“I probably wouldn’t like to be shut in a cage only to be let out when I get to a doctor, and I’d know, I’m literally a doctor I know the terrible people we really are.” Julia gave Zahra a small smile, because she wasn’t exaggerating. She knew what they did was to help but sometimes the invasive ways they were forced to do it in order to get the best results. “It’s honestly very adorable, it is always a pick me up when I feel like everything is getting on top of me a bit too much. I’m not a big instagram person but I can’t deny that it has its positive sides.” A small shrug, her follow list was selective for that exact reason.
Waiting patiently, and quietly, for the other to finish returning her books she gave the librarian a polite smile before turning towards the direction of the section she had specifically come for. “Well…there is a lot of information involved that’s for sure. I’ve been doing it for ten years and there is still so much I need to learn. Not to mention look up specifically when the medical issue arises.” Motioning to exactly what they were doing right now as they headed up the steps to the second floor of the library. “Did you ever have ambitions to follow any other kind of career path rather than the one you’ve gone with?” She asked with genuine interest. She'd been forced into hers, but so many others got the luxury of choosing. @ofzahras
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It'd be way easier than trying to trick her into her carrier and then try and carry her around. She does not like it one bit and I can't blame her." Despite her efforts, Circe despised the very sight of her carrier and would run and hide the moment Zahra pulled it out. She had of course splurged on the nicest, most comfortable one on the market but Circe did not seem to appreciate the luxury and would've most likely preferred to be carried in a food delivery bag. Her eyes grew wide as Julia described the account she had found. A delighted burst of laughter. "Really? I definitely need to check that out. Sounds like a dream, just a guy and his cat riding a bike."
Returning the books was blessedly an easy ordeal, and Zahra could at least congratulate herself on getting the haul back before any late fees had managed to materialise. She had managed to accomplish something that day and felt better for it. "Oh, I don't know. I love a good fun fact or a useless piece of information but medicine? Don't think I have the brain capacity for that." That being said, she was always eager to learn new things and could imagine far worse ways to spend an afternoon. "Lead the way."
Julia was just catching up on some paperwork at the nurses station - for once things had quietened down a bit (famous last words) so she could take a breather. Her coffee sat next to her forgotten as it so often was because despite being incredibly smart when it came to her own self care she had the memory of a goldfish. Tucking some hair behind her left ear she initialed a box when she felt a tap on her shoulder, looking up with the expectation of seeing an intern or nurse who needed something, but instead she was faced with a woman she’d never seen before.
About to ask if she was looking for a patient it soon became clear that wasn’t there reason for being here, listening to the request with a small smile. “Oh, how sweet. No, of course I’d be happy to help. I actually think it would lift quite a few kids spirits to have someone come in and help distract them for a bit. Not that I’m diminishing your tutoring to just a distraction, but you know what I mean. Often the older ones end up actually missing being at school.” She looked back down at the pamphlets again. “Tell me more, do you do all ages?” @callmecharliejones
starter: closed for @drjuliasato
where: pediatric ward.
The hospital wasn't Charlie's favorite place. Well, she supposed it wasn't anyone's favorite place but Danny had sad it would be a good idea to put up pamphlets in the pediatric ward of the hospital he worked at and Danny was full of brilliant ideas, so with shaky hands and a deep breath, she headed inside and as she saw a woman in a white coat, she came over to tap her shoulder.
"Hi, I'm so sorry to bother you. I promise I won't take long." She started. "My friend Daniel works here, he said I could put some pamphlets up. I'm a teacher. I'm looking for some kids to tutor." She handed her one of the handmade and photocopied pamphlets she made herself, with silly drawings, flowers, stars, hearts, a few bunnies here and there and her contact number. "Could you help me? If you are not too busy of course. I'm sure you have a million kiddos to see. I don't want to be an imposition. I can wait for your break as well, or come some other time."
