by Barbara Ebel
“Alexa,” Solar mimicked, “what’s the temperature?”
The Echo Dot device voice control became mixed up with the two questions asked one after the other. “I’m sorry, I don’t know that answer.”
“Solar,” Dustin said, “let me ask the question.”
“What’s your problem?” Solar asked Dustin.
“For Pete’s sake, Solar, butt out.”
“Butt out.”
Dustin shook his head. “I’ve created a monster.”
-----
At least Dustin had some knowledge about engagement rings. Searching the internet for reputable information about diamonds had proved fruitful. Advice he received from Sean helped too. More than that, he wished Sean could accompany him to render his opinion, but he was pulling an eight-hour day.
He strolled into the store with a generic title, “The Diamond Jewelry Store,” which was a misnomer since they sold all types of jewelry. The see-through display cases were meticulously clean. Not a smudge on them. When the salesperson came over, he thought he needed to speak the “language” of diamonds so he didn’t appear to be a pushover for a quick sale. He at least knew about color, carat weight, clarity, and cut.
A very shapely female with puffy red lips headed his way from one aisle over inside the maze of cabinetry.
“May I help you?” she asked. “You have ‘engagement ring’ stamped all over your forehead.”
The woman was so distracting, he had to rein in his thoughts about her figure. His visit here was all about Annabel and he was dead certain about his choice in women.
“Smart guess,” he replied.
“How much would you like to spend?”
“My buddy told me the cardinal rule. I should spend two months of my salary on my girl’s ring.”
“The trend anymore is to be flexible in what you can afford. However, the average cost that men pay is five thousand dollars.”
Dustin shrugged his shoulders. It would depend more on what he liked rather than settling on her suggested price of five grand. She motioned him to the end of the counter and pulled two diamond rings out and set them on a white velour piece of material. He listened to her sales pitch and noted the differences in the two rings. However, the aching in his chest ramped up and he silently scolded himself for not bringing his next pain pill with him.
The beautiful brunette noticed his discomfort. “Can I get you some water?”
“I have muscle soreness after an accident yesterday, so I can’t spend a long time deciding. Just bad timing, that’s all.”
She smiled like she sealed the deal and made the sale, took a step, and pulled out another ring. “She’ll love this 1.3 carat oval diamond set in a gold band. It’s a beauty at a little over five thousand dollars and its 4Cs are listed on the tag. You won’t need to look at one more.”
Dustin turned it around in his hand, held it to the light, and asked her to put it on her own finger. “She has long, trim fingers like yours. Do you think it will fit her?”
“If it doesn’t, bring it and your fiancée back in, and we’ll adjust it. You won’t be sorry. This is one of my favorites.”
Dustin doubted if Annabel had the same taste as the woman, but to him, it was a pretty ring. He would never know unless he sprang it on her.
“I’ll take it,” he said.
-----
The next morning, Annabel ran ten minutes late from a weekend traffic diversion that her driver had not anticipated. As she approached the obstetric nurses’ station, heads glanced her way and she made a full stop. Emmett placed his hand behind her and tapped her backpack. She reciprocated and lightly put her hand on his back. They were now bonded because of a hair-raising situation they had handled together.
“Since I’ve worked here,” one of the nurses said, “you are the first medical student to deliver a baby. Which means in the last seven years.”
Caleb peered up from a chart and gave her a warm smile. “Did you experience a euphoria with your accomplishment? Maybe you’ve decided to go into obstetrics?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but Dr. Harvey showed up in the doorway behind the desk.
“It’s Annabel Tilson,” he said, “baby-catcher extraordinaire.”
Kristin walked out from the supply room. “You did it without the benefit of anesthesia for the patient! You’re going to put me out of business. How did you perform such a feat anyway?”
Annabel clutched the strap to her backpack and grinned. “You all, I just did what I watched Dr. Gash do. Isn’t that how this medical school thing works? Teach one or see one and then do it?”
