Page 81 of My Salvation
CHAPTER 37
KATE
Entering the practice, I ask everyone to meet me in my office.
“Hello. I’ve got some great news for you. Dr. Bradford will be coming in to work an hour or two each day, starting today. I’m not sure what time he will be here, but I need your help. As you may know, he’s currently in a wheelchair while he heals, so we need to prepare the practice. Paula and Brittany, if you could clear the areas around the patient lounge and front desk, that would be great. Sarah, if you could help me clear this back hallway and the patient rooms, I would appreciate it. Any questions?”
Smiles break out as everyone gets excited about Thayer’s return. My own smile feels fake as I slip on my professional mask.
“So you’ve met Thayer, huh? What did you think?” Sarah’s bouncing around, clearing the office so he can get his chair back here.
Looking around, I realize this is the only office and I’ll have to share it with him.
Freaking A. It just gets better and better.
Rolling my shoulders, I head out of the office towards the patient rooms to move a few things around so he can get his wheelchair into the rooms. Sarah comes up to me as I’m finishing the last one.
“That good, huh?”
“What? I didn’t say anything.” Looking away, I bite the inside of my cheek as I consider what to tell her.
“Thayer’s a great boss, and a friend. But you’re my friend now, too. What is it?” she demands as she removes a plant from the hallway and places it in the corner.
Debating, I realize she’s going to feel the tension. Plus, I may need her help to avoid him. Grabbing her hand, I drag her back to the office and shut the door. I unload everything on her, from the fact that Thayer looks like Collin to the storytelling debacle. Tears come to her eyes as I tell her about the past.
“Stop. I can’t handle tears. It’s over. I survived. It’s all good.” I pass her a tissue as I look away from her tears.
“Dammit, Kate. You’ve gone through hell. I don’t understand how you can still be so strong and independent. It’s like you’re Superwoman.” Sarah wipes away her tears. “I can cry for my friend. Both of my friends. That doesn’t even sound like Thayer.”
“That’s what Shaw said, too. I didn’t know if I should believe him, but I’m glad to hear it from you. I wasn’t sure if I should tell you. Not just because I don’t like talking about the past, but because it shows Thayer in a bad light. Although, he was an ass.” Worried, I look at her. “But you are bound to notice if I freak out or there’s tension between us. I wanted you to hear it from me.”
Sarah slings an arm around me. “I’ve got your back. BFFs, right?”
“BFFs. Now let’s get this day started.” Smiling, I give her a quick hug. I haven’t had a friend like Sarah in a long time. It’s amazing I found her now.
Around ten in the morning, we hear a commotion in the lounge. As I walk up front, I see a group of people standing in a circle around Thayer. Everyone is smiling and laughing, greeting him with pats on the back or quick hugs. His face is lit up as he jokes around with them all. It’s like he’s a different person. Charming, witty, caring.
I watch as Sarah walks over and leans down to give him a hug. Her face is stern as she whispers in his ear. Frowning, he tilts his head and opens his mouth to say something back to her, but he stops when he notices me standing in the doorway.
What? I take a step forward to get closer to him and notice something odd. Yep, it wasn’t just a trick of the light. His eyes are dark blue now, not the icy blue that previously matched Collin’s. Puzzled, I stare at him for a second. Contacts. Looking at the whole picture, I realize with his most recent haircut and the blue contacts, the resemblance to Collin is like a faded photograph. Faint, with blurred lines, as if he was a distant relative. Relief fills me. Thankful, I give him a nod.
He dips his chin and gives me a faint smile. Turning back to his fans, he addresses the crowd. “Hello! I can’t tell you all how happy I am to see you. It was very nice of you to send me all the great cards and plants. I appreciate all the get well wishes. You might have noticed my sleek piece of metal here.” He taps the wheelchair. “The wheelchair is going to be a part of my future until I regain my strength and heal completely. Please forgive me if I bump into you or get in your way. I apologize in advance for my poor driving skills.” The crowd laughs. “I’m sure Dr. Kate has been taking very good care of you, and she will continue to do so. I’ll slowly slide back into the practice, but you can expect both of us to be here for a long time. Now, let’s get today’s show on the road.” Rubbing his hands, he backs out of the crowd and maneuvers over to me. “Hello, Kate.” He watches my reaction to the wheelchair for a second. “We need to talk, but I want to be sure we have time to do so. Why don’t we see a few patients this morning, and then we can chat at lunch?” His eyes plead with me to agree.
“OK. I appreciate the effort with the contacts. It helps,” I admit. “Why don’t you take Sarah with you today? I’ve already discussed my prep with her.” Motioning to Sarah, I give him a steady look, then call my first patient.
The morning flies by, and I finish my patients a bit early. Pulling up a medical journal on my phone, I start reading the article as I walk back to the office. Rounding the desk, I drop into my chair.
WTH?
Scrambling up, I look down and note Thayer’s red face.
OMG! I just sat in his lap.
“So...sorry,” I stutter as I walk backwards. “I forgot you were here. I’ve been using the desk while you were out, and I was engrossed in this article, and I just didn’t think. Did I hurt you? Do I need to call your rehab center?” Looking around for the phone, I realize I have one in my hand. Bring it up, I start searching for the rehab center’s number.
“Kate. Stop. Take a deep breath.”