It was incredibly rare for someone to be this sweet out of nowhere, plus she had just come off a long shift, so sentences weren’t coming easily to her either way. It was an embarrassment really and Julia internally chastised herself for that. At least her name was something she could get a solid grasp on. “Julia, nice to meet you Sebastian.” Thank you, for this, it’s really very kind of you. What inspired this?” @sebastianxwinters
Sebastian looked over at her and she was failing to complete a simple sentence. That just proved how rare it was for someone to do something nice around here. Maybe that's how Sebastian was going to receive forgiveness for the horrible things he had been doing lately. As she ordered her drink, Sebastian then spoke to the barista, "Sebastian." He said and then handed over his card and then stepped to the side before looking back at the other woman slightly, "The name is Sebastian. What about yourself?" He asked her. @doctorjuliasato
Julia was well versed in talking to parents about the patterns their babies might fall into depending on outside influences, but right now she was just imparting the most generic for Elliot meaning there was every chance the timeframe could be wrong. “Well, that’s a generalisation, every baby is different.” She attempted to reassure him with a soft, encouraging smile. At his return comment she couldn’t help but chuckle, knowing full well the thing she didn’t often do was lie to preserve a parents feelings because that was a recipe for disaster in the field. If she lied then that would cause chaos with their preparation with what was to come. “I hate to break it to you, but I’d be breaking my oath as a doctor if I told you otherwise, I don’t want to give you a reason to come back to me in a week threatening a lawsuit from misinformation.” She nodded, a half shrug thrown into the mix as well. “Well if there is one thing you can count your blessings for it’s that once she falls asleep a sudden accidental loud noise isn’t going to wake her up. The amount of parents I have bickering in front of me about how one dropped something and woke the baby up…it’s a long list.” @elliot-appsley
A soft smile graced his lips as he watched Julia's hands, not even minding when she got some of the words mixed up with other signs. Pretty sure that he was still getting the gist of what she was trying to ell him. So he gave a nod of his head in encouragement before his eyes switched over to reading what she had typed down afterwards. As he did so, Elliot made a slight face over at Julia. "Months?" He signed with a raise of his eyebrows, pausing for a moment as he grabbed for his food and took a small bite of it. This time reaching for his own phone as well. See, this is where you were one hundred percent supposed to lie and say only a few days or something. Not months. Letting out a laugh as he turned the phone back towards her before he added more. That's what I sort of figured though, that it was just one of the joys of having a baby. She's just done so well with sleeping that I guess it threw me off when she started having some rough nights. @doctorjuliasato
Julia could tell the woman was on edge, which wasn’t unusual because they so often were when it came to their babies, but that meant she had to put in extra effort to keep these anxieties at bay. Sitting down on the stool by the desk she used her feet to walk it over towards Neva, nodding understandingly while she spoke. “Being scared is totally natural, as is being tired, so I just want to reassure you about that first off. If I had a cent for every soon to be mother that came in saying that I’d be a very rich woman.” Joking lightly, not expecting the question about the wine but not letting that show on her face. “Potentially, it’s entirely possible that a glass of wine wouldn’t do any harm. Explain to me more in what ways you haven’t been feeling very well, I just want to make sure it’s not something that would be exacerbated with the introduction of alcohol.” She could just look at the chart but she wanted to make sure she didn’t miss anything, or if she did, that she consulted the woman’s OBGYN. @bjorkn
𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 regretted going on this appointment alone. She was so used to having Ryan by her side in every consultation, but this wasn't one of their routine check-ups. Karma, for not telling him she was seeing a doctor. Fucking hell. On the other hand, she knew he would be so worried… She greeted the doctor by giving a friendly and delicate handshake before taking a seat across from her and putting her purse on her lap. ❛ Yes, that's correct. ❜ The blonde sighs deeply. ❛ I feel very tired and scared. I mean, I'm not sure if I want my babies to be born, because I'm scared of the pain. But I'm not feeling very well lately. And I want to ask, hypothetically, can I have a sip of wine? This whole thing of not drinking… It's driving me nuts. It is just a sip to kill my craving. ❜
Heading out of a patients room the doctor heard the familiar voice of Gavin’s dulcet tones drifting past the noise of machines beeping mixed with the overhead intercom calling various medical staff to different parts of the hospital. Waving back albite it a little more subdued, she slipped her pen into the front pocket of her white coat. “Fancy seeing you here. No, no I’m not allergic to blueberries, at least not last time I ate one, so I’m pretty certain I’ll live to tell the tale this time too.” Smiling at him warmly because truthfully the sweet treat was coming at exactly the right time, the man had no way of knowing that of course but her morning had been pretty fucking brutal in ways she’d like to forget even just for ten minutes.
