Page 18 of Undoing

“Lucky Cass,” Hunter muttered playfully. She leaned her elbows on her desk and studied Rebecca when her joke was met with a frown. “I was just kidding, Becca.”

“No, I know.” Rebecca blew out a breath. “I am getting a little too ornery, Hunter. Cassidy told me she mentioned a meeting I had a couple of weeks ago to you.”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah, I believe she called him an… asswipe.”

Rebecca shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. “She has a new name for him every time she mentions him. The last one I heard was ‘douchecanoe.’”

Hunter sucked in her lips, trying really hard to suppress more laughter. She picked up a pen and wrote the word down. “I’m going to use that one.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, back to you.”

“The… encounter bothered me more than I want to admit. I’m moody and restless. I snap at Cassidy when she doesn’t deserve it. I’m having nightmares again. Not every night, but often enough that I lie awake until I can’t keep my eyes open any longer, which I’m sure is giving me headaches. I’ve tried taking Excedrin PM, but…” Rebecca shook her head. “I know I need to talk to Aunt Wills, but if I’m being honest, I just want to forget all this.”

Hunter got up and walked around the desk to stand before Rebecca. She took a penlight out of her lab coat. “How bad are the headaches?”

“Not too bad,” Rebecca answered. “They just linger.” She squinted when Hunter shined a light in her eye. “Hunter, I’m not here for a physical. If you could just tell me what is a good, homeopathic way to get more sleep, I’m sure these headaches will go away, too.”

Hunter replaced the penlight and hung onto the ends of her stethoscope. “You know, a physical isn’t a bad idea. When we get to be a certain… age, it’s always good to get that fifty-thousand miles service.”

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. “Did you just call me old and compare me to a car?”

Hunter chuckled. “I did not call you old. But I do think you need a well-woman’s check-up. Pap smear, mammogram, colonoscopy. I’d also like to do a quick MRI.”

Rebecca blinked. “None of that sounds homeopathic.”

Hunter sat in the seat next to Rebecca. “Most of that is routine, Rebecca. However, considering your past head trauma and the symptoms you’ve described, I would like to look inside that brilliant brain.”

“Do you think something is wrong?” Rebecca’s pulse spiked. This certainly wasn’t what she expected when she came here to see Hunter. Maybe a high-powered melatonin or something.

Hunter took Rebecca’s hand. “Listen, I’m a doctor who has fun toys thanks to our friendly neighborhood philanthropists. I can get all this done today. Well, except for the colonoscopy. The prep for that takes, um, a few days.”

Rebecca raised a brow. “You didn’t answer my question, Hunter.”

Hunter swallowed hard. That was Mistress. And not a happy Mistress. “I don’t mean to alarm you, Becca. What you’re describing sounds like PCS or Post Concussion Syndrome. The trauma you endured from… the MRI will show me any abnormalities or scars that might be causing the headaches. Though it could most likely be from stress since it all began around the time you had the bad encounter.”

PCS. Wouldn’t that be fucking great? Why couldn’t Samantha just go away?

“You’re not going to do the pap smear, are you?”

Hunter’s brows raised to her hairline. “I was your surgeon, Rebecca. It wouldn’t be anything I haven’t seen before.”

Rebecca tilted her head and stared Hunter down. “My legs weren’t spread wide in stirrups with your head between them, and you sticking things in my vagina, Hunter. Not only would that be embarrassing for me, but I think it would make our next barbecue extremely uncomfortable.”

Hunter’s eyes widened comically, and she reached over to pick up her phone. She dialed an extension and waited. “Dr. Okoro, are you available to do a woman’s wellness exam today? It’s a… friend of mine. I’ll take whatever appointments you have for the next hour or so… Great, thank you!”

She hung up, wiping a bead of sweat that had formed on her forehead. “All set. Dr. Okoro is a wonderful doctor. She’s very attentive and engaging, so if you have any other issues you’d like to discuss with anyone but me, I encourage you to do so. We’ll also knock out your mammogram and MRI today.”

“You really have all that stuff here at the clinic?”

Hunter grinned. “Like I said, friendly neighborhood philanthropists. When Blaise Steele and the Sumptors back your clinic, you get all the good stuff.” She patted Rebecca on the knee. “I’m going to do you a huge favor and ask Patty to help you prepare for this instead of Mo.”

“Hunter, I would have run out to my car for a flog if you’d suggested Mo.” Rebecca hesitated. “I should call Cassidy and let her know I’m here.”

“Want me to give her a shout?”

Rebecca shook her head. “I’ll do it. If you call, she’ll automatically think something is wrong. And I’d rather not tell her about the MRI unless… unless it’s necessary.”

“That’s your decision, Rebecca. I’ll go find Patty and give you some privacy.”

Rebecca waited until Hunter closed the door behind her before taking out her phone. “Just a wellness exam,” she muttered to herself. It was useless to worry Cassidy over something that was ‘most likely’ stress-related, she thought as she dialed Cassidy’s number.

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