashed a smile and jogged off to the waiting cab. She watched him go and then walked to the elevators, half floating on air. Her breasts felt heavy and a delicious stirring swirled in her belly.

She had one week to buy condoms.

Chapter 15

Margo balanced a pizza in one hand and knocked on Mikaela’s door with the other. She knew Mikaela wouldn’t mind if she walked right in, but Mikaela would never have such lax security. She adjusted the strap of her overnight bag on her shoulder and pulled her coat edges together. Were winters getting colder or did she need to invest in a better coat? She stamped her feet to get the worst of the snow off as Mikaela opened the door.

The waft of warm air and Mikaela’s welcoming smile drew her in. “Hey, stranger. Come in. Long time, no see.” Mikaela gave Margo a hug and reached to take the pizza.

“You talking about me or the pizza?” Margo asked. She set her bag down and hung her coat in the closet. She heard Mikaela’s laugh in the kitchen and followed her there.

“Both.” Mikaela opened the lid to the pizza box and inhaled deeply, watching the steam rise. “Mmmm . . . smells delicious. You got Hawaiian,” she said with grateful eyes.

“Of course. Wouldn’t want to split up a perfect friendship.”

“Ours or the pizza’s?”

“Both,” Margo said as they laughed.

“You, me, pizza, and wine. Go together like a bath and a rubber ducky.”

“So true. Perfect on their own but so much more fun together.”

Mikaela cut them each a slice while Margo poured the wine. They sat down at the table and dug in.

“Delicious,” Margo said, eating a strand of cheese. “So what’s new in the world of a first year ob-gyn resident?”

Mikaela looked relaxed in sweatpants and a warm sweater. Her glossy straight brown hair hung down to her shoulders. Even with the glow of perfect skin, dark circles under her eyes had become a permanent fixture since the start of her residency seven months ago. “Let’s see. What have I learned?” She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I’m in the fertility clinic this week. It’s pretty specialized so I’ve mostly shadowed my preceptor. But he has a lot of pearls.”

“For instance . . .?”

“An egg only lives for twenty-four hours, but sperm can live for seventy-two, so if you want to conceive you need to have sex three days before you ovulate.”

“Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind for better birth control.”

“Yes, it works both ways. Also, the elevating-the-bum-with-a-pillow-after-sex rumor may actually have some merit.”

“Increases the chances of a meet and greet?”

Mikaela grinned and took a sip of her wine. “Yes, exactly. Although no evidence that keeping your legs in the air or doing a handstand works.”

“I’ll stop practicing my handstands.”

Mikaela nodded. “Informative and time-saving.” She smiled. “Also, this just off the press, swallowing sperm cannot get you pregnant.”

Margo snorted. “Seriously? Some creative guy’s wishful thinking?”

“Apparently. And half the population really liked that one, so why dispel the myth?”

“You should start a blog.”

Mikaela laughed. “In my spare time. How about you? What’s new in the world of painting? I couldn’t believe you worked last weekend,” Mikaela said with wide eyes. “What was that all about?”

“Got an offer and the bank was very happy I took it.” Margo shrugged. “Turns out it was Brett Bennett’s son.”

“Really? Is he as cute as his dad?”

“Better. Icy blue eyes, gorgeous smile . . .”

Mikaela wiggled her eyebrows. “Built?”

“Built.”

“Oooh. Sounds serious. Does he have the ass factor?”

Margo took another bite of pizza and chewed it slowly. Finally she swallowed. “A great ass? Check. A bit of badass attitude? Check. A piece of my heart?” She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Maybe.”

Mikaela set her pizza down. “Name,” she demanded.

“Trace.”

“Trace. Trace Bennett. Trace Bennett with the ass factor.”

Margo tried not to blush under her friend’s pointed stare. “I said maybe.”

“But it wasn’t a ‘no’. I think this is a first.” Mikaela raised her glass of wine. “To Trace Bennett with the ass factor. May I hear more stories about him in the future.”

Margo gave a small smile. “His grandfather is, was, Ernie Pearce.”

Mikaela set her glass down with a clunk and wine sloshed onto the table. “What?”

Margo nodded.

“No. Trace Bennett with the ass factor is connected to all that?”

Margo nodded.

“Does he know?”

“No.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

Margo gave a large sigh and swirled the wine in her glass. “I don’t know. I think it would be better, and save a lot of heartache, if I just walked away.”

“But he has the ass factor.”

Margo smirked. “I’m hoping there’s someone else in my future with the ass factor.”

