with requests for documents, affidavits, and meetings. I would expect things to be pretty
low-key for a while. If you ever
have any questions or just need to talk, call us. We will email you all of our contact
information, including our cell phone numbers. Never be afraid to use them. Deal?”
“Deal.” Although Jenna appreciated her
attorneys’ offer, their twenty-four-hour availability brought her little
comfort.
The meeting ended, and Jenna somberly exited
the mammoth building. Instead of
returning to her car, she tried to clear her head by walking around the busy
downtown streets. Jenna’s mind was
a million miles away as she blended with the crowds of workers, shoppers, and
city-dwellers. Aimlessly stepping
off the curb to cross the street, Jenna walked directly into the path of an
oncoming taxi. The driver slammed
on his brakes to avoid hitting her. Tires screeched, and the rusted bumper of the yellow cab stopped only
inches short of striking Jenna. The
angry cabby honked and raised his arms. Jenna looked right through him. She was not sure whether she should be grateful that he avoided killing
her or angry that she was spared.
CHAPTER 16
After Jim and Nancy escorted Jenna to the
elevator, they returned to their conference room. Once inside, Jim refilled each of their
mugs with hot coffee. Nancy dropped
a cube of sugar into hers, while Jim flopped into one of the leather chairs.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, leaning
back with his hands clasped behind his head.
Nancy dissolved the sugar with a stirring
straw, watching the rich black fluid swirl in her cup like a miniature
tornado.
Carefully slurping her hot coffee, she
replied, “My first impression is that I like her.”
“Me too,” Jim said. He and Nancy had been friends for years,
but it never ceased to amaze him how similarly their minds worked. It was part of what made them such a
good team.
Nancy kicked her shoes off underneath the
table. It had been an exhausting
day. She enjoyed this small
reprieve. Taking a moment to
collect her thoughts, Nancy pictured Jenna sitting at the conference
table. She had the appearance of a
little girl in a fancy restaurant who was trying valiantly to mind her manners.
Completely at ease, Nancy spoke candidly. “Jenna is not your typical doctor, not by
any stretch of the imagination. For
the past twenty years, how many doctors have we seen who have been thrust into
the role of defendant? Hundreds? Of those, I can’t remember one that
hasn’t arrived dressed professionally, like they would for their clinic
days. Most of them exude confidence
– usually too much so. They
try to take control of the meeting, dictate its course. When asked direct questions, they give
away very little information and certainly nothing more than is absolutely
necessary. Honesty doesn’t always
come easily to a doctor whose medical license is on the line.”
Jim reflected on some of the more pompous
physicians he and Nancy had defended over the years. She was right. Many of them were distasteful.
Nancy continued, “Jenna, on the other hand,
is completely unassuming. She shows
up wearing khaki capris, a modest T-shirt, and strappy sandals. If I met her in public, the last thing
I’d guess about her is that she’s a physician. I like her humility and her honesty. You asked her how she’s doing, and she
let you know.”
“I agree,” responded Jim. “She didn’t seem to hold anything
back. It was refreshing.”
Nancy rubbed her temples, straining not to
forget a single impression. “Right
now, I think she’s scared out of her mind. I get the feeling that she is barely holding it together. The way her voice quivered when she
spoke and her unsteady hands tells me she’s close to the edge. At times, she almost seemed like an
abused dog, you know? Like when you
reach out to show her
low-key for a while. If you ever
have any questions or just need to talk, call us. We will email you all of our contact
information, including our cell phone numbers. Never be afraid to use them. Deal?”
“Deal.” Although Jenna appreciated her
attorneys’ offer, their twenty-four-hour availability brought her little
comfort.
The meeting ended, and Jenna somberly exited
the mammoth building. Instead of
returning to her car, she tried to clear her head by walking around the busy
downtown streets. Jenna’s mind was
a million miles away as she blended with the crowds of workers, shoppers, and
city-dwellers. Aimlessly stepping
off the curb to cross the street, Jenna walked directly into the path of an
oncoming taxi. The driver slammed
on his brakes to avoid hitting her. Tires screeched, and the rusted bumper of the yellow cab stopped only
inches short of striking Jenna. The
angry cabby honked and raised his arms. Jenna looked right through him. She was not sure whether she should be grateful that he avoided killing
her or angry that she was spared.
CHAPTER 16
After Jim and Nancy escorted Jenna to the
elevator, they returned to their conference room. Once inside, Jim refilled each of their
mugs with hot coffee. Nancy dropped
a cube of sugar into hers, while Jim flopped into one of the leather chairs.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, leaning
back with his hands clasped behind his head.
Nancy dissolved the sugar with a stirring
straw, watching the rich black fluid swirl in her cup like a miniature
tornado.
Carefully slurping her hot coffee, she
replied, “My first impression is that I like her.”
“Me too,” Jim said. He and Nancy had been friends for years,
but it never ceased to amaze him how similarly their minds worked. It was part of what made them such a
good team.
Nancy kicked her shoes off underneath the
table. It had been an exhausting
day. She enjoyed this small
reprieve. Taking a moment to
collect her thoughts, Nancy pictured Jenna sitting at the conference
table. She had the appearance of a
little girl in a fancy restaurant who was trying valiantly to mind her manners.
Completely at ease, Nancy spoke candidly. “Jenna is not your typical doctor, not by
any stretch of the imagination. For
the past twenty years, how many doctors have we seen who have been thrust into
the role of defendant? Hundreds? Of those, I can’t remember one that
hasn’t arrived dressed professionally, like they would for their clinic
days. Most of them exude confidence
– usually too much so. They
try to take control of the meeting, dictate its course. When asked direct questions, they give
away very little information and certainly nothing more than is absolutely
necessary. Honesty doesn’t always
come easily to a doctor whose medical license is on the line.”
Jim reflected on some of the more pompous
physicians he and Nancy had defended over the years. She was right. Many of them were distasteful.
Nancy continued, “Jenna, on the other hand,
is completely unassuming. She shows
up wearing khaki capris, a modest T-shirt, and strappy sandals. If I met her in public, the last thing
I’d guess about her is that she’s a physician. I like her humility and her honesty. You asked her how she’s doing, and she
let you know.”
“I agree,” responded Jim. “She didn’t seem to hold anything
back. It was refreshing.”
Nancy rubbed her temples, straining not to
forget a single impression. “Right
now, I think she’s scared out of her mind. I get the feeling that she is barely holding it together. The way her voice quivered when she
spoke and her unsteady hands tells me she’s close to the edge. At times, she almost seemed like an
abused dog, you know? Like when you
reach out to show her
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