Chapter Text
Baran always fondly remembered her med student years – she had been young, away from the harsh constrains of her parents, and for the first time since she was five...seizure free. She missed that time in her life, missed being untouched by pain and heartbreak, missed when dinners use to be a way to share love and culture with those you could trust the most...she missed when her husband loved her and when she loved him. Sometimes, in the harsh hours of the night or when the morning was too bright she looked in the mirror and could hardly see the girl she used to be, the life she used to live.
Now when she looks in the mirror, those bright intriguing eyes are gone, the eyes that once looked at her husband, Salman, with adoration and awe were now filled with fear and dread.
“Asalam, what are you doing?” Salman’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “We’re going to be late.”
“I just finished,” She said, brushing the wrinkles out of her teal silk dress. Salman watched her, eyes tracking down her body, neither in appreciation or attraction.
“I bought you that dress for a reason, you know” he said, pointing upstairs to where that black, long sleeve, high neck dress sat still in its package on their bed. “Your body still hasn’t recovered from Omid and I respect that Asalam, but I simply cannot have you meeting my coworkers looking like that.”
She blinked, the tears blooming in her eyes threatening to spill. It was too warm to wear that dress was the excuse she told herself. “Well I can’t just completely change my outfit, we’ll be late.”
‘Whatever, just make sure to wear a shawl or something,” Salman said curtly.
She looked at her reflection, inspecting her arms and chest, sure she wasn’t as skinny as she was in uni but she thought she looked good. She thought Salman would be glad she had gained some weight and grown some curves after the pregnancy, after all he had always made jokes about her being too lanky and nerdy for his liking.
She hated going to medical galas with Salman, always slung by his side, silently watching as all the men had the conversations, as they dismissed her input in medical discussions as if she wasn’t more qualified than all of them.
They didn’t speak at all on the 30 minute drive there, but that wasn’t that different from the usual.
The fantasy Salman had her under was now over, there was nothing left for him to do to win her over. She was already his. They both knew that they didn’t love each other, hell they didn’t even like each other, and yet, for the sake of everyone else she was his accessory. The perfect cherry on top in making a rich man look even more successful, she knew that now.
She just wished she knew that before agreeing to be with him for the rest of her life.
***
“Man I have to say, I was not looking forward to this night,” Trinity said, “But this is way better than the average night at The Pitt.”
Whitaker chuckled passing her a flute of whatever expensive champagne they decided to serve at this thing. “Yeah and to think I could have been elbow deep in someones bodily fluids right now.”
“Eww what the fuck Huckleberry,” Trinity said, the champagne she has just sipped spit all over her hand. “I did not need the image, sexual or not. I know this gala is for us to grow our connections within the medical field or whatever but please for the love of god refrain fro-”
Her voice got caught in her throat, what once was a brain full of comebacks to Whitakers gross comment was now empty, except for one singular thought- the dark brunette women walking by, caramel highlights weaved into her perfect curly hair, the teal silk dress she was wearing highlighting the delicious glow to the women’s strong shoulders and defined biceps, then there was the plunging neckline that showed off her absolutely perfect- okay maybe two thoughts.
“Trinity?” Whitaker asked.
“Hmm?” She asked, looking back at the cleaned up farm boy in front of her. “Fuck, sorry I got a little lost.”
She watched Whitakers eyes look over to the curly haired women, who was at the bar now, a glass of champagne in her hand. “Lost in some teal?”
Trinity blinked at him, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you mean.” Even though the women in the teal dress still lingered inside her mind.
“Okay yeah sure Trinity,” A laugh, he fucking laughed at her. “Come on lets find some people to talk to.”
***
A man leaned onto the bar beside Baran. Well it was more like a little shy boy, was he even old enough to come to these things? He ordered two espresso martinis and turned around to survey the crowd as he waited. Hmm so he was old enough.
“You think any of them know how to help a horse give birth?” the boy man said.
“What?” She asked, surprised.
He shrugged. “It’s just that people doctors always look down on veterinarians, you know. They can’t just study one body structure or concentrate on just the brain like some doctors do. They have to know everything about every animal.”
Oh so he was a doctor, “You know I’ve never really thought about it that way.”
“Well know you have something to think about,” he said as the bartender places his espresso martinis on the bar. “Dennis Whitaker,” he said, holding out his hand. “ER Intern at PTMC.”