Mikaela shook her head. “I’m so sorry, honey.” She reached over and squeezed Margo’s hand. “Don’t relive the whole thing.”

“I know. I’m trying not to.”

“If there’s anything I can do . . .”

Margo shook her head. “Sharing pizza tonight is a good start. May need another bottle of wine.”

Mikaela smiled gently. “Why don’t you talk it over with him? Explain it.”

Margo grimaced. “I should. I know it. But I’ll feel like a failure all over again. He’s asked me to help him with a medical school application. I’m doing it, sort of like penance.” She looked at Mikaela. “Hoping it will balance the world energy of karma or something.”

Mikaela frowned. “You don’t need to do penance or . . .” She waved her hand in the air. “. . . worry about cosmic energy. You didn’t do anything wrong. You gave some old guy hope. What was so wrong with that? It was a good thing.”

“I gave him false hope. There’s a difference.”

“You were a student. You weren’t the only one talking to him.”

“He told me things he didn’t tell the others. And my words had impact. He’d have done things differently if I’d kept quiet.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

Margo shook her head and her curls bounced wildly around her face. “I don’t want to discuss it. I know you think it was perfectly reasonable, and I appreciate it. I really do, but I still carry the burden of it all. I can’t go after the ass factor.”

“But it’s the ass factor. Your first,” Mikaela said with regret in her voice.

“I know. Pass the wine.”

Chapter 16

Margo was up to her elbows in soapy water when Trace walked in carrying a stack of bowls.

“Hi, when did you get here?” she asked. Not that she had been keeping track. But he hadn’t been in the dining room when she set out the soup. Or put out the napkins. Or rearranged the cutlery. When she gave Carl his orange juice or Ottie his ice cream. Not that she had been keeping track.

He grinned. “Just stopped by. The Shields lost last night to the Cascades, so I thought I’d come by and keep Ottie up to date.”

“Rub it in, you mean.”

“As he sat polishing off a bowl of butterscotch ripple. I think that eased the pain.”

Margo chuckled.

“Actually, I was hoping to catch you here,” said Trace, as he picked up a tea towel and started drying dishes.

Margo’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t trust herself to speak.

“I finished the revisions to my essay questions, and I was hoping you’d look them over.”

Margo’s shoulders relaxed. “Of course. Hattie had to leave early tonight, so let me go wipe off the tables and lock the front door. Then I’ll take a look.” She set the last of the bowls in the drying rack and grabbed a clean wet cloth for the tables.

Trace worked his way through the cutlery and bowls until Margo returned. She walked back into the kitchen carrying two dirty spoons. She threw them in the sink of soapy water and finished wiping down the counters in the kitchen.

When it was all sparkling clean, she turned to Trace. “Okay, let’s see.”

Trace handed her the papers and continued drying as she read.

Why do you want to be a medical doctor?

I want to be a doctor because I’m interested in pursuing medical research. A friend died of cancer at age fifteen, and I realized how much more there is to learn about the cause and cure of cancer. I have focused my undergraduate studies on math and biochemistry to have a solid foundation for analyzing and understanding medical research. A medical degree would allow me to pursue this further and with greater impact.

I have extensive experience tutoring mathematics to undergraduate students and thoroughly enjoy interacting with people and adjusting how I teach to how they learn. As a doctor, I would be able to do the same with patients.

I have given a great deal of thought on the future path of my career. My major goal is to do what I can to use my skills to help others. I am excited at the opportunity to dedicate my life to a career in medicine to fulfill this.

Should medical doctors have higher moral standards than construction workers?

Medical doctors and construction workers need to have high moral standards.

Doctors are privy to very personal information. It is very important that they keep the information confidential, have a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship with patients, be honest, and work well as part of an interdisciplinary team. They are role models for health and professionalism. They are trusted to make decisions, which can significantly affect the health and well-being of their patients.

Construction workers need to have high moral standards in their work for public health and safety. Using inferior materials or cutting corners may have devastating results.

Regardless of the job, whether I’m tutoring a student or volunteering at Breaking Bread, a soup kitchen, I feel it is very important to treat others with dignity and respect. I’ve done this by being punctual, maintaining confidentiality, speaking respectfully, and doing the best I can. These are all qualities that would be essential for a physician.

Describe an experience where you showed collaboration.

