Page 4 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

He’d asked around at the hospital and had been told she recently moved to the Northeast and no one knew much about her other than they felt bad she barely got settled in Boston before she had to shift to the island.

“Not if it’s the truth,” she said matter-of-factly. “I don’t give anyone special treatment. I’m here to fill scripts as they come in.”

He kept the frown from his face. “We both know the way it works. You push some ahead of others,” he said. “I’m just saying, I’ve got patients coming into the office to stay for hours on end. They are anxious to begin with. The last thing they need to do is sit there waiting while their treatment is being filled.”

“I do know how it works,” she said. “I also know that I can’t fill anything until their blood work is approved,” she said. Once that is sent over, we’ll do what needs to be done. There are a lot less staff here than in Boston.”

“I know that,” he said. This wasn’t going nearly the way he thought it would.

He was a pretty laid back guy and didn’t butt heads with anyone. Yet he seemed to get off on the wrong foot here and wasn’t sure how that happened.

“Dr. Mills,” he heard and turned his head. “Sweet. Donuts. You’re the best.”

“Hey, Troy,” he said to the pharmacy tech that walked in the door. He’d been working with Troy for years. Even though Garrett had only filled in here every few months prior, he remembered the staff well that he relied on.

“I haven’t had breakfast yet either,” Troy said. “Oh, you must be the new pharmacist.” Troy pulled a donut out, wiped his hand on his scrubs, and then put it out for Justine. “Nice to meet you. I’m Troy Winters.”

“Justine Keller,” she said. “I was just talking withDr. Mills. Though I wasn’t aware he was a doctor.”

Garrett laughed. He wore his badge, but he clipped it to his belt. He didn’t always like it around his neck. He wasn’t formal enough to wear a lab coat around. He didn’t need to. When he was back in the office, he’d have his stethoscope around his neck.

“I don’t normally introduce myself with my title. I find it pretentious as if I’m throwing my weight around.”

Troy snorted. “He’s a laugh a minute,” Troy said. “As if anyone doesn’t know who you are.”

Which meant who his family was and his relationship to this island.

He always hated that but knew it came in handy too.

There were days he was glad he came from Catherine’s side and didn’t have the burden of the last name of Bond.

“Now I know,” she said. “I was just telling Dr. Mills that we have a procedure here and I’ll get to his scripts like I do the rest. I understand the urgency and can sympathize with his patients, but his patients aren’t the only ones I have to deal with. Especially knowing there is only one pharmacist on at a time here.”

He felt bad when she pointed that out. No one else had before and maybe he hadn’t realized it. In Boston, someone was assigned to the oncology department in the mornings from the group of pharmacists working all at once.

Guess he might have gotten a bit ahead of himself.

“It is a change for you here, different than in Boston. I know. I understand. But the pace isn’t as fast either. I’m positive you’ll catch on quickly.” He looked at his watch. “And speaking of fast, I need to get ready for my patients. Enjoy the donuts.”

He turned and walked back to his office, saw the reception area lights were on. He was the only doctor working today. Most days. Twice a week, another doctor came in, sometimes. Depended on his patient count. Today there weren’t that many in for treatment.

“Morning, Dr. Mills,” Danica said. She was one of his chemo nurses. He had two that moved back and forth between the patients in the chemo room and fielding calls and questions from other patients.

“Morning,” he said. “I brought donuts in.” He got one and a half dozen, brought six to the pharmacy knowing there weren’t a lot of staff there, and then the rest for his staff here.

“Yum,” Danica said. “You’re the best. Dr. Sing never did that.”

“Dr. Sing was a health nut,” he said. “And now he’s retired and out on the golf course somewhere in Arizona.”

Dr. Sing had offered to come to the island for the past few years. Few volunteered, but since he was close to retirement, he wanted a quieter life.

Garrett had been hesitant to offer to come here and asked if he could do it for a year as a trial. The administration in his department jumped on it, knowing they’d have time to figure things out in the future.

Well, his father was part of the administration now, but since it was a conflict, he’d stepped away from the final decision.

“Lucky him,” Danica said. “But we do live on an island, so it’s not so bad.”

He laughed. It wasn’t what he considered the same as an island in a year-round warmer climate, but he wasn’t complaining about waking up daily with his marvellous view of the Atlantic Ocean either.

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