I press two fingers to the bridge of my nose under my reading glasses, shaking my head. I’m starting to think being a receptionist isn’t Will’s calling.
But when I go pour myself another cup of coffee, I make a second one too, remembering the absurd way he drank it at the restaurant, as much cream and sugar as possible, and bring it out to him.
“Thanks,” he says, looking at the coffee with a raised eyebrow.
It’s getting to be lunch when he answers another call. I’m standing behind him, digging through some papers for a patient that Victoria would have found for me immediately, trying to ignore my lingering discomfort around him. Everything that happened was a long time ago.
It’s not who he is now.
“Murphy Family Medicine.”
“Yes, sir. Uh huh.” There’s a long pause, and from behind him, I can hear the man on the line talking fast. “Sir, I— yes, I understand that, but I don’t—”
He looks up from his chair, and I meet his wide eyes. “I’m gonna have to put you on hold.”
“This dude’s calling ‘cause he’s got something wrong with his toe,” he says, clicking the hold button. “He’s telling me all about how—”
“Oh. That’s Gerald,” I say, waving him off. “He calls every day aboutsomething.”
Will narrows his eyes, pressing his lips together before he shakes his head with a sigh. “You’re a dick, you know that?” I shrug, going back to my files. “You knew exactly what you were doing, putting me on the—” He shakes his head again, picking up the phone.
“Sorry about that, sir, I—” He goes quiet, and I look back over. “Yes. I— yes. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean— That was meant for someone else.” He closes his eyes, scrubbing his face with his hand. “I know. It won’t happen again. I’ll let Dr. Murphy know.”
He hangs up, sitting there with the phone in his hand before he sets it down too hard. “He was not on hold,” Will confirms my suspicion, tilting his neck back to look at me. “Gerald heard everything.”
“Was he angry?”
“You could say that.”
I know I shouldn’t laugh. This is my place of business, and Gerald, for all his annoying habits, has been coming here for years. But god help me, it comes out before I can stop it. The corner of Will’s mouth turns up, and I can see him fighting it, but soon enough we’re both laughing.
At the same time, our eyes meet, and we both realize what we’re doing.
The laughter dies out before it’s fully begun.
He averts his eyes, looking back at the desk, his smile falling quickly into the frown he’s worn for the last twenty years. I take that as my cue to head back, and I’m almost to the exam room when I hear him mutter under his breath, “asshole.”
Maybe I’m not the only one with some hang-ups about this.
It’s nearly five when my last patient leaves. I head out into the waiting room, finding Will already by the door, clearly ready to be done with this day. I don’t even feel bad. At least he didsomethingtoday, and I kept my promise to Joyce and Frank.
“So, do you think you’ll be wanting a permanent position?” I ask, turning the lights out.
“Ha. That’s real funny.” He moves to push the door open, but I stop him with a hand on his bicep.
“Will, wait.” I tear my hand away, putting it in my pocket, regretting the physical contact instantly. “Come have dinner with me and the kids tonight.”
He shakes his head without turning around. “Nah, I think I’ll—”
“The kids want to see you,” I cut in before he can say no.
“I’ll see them another time.”
“Addie’s been asking about you since I told her you were home.” I pause, knowing he can’t resist seeing his niece. “Everyday, Will. She misses you.” His lips turn down, and when he looks over at me, his eyebrows are furrowed, but he doesn’t say yes, so I continue. “It’ll just be us. Dinner. A few hours.”
He scoffs. “You gonna pay me a hundred bucks to leave again?”
I cross my arms over my scrubs, unwilling to apologize for that. I did what I had to do. “She was painting something for you that day when I went to tell her you were gone. You know how much she loves you. Don’t disappoint her again.”