I spend approximately fifteen hours a week tutoring mathematics to undergraduate students. I have never had any difficulty in school, and I believe it is very important that I use my skills to help others. In particular, when I meet with students, they are often stressed and upset, and it is satisfying to see them gain some understanding of their subject and succeed. A focus of my tutoring strategy is to tailor the teaching to the student. It is not only important to understand what the student struggles with, but also to determine the unique way each student learns. I present the material in a number of different ways – using different language, approaches, or analogies – so that each student can understand it. I think this skill will prepare me for interacting with patients. Medicine involves relating to a wide variety of people and teaching them about their health in a way that they can understand.

Tutoring provided valuable experience in advocating for students when their marks were incorrect or the amount of effort was questioned. I felt it was important as a leader to take on this responsibility.

I had to manage my time wisely to balance tutoring with completing my course work. Knowing that I could handle both will help me with the rigorous medical curriculum.

What qualities should every physician possess? Which qualities do you have? What do you need to work on?

Physicians should be smart and committed to lifelong learning. They should enjoy working with people and have excellent interpersonal skills including listening and giving information in a clear, nonjudgmental way. They should be passionate about health and comfortable with making decisions in a high-pressure environment.

I have maintained a high GPA throughout four years of undergraduate studies and have finished a combined major in mathematics and biochemistry. This consistent performance and my desire to focus on medical research, demonstrate that I am hardworking and committed to lifelong learning. My extensive tutoring experience has honed my interpersonal skills and demonstrates that I can listen and adapt to specific needs. Through tutoring and my position on the Venn Group, I have shown leadership. I was awarded two competitive scholarships after performing well at high-pressure interviews.

I get caught up in work that I find extremely interesting but also want to find the time to participate in basketball and hockey. Finding a balance would be important.

I have given a great deal of thought about the future path of my career. I strongly believe that I am an excellent candidate for medical school and am excited at the opportunity to be dedicated to medicine for my entire life.

Margo looked up and caught Trace watching her. He raised his brows.

“Wow,” she said.

Trace broke into a huge grin. “Really?”

“Yes.” She nodded emphatically. “This is excellent. It’s focused on you. It relates your experience to the qualities of a physician. It’s thoughtful and well written. I really like it. Great job, Trace.”

“Thanks.” He swept her up in a hug. “Thanks.” He looked down at her, his eyes intent.

Margo held her breath and then stumbled back out of his embrace. “One . . . One more thing done,” she stuttered. “What’s left?
I guess your references. Have you decided who to ask? You’ll need three, I think, right?”
Margo, stop talking
, she chided herself silently.

Trace folded the papers and put them back in his coat pocket. “I was thinking of asking my master’s supervisor. He’s recommended me to students to tutor so he could cover that. The head of the Department of Math said he would write a reference, and I’ve had a few courses with him so he can comment on my marks. I wasn’t sure about the third one.”

“Have you done any medical research? Worked on stats for anyone?”

“Yes. I did some number crunching for a prof in immunology. Calculated the minimum population size needed and then analyzed the data after. Just basic chi-square and regression analysis. She was going to include my name on the paper, but I don’t know if it was ever published,” he said with a shrug.

“Either way, it would be perfect. Could you ask her?”

“I think so. She was pretty grateful for the help.”

“Excellent. Make sure you give them lots of time. It’s done electronically, but . . .”

“Yeah. I think it’s just a matter of giving them a link and then following up to make sure it was done.”

“And some guidance from you as to why you’ve chosen them. Don’t forget to thank them after.”

“Yes, Mom,” Trace said with a laugh.

Margo rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you’ve got it all under control. I really hope it works out for you.”

“Yeah, me too. Thanks for all your help.”

“You’re welcome.” Margo looked around the room a little desperately. “Well, it looks like we’re done here. I promised Hattie I’d lock up and then drop the key off at her place on my way home. Do you need a ride?”

“No. I’m fine. I’m going to head out for a brew. It’s a business brew. A couple of buddies have an idea for a start-up and asked if I could look over the numbers for them.”

“Wouldn’t they need an accountant for that?” she asked.

“Depends how many beers they’ve had.”

Margo laughed, and Trace watched her with a smile.

They put on their coats and headed outside.

“Did you see the message about Friday?” Trace asked. “Jess is driving, and we can pick you up at three. That work for you?”

Margo’s stomach churned with second thoughts. “Are you sure I won’t be in the way? It sounded like a full house, and I wondered if you still wanted me to go?”

“Yes, I definitely do.” Trace stepped closer. She could feel his warm breath in the cold air. “I’d like you to come. It’ll be fun. And I’ll get a chance to thank you for helping me with the application.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

He tasted sweet, and her heart swirled in her chest.

“Three o’clock. Friday. Okay?”

She nodded and sighed. Friday. Fun.

Then heartache.

She’d pencil that in.