“You didn’t have to do this - thank you.” His sunny disposition might be a stark contrast to how somber hers so often was but that didn’t mean he always managed to lift her mood. His mom was one of her favourite nurses in the whole place, maybe that was why she’d taken so much to him as well. “The blueberry muffin is perfect. I don’t want to drag you away from your muffin man mission any longer than needed by forcing you across the street - are you looking for your mom? I think I saw her heading towards Radiology about twenty minutes ago.” @mrmcrch
closed starter for @doctorjuliasatolocation: her hospital of employment
it was after a shift at the station that gavin had decided to pop up to the hospital to see his mom, having picked up her favorite soup from santiago's and entering the building with a skip in his step, happily greeting the receptionist and dropping off a cookie to them on his way to the elevator and meets with one of the ladies on the third floor to ask if his mom is available at the moment, nodding and bouncing in place as the woman calls his mother's room to let her know of his arrival, and playing a game of continuously sliding the packaged brownie back to the blond as he keeps trying to slide it back towards her as she speaks to clara.
it's here when he spots the familiar, newer face he was getting more acquainted with since she had started and gavin perks up, smile widening as he calls out to her with a wave. "julia! i've got a muffin here for ya with your name on it...." he drawls out, looking through his bag in search of said snack. "...wait, you're not allergic to blueberries, are ya? that would really suck...but! i could pick out somethin' else for you at the cafe?...or maybe we can go across the street if you're sick of the stuff here...i know my mom can be sometimes." he snorts softly at the thought.
“Are you a chef?” Well she certainly did know a lot about spices and things. Then again Julia would think someone adding anything other than salt and pepper was impressive since she rarely ate anything home cooked these days. Due to lack of time mostly, but skill as well. Picking up something on her way home from work she could shove in her mouth before passing out or doing more work was far easier in the doctor’s opinion. As they arrived at the counter she ordered her bagel, tapping her phone to pay, and gesturing to the other to place her order straight after. Taking a step back to allow her the space to do so. “Are you a big…uhh...bruncher?” @infragilehearts
——- Stepping forward with the line, adjusting the shopping back she had due to her store stop before coming here. ❝ i use oregano, a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick and i have this spice combination i use in a lot of my dishes for a special taste that makes it all me. ❞ valerie did work at a local restaurant part time, and in her time she learned ways to make dishes good and special from any other. so of course — she couldn't share all her secrets. however — one she could was red pepper flakes as in her family, they loved a nice spicy kick to some dishes. ❝ not a bad idea. i could do that or use them for work tomorrow as brunch time is probably the best time. ❞ last time she did brunch herself was before moving to new york with friends before her departure as a nice final hooray.
Julia smiled softly, understanding the issue being described because she’d been there herself - more times than she’d care to admit because you’d think she’d have learnt her session after the first. “We’ve all been there.” As they headed into the vast library Julia was relieved to feel the familiar wash of calm the old building brought with it. A place that housed so much knowledge with no expectations on it apart from that you feasted to your hearts content, she could slip away in here for hours on end. Reading while the outside pressures melted away until it was time to walk back out the doors again. “You have a cat stroller for her? Oh my goodness, I’ve only ever actually seen those used on television. Is it common for people to take their cats out for walks? I thought they were more inside pets. Especially in the city.” Not that she’d ever had one, though they were very cute and occasionally the thought had crossed her mind to keep her company in the times she wasn’t at the hospital, before she remembered that those hours were extensive and it wasn’t really conducive to looking after a pet.
