Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
“Elodie dear, did nobody ever tell you that ignorance is bliss?” Maryanne asks.
“No. In fact, I seem to recall you teaching me to always embrace the truth, no matter how painful it might be,” she replies lightly.
“Do as I say, not as I do, child.”
The interplay between them makes me laugh as I fill out her prescriptions. I tear them off the pad and hand them directly to Elodie, and when our fingers brush, it’s like touching a live wire. It sets my heart racing and makes my entire body tingle. Elodie’s cheeks flush and her eyes sparkle as she pulls her hand away almost reluctantly. I clear my throat and try to gather myself.
“Anyway, you’re going to want to fill those as soon as possible,” I tell them. “They only gave you enough at the hospital to get you through the first couple of days, so if I’m counting correctly, you should be getting low.”
“I am. Thank you, Dr. Collier,” Maryanne says.
“Of course,” I reply. “So, I’m going to want to see you again sometime in the next few days. We want to see how everything is looking inside and make sure we’re on the right path.”
“I’ll be making the appointment and keeping track of these things for her,” Elodie says.
Maryanne frowns. “Honey, that’s several days off. You don’t need to—”
“I’m going to be here for a while, Mam. Like I said, you need to get used to it.”
“You have a life back home.”
“This is my home. You’re my home and I’m going to be here as long as it takes to get you back on your feet,” Elodie says. “And that’s the last I want to hear of that nonsense.”
They’re sweet together, and it’s easy to see just how much Elodie cares for her grandmother. It’s really nice to see. But then, it’s kind of par for the course here in Emerson. Families are close and people genuinely go out of their way for one another. It’s another one of those big differences between here and LA, and I have to admit, it’s a pleasant change of pace.
I get to my feet and pick up my bag. “Then I’ll look forward to seeing you in a couple of days, Maryanne. Until then, rest, relax, and stay off the booze.”
She laughs and shakes her head as Elodie smiles, and I find myself absolutely captivated by her.
“Have a nice day, ladies.”
“Thank you, Dr. Collier, for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply.
“I’ll walk you out,” Elodie says.
Elodie falls into step beside me as we head down the hallway, heading for the front door. We stop in the small foyer and Elodie turns to me with her hand on the doorknob. I’m not a shy man, nor am I an awkward teenager. Yet, standing there looking into the eyes of this beautiful young woman, I find myself absolutely tongue-tied and unable to speak.
“How is she doing, really, Dr. Collier?” she asks. “Please be honest with me.”
Her tone is earnest, and her eyes are filled with concern. It’s easy to see that this has thrown her for a major loop, and she’s still trying to catch up with it all. She’s trying to make sense of what happened and is looking for straight, unvarnished facts to help her not just understand what’s happening, but what her next steps need to be. It’s a pragmatic and logical approach rather than a purely emotional one, which would be simple to fall back on in a situation like this. I respect that.
“Well, she suffered a relatively severe cardiac event, I’m not going to lie to you,” I tell her. “But I’ve reviewed her file, and as long as she does what she’s supposed to do—namely, rest, take her meds, and follow up on all of her appointments—I think she’s got a very good chance to make a full recovery. I expect that she’ll be fine.”
Elodie lets out a long breath, and her shoulders slump, as if the thousand-pound weight she’s been carrying has suddenly been lifted. The relief on her face is palpable. And as her full, heart-shaped lips curl upward, I have the almost overpowering urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her. Given that her grandmother is in the other room after having just suffered a heart attack, I know it’s not the appropriate time, so I manage to restrain myself.
Hey, I may be fantasizing about this exquisitely gorgeous woman naked and all the delicious things I want to do with her, but I’ve got some sense of decorum and know this will all just be fodder for jerking off in the shower later.
“Thank you, Dr. Collier. I really appreciate your honesty.”
“Of course. And if there’s anything else you need or something comes up, don’t hesitate to call me,” I tell her as I pull a card out of my pocket and hand it to her.