Page 160 of Staying Selfless

“Yes.”

“Perfect. Well, since you’re early, do you want to take your urine test now? That way, we can get your results to Dr. Lopez before your appointment. He can go over them then?”

“Sounds great.”

She hands me the collection cup and points me in the direction of the restroom. I do my business, handing off the filled container to the nurse waiting outside for me before heading back to the waiting room for my appointment slot. I pull out my phone, mindlessly scrolling to pass the time.

M: Hey, where are you?

L: Kidney checkup.

M: ???

L: Routine. Dinner tonight?

M: Sounds good. I’ll swing by around 7?

L: See you then.

Without thinking, I find myself googling the latest NHL trades. Zanders was the last college call-up to occur, but there has been plenty of movement between teams, filling up their budget caps. I now realize why Eli is as concerned as he has been. There’s not much cap space left on any of the remaining playoff-bound teams.

A: Where you at?

Well, clearly, Marc and Ali are still avoiding each other. Otherwise, Marc would’ve filled her in on my whereabouts.

L: Doctor. Kidney-checkup. Routine.

A: Okay. Let’s hang tonight?

L: Going to dinner with Marc. Join us?

A: I think I’ll pass, but let’s hang tomorrow? What are our plans for Saturday? It’s spring break!

“Logan Leo?” a nurse calls out, clipboard in hand.

“That’s me.” I stand from my seat.

L: Yes, to tomorrow. We can figure out Saturday then.

The nurse is a cute, petite little thing with long auburn hair. Her skin is pale, with the most beautiful spattering of dainty freckles across her nose and cheeks. She kind of reminds me of Cam, if Cam were a pretty girl.

“I’m Camille,” she says.

I try to hold in my laughter, I really do, and thankfully, she’s walking ahead of me, so she doesn’t notice the pained expression on my face while I try to contain my amusement.

“I love your name,” I tell her once I gain control of myself.

“Thank you. It was my grandmother’s.”

I follow her into my assigned room and take a seat on the patient’s chair. It’s draped with paper, and there’s no way to avoid making an awkward amount of noise as I position myself on it. The room is warmer than I remember, but not in temperature. I mean in vibe. The last time I was here was the day that everything turned to shit. It was the day that I finally broke down about my mom. My mind was bleak, and everything in this room was too. But now that I’m here again, I realize it was my outlook that was stark and cold and not this room. Because today, this room looks warm and inviting, and my mind is centered and happy.

“Blood pressure numbers look great,” Camille says as she removes the cuff from my arm. “Dr. Lopez should be in shortly.”

A few minutes later, the same doctor I saw back in December comes walking into the room. I considered asking to see a new doctor this time, as Dr. Lopez’s bedside manner wasn’t the greatest, but I would rather not have to discuss my family history with someone new. Besides, I’m in a much better mental space this time, that a straightforward doctor isn’t going to break me.

“Logan. Good to see you again.” Dr. Lopez grabs the clipboard hanging on the back of the door.

“You too, Dr. Lopez.”

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