The offer of help was one she’d happy accept though, enjoying Zahra’s presence because it felt like they had a lot in common, even if the information they’d shared with each other was limited. It was just a sense the doctor got. “I’d love that, thank you. Why don’t we put yours all back in for return and then we can head up to the medical section?” Her voice lowering as they were now in the confines of the library. @ofzahras
"Not all of them, no. I guess I bit off more than I could chew. Thought I would save myself a few library trips, you know. Didn't really think what would happen when I had to return all of them." She had always been bit of a book hoarder, most comfortable when she knew the information she might need was within arm's reach, but she had previously also been able to take pride in being a fast, motivated reader with the ability to get lost in text even if she wasn't particularly interested in the subject. She had tried to get back to that routine, often re-reading books or research papers she had already deemed fascinating in one way or another, but the results had been less than satisfactory. She knew talking about it with someone might ease the shame, but unfortuntaly Zahra had never great at that. Still, she appreciated this little chat with Julia, especially since it allowed her to gush about her beloved cat. "I have to admit if I already got a cat stroller for her but I am still trying to figure out if I'm confident enough to take it out for a spin. Might garner some weird looks."
Her head tilted to the side as Julia explained what she was looking for. "Oh? I see. I'm not doing anything at the moment if you need help finding some books," she offered, hopeful to pass a few minutes with a clear goal in mind. "It sounds interesting. I'm sure you'll do great."
“Sounds delicious, which spices do you go for?” Julia asked as the two of them both took a step forward with the movement of the line, readjusting her bag on her shoulder. Her own ability to cook was subpar to say the least - mainly because she just didn’t have time. Between hospital shifts she was either trying to catch up on sleep, doing extra research for her cases, or (very) occasionally seeing the few friends she had remaining in the city. Or at least the few that she’d made aware she was back again, keeping the return under wraps for her own wellbeing honestly. “Yes, it sounds like maybe you need to do some kind of brunch with your friends in order to give it the proper appreciation.” That was something people did still, right? Brunches at the weekend? She hadn’t been to one in years. @infragilehearts
——- With a prideful smile on her face, clasping her hands together. ❝ i have a couple different ones actually — but one i usually make for others is a standard breakfast bagel. it has eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, cheese and a pinch of different spices. ❞ valerie's other recipe was something she only made for people close to her or herself. the other she'd made during different culinary jobs so why not share as it was out there already. ❝ i'm glad to hear it. i'll just have to use it for a few friends then so it has a good first day usage. ❞ she said with a smirk across her lips, always enjoying sharing her cooking creations with others.
It was strange, knowing she was a mother but not being a mother, something Julia struggled with on her lowest days. Many would question why she worked so closely with children if this was the case but it actually brought her a lot of comfort ironically. Getting to help them in a way she didn’t get to help her own son or daughter was a weird way of her silently repenting for her failure to them. She was grabbing some food, actual food rather than something out of the vending machine for once, mid yogurt when Elliot came into sight. Returning his smile with a small one of her own she lifted the spoon to give it a little wave, nodding to the chair in front of her as a silent invitation to join her at the table. Waiting patiently for him to pass over his phone so she could read it, letting out a small chuckle at the question. A shake of her head as she started to reply. “I wish I could, but she’s going to carry on partying between 1 and 3am, it’ll just be out of the house when she’s older. No I’m joking - she should hopefully start sleeping better soon. Have you got much of a routine for her?” @elliot-appsley
Who: @drjuliarebeiro Where: The Hospital
Ever since becoming a dad, Elliot did his best to try and not work night shifts. Wanting to be home to take care of Sawyer and put her to bed for the night. But there were also times where it couldn't be avoided, where he would have to pull an overnight and that was where he currently found himself. Between a rough previous night with Sawyer, who flat out refused to sleep it seemed like, he had barely caught up on sleep during the day. So when his break finally rolled around, he made his way to the cafeteria. Grabbing the largest coffee he could get his hands on and a hot sandwich to hold him over. Looking around at the tables, he saw Julia not too far off, and made his way over to her. Giving her a tired grin in greeting as he sat and pulled his phone out. Even if you have to lie to me, I need you to tell me that at some point in her little life, Sawyer will want to stop partying from 1 am to 3 am. Letting out an amused huff as he slid his phone over to her.
