First Time Homeowner

Alaynah did it!

Alaynah Thorne did it!

It took her 10 years of exams and drowning in debt, to finally be debt-free, with a great credit score, and to have bought her very own first home.

She spun on her heels like a child in her living room, and fell to the ground dizzy with a laugh.
She felt like she had just won the Oscars, and she had a long list of people to thank.

Foremost, she wanted to thank her supportive family and friends. When she was at the dorms, her friends stayed up with her late into the night until she turned off the light to go to bed, or just in case she needed a hug, or shoulder to cry on.

And her parents would always be ready with a coffee on her late nights of studying when she went back home for break. And when Alaynah was back in school, her mom would drive over two hours in the mornings sometimes, to drop off mackerel, fritters, and fried dumplings with fresh strawberry jam to her dorm.

So as a daughter and a friend, who had debt up to her eyeballs the most she could do to show she was thankful for their support was to study and become a doctor.

Not only did she snag a full-ride scholarship to Columbia University, after her bachelor's, she got accepted into their med school, which had an acceptance rate of 12 percent!

When she started Med School, she had been working at the same 24-hour coffee shop for the first four years of school, she was actually the senior manager, so for the next four years of med school, she worked overtime at the shop.

Almost every class, she had about an hour and a half of free time, so she would head to the cafe which was on campus, and work before leaving and heading to the next class.

Once Alaynah graduated med school she started her residency at Columbia's Medical Center, and that's when she finally started getting paid. Finally she could buy her friends and family gifts that she truly wanted to give them, without worrying if she too behind on payments.

But, Alaynahs health had finally caught up to her, one day she passed out at the cafe, it was nothing serious. But this was Alaynah Thorne, who downplays everything. Ultimately, her boss told her to quit, while she would be missed my the staff, no one wanted her to stroke out.

It was sad to leave, but with the new flow of money coming in, she didn't get too down. Alaynah was now, finally, able to move out of her dorm, and into her new apartment with her best friends as roommates.

However, it took much arguing with her parents, who were Caribbean, they were very conservative about things like that. But finally, they agreed to not only let her move out, but to stop giving her an allowance which was a big deal for their daughter.

Even though Alaynah was grateful to have such amazing parents, she felt bad, her parents lived in Baltimore and sometimes living there was  almost expensive as New York sometimes. She wanted them to save. Truly save.

By the end of her second year of residency, she had around thirty thousand dollars left in debt. One could only imagine how she felt in her third year of residency, almost six months in, she began to start putting money into her savings.

Today now marked her first year as a doctor, and the only bill she was paying was her mortgage and car note. 10 years of absolute pain, but she was loving her results.

Alaynah decided to look through her home again, before sitting on the floor of the master bedroom. "I have a master bedroom!" She squealed as she kicked her feet up in the air like a child.

The first time Alaynah saw this dreamhome was almost two weeks ago, when Leonardo, her medical director, asked (told) her she would be transferred over to a newer hospital in Colorado. Leonardo explained to her that one of his professors who was also a medical director needed help for the next year.

Alaynah was shocked by the request and offer, she thought she had done something wrong, but Leonardo quickly explained to her it was just the opposite. Alaynah was in multiple health magazines and articles, all praising her for the diligence and kindness she had as a doctor. She even was labeled as one of the top 23 doctors under 23 the country.

But Alaynah still didn't understand the request, the board she was under in New York didn't even talk to her. Still, she agreed to go as long as she was able to come back after her year of working in Colorado, Leonardo completely agreed, "If you thought for a second I was going to let you go like that, you don't know me. Your the Meredith to our hospital."

On hearing that, Alaynah blushed, she personally didn't know why people gave her so much credit, she assumed like any other doctor, she just loved what she did and her patients.

However, some people were too happy about her move starting with her parents, again, they had an issue with her moving. But it wasn't her transitioning over to Colorado that bothered them, it was the fact she had spent her money on buying the house, but Alaynah have no regrets.
She no longer had to give her money to shark landowners and thieves anymore.

Another reason why she bought this house, was that she truly liked it here in Colorado. The snow was white and fluffy, unlike New York that was grey and smelly at times. And she heard the summers are gorgeous. She also loved the relaxing and quiet scenery out here, and breathing in the crisp air. It was wonderful.

Alaynah decided that when she went back to New York, she would treat this as a home away from home.

As she laid back on her carpet, she tried patting for her pager, but it then dawned on her she didn't have one anymore. Still, she was surprised no one called her yet, so she pulled out her rarely used phone and called Rebecca, her dear friend, ex-coworker and roommate.

Not even two rings and Rebecca picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi! I got my keys today," Alaynah jingled her keys for an extra effect.

"Yay! Oh, I'm so happy for you," Rebecca squealed. "So how's the country life going?"

I chuckled, "It is not country anything, they have at least four Starbucks, three Chipotles, multiple boba spots, and three malls around where I am."

"...... yeah, sounds country."

"Whatever, it's better than the actual countryside at least."

"Ahhhh!"

Alaynah quickly pulled the phone away from her ears. The realization then hit her, she had forgotten that she had called during Becca's shift.

"Who was that?!" Alaynah asked as she begin to realize the voice sounded familiar.

"Melody," Rebecca said like it was the simplest thing on earth.

Alaynah shot upright in a panic, "What do you mean Melody? She isn't due for at least eight weeks."

"Well, the baby doesn't think so," Rebecca shot back.

