by K. C. Crowne
“What do you mean? Has he texted me?”
“I don’t know. I mean, you just picked up your whole life and moved out of Denver. Does he even know you’re here?”
“He barely even cared when he broke up with me. And no, he doesn’t know I moved,” I sighed. “The jerk’s so busy with his job, his house could burn down around him and he’d barely notice.”
“Good,” she said, not missing a beat. “Let him have the career you helped him earn. Maybe it’ll be a comfort when he’s forty-five and alone because he’s addicted to work.” She sipped her wine before continuing. “I’m telling you, he’s gonna be one of those old guys who dies alone in his mansion from a heart attack and no one finds his body for weeks because he didn’t have any friends who cared enough to check on him.”
“At least he’ll have a mansion,” I commented, looking around at my tiny studio, a place I could barely afford.
“Oh, don’t worry about any of that. This is just a starter apartment - a place to spend a little time while you get your feet under you.” She sounded so positive, and I wished I could be as well. “Just think, a year from now you’ll have a new job, a new life, and probably a total hottie who dotes on you like crazy. This is all temporary.”
The rest of the evening passed with Gia and I working through the bottle of wine as the sun set. But when she left, I felt so damn alone. I’d given up everything to come to White Pines.
And part of me worried I’d made the biggest mistake of my life.
Duncan
I stood before the tall, arched window of the conference room, downtown White Pines below in the distance. My private practice was situated in the hills above the city, giving me a killer view of the area. But I had bigger things on my mind than appreciating the view.
“Dr. Pitt,” someone spoke from behind me. “The year ahead…”
I tore myself from the view and turned around, facing the conference table packed with my staff – doctors from the various branches of my private practices throughout the state.
“The year ahead is going to be unlike anything else,” I said. “And I hope you’re all ready for it.”
Every set of eyes was on me.
“Details would be nice,” Dr. Alana Shaw, a pediatrician from my Colorado Springs office, said.
My mouth curled into a slight smile. She was challenging me, no doubt about that. And some men or women in my position might take offense to that. Not me. I loved when my employees held my feet to the fire to make sure I was the right man to be in charge. Standing at the head of the conference room table, my hands clasped behind my back, I was in my element.
Being a leader wasn’t easy, of course. But what’d be the fun if it were?
Without saying a word, I moved slowly, confidently, over to the MacBook on the end of the table. With a few quick keystrokes, I brought up the PowerPoint of my plan for the upcoming few quarters. It appeared on the TV behind me, everyone present giving it their full attention.
“You want details?” I asked. “Here they are. As you all are well aware, Pitt Medical Group has been having a banner year. Through careful management and skilled care, I’ve established our private practice as one of the finest medical care outfits in the state. Hell – the country.”
But before I went on, I caught myself. “Actually,” I said. “I haven’t done anything.” I let my words hang in the air, the audience appearing somewhat confused. “We’ve done it. Together.”
I gestured to the screen behind me. The picture was of Colorado, red dots here and there on the map to indicate the five locations in the state where we operated. “When I started Pitt Medical Group, I had one goal in mind – to provide the best medical care in the state of Colorado and participate with as many insurances as possible to get care to all. To that end, I hand-picked the most skilled doctors in region, plucking you from overcrowded public hospitals and giving you everything you needed to rise to your full potential.”
My words went over well, judging by the pleased faces in the audience. But not a single word was untrue – my staff was so good I didn’t need to bother with false praise.
“I took a risk in expanding from one location here in White Pines to the rest of the state. But I’m beyond pleased to report that every single one of you has lived up to the very high expectations I’ve set.” I looked each of them in the eyes. “However, we’re not done. Not by a longshot.”
I leaned forward and tapped the arrow key, bringing up the next slide. Gasps sounded from the audience, and I grinned. I’d been hoping to shock them, and that seemed to be just the reaction I’d elicited. I rose, slipping my right hand into the pocket of my light-gray slacks, letting my thumb hang out.
“How many locations is that?” Dr. Sean Price, my lead ENT guy asked.
“Ten. Five more locations.” I swept my hand before the screen. Five new blue dots were on the map of the state. “By this time next year I want a Pitt Medical Group in every major population center of the state, with multiple in Denver and Colorado Springs.”
“You think you can expand that quickly?” Dr. Price asked. “We’re going to need to double our staff just to fill the ranks. Hell, we’re going to need to do more than double it.”
“I know. And this is where all of you come in. Over the last year you’ve proven to me that you’re not simply excellent doctors, but excellent talent scouts as well. When I brought you on board, I gave you free rein to hand-pick your staff, just as I hand-picked you. And that’s what you’re going to do next. I want you to go through your teams, find out which among your people will be the most qualified to run their own office. I know it won’t be easy to part with them, but you’ll soon have the opportunity to refill your ranks.”
“You think it’ll be that easy to find new people?” Dr. Mary Weiss, the head of my psychiatry division, asked.