“Baran Al-Hashimi,” she said, taking his small hand to shake. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise, ma’am have a good night” his midwestern drawl poking out as he said that last sentence.
She didn’t know what to say- no one ever offered her harmless conversation without having an ulterior motive. She watched as he walked away to meet up with a women, passing her the other espresso martini. This women, not his girlfriend she had hoped, glanced over her shoulder, eyes finding Baran’s. She could see even from the distance that this women had the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen.
She couldn’t look away- there was something about her that held her captive, like the casual way the women showed up in a suit, a black suit- but not a boring one all of the men wear- hers was fitted to her body in the most perfect way and detailed with gardenias in the stitching, Baran’s favorite flower. But what really drew her in was the way she exerting confidence despite only being a resident.
Because she was a resident, and so was Dennis Whitaker standing beside her.
“Hmm what a shame.”
***
Baran was mid bite to an hors d’oeuvre when Salman came by and slinked his hand around her waist, heavy in the way that showed power and possesion.
“How many of these have you had so far?” Salman said, his hand tightening around her waist.
“It was my first,” she said defensively.
“Asalam, be aware of how you speak to me,” he said, taking the plate our of hand and setting it down on a random table.“Here is whats gonna happen, I am going to speak to some very important men who will help out with the funding we are trying to get in the oncology program, So, I will be gone for an hour oka-”
“What am I suppose to do for an hour? I don’t know anyone here,” she interrupted.
“You should try talking to some of the wives, maybe some emergency med people since you turned down that job at the VA. I don’t know somethin-”
“We moved here for your fucking job and I didn’t say a fucking thing. I left my job for you, me and Omid packed up our whole life in California to move here with you and I’m sorry but I don’t wanna work with fucking old people, Salman.”
The hand on her waist had moved to her arm, but the tightness in which he squeezed was gradually growing stronger the more she talked back.
“If you interrupt while I’m talking to them I swear to fucking god Baran.” His hand had gotten impossibly tight and she was sick, sick of fighting back when she knew she wasn’t gonna win.
“Hey, I wont. I promise, I’ll just make small talk with all the other wives.”
He slowly released the grip he had her arm in and walked away to talk business with the other men. She looked down at her arm, the imprint of his fingertips still lingering on her skin. Her eyes casted to the opposite direction to where he had just walked, threatening to spill with tears for the second time tonight.
Through the blur she looked around and caught green eyes staring back at her.
***
“Hey Trin, where’d you get that curly hair detector magnet thingy I really want one!” Whitaker said nudging her in the ribs, knocking her out of one of the many trances this alluring women had put her in all night.
“Dennis, what the fuck are you taking about”
“Wow, first name-ing me. You are really down bad aren’t ya?” Whitaker gave her an exasperated look, “Her name is Baran Al-Hashimi”
“Oh that’s nice, that’s a nice name. I wasn’t- I wasn’t looking at her,” she had said, jumbling her words.
“Yeah and I’m not a farm boy,” Whitaker shot back.
“I was looking at the guy next to her,” Trinity said, tilting her head toward the tall salt and peppered haired man who had just retreated from his place by Baran’s side.
“Her husband?”
“Husband?” Trinity repeated, fuck, she knew a women as beautiful as she couldn’t have been single, but for her to be married to...that. She never understood how goddesses walked among the earth and decided to marry the next troll they saw on the street. “That’s- no, no way!”
“Yup, apparently he’s the new oncologist at the VA.”
“Wow, so is she a doctor?”
“No idea, they just got to town. If you wanna know...maybe you should go up and ask her. Maybe slide her your number” Whitaker said, giving her a shove with his hip.
“You just said she’s married?!!”
“Well obviously not happily”
Trinity glanced in her direction once again, she saw the women, Baran, reach for the hors d’oeuvre her husband had taken out of her hand and eat it in one bite, downing the glass of champagne next to her. Even her chugging alcohol was alluring, the way her strong neck bobbed in such graceful fashion, making Trinity want to go over there a lick a long stripe all the way up her- buzz
She looked down at her phone that had just vibrated in her pocket.
Yo <3: Can’t do tonight, I found a hot doctor from cardiology
She sighed, she knew they were open, Yolanda reminded her they were open at every possible chance, but it still hurt seeing her with someone else. Trinity could get girls, she frequented the gay bar with Huckleberry almost every Friday, letting off work steam or whatever excuse she uses, and the girls were there and they wanted her but she always declined. She was a fucking catch, she was in her 20s for god’s sake she should be having constant sex but fuck it hurt knowing that she was sabotaging her happiness for a women who barely cared for her.
