Page 10 of Back in the Saddle

‘Perfect, see you there.’ Gian closed the door behind her.

Caroline got out of bed and threw on a thin peach cotton robe, tying it around her waist. She was going to jump in the shower before getting ready for work.

She glanced out of the window.

Anna and Gian’s second-floor three-bedroom apartment was in a fantastic location with an amazing view of the Oklahoma River. It was on the buzzing doorstep of Bricktown, just east of the downtown business district. The medical school buildings and the Rouken Cancer Center were a stone’s throw away as well. Which was apparently the reason they bought it – Anna said she hated being stuck in traffic. From here, she could walk to work, and so could Caroline. At least for another year. Something that wasn’t possible in Glasgow, unless you only lived either in the West End or the city centre and didn’t need to commute anywhere outside their boundaries. With awful public transport links, having a car was really a must, especially after a gruelling night shift.

When she walked into the kitchen, Gian was already sitting on a pine bar stool at the breakfast bar.

Caroline sat next to her and sniffed the contents of a steaming mug. ‘Mmm, I’ve probably already told you, but I love your coffee. Best coffee ever.’ She let out a contented sigh, then raised an eyebrow at Gian. ‘Shouldn’t you be at the café? You’re usually there by five.’

Gian laughed. ‘The perks of running a coffee shop. And we’re closed today. We’re getting new fridges put in. I’m meeting the workmen there at nine.’

‘Ah, that explains it. Hope all goes well. You said you’re looking to expand your dessert menu, right?’ Caroline’s stomach grumbled as she thought of Gian’s flourless polenta lemon and almond cake.

As if she could read her mind, or maybe she just heard thesound, Gian walked to the counter and lifted a lid from a plate filled with blueberry muffins.

‘Yes, we are.’ She put two of them on a small plate and came back to the breakfast table. ‘Here you go, I baked these last night. They’re Anna’s favourite. She’s been having a hard time at work lately and I thought coming home to these might cheer her up a bit.’

‘You’re so good to her.’ Caroline grabbed a muffin and took a big bite.

Gian shrugged and lazily peeled the wrap off her muffin, breaking off a small piece. ‘We’re good to each other.’

Caroline watched Gian’s hands. ‘How’s your arthritis?’

‘Fine. I mean, I have good days and worse days. But since I started the new treatment last year, it’s been keeping it mostly in check.’ She looked down at her hands and flexed the fingers. ‘Can’t complain.’

‘You can if you want to. At least to me.’

Although she hadn’t spent much time with Gian before, she knew Gian used to be a piano virtuoso. She attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In her second year, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Gian’s words from the first time they met stuck in Caroline’s mind.

I could still play but it wasn’t at the same level. I didn’t want to just be a pianist. I wanted to be a great pianist.

Gian sighed. ‘You’re just like Anna. Or it is how all doctors are?’

‘We get classes on how to be insufferable in med school.’

That made Gian laugh. ‘I’d actually believe that.’

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, savouring the flavours, until Gian popped the last crumb in her mouth and looked at the clock above the microwave. ‘Oh, is it that time already? I’ll need to get going to the café soon.’ She slidoff the bar stool and put both mugs in the sink. ‘How was your muffin?’

‘It was delicious. It was blueberry and … orange?’ Caroline tried to identify the flavours still tingling the tip of her tongue. She frowned, not convinced she’d guessed correctly.

‘Grapefruit, actually. I was experimenting a bit with different citrus fruit in this recipe. Lemon is always the most obvious pairing, but I wanted to see how others taste. Made a batch of blueberry lime last week. Unlikely but delicious.’ The way Gian’s face lit up every time she talked about baking was positively contagious.

Caroline couldn’t help but smile warmly in response. ‘Now that you said it, I can tell it was grapefruit. Such a good flavour combination. I loved it! Happy to do any other sampling of your experiments if you need a guinea pig.’

They both laughed heartily.

‘Feel free to pop into the café later if you want to, I might have some more then.’ Gian was on her way out of the kitchen when she suddenly stopped. She turned round and looked at Caroline, concern in her eyes. ‘How are you doing though, really?’

‘I’m fine. Still adjusting to the time difference.’ Caroline tried to sound casual. Without meaning to, she touched her bare ring finger. It was a force of habit. She had caught herself doing it a lot more lately. ‘I think the work’s going to be so different from what I’m used to.’

‘In a good way or …?’

‘I don’t know yet. Just different.’ Caroline shrugged, looking at Gian. ‘I’m trying to decide if I want to continue being a doctor. I mean, as in a practising one,’ she added, unclasping her hands as Gian’s brow furrowed in confusion.

‘Is that why you agreed to take the research position? To see what’s out there beyond clinical medicine?’

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