I nodded my understanding. “I know it will. We’ve been establishing something of a reputation over the last year, a place where doctors have the resources they need, where they don’t have to fight with a massive, bloated bureaucracy to do what they’ve been trained to do. When you work for me, for us, all you have to bring to the table are your skills and a desire to help. And that’s made us an incredibly attractive place to work.”
I stepped slowly away from the screen, letting the staff take in the sight.
“I’ve emailed all of you the resumes I’ve been collecting over the last year. Among them you’ll find some of the best talent this country has to offer. You’ll soon see that the problem won’t be finding talent but deciding from among it.” I grinned. “And try not to fight amongst yourselves for the top picks.”
Light laughter rose from the crowd. I could tell my plans were going over well.
“Now,” I said, straightening my back and squaring my shoulders. “I’ve given everyone much to consider. But I’m not done with you yet. What I’ve shared are merely my plans for the next year – but I’m thinking beyond that.”
I stepped to the computer and pressed another key. The image that appeared was not simply of Colorado, but all of the surrounding states in the region. And they all had dots indicating expansion. More gasps followed along with quiet chatter flowing through the room.
“I want to leave you with a taste of what I’ve got in mind not for simply the next year, but the next three years.” Another grin appeared on my face. “And the next five.” One more keystroke pulled the image back even further, this picture showing the entire United States, a dot in every major city.
The gasps from the audience suggested they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
“When you joined Pitt Medical Group, you signed up for the career of a lifetime. And I’m going to give it to you,” I announced. “In one decade, I want us to grow from a highly successful handful of private practice centers to an institution that rivals the hospital industry. And you’re all coming along for the ride. Thank you.”
The room exploded with questions, and I answered ever
y last one of them. By the time the hour was over, I needed a break, a few minutes to cool my head before getting started on the rest of the day.
I bid farewell to the audience one-by-one, and when they’d all left, I hurried back to my office. I started my coffee machine, preparing a cup and sipping it as I stood in front of the window looking out over the city.
I’d been all confidence for the staff, and it wasn’t a lie – I truly believed in myself and my mission. And more than that, doubt didn’t come naturally to me. But I’d made some big promises. The plans had existed solely in my mind for the last year, and now they were out in the open. And I wouldn’t go back on my word. Pitt Medical Group was about to have its biggest year yet, and I needed to be ready for it.
I didn’t get two sips into my coffee, however, before a chime sounded through my office – the sound meant my secretary, Hannah, wanted my attention.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Dr. Pitt,” she answered. “Your brother’s here to see you.”
Now, that’s a surprise. My brother, Andrew, as far as I knew, had been up to his ears in work at the law practice in Denver where he’d been hired. Why he was in White Pines, I could only guess.
“Send him in.”
“Of course.”
I set my coffee on my desk and turned to the door just in time to watch it open and Andrew saunter in like he owned the building.
“Afternoon,” he said, serious as ever.
Andrew was tall and good-looking with short, dark hair and a trim face. He was dressed in a well-fitted suit, one that wordlessly spoke to his new status as a highly paid lawyer. His eyes were a deep brown, and his mouth was in a flat line.
It was still somewhat strange to have a brother in my life, something I was still wrapping my head around. We weren’t simply brothers – we were long-lost brothers, having only found one another again after decades of being separated. Or, to be specific, he’d found me.
Our biological mother had given me up as a baby, my father a nameless man who hadn’t bothered to stick around to do the right thing. When she’d had Andrew two years later, she’d been in a position to keep him.
He’d done some research over the last few years and eventually tracked me down. As such, we were back in one another’s lives. It was good to have him, of course, but our relationship was…strained. It didn’t help matters that Andrew was just so damn serious all the time.
I glanced down and saw something in his hand. “Good to see you, Andrew,” I said, stepping over to him and giving a handshake that quickly turned into a hearty, back-slapping hug.
“I assume you had something to do with that crowd of thunderstruck doctors I passed on the way in?”
I grinned, pleased that I’d shaken them up a bit. “You assume correctly. I just finished laying out my plans for the next several years. Gave them a hell of a lot to process.”
“That’s what it looks like.”
I glanced at what was in his hand – a rolled-up magazine. I laughed a bit as I realized what it was.
“And it also looks like you’re picking up a little celebrity status along the way.”
He handed the magazine to me, though I didn’t need to take it to know who was on the cover. It was me, of course. The magazine was Forbes, and the shot was of me in my suit, a clean, white lab coat on over it. I was seated in my office behind the desk, a serious expression on my face. The headline read “Dr. Duncan Pitt – The Future of Medicine Will See You Now.”
“I can’t believe I let them talk me into that,” I said, shaking my head as I stared at it.
A small grin appeared on Andrew’s lips – not a common sight. “You say that like they had to twist your arm.” He took a seat in one of the chairs in the meeting area in my office. “Come on, Duncan – you’re getting a little taste of fame and you like it. No shame in that.”