The physicians exchanged glances, leaving Annabel out.
“That refers to a student watching someone start an IV and then trying it themself,” Caleb said.
“Or watching someone do an ear exam with an otoscope and then doing it,” Kristin said.
“Or watching your new medical team devour a box of donuts and then jumping in yourself,” Roosevelt said seriously.
Annabel stood dumbfounded and narrowed her eyes.
Roosevelt thrust his hand to the top of his head and then leaned forward to hide his smile. When he straightened up, his face beamed. “We’re yanking your chain.”
“Nice work, Annabel,” Caleb said. “I couldn’t have pulled off what you did.”
“And I hope I never have to,” Kristin said. “Congratulations.”
Annabel shook her head and chuckled. “You are a tough bunch. You had me worried.” She glanced at Emmett. “Of course, I couldn’t have done it without the excellent help I had in the room.”
“I just did what you told me,” he said, modestly looking to the floor.
“No. You go beyond your job description, Emmett, and you’re an asset on this floor.”
“I’ll second that,” said one of the nurses.
“I think the whole medical staff feels the same way about you, Emmett,” Dr. Harvey said. He scanned everyone’s faces. “Now let’s quit patting ourselves on the back and get this stellar team to work.”
CHAPTER 29
When Annabel finished her scut work, and before rounds, she hastened over to the newborn nursery. Thinking about the baby she had delivered, she crossed her fingers. Just because the infant’s first few minutes of life had appeared normal, it didn’t mean she cleared a thorough evaluation by the pediatricians. Those doctors were wizards at detecting abnormalities. But, hopefully, baby Wilma was just fine and the only baby born the last week with a problem was Bonnie Barker’s Samantha.
Annabel felt encouraged by the family dynamics when Bonnie and Tony left the hospital with their baby girl. Although Bonnie had incurred two medical problems during her stay, the two adults’ relationship had solidified during her hospitalization. The baby was in suitable and loving hands. With diligent medical care, maybe her life with osteogenesis imperfecta was going to be a minor inconvenience.
Annabel peered through the squeaky clean window at the bassinets. Some babies were asleep, some were squirming in their blankets, and one cried like he wanted to break out of the place. She rapped on the window for the nurse’s attention.
A bespectacled RN in vibrant scrubs pushed open the door. “Who are you looking for?”
“Baby Wilma, born yesterday.”
“You’re not that medical student who delivered her, are you?”
“Yes. Uh-oh, is she okay?”
“She sure is. She’s a perky little thing. Dr. Thomas said maybe more medical students should deliver babies. He’s not here right now, but he’d probably give you five stars for your accomplishment.”
“That is very kind of him, however, the delivery was an emergency and I only acted as an accessory to Mother Nature. Mom was healthy, knowledgeable, and mature about the whole thing.” The two women still cluttered the doorway. “May I see her?”
The woman nodded and Annabel followed her in between the back row of infants. Annabel noted the card at the foot of baby Wilma’s basket … her birth weight a hearty 9.7 pounds.
Her eyes fell on the swaddled infant, she interlocked her fingers, and put her hands up to her mouth. The baby was precious, with scanty brown hair, vibrant eyes, and full cheeks. Her whole body fidgeted with movement and her feet kicked within the blanket. Because her tiny lips moved as well, it was like she already wanted to form words.
“May I?” Annabel asked, nodding towards Wilma.
“I’m sure her mom wouldn’t mind.”
Annabel picked her up securely in both arms, stared at her attentive eyes, and lingered while she implanted the memory. Certainly obstetrics has pluses and minuses, she thought, and delivering a baby was a real kick. She had something to do with this little bundle of innocence and the result couldn’t have been better. The nurse stepped away and Annabel slid her fingers over the baby’s cheek.
“You won’t be forgotten, baby Wilma.”
-----
With Saturday on the ward over, and the first week of obstetrics behind her, Annabel only had the second final week of obstetrics to finish before her two weeks on gynecology. On Monday, her schedule would change to night call and the most significant event would be her grand rounds presentation, which had been moved up to Monday morning.
