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Nate had noticed it, of course. He had assumed it was a gift, but the saying hadn’t resonated with him.
“One day, years ago when I was just a tadpole, I had this fella come see me whose blood pressure was too high. So I put him on some antihypertensive, can’t remember which one right now, and I tell him to come back in a month and we’ll see how he’s doing. So he comes back, and this time, his blood pressure is even higher and I can’t figure it out. I ask him if he’s taking the medication every day, and he looks me straight in the eye and says, ‘Oh, yeah, Doc, I’m taking my pills.’ So I double the dose and tell him to come back in two weeks. Same thing. Blood pressure’s still high. And I can’t figure it out, until Lola turns around and just out and asks him why he isn’t taking his medication.”
“Let me guess,” Nate said, “he didn’t like the side-effects.”
“Exactly. Only he was too embarrassed to tell me, and I wasn’t smart enough to sit down and ask him how he was feeling. How he was really feeling. So I’m sitting there, still kind of stunned, and Lola laughs and tells him, ‘We’re not here to arrest you, we’re here to make you feel better. You lie to the police, not to your doctor.’”
Nate knew what was happening here. This was one of those touchy-feely moments when he was supposed to act as if everything suddenly became clear. It was a nice sentiment, this taking the time to chat with your patients, and it certainly worked for Doc Morrison. But Nate wasn’t Doc. He had his own skill set, his own way of talking to patients, and yes, maybe he was a bit blunt, but on the other hand, he didn’t keep patients stewing for hours in the waiting room, either. According to the latest patient surveys, long waiting room times were the number one reason for patient dissatisfaction.
He glanced at his watch. “Is there anything else you wanted to see me about?”
Doc sighed heavily. “Arlene talked me into one of those Mediterranean cruises. Apparently there’s a whole group here in town that’s planning to go. Two weeks in the middle of July. You’ll be going solo here at the office then. Think you can handle it?”
“Of course.” Nate was actually looking forward to it. When Doc returned from his vacation to find the office functioning even better than when he’d left it, he’d ease up and realize that he’d done the right thing all those years ago in giving Nate that scholarship. Maybe he’d even feel good enough about the whole thing that he’d retire. Not that Nate didn’t enjoy working alongside Doc; he just didn’t want Doc to feel he’d made a mistake taking him on.
*~*~*
Nate opened the exam room door to find his sister lying on the table with a magazine over her face to block out the light. “What are you doing in here?” he asked.
Lanie pulled the magazine down. “Don’t yell at Broom Hilda, she said I could cool my heels in here.” She swung her legs over to the side of the table and sat up.
“I assume you’re talking about Lola? I would never yell at her.”
“Yeah, her,” Lanie said. “Why doesn’t she like you?”
“Why aren’t you at work? Don’t you have a stray cat to rescue?”
“Speaking of which, you’ll be happy to know I put one of those puppies aside for you. A little guy. So cute and warm and cuddly. I’ve named him Hector in honor of your love of Greek mythology. You’ll forget all about Jessica in no time.”
Nate frowned. His sister knew well and good he had no interest in Greek mythology and truth was, he hadn’t thought about Jessica all week. There was something rather disturbing about that. Not the Greek mythology part, but the bit about Jessica. If he’d really loved her enough to marry her, shouldn’t he be depressed they were no longer together? “Speaking of Jessica, I’m actually glad you’re here. I want to get your thoughts on something.”
Lanie brightened. “Finally! You’ve decided to come to me for advice. Okay, what it is?”
“It’s the ring. I need to return it, naturally, and I was thinking I could put the money back into my savings, but Mom hasn’t been on a vacation in years. And never a fancy one. Doc is going on a Mediterranean cruise in July. Apparently, there’s a group from town going. Maybe Mom might like to get in on that. If it’s not too late. I’d have to look into it but—”
“I love it! And I especially love the irony that it’s Jessica’s ring money that will pay for it. Good idea, bro.” Lanie slipped off the table and gave him a hug. “I don’t care what anyone says, you do have a heart.”
First Jessica, then Frances Kiefer, and now Lanie. He was beginning to feel paranoid. Why did everyone think he was heartless?
“So, back to my reason for being here. I know you, Nate, better than you know yourself sometimes, and this thing with Jessica is going to eat away at your self-confidence. Soon, you’ll be eating microwave dinners in front of the T.V. and before you know it, you’ll be like the lonely old man from Up, except he at least was a widower. But this isn’t a Disney movie, bro, and there won’t be any chubby adorable boy scout ringing the doorbell to come save you.”
“Do we really share the same DNA?”
“Positive. So, here’s my plan. I’m not going to let you wallow and stew and be afraid to ask another girl out for fear of rejection, so I’ve taken the liberty to set you up on a date for this Saturday.”
“This Saturday? As in, tomorrow night?” His voice cracked like he was thirteen-fucking-years-old again.
Lanie grinned. “It’s taken me twenty-eight years but I think I’ve actually managed to shock you. Yes, this Saturday.”
“Last Saturday I asked a woman to marry me, and now, one week later, you expect me to ask another woman out?”
“Not ask her out. No. That’s already been done. All you have to do is show up. I’m even going to pay for it, even though you make a lot more money than I do because that’s how much I love you. And don’t say no because…you’ll hurt her feelings. She’s been divorced for over a year now and hasn’t gone out on a single date because she’s been traumatized. If you stand her up then she’ll probably go over the edge. Think about your Hippocratic Oath to do good and all that. Don’t you want to help this poor girl out?”
“I prefer the more modern oath of First Do No Harm.” He stilled. “Who is this girl? Do I know her?”
“Here’s the sweet part. You went to high school with her! She used to be Lauren Handy, but now she’s Lauren—”
Nate began to laugh.
