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.
*~*~*
N ate 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
“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.
*~*~*
N ate 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
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