With Kristin’s help, she was quite prepared for the lecture. Dr. Harvey also promised to be close by, “co-present” with her, and answer any difficult questions that might arise from residents, medical students, or other attendings.
Standing at her front window, Annabel waited to see what dynamics would take place in her favorite tree. Her “buddy” squirrel bolted upright in her nest as she realized a fellow squirrel was darting up the tree. The intruder almost reached the periphery of the nest when her tree rodent decided to face off with him and jumped out of her bedding. The chase was on down the tree. It was fun to witness such entertainment right in front of her, she thought as she watched the silky animal protect her territory. They were hard-working and interesting critters to watch and, unlike most mammals, they could descend a tree head-first.
The builder of the nest succeeded in running off squirrel number two and picked up an extra twig on her way back up. She stuffed it into her bedding and then curled inside. Annabel turned back to her desk and settled on a plan. One more overview of her lecture tonight, and one more sometime tomorrow, and that should take care of it. By Monday, she should be as familiar with it as much as possible. Then, it would be a question of dampening her nerves and getting over the fear of speaking to a large group. In the meantime, she would need to keep that worry out of her mind. No sense in agonizing over it until the presentation time was close at hand.
She read the first half of the lecture and referred to the hidden Power Point notes below each slide, making sure she had the information memorized. For a break, she texted Bob.
“Hey there. Would 8 a.m. be okay for me to pick up Oliver?”
“Sure thing,” he responded. “I can bring him to you if you’d like.”
“It’s up to you. If you bring him here, I’ll spring for coffee or breakfast at Pete’s.”
“I’ll be there, at your place first, to drop off his gear.”
“Super.”
Next, she texted Dustin.
“Hey, Dustin. How about I come over tomorrow late in the morning? However, I plan on going home before dinner. I’m giving a presentation on Monday morning, which is normally given by a resident or an attending.”
“Congratulations beforehand. See you then, but I was hoping I could take you to a late dinner. So, instead, why don’t we go for an early dinner?”
“Hmm…”
“I’ll bribe you. How about the restaurant that bakes that carrot cake you liked?”
“You’re on. Don’t forget, I’m bringing my new dog Oliver.”
“Any dog of yours is a dog of mine. Can’t wait to meet him.”
She read the other half of her lecture, shut down her computer, and curled up in bed. The next two days would be polar opposites … fun and terror.
-----
Annabel pulled on cream-colored cargo pants and a summery short-sleeved blouse. Since she was skipping a run, she chose casual sneakers that looked like new. She left small amber earrings in her earlobes, but took extra care with fresh makeup. Lastly, she squeezed a hair shine product on her fingers and massaged it along the front of her hair. It felt great to doll up after being less meticulous about her appearance all week.
As another preparation for Monday, she loaded her lecture on a flash drive and placed it on the kitchen counter. A knock sounded on the door and, wearing an anticipatory smile, she flung the door open for Bob and Oliver.
Like the color of the resin in her earrings, Oliver’s big eyes spoke to her with a cheeriness that could not be resisted. His tail swooshed along Bob’s leg and his toenails clicked up and down on the landing.
“Oliver, hey, buddy!” She crouched down and wrapped her arms around his neck. “So much for not letting your hair cling to my clothes.”
As she let go, Oliver managed to swipe his tongue on her forearm. She peered up at Bob. “He’s more than we hoped for, isn’t he?”
“I agree. He’s something else. And you …” He stared longer than he should at her.
“Oh, sorry. I took an extra minute on myself this morning.”
“And I’m scrubby for a Sunday breakfast.”
“No you’re not. No one looks as good as you wearing that tapered haircut.”
“You’re just being nice.” He handed her the leash. “You take him inside while I go back to my car and fetch his things.”
