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“Ah. Yes. I’ve heard so much about you, Ms. Watson.”
She was getting used to it. More than a month coming and going, and she was still the talk of the town.
She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, too, doctor. I’d shake your hand but”—Gloria held up her left arm, showing off her injured wrist—“that might not be the best idea.”
“I see. What happened?”
Franklin cleared his throat. “My fault, doc. She was hanging lights out back and I guess I spooked her.”
“Fell right off the ladder,” agreed Gloria. “Thank goodness for the snow. It broke my fall.”
“Mm. Let’s hope that’s not the only thing it broke.”
He gestured for her hand. Bracing for another sharp pain shooting up her arm, Gloria gritted her teeth and held her wrist out to him.
The doctor had long, slender fingers that were much softer than Franklin’s. Colder to the touch, too. She shivered a little as he probed her wrist. It hurt, but not as bad as she was expecting.
“Good,” he said, letting go of her. “It’s not broken, though it’s certainly swollen. Probably a sprain. You’re going to need to rest your wrist for the next forty-eight hours. Keep it elevated,” Dr. De Angelis continued in his clipped, no-nonsense voice, “and ice it to get the swelling to go down. Immobilizing it might be a good idea. If it starts to hurt terribly, a couple of ibuprofens should do the trick. If you don’t have any, I can send you home with a bottle.”
“That’s okay. I’ve got a bottle at home if it gets real bad.”
“It seems as if it’s a mild sprain. Take it easy for three or four days. If it doesn’t get any better, come back and see me. We’ll take it from there. Now that’s the wrist. Did any other part of you get hurt when you fell?”
“My whole back, and part of my left side. Good thing I had some padding where I hit, but my poor butt is killing me.” Gloria reached for the button on her jeans. “You want to take a look?”
Franklin cleared his throat. “Maybe I should step out into the waiting area...”
Gloria glanced over at her neighbor. There was a strain in his voice that took her mind off of her aching behind and put it firmly back on Franklin. To her surprise, she could’ve sworn she caught a hint of red staining his cheeks.
He was blushing.
Feeling mischievous, Gloria scooted toward the edge of the examination table, easing her weight off of her sore side before she reached out with the tip of her toes, landing with a soft thump on her heels. “It’s okay, Franklin. I don’t mind. Maybe two eyes are better than one. You might see something that the doctor won’t,” she added, popping the button on her jeans open.
“I, uh, I don’t—”
“It’s fine,” the doctor said, a tiny smile twitching his lips. This time, it seemed as if he actually
meant it. “I know you’ve got quite the eye for detail.”
“For a car, maybe. Gloria, if you need me, I’ll be waiting outside.”
Before he could make his escape, a loud ring cut through the small room.
Dr. De Angelis lost any humor he might’ve had. His whole face closed off as his hand slid down to the radio peeking out from beneath his white physician’s coat. He twisted the volume knob on the side. All that did was cut the sound. The radio continued to vibrate, the soft hum as it rattled against the doctor’s belt audible in the small examination room.
Franklin jerked his chin toward the radio. “That the sheriff?” he asked knowingly.
The doctor nodded curtly. “If I ignore her page, she’ll keep on buzzing until I finally answer her. I should take this and then I can take a look at your other injury.”
“It’s okay,” Gloria told him, waving him off. Feeling a little guilty for teasing Franklin, she decided she’d had enough of the doctor’s office. She shrugged. “I’m not all that worried about my butt. Now that I know my wrist isn’t so bad, I think I’m okay.” Using her good hand to support her, she pushed herself up so that she was sitting on the padded examination table. “See? Not even a wince. I’ll be fine.”
Dr. De Angelis’s icy blue eyes narrowed on Gloria. She offered him a wide grin, trying to convince him that she meant it. His lips thinned, then his fingers reached down to his radio, unclipping it from his belt.
“I really have to take this. Ms. Watson, remember what I said. Franklin, you’ve got my channel. Give it to your neighbor if she needs it. Excuse me.”
Dr. De Angelis head out of the exam room first. As he left, Gloria heard him murmur, “Caity? I’m with a patient. This couldn’t have waited…” before the door closed behind him and the rest of his conversation was lost to her.
Once they were alone, Franklin moved toward her. “Here.” He offered out his hand. “Let me help you back down.”
