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“He helped me with Mom, okay,” I said, my voice sharp, then I regret it. “Sorry.” I try on a half-assed smile as Myrtle’s expression softens.
“Aw, sorry hon.”
She stands up and wraps her skinny arms around me.
“Wish I had advice for you.”
My heart thuds and tears threaten to ruin my Monday face.
“At this point, we’d need a miracle in the form of their divorce.” I shrug and step toward the printer, grabbing the papers for stock and appointments.
“I hear ya.”
Myrtle is the only one in town who really does get it because she’s lived it. Her mom running off with a shoe salesman when she was eight, leaving her to look after three brothers and a drunk of a father. Coming from the background she has, I’m reminded every day of how strong one can be. Imagine facing all of that, in a small town, and still making something of your life.
She’s around my mom’s age but wears her years like a queen. She’s always sporting a perfectly made-up face. Her hair cut in a funky modern style that suits its gray coloring. Her fingers, wrists, and neck covered in fashionable, expensive bling all bought with her own hard-earned cash, she likes to remind us.
“Where is the boss? He’s always the first in. After you, of course,” I can’t help but ask.
“On his way. Said he had some personal business to take care of this morning.” Myrtle doesn’t look up from her screen as she prepares all the doctors’ appointments for what’s bound to be the usual Monday barrage of patients.
“Oh. I wonder what that’s about?” I mumble as I click ‘print’ and wait for the machine to spit out the sheet with all my patients for the day.
“None of your business, perhaps?” Myrtle chastises.
I feel a wave of heat wash up my neck and over my cheeks.
“Yup.” I reply lamely.
An awkward vibe settles between us. I need to say something.
“So, he runs a tight ship.”
Myrtle pauses and looks at me. Her gray blue gaze looks into me instead of at me before they warm and a smile opens up her stiff expression.
“He’s got his ducks in a row. Unlike Pete. He is very impressed with the way you run your practice. But he’s got some ideas for the other two doctors.” She smiles and returns to her work, pauses, then adds, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. He fired Belinda.”
“He what?” I almost fall off my chair. “Why? It’s not like there are nurses growing on trees in the Bay.”
Myrtle shrugs. “He gave her a choice. Shape or…”
“Oh God. Too stubborn for her own good.” I wipe a hand down my face.
“It’s not like she was doing all that great, anyway. And, after he and I did a rough audit of the clinic stock, I found some of it had mysteriously vanished again.” She returns to her screen.
“And who the hell’s going to take care of his patients and…”
I swing my head from side to side when Myrtle gives me a knowing glance.
“Hell, no girl. I have my own patients.”
Myrtle holds up a hand. “It’s just until I can find a replacement.”
“Well, you better hope it’s soon,” I snap, then blush again when she gives me that don’t you speak to me like that mom look.
The back door opens and shut. The echo of light footsteps tells me it’s our female doctor. I need to distract the tsunami of panic building up inside of me. I can’t work with Jay, not when I’m doing everything to avoid him and not lose my job or end up in his bed again.
“Morning girls.” Cindy Braithwaite, one of the two doctors who had worked for Pete and remained after he sold the practice to Jay, carefully placed a cardboard cup holder with four coffees on the reception desk. “Thought we could all do with a fresh cuppa.”