Annabel unsnapped him from the leash and Oliver bounded inside. When Bob reappeared, his arms were full. Annabel rummaged through a duffel bag, filled a bowl with water, and placed it below the kitchen window. Bob unpacked the rest of the items and stuffed the food bag in the corner.
“I’ll buy dog food this week,” she said, “then we’ll both have our own bags.”
“Soon we’ll be in a pattern and Oliver’s two homes will be second nature.”
“And I’ll keep him all week, Bob. The situation is perfect. He’ll be with me during the day. I can still sleep off my night calls and walk him in the morning, afternoon, and before I leave late in the day. You can finish your week of internal medicine without any distractions.”
Oliver lapped up some water and Annabel nodded to the door. “Come on, let’s head up the block.”
“If it’s okay with you, the weather is mild enough to sit outside and we can bring Oliver.”
“We both like that plan.”
Bob reached into the bag he brought with him. “This is a must have for an Oliver dog mess.” He stuffed a small plastic bag into his hip pocket.
Outside, Annabel slowed. “Oliver’s peeing on the tree trunk of my pet squirrel, who happens to be my source of entertainment.” She pointed upward. “She’s made a thick brambly nest and she has a fast reaction to unwanted visitors.”
“I rarely enjoy a wildlife view from my place, unless I consider kids.”
“Oliver is your obvious entertainment now, as he will be for me.” He trotted right alongside her and sniffed at cracks between the sidewalk blocks of cement.
At Pete’s, Annabel fastened Oliver’s leash handle around the wrought-iron fence and they chose a table.
“What’ll you two have this morning?” The waitress spied Oliver and put her hand through two vertical fence spires and petted him.
“Scrambled eggs, orange juice, and two pancakes,” Annabel said.
“Make that two.” Bob smiled at Annabel. The young woman had put down her notepad and was awestruck with Oliver.
A customer left Pete’s and took a double take. “Annabel, is this dog yours?”
Her downstairs neighbor grinned and joined the waitress in petting their dog. Oliver took one step back and sat. His tail brushed slowly on the sidewalk. He loved every minute of the attention.
“Meet my friend Bob,” Annabel said. “And Bob, this is Travis.”
Travis gripped Bob�
��s hand and then put it back on Oliver.
“Excuse me,” the waitress said. “I’ll be back with those orders.”
“I’m surprised she heard them,” Bob said when she left.
“How’s your college semester coming along?” Annabel asked her neighbor.
“Not bad. So will I be seeing this furry fellow once in a while?”
“Yup, and his name is Oliver.”
The lanky-limbed student shook the dog’s paw. “If ever you need a pet sitter … .”
“Thanks, Travis, I’ll remember that.”
“Nice meeting you,” he said to Bob and glanced back at Oliver after crossing the street.
When the waitress came back and served them, she peeled herself away without petting Oliver. “I must stay away,” she mumbled over her shoulder. “No changing my mind that I can’t own a dog.”
“Who knows?” Annabel said. “With Oliver getting around and causing a stir, there may be an uptick in dog adoptions.”
“Wouldn’t that be a blessing?”
Annabel nodded and salted the scrambled eggs. “This looks delicious.” She took a side glance at Oliver, who clearly wanted a taste test, and peered back at Bob. “Mornings don’t get much better than this.”
“I agree.”
“You feeling up to going back tomorrow?”
“As ready as I can be, I think. However, I sure hope my chief resident does lets me peel away to attend your lecture.”
“All you can do is ask. It will be in the OB lecture room at 8 a.m.”
“You nervous?”
“Not as much as I’m going to be in the morning. At this late stage, I’m thinking the last best preparation for tomorrow will be to get a full night’s sleep. That probably goes for you too.”
“So true. And this breakfast, I can’t figure which tastes better … the eggs or the pancakes.”
“And I’m treating.”
“No you’re not. We’re Dutch treat, remember.”
“That arrangement is not set in marble. I’m paying this morning because my heart’s in it. Consider it a gift from Oliver.”