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“That’s true.”
“I’m just happy to be able to help whoever shows up, whether it’s to the free clinic or during the week. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
“So, did you always want to be a doctor?”
“My mom worked as a housekeeper for a doctor—a surgeon, actually—in Atlanta, and he used to talk to me about how great it was to be able to help people. When I expressed an interest in going into the medical field, he encouraged me and ended up paying for my education.”
“Is he the one who gave you a recommendation?”
“Yes. He knew we needed to get out of Atlanta. I’m not sure how he heard about the job here, but I’m glad he did.”
“Well, we’re glad he heard about it, too. We were tearing our hair out trying to find a female doctor who was willing to move here.”
“I kind of felt like I had no choice, to be honest,” Misha said with a grimace. “But it’s turned out better than I had expected. I just hope that Mom will find her place soon.”
“Is she having trouble settling in?”
“She insists she’s not, but she spends most of her time with Ciara.”
“It’s too bad that Mom and Dad had to go back to Haiti.”
“I don’t think she’s unhappy,” Misha said. “She just isn’t socializing much.”
“Did she have a lot of friends in Atlanta?”
“I wouldn’t say a lot, but she did have a small group of women that she met with once or twice a week.” Misha said. “I’m not going to get too upset about her lack of social interaction just yet, but hopefully she’ll find her own set of friends here soon.”
Jay fell into step beside Misha as they walked to the changing rooms. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“I will.”
While he waited for Misha, Jay looked through his messages, but his thoughts were on what Misha had revealed about her mom. He really hoped that she found a community in Serenity soon because he knew it would weigh on Misha if she didn’t.
As they walked out to their cars a short time later, Jay wanted to engage Misha in more conversation because he didn’t want their time together to end. However, he was aware that eventhough his week was at an end, hers still had one more day at the free clinic.
“Have a good day tomorrow,” he said.
“Thanks.” She smiled up at him. “You, too.”
He waited for her to get into her car before heading to his. Will had wanted to come over that evening, but since he’d previously agreed to meet with Misha, he’d told his friend to come over the next day. He felt a bit guilty that he’d put his friend off in order to spend time with Misha, especially since Will was going through a rough time. Daphne had officially broken up with him earlier that week.
They’d made plans for the next evening, so it worked out, but he still felt bad for what his friend was going through. It was the guy’s first official break-up, and one Will probably thought he’d never go through.
Jay felt like an old hand at break-ups. Not that it made them any easier, but he knew that it was possible to move on from a broken relationship. Even one that had seemed like it was going to go the distance.
Over the next week, Jay kept finding excuses to be around Misha, and he was sure that his family noticed. He hadn’t enjoyed being around a woman as much as he did Misha. Not even Casey.
When they’d started going out in high school, they’d had fun times, but mostly that had been while hanging out with their friends. After they’d graduated, they’d gone to separate colleges, so they’d had to try to make a long-distance relationship work.
Unfortunately, the times they had been able to be together had begun to focus more on the physical side of things. He’dknown that wasn’t the direction their relationship should take. But at the time, they’d both felt that physical intimacy would strengthen their relationship for the times when they were apart. But then the breakups and getting back together had started.
Even now, he hated that he hadn’t been strong enough to say no when she wanted to get back together after their first breakup. Unfortunately, he hadn’t known that it was going to become a pattern in their relationship. Each time they got back together, he’d hoped it would be forever.
Since he’d found a backbone and resisted Casey’s attempts at getting back together this last time around, he definitely felt better about himself.
“Jaylen.”
Hearing his full name in that tone from Janessa was never a good thing. Jay looked up from his work to find her in the doorway of his office with a frown on her face.
