“How could he not want you?” Dustin said gamely. “You’re one hot mamma!”
“I wish he wanted me,” Olivia said dreamily. “I’m not mad at him, and I could use a billionaire boyfriend.”
“Everyone could use a billionaire boyfriend,” Dustin said. “Besides, what about your new man?” he asked Olivia.
As the conversation turned to Olivia’s romantic life, lost herself in Sandy’s off-handed comment. Does he really want me? she wondered. How could he, after I yelled at him like that?
And does it matter? He’s ruining my life.
The conflicting feelings inside of her made the drink in front of her even more appealing. She wrapped her lips around the straw and sucked, letting the cool, sweet, slushy drink wash over her tongue.
*****
The next day, regretted the speed with which she’d polished off the second margarita.
And the third.
Her head pounded.
She rested her head in her hands, not wanting to look at the glare of the computer screen in front of her.
“Remind me again why we always decide to do happy hour on Mondays?” She asked Dustin, who was writing notes at his workstation.
“Because, it reminds us that life is about having fun. Without it, Mondays suck.” Dustin answered.
“My life sucks,” said, dropping her head lower so that it was resting on the table.
“Have you eaten anything?” Dustin asked sympathetically. “Have a bagel and some coffee. Dr. Norden brought bagels from Spinoza’s.”
“Oh thank God,” said, mustering her energy so that she could make it to the break room.
She found Dr. Norden reading an article as usual, and a box of freshly baked bagels in the center of the table.
“What’s this I hear about you losing your apartment?” Dr. Norden asked, looking up as reached for a bagel.
sighed. “Ugh. It’s a nightmare. You know the man you saw yesterday… Dr. Glaston’s patient? He’s buying my entire building. To make it into a house for himself. Tearing the whole thing down.”
She reached for a knife and small container of cream cheese, and began buttering her bagel. “I have to be out in a month,” she said.
“A month?” Dr. Norden said. “That’s short notice for finding a new place.That’s going to be tough.”
“I know,” said glumly. “It’s not just going to be tough. It’s going to be impossible.”
“Well,” Dr. Norden said, standing. “I’ll keep my ears out for you,” he said. “You never know what might come up.” He began walking towards the door.
“Oh, and ? I know you’re not too happy with Mr. Cable, but I wouldn’t be too hard on him. He’s going through his own difficulties right now. And you’ll see him here regularly, so please try to be civil.”
felt her cheeks flush with guilt. So Dr. Norden had heard about her outburst in Starbucks. Sandy must have told him. That Sandy, thought , always running her mouth about everything.
liked the tightly knit crew at the office, but at times it bothered her that everyone knew everything.
“Yes, Dr. Norden” she said sheepishly, embarrassed that she had to be reminded to merely act civil. “I will.”
“Thank you,” Dr. Norden said.
It wasn’t until she’d polished off the bagel and was half way through a weak cup of office coffee that thought back to something Dr. Norden had said.
‘He’s going through his own difficulties right now.’
What did that mean?
Martin certainly looked healthy enough. But then why had he been seeing Dr. Glaston? And why was he seeing Dr. Norden?
Curiosity stirred up inside of her, and she tossed her crumb-covered napkin and used plastic knife into the trash and picked up her styrofoam coffee cup.
She moved back to the front desk, feeling refreshed and finally ready to start the day.
Is he sick? she wondered.
The desk was clear. She’d arrived at work early to make up for her tardiness the day before, and she still had ten minutes before the first patient arrived.
A stack of patient files from the day before were piled to the right of her desk. Bess Livingston was on the top. picked it up, looking at the one underneath it.
Cable, Martin, it said, in Sandy’s neat block lettering.
picked up the Livingston file and carefully pushed it into the racks.
Next she picked up the Cable file.
She looked around.
No one was there watching her.
I could update his contact information in my own system, she thought. I do need to have his telephone number in the calendar system.
This was true enough, yet she still felt slightly guilty as she laid the files open near her desk. She looked at the front sheet, with all of his information on it.
She typed the number in, and then casually flipped the sheet over.
Though she knew that she shouldn’t, she started reading Dr. Norden’s notes.