Julia nodded with an understanding look in her eyes, not surprised to hear the unplanned was a cause for stress levels to rise, after all that was common with many people. “Understandable, well if you ever feel it getting to a level you cannot cope with then please do let me know and we can sort you out with someone to talk to. New babies as well as pregnancy both come with a lot of movable parts, unexpected developments, it’s a lot.” The mention of getting back to her normal life almost made Julia wince but luckily her experience in the industry had taught her how to keep her expression neutral when she needed to. If this woman thought her life was going to go back to being the same as it was prior to falling pregnant she had a big shock coming, but surely she knew that, right? She didn’t look stupid, quite the opposite.
“I see…and when were you planning on taking this private plane over to Sweden?” Oh how the other half lived, but she didn’t need to think about that right now, it wasn’t important. Any kind of air travel was likely unadvisable as she’d already made pretty clear. “Which hospital have you decided to register with over there? And your doctors name of course - if it does go ahead we’ll want to make sure all your notes are passed across in plenty of time.” A calm smile as she waited patiently for the answer to be given to her so she could note it down. Still thinking this whole thing was an incredably bad idea.
“I’m afraid I’m not kidding, this isn’t a joking matter. After all we’re all here to ensure the safe delivery of your babies - there is no ulterior motive.” Listening to the hypothetical situation she tried not to raise her eyebrows, there was so much resistance from the woman which surprised her since normally people with nervous dispositions were more inclined to do what the doctors instructed to ensure everything went smoothly. “Yes, I’m afraid you would need to do bed rest. And once they are both born, to ensure their immune systems are fully developed and neither have any issues at birth, you can fly after a month. Although normally we recommend not before three months. However I understand you would likely be keen to travel to Sweden.” @bjorkncaddel
𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 the doctor, swirling her wedding ring as a sign of nervousness, rested her hands now in her lap, as she remained in posture looking at the brunette before her. She shook her head. ❛ I don't think I need help. I got over it. I was just angry at first with a lot of small accumulations of things that turned out to be a big snowball. I am better…❜ She refers to mental state. Neva is more adjusted to her new life, and 'state'. After all a child, in her case children is a lot of changes in life without them. Trips are known to be a stressful thing to some people but not in her case. Neva needed it, and after her trips, she was a completely different person, lighter and less stressed. ❛ Unplanned things give me high stress even before this pregnancy. But I had to learn to manage my nerves. I'm accustomed to my new state and embracing it, and counting the days until these twins are out of me, so I can back to my normal life.❜ Normal life? Kind of a joke. She put in mind her life would be a little bit easier after having them.
❛ Of course. I mean, it wasn't the plan, but now it is. I wanted to have them in Sweden where I was born, and my husband suggested we go there to wait for them. My trip is all planned. We are going on a private plane to there. We have hospital, place, you name it. It's all checked, checked, aannnd checked. ❜ Not exactly all planned as she just stated, it was out of the blue this new trip, and she had everything settled, she looked for the hospital, a place to stay, her grandparents' house and lastly she needed to find a doctor over there, but hey! Baby steps. Neva didn't say anything to Julia, of course. But she was planning on bringing a doctor on board if anything got wrong.
❛ Are you kidding? I don't need a bed rest… ❜ Maybe, the health doesn't say the same thing. ⎯ ❛ Hypothetically speaking… If the exams get conclusive, will I need to do a lot of bed rest? And should I travel after they are born? How long can I hop in the first plane after they're born? Just remember, this is all a hypothetical situation. ❜ Because she is mentally preparing herself.