Chapter 4 — Mistakes Cannot Be Compensated

The person moves on.”

"Did we send you an invitation for consultation that day?"

Doctor Trieu thought for a moment.

“Sent.”

"Your husband doesn't accept it?"

"Doctor Luc himself called back, saying he was in a meeting in a nearby city, it would take at least 6 hours to get back, and suggested transferring him straight to the provincial hospital."

“The road to the provincial hospital is even longer.”

“That's right.”

Doctor Trieu looked at me with a complicated expression.

“At that time, we also suggested that he could give instructions remotely first and arrange people in his team to receive it. Later, the hospital informed us that Dr. Luc thought that the difficulty of the surgery was too high, and the young doctor casually admitted that something would happen."

My fingertips are cold.

“He didn't even apply for permission?”

“From our records, there is none.”

The phone reports a text message. Sent by Luc Hoai Xuyen. *[The back of Thu Nha's hand is swollen, I'll take her to get it treated. Won't be home for dinner tonight.]* Half a minute later, there was another message. *[When you calm down, send her a text message apologizing.]* I looked at the screen for a few seconds, then turned off the phone. Doctor Trieu asked: "Are you okay?" I put my dad's files back in my bag.

“I'm fine.”

At least from today, I don't need to find excuses for him anymore. 3 In the medical records of those three years, there was a plan to open a rehabilitation center that was never submitted. The edges of the paper are yellow. That's something I wrote when I was 27 years old. I studied physical therapy, and after graduating worked in a hospital for several years, always dreaming of opening a rehabilitation facility for patients after heart surgery. My father is very supportive of me. He even hid from me to see the premises, saying that after Luc Hoai Xuyen and I had finished our wedding, he would transfer the store's name to me. Later, when he got sick, the store had to be sold to pay hospital bills. I quit my job at the hospital, stayed home to take care of my mother and manage Luc Hoai Xuyen's life. Two years ago, my mother remarried and moved away. I originally had many opportunities to work again. Luc Hoai Xuyen always said to wait a little longer. Waiting for him to be evaluated to Chairman. Waiting for the new infirmary to be built. Wait for the research topic to be accepted. His schedule is always packed, and mine keeps getting pushed back over and over again. I wiped the dust off the plan, took a photo and sent it to my college friend Tong Dao. She called back immediately.

“Are you finally willing to turn this over?”

“Is there still a chance to do it?”

“You have a certificate and experience, of course you can do it. Now the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation market is much more developed than before.”

She paused for a moment.

“Does your Headmaster Luc agree?”

I looked at the wedding photo outside the study room.

“There's no need to ask him anymore.”

Tong Dao was silent for two seconds.

“Have you thought carefully?”

“Um.”

“Then go home. Our center is recruiting technicians, you should follow the previous project to reacquaint yourself with clinical practice. Wait until your facility is ready before separating."

I agree. After hanging up the phone, I gathered all my identification documents, diplomas, and third plan and put them in a cardboard box. Clothes were only packed in two suitcases. Most of the furniture in the house was an odd purchase after the wedding. I used to be very likes to choose dishes, curtains, bed sheets, thinking that the days of the two of them will be hidden in each of those details. Now that I'm packing up, I realize that the belongings that actually belong to me are too few. The lawyer sent the draft divorce agreement in the afternoon. The house is the property Luc Hoai Xuyen bought before getting married. The car is in his name. Our salaries are managed separately, most of the family expenses are shouldered by him.