Page 92 of Doc Showmance
“What’s wrong?” the senator asked.
“Give me a moment.” I took a few deep breaths in an attempt to control the haze in my head and get my thoughts straight about the senator’s dog.
“Is Winnie okay?” Stress laced the senator’s tone.
“She’s good. Doing well. It all went well,” I said. “I just…” I stared at Seth, unsure what I should say or not say, but somehow seeking his guidance.
“There was a little excitement back there,” Seth said. “Dr. Hardin set Dr. Kovac straight on who was in charge of Winnie’s case.”
“Really?” the senator’s gray eyebrows rose into his feathered bangs.
Seth pinched his nose. His shoulders shuddered. When he lifted his head, he wiped the corners of his eyes with a huge grin. “She kicked that old bastard right in the nuts for threatening to take over Winnie’s care. Right in the gonads. Funniest goddamned thing I’ve seen in years.” He bent at the waist, laughing.
The senator chuckled. “Did he deserve it, Doc?”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone that far, but he pushed my buttons. Nothing happened to Winnie. I made sure of it. He threatened to change her meds.” I glanced at the ceiling. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over. She’s fine.” I took a deep breath, which did nothing to clear the post-traumatic jitters running through me. “The surgery went smoothly. As I said on the phone, I didn’t see cancer anywhere else in there. Looks like the tumor was bleeding a little bit, but she’s not bleeding anymore and seems to be doing great after surgery.”
“You kicked him in the nuts?” the senator asked.
“I’m sorry for the drama. If it helps, both Dr. Todd and I might lose our jobs over this mess. Ian thinks all of it was TV bullshit. What I can’t stand is that Dr. Kovac potentially threatened one of my patients to get good TV drama. For Winnie being in potential harm’s way, I’m sorry.”
“Dr. Hardin, I think this is an opportunity for both of us. My wife wants me to push an agenda on animal welfare, which I thought was a waste of leverage, even though I agree it’s important. Perhaps, this is fortuitous. Seems our worlds are colliding at the right moment. I think the two of us should talk about capitalizing on your appeal once Winnie is back home. You’re popular and respected as an advocate for animals. Are you interested in using this momentum to try to push some new legislation to help improve animal rights?”
“I’m not good at being diplomatic or political.”
The senator stood. He took my hand in his. Looking into his gaze I fell under the spell of his deep conviction and drive. “We don’t need for you to be diplomatic. Based on what my people are telling me the American public sees you as an advocate for animal welfare. People love your take-no-shit attitude and willingness to go the distance to save a pet. I think we could do some PR on this and help give momentum to this legislation.”
He let go of my hand. I stepped away.
The crossroads I feared might come with gaining TV fame had arrived. Yet this didn’t frighten me as I thought it might. Lack of protections on animals was something I saw daily, specifically their lack of worth in the eyes of the law and the things people could get away with doing to animals. “All right.” I compressed my lips. “I’ll help, but I’m warning you, I’m not good in interviews or on TV.”
“I beg to differ, Dr. Hardin. All I ask is that you be yourself. When you do that, you’re spectacular on TV. Perhaps not best to go around kicking men in the nuts at random. What you do for your patients comes from your heart, and that’s what I need. I’m going to have my assistant arrange a time for you to talk to my wife.”
“Is she anything like Victoria Todd?”
“No.” With a knowing grin, he said, “She’s a force of nature, but she directs her energy and my money toward causes that make sense.” He rocked his head back and forth. “Most of the time.”
Susan stuck her head in the door. “Uh, Dr. Hardin…there’s a problem up front. Can I borrow you? Like now?”
“Excuse me,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
“What is it?” I asked.
Susan fast walked toward the front desk. “Bruno is here. He’s pretty riled up.”
“Does he know what happened? How’d he get here so fast?”
“He knows. Uh, you were live on theToday Show. I heard their camerawoman say it’s the greatest segment she’s filmed in ages.”
“Crap.”
I marched up front to find Bruno yelling across the desk for me.
“I’m right here. What are you doing?”
“No,youtell me what that old bastard did to you.”
“How do you know… Why are you here?”