“I’m gonna go get some air,” she said to Whitaker.
Between the time she was moping about her failed relationship that never was, the other women must have left through the same door, because oh wow she was even hotter up close- leaning against the wall with a cigarette in hand.
She had seemed to tense up when she heard the door opening, but locking eyes with Trinity, she relaxed, bringing the cigarette to her mouth and pulling a long drag. Trinity felt like she had teleported into a 1960s porn film. She watched the other women’s lip curl around the cigarette, smoke billowing out, the curls of her hair, the line of her body in that dress- yeah this was way better than any porno she had ever seen.
Trinity was pulled out of her haze when the women in front of her started talking, “You are that little Dennis boy’s friend.”
“Yeah, I am” She chuckled, she is so telling Huckleberry he got called a little boy. “Sorry, I’m Trinity Santos, Emergency Medicine Doctor at PTMC”
“Nice to meet you, Trinity Santos from Emergency Medicine,” she said, and if she had said anything more Trinity had no clue. Hearing her name came out of this women’s mouth was surreal, like her name had never been said correctly before she said it. “I do have to say, I am surprised to see so many emergency medicine doctors at the gala. If I had this many people missing in my ER chaos would have corrupted by now.”
“Woah, you do emergency medicine too. I knew you were a doctor, you look too sophisticated to not be.”
“Hmm so you were watching me, Trinity,” the other women had said, smirk on her face.
“I- I mean yeah- yeah it’s kinda hard not too. You’re kinda like a goddess dropped on earth, and the dress.. I mean wow. Wow like I don’t understand how this wasn’t named the Baran Al-Hashimi gala, because you’re simply the best thing in that room...and oh my god I need to stop talking before I embarrass myself, except I already have an-”
“Trinity, it’s okay you have not embarrassed yourself. That is surprisingly the best compliment I have ever gotten, even with how peculiar it was said.”
With that Trinity released a heavy breath, she hadn’t fucked it up.
“Wait, you said you do emergency med, which hospital are you working at?” Trinity said, suddenly remembering what they were talking about before her big lesbian mouth almost ruined everything.
“Well, I am currently at none. I moved to Pittsburg for my husbands job and it was extremely last minute so I have not gotten any career opportunities at the moment.”
“Wow, just dropping everything for a man, could never be me” Trinity said, kind of defeated my the mention of husband, the other women had laughed at that and wow if that was not the most beautiful sound Trinity had ever heard. “I mean if you want I could put in a good word for you at PTMC, we are in need of an Interim Attending down in ER.”
The last thing Baran wanted to be was this women’s boss, for reasons she couldn’t quite say yet, but what she wanted even less was being trapped in that silent house all day. “Yeah, I would really appreciate that. Thank you, Trinity.”
Trinity stole a glance at her watch, wondering how long she had left Whitaker and realized they had been out her talking for almost an hour. Baran looked down with Trinity, seeing the time.
“I should go,” she said, tossing her cigarette butt away. It was practically non-existent but she had to have something to fidget on, for some reason this green eyed women made her so nervous.
“Wait, you never told me your name,” Trinity said. She knew her name, knew her name was Baran, but she wanted it to come out of the other women’s mouth, because as much as she loved her little Huckleberry, she doubted he had said it right.
“Baran”
“Baran,” Trinity could feel the name on her tongue, she liked the way it tasted. “Like Zendaya and Madonna, just one name?”
“Oh, sorry its Al-Hashimi.”
“Well...Baran Al-Hashimi, it was very nice to meet you. I hope to see you soon.” Trinity stuck out her hand to shake.
The second their hands touched, it was like time had stopped. The sound and smell of downtown Pittsburg seemed to vanish. The only thing either of them focused on was the skin to skin contact pulsing electricity through their bodies.
“What a shame, the next time will be in scrubs.” Baran had said, “I quite like this look on you.”
With that comment, Baran finally allowed her eyes to travel down Trinity’s body, lingering on her chest where the top three buttons of her shirt were undone. She walked away towards the door, with a smirk on her lips and hips swinging bigger than they usually did.
Trinity released a breath and fell against the wall. It took her several minutes to calm down the flush that had been slowly growing along her neck. When she took a step towards the door she stumbled on something on the ground.
A white shawl that Baran must have dropped.