Reflections in the Living Room

A few days had passed since our experience at the Multidisciplinary Medical Council, and the three of us had been rotating through various areas of the hospital. Each day revealed a new aspect of medicine, from the exciting but exhausting shifts in the emergency room to the more technical sessions in research laboratories. The medical career was even more complex and vast than we had imagined at first, and while we were excited, we also felt the weight of the responsibility it entailed.

That night, after a long day of observation in the neurology department, we returned to the Airbnb where we were staying. The living room was illuminated by a warm lamp that cast soft shadows over the furniture. Lindsay collapsed onto the couch with a tired sigh, while Olivia threw herself onto the recliner with her usual overflowing energy. I stayed standing by the window, looking outside, thinking about everything we had learned during those days.

"Do you know that half of the doctors we met this week probably don't sleep?" Olivia commented, joking but with a serious tone. "I don't know how they do it. It's like they're human machines programmed to save lives without resting."

Lindsay smiled weakly, still lost in thought.

"It's impressive, yes, but also exhausting. Sometimes I wonder if we're really ready for this."

Olivia sat up, pretending to be indignant.

"Of course we're ready! We're potential geniuses. Besides, I already told those international doctors how to solve their toughest cases, remember? I'm basically a medical consultant in training."

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a small laugh.

"Yeah, sure. And I'm the next Nobel Prize winner in Medicine."

Lindsay burst out laughing, but her expression changed when her phone buzzed on the table. She looked at it curiously before answering. It was a video call, and by the way Lindsay straightened her posture, I immediately knew it was her parents.

"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" Lindsay said with a mix of warmth and enthusiasm. Her relationship with her parents had always been close, full of complicity and mutual support. There was never that formal distance some children maintain with their families; for Lindsay, her parents were both friends and mentors, though she felt the weight of their expectations for her future.

From where I stood, I could hear the animated voices of her parents on the other end of the line. They spoke proudly, mentioning how well the three of us had done at the hospital. Apparently, the doctors and receptionists had shared wonderful comments about our performance.

When Lindsay hung up, she remained silent for a few seconds, staring at her phone as if it were a strange object. Finally, she looked up at us.

"My parents are… happy," she said slowly, as if still processing the conversation. "They said they received incredible feedback about us. The doctors and receptionists spoke highly of all three of us."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"All three of us? Really? I thought only I had left a memorable impression."

Lindsay shook her head, visibly uncomfortable.

"No, not just you. Apparently, everyone knew who I was. I thought only the receptionists knew my last name, but… well, it seems that wasn't the case."

Olivia chuckled.

"Oh, come on, Lindsay. It was obvious everyone would recognize you. Your last name is practically a legend in this country. Plus, you look so much like your mom. It's impossible not to notice."

Lindsay blushed deeply, lowering her gaze to her hands.

"I thought I had managed to go unnoticed. I worked so hard to avoid letting my last name influence how I was treated…"

I approached her and sat down next to her on the couch. I knew this topic was delicate for Lindsay. From the beginning, she had tried to keep her identity in the background, wanting to be valued for her own merit and not for her family's legacy. Realizing her efforts had been in vain must have been frustrating.

"I thought so too," I admitted quietly. "But I didn't say anything because I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I know how much it means to you to be seen as Lindsay, not as the daughter of the Groves."

She looked at me, her eyes filled with gratitude. Without saying a word, I leaned toward her and kissed her gently. It was a small gesture, but I hoped it conveyed everything I felt: support, understanding, and admiration for her determination.

Olivia, always quick to break the silence, intervened with her usual theatrical style.

"Well, now that we've established that Lindsay is famous without meaning to be, can we talk about something more interesting? Like, what are we going to do now that our learning period at the hospital is over?"

Lindsay quickly recovered, grateful for the change of subject.

"Right. Now we're about to enter the third quarter of university. It's the last one to complete our first year of undergrad. After that, we'll move on to the second year."

Olivia crossed her arms, adopting a thoughtful expression.

"Time flies, doesn't it? It feels like just yesterday we were struggling to understand basic anatomy, and now here we are, discussing nanotechnology and gene editing with international doctors."

I nodded, reflecting on how quickly time had passed.

"That's true. But we've also grown a lot. I remember at first, I didn't even know if I wanted to study medicine. Now… well, I can't imagine doing anything else."

Lindsay smiled, sharing my sentiment.

"Me neither. Despite how difficult it's been, every day I feel more certain that this is the right career for me."

Olivia looked at me curiously.

"Hey, you've never told me exactly why you decided to study medicine. Well, apart from Lindsay wanting to follow in her parents' footsteps and me just wanting to be with my best friends."

I took a moment before responding. I knew this was a personal topic, but I also knew Olivia and Lindsay deserved to know the truth.

"I decided to study medicine because of my mother," I finally said, my voice quieter than usual. "She was also a doctor before… well, before she passed away. I always wanted to follow in her footsteps, not just because I admired her, but because I wanted to continue what she couldn't finish."

Lindsay looked at me tenderly, placing a hand on mine.

"I didn't know it was so personal for you, Sack. I'm sorry."

I shook my head.

"You don't have to apologize. It's part of who I am now. And I think, in a way, I'm honoring her memory by doing this."

Olivia nodded, understanding.

"So, Lindsay does it for her parents, you for your mother… and me? I guess I started by following you guys, but now… well, I think I really like medicine. I don't know, there's something about helping others that makes me feel… useful, for the first time in my life."

Lindsay smiled widely.

"That's amazing, Olivia. Who would have thought, huh? The girl who almost started a tech war in pediatrics now wants to save lives."

Olivia pretended to be offended.

"Details, details. The important thing is that I've found my purpose in life."

We all laughed together, leaving behind any residual tension. Although each of us had different motivations for studying medicine, we were united by the same goal: to learn, grow, and help those in need.

Finally, Olivia broke the silence.

"Alright, guys. Tomorrow will be another day. We need to prepare for the third quarter. What do you say if we have a little celebration tonight? We could order pizza and watch some ridiculous movie."

Lindsay nodded enthusiastically.

"Sounds perfect to me. After all, we deserve it."

I looked at both of them, feeling a wave of gratitude. Despite the challenges and differences, we were in this together. And I knew that no matter what obstacles we faced in the future, we would always have each other's support to overcome them.