I unbuttoned my suit jacket and sat down on the edge of the desk. “Fame has nothing to do with it. The reason I did that piece was because I want to attract talent. The more my name gets out there, the more likely it is that the best doctors in the country, hell, the world, know that Pitt Medical Group is the health care institution of the future.”
The grin stayed on his face. “That’s very noble of you. Not sure if I buy it, but noble all the same.”
“Please. You really think I want to be famous? That I want to be gossip fodder for the tabloids?” I scoffed. “No – it’s a necessary evil.”
“Sure,” he said, crossing his legs.
“Anyway,” I said, changing the subject. “What’s up? Not like you to just drop in like this.”
“I was in the area, actually. One of the partners wanted me to drive into town to pick up some documents from a client.”
I smirked. “Ah, so they’ve got you on errand-boy duty. All that time in law school’s paying off.”
He chuckled. “I’m starting on a low rung, sure. But I’ve been busting my ass, showing them what I can do. I figure I keep it up for a few years and they’ll have me on partner track before too long. And it’s not like the money isn’t worth it.”
“I see you’re already developing a taste for the finer things.” My eyes flicked to his expensive suit.
“Oh, this?” He shook his head as if the multi-thousand-dollar suit he wore was no big deal in the slightest. “Just comes with the territory. Can’t exactly show up to meet with clients wearing something off the rack.”
“And I’m sure that’s torture for you, wearing that,” I joked.
“Don’t get me wrong – it’s nice. But I’ve got more important things to worry about than clothes.” He crossed his legs, his polished, black dress shoes catching the late-afternoon light. I almost wanted to bust his balls a little more about his expensive shoes, but I let the subject drop.
“Anyway,” I said. “What’s up? You just swing by to say hello?”
“Do I need a reason to visit my brother?” he asked.
“Of course not. Just curious.”
“Well, I wanted to see you. And I wanted to make sure you were still on for Thursday.”
“Thursday?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already,” he said, exasperated. “Remember, we said we were going to try to meet once or twice a month for drinks?”
Another issue we’d come across. Andrew had been going out of his way for us to get together – his way of wanting to make up for lost time. And I hadn’t been the best with following through on these plans.
“Oh, right, right. Of course I’m still on.”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “Not too busy for your little brother?”
“Please,” I said, warming my tone. “As if you even need to ask.”
What came out of my mouth next felt like it happened on its own. “And what about Annie?”
To say he was shocked would’ve been a hell of an understatement. “Annie? What about her?”
“She’s in town now, right?”
“Um, yeah, I guess. What about it?” He gave me a perplexed look, as if wondering why on Earth I’d bring her up. “I don’t know. I suppose I was just curious if you’ve run into her or not.”
“Haven’t been in town long enough for that. And no, I don’t plan on running into her,” he said, scowling. “She fled Denver to get away from me – not exactly a sign she’d be thrilled to see me again. It’s been over two months since we last talked, and that was only on the phone.”
“Right…” I trailed off, realizing it wasn’t the best subject to bring up.
He rose, buttoning his suit jacket. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to it. Let’s text tonight and get Thursday figured out.”
“Sounds good.”
He gave me a cool, professional nod before heading out, shutting the door behind him.
I was confused. Annie and I had never met, but I’d heard plenty about her. I knew their relationship had ended badly because he’d dumped her once he found success. I’d seen pictures of her on his social
media, selfies of the two of them looking like the perfect couple. I’d thought a man who was lucky to get a woman as beautiful as her would be a fool to let her go.
Andrew’d had other plans, evidently.
Annie
I was determined. The next morning when I woke up, I threw off the covers, ready to grab the day by the horns. But the moment I was up and on my feet, I stopped, nausea attacking me. I’d killed half a bottle of wine with Gia last night.
I gave myself a minute for the wooziness to pass. Luckily, I wasn’t too bad off. My head ached a little, but other than that I wasn’t too hungover. Nothing a nice shower wouldn’t fix. And being unemployed, I didn’t have to rush.
I got into the shower, and the moment the water hit my skin, I smiled. The apartment wasn’t much, but at least the water pressure was killer. After letting the water work its magic on my muscles, the headache fading by the minute, I was ready to start the day. I threw on some jeans and a blouse, pairing the outfit with some sneakers. Once that was done, I packed my MacBook and headed out.
It was a beautiful morning. I’d had doubts about whether or not packing my life up and heading forty minutes away to White Pines was the right call. But all it took to make me certain was a walk outside.
The air was cool and crisp – just chilly enough to feel fresh, but not enough to be uncomfortable. The sky was a clear blue, the mountains rising off in the distance. Everything about White Pines was picturesque Colorado beauty.
It was mid-winter, a few weeks before Christmas, about when I’d be well into my routine for substitute teaching. But I didn’t have that to worry about anymore. I was ready to get some coffee in me, to sit down and pound the digital pavement until I found a job.