"Did you check how dilated she is? And do you have the right temperature for the pool?"

Rebecca gasped, "What pool?!"

Alaynahs blood boiled, "Where's her birth plan? She's supposed to have a water birth!"

"One second." One second? What does she mean one second?!

"Where's Jack?!" Alaynah asked knowing her friend had probably left the phone somewhere in the nursing station.

Alaynah tried not to seethe but she was going to kill him, she gave him one thing to do!

Alaynah began to bite away at her cuticles, Melody has always been nervous about her pregnancy, the only way she was willing to do anything was by waterbirth.

Suddenly the phone began to crackle, "Hello?" Alaynah asked.

"Who is this?" The moment she heard the voice she rolled my eyes.

"What do you mean, who is this? That's why you don't answer a stranger's phone, Jack!" Alaynah scowled.

Jack laughed. "Well Rebecca is my stranger, and it's good to hear from you."

"I'm not happy with you, did you not tell your wife about the birth plan?!"

"What?" The confusion in his voice made Alaynah want to run her head into the nearest wall.

"You forgot to give Rebecca the file?!" Her voice began to rise. "That folder had every patient's records, including Melody's! I sent you that file, so you and the staff wouldn't have to keep going back to the database and searching for everything. And I also gave you the files for all my other patients too, you do know that Cassidy, Tyler, and Meghan are all due this week right?!"

"It's been hard, okay?!" Jack fired back with annoyance. "It's like the entire state of New York decided to have a baby today. We have more pregnant people in the maternity wing than in the ICU! And guess what? This is all in the same week you left! And it gets better Leonardo can't even find a new OBGYN! Rebecca is the only one, Simone can't get back in the country until Friday and I'm trained for surgeries, not children, I've never even seen another reproductive system besides Rebecca. And again, you have no right to yell at me when the entire state of New York is falling apart because of you!"

Alaynah tried not to laugh, at Jacks sudden breakdown, panicking clearly won't help him, knowing him he'll probably hang up on me soon from stress. "I'm sorry," Alaynah bragged out. "That was very inconsiderate of me to have left earlier than what was planned, but you guys got this! New York is not falling apart okay? You can definitely take this head on, you are a trauma surgeon after all. This should be easy work for you." Jack sighed overwhelmed by the cries and feet running around him.

"Here," Alaynah said as she grabbed her laptop from the corner of the room. "I'll send you the files again, but after this, I'll have to delete them." Alaynah continued. "Remember, I don't work there anymore, so don't lose it. Just make sure Rebecca looks through it, and if you or any other person can, go ahead and do so. If Simone still isn't back, then more than likely you will be helping in delivery. And don't stress it," Alaynah chuckled. "I literally wrote a diary, not just on the patient but on the baby too, it has every possible note I could think of. And remember you're helping a family welcome life into this world, so this is a happy occasion. Do NOT stress out the mothers and especially the fathers!"

"Ahhh!!!" Melody screamed again and Alaynah pulled the phone back from my ear again, she really had no clue that Melody who was so quiet was so loud. But pain does that to you.

"Remember," Alaynah sang as she placed the phone back to her ear. "Happy occasion! And cut down on the TMI? Please. I didn't need to know about what you've seen and haven't seen."

"I know," Jack sighed. "I just wish you were here, I think everyone realized too late how much of a gem you are when you left. But anyways, thank you for the advice , I will gladly take it. And don't be too mad with Rebecca, she already has had three private meltdowns today in the on-call room, my shirt may soon be smeared with more snot than blood if she keeps crying. And for the love of God, please keep your phone on. I keep forgetting I can't page you anymore for help. "

"Okay, I will," Alaynah promised. "Just make sure to handle everyone with care and safety and you be safe too. Tell Rebecca she's a true trooper and I love her."

"I will and I hope your new job treats you well." And with that, the phone clicked before Alaynah could even say goodbye, leaving her to her thoughts.

Did I leave too early? Should've I have stayed a little longer?

Trying to stay positive and not guilty, she thought about why she was here, which is to help people to the best of her ability and bring families together. And also to help the staff to do the same as well.

Still though, Alaynah felt a little fidgety so she thought about what she needed for the house. She slept at a hotel yesterday, but she didn't want to be spending money ridiculously, even though she money to do so, she had just put the biggest down payment she had ever made on this house which means things for her were very tight right now.

So she typed in her reminders on her phone:

- blowup bed
- new scrubs
- clothes
- groceries

Her mom told her the easiest way to move on or transition in life is to get rid of the past stuff, and she literally did. Apart from the clothes she work on her back, and her laptop, phone, tablet, and a blanket in her suitcase, that's all she had. And her car would be delivered next week or so.

So she opened up the Uber app looking for the best and safest driver. Since she lived in the suburban area she had tons of outlets and even malls to go to, maybe it would take away the guilt she felt. When she found a driver she went downstairs, waiting by the front door for the driver arrive.

As she looked out of the door's window something in the corner of my eye caught my attention... it was a snowflake.

A couple of seconds later and many more began to follow. Quickly, she went into the kitchen and grabbed her earmuffs and another scarf on the counter, and speed-walked back out once she saw the notification that her driver had arrived.

Stepping out, she shut the door behind her, not wanting to lose any of the warmth from the house. As she walked to the car, she smiled, her very first snow, in her first house in a new state. While she still felt guilty about leaving, this wasn't a bad start to a new chapter.