Her Doctor Daddy

by Shelly Douglas

  “What’s your destination?” the man asked with a wink. As she handed him the address, the short stocky fellow pointed one finger into the air and blew his whistle. A cab raced forward, stopped abruptly, and a young, thin man sprang from the driver’s side, picked up Lexi’s bag, and flung it into the trunk. “Where to, boss?”

  Handing him the slip of paper, he called out, “North Pompano.”

  The handsome driver opened the back door for her, returned to the driver’s seat, put the car in gear and sped off. During the entire ride, she noticed him leering at her from the rearview mirror. A chill ran through her small body as she decided to memorize his name that was posted on the back of the ripped black vinyl seat… just in case.

  About thirty minutes later, he pulled up in front of a complex of apartments. “We’re here,” he said, his accent thick with Hispanic heritage as he pulled down the worn metal lever to stop the meter. As Lexi handed him the fare in cash with a little extra for a tip, it now occurred to her that she was close to being broke.

  The driver hopped out of the car, opened his trunk, and set the broad, army green duffle bag onto the sidewalk. Wary of oncoming traffic, she awkwardly slid across the seat to exit the stale-smelling cab.

  “Gracias, senorita,” he sang out the window before speeding off.

  Taking stock of the apartment complex to gain her bearing, Lexi picked up the heavy duffle and made her way toward the back of the building. Walking past the pool, she noticed several young men turning their heads to take note of the new girl in town.

  “Hey, beautiful, what’s cookin’?” a deep voice called out.

  Ignoring the comment, Lexi continued her attempt to locate the numbered apartments. Hooding her eyes with a cupped hand, she pressed on in the thick, sweltering air until she finally found the right address. Exhausted and relieved, Lexi set her belongings down and rapped loudly on the door. But unfortunately, no one answered.

  Damn! Where was Katie?

  Sitting on top of her huge duffle bag, she wanted to cry. For the first time since making the decision to live in Florida, she’d almost regretted not going home. Her older sister had advised her about the many unsettled people who took refuge in South Florida, attempting to escape their problems up north. And if that wasn’t enough, the constant reports about some crazed serial killer in Ft. Lauderdale had been dominating the evening news. Although she’d never felt loved by her dad, at least his house was a safe place to live.

  Jarring her from those negative thoughts came the jingling sound of rattling keys. Lexi peered up through her long blond bangs and spied Katie rounding the corner. In a wave of relief, she jumped up and threw her arms in the air. “Oh, my God, I gave you the wrong flight times.”

  Katie laughed as they hugged. “Some things never change, little sister.”

  * * *

  “This complex has mostly young, single tenants. You probably ran into a few at the pool on your way in.”

  Lexi winced at the memory. “You can say that.”

  “Well, you’re going to love our neighbors, Rich and Ronnie Antonelli. They’re brothers who each have their own apartment a couple doors down on the left. Rich is a mechanical engineer, and I’ve told you about Ronnie—he’s an accountant.” Katie grinned and waggled her eyebrows as she poured two glasses of Chablis. “Even though you’re underage, here’s a little something to celebrate your arrival to Pompano.”

  “I remember you mentioning Ronnie, but didn’t realize you were still dating him. Oh, my God, you’re not going to kick me out before I get settled in, are you?”

  “Relax, even though I really like him, we’re taking things one step at a time. We’ve only been dating for a couple of months.”

  “Does he know you’ve managed to sample everyone in this complex except his brother?”

  The corners of Katie’s lips turned upward as she rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, my God, you’ve had a taste of Rich, too?” Lexi asked incredulously.

  “I know you didn’t do well in microbiology, but I’ll bet your grades in sarcasm were top of the heap. No, little sister—I never went out with his older brother.”

  “Okay, okay—no more ribbing about your dating habits. So, when will I get my tour of the famous Ft. Lauderdale bar scene?”

  “I thought we’d take it easy since it’s your first night here, but be advised that Rich is pretty excited to meet you. When I showed him your picture, his exact words were… ‘Damn, she’s hot!’”

  “Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day!”

  “If it’s okay with you, Ronnie and I both agreed that a double date for dinner at the Sea Watch tomorrow night might be fun,” Katie said, the words quickly spilling from her mouth.

  “Sure, that’s fine with me.” Stopping to look down under the coffee table, she spotted a headline in the local newspaper and grabbed the top section. “Jesus. This is terrible…”

  “I know. Don’t look at that—it’s too scary,” Katie cautioned, taking the front page from her hands.

  “So, the serial murderer in South Florida hasn’t been caught yet. I thought the police would’ve been all over this by now.” Her eyes stared anxiously at the bold Florida Sun’s headline in her sister’s grasp: Still on the Loose in Ft. Lauderdale.

  Katie took a deep breath and focused on Lexi’s facial expression. “The pressure is heavy on the men in blue across the country because of this maniac and a couple of other serial murderers known as Ted and the Zodiac Killer. But this guy is preying on young women in our area. He’s making everyone extremely nervous in this little beach town… including me.”

  “Please tell me you aren’t still going to bars by yourself,” Lexi said, anxiously crossing her arms.

  “I haven’t visited a bar alone since my first date with Ronnie. But once in a while I’ll go with a girlfriend for happy hour, and as they say—there’s safety in numbers.”

  “I don’t know who they are, but how any woman can feel safe at all with a murderer running around this town is beyond me,” Lexi mumbled as her eyes spotted a flimsy chain lock on the front door. “I just finished a book about a teacher who picked up some psycho in a bar.” There was a quick hitch in her throat as she continued in a nervous voice. “Looking for Mr. Goodbar was inspired by a true story and the murder happened in 1973…”

  “Come on, Lexi. You know I’d never read that kind of book, and you shouldn’t either—it’ll give you nightmares. Besides, between the guys that live in our apartment complex and the ones I’ll introduce you to at the hospital, you’ll have plenty of dates from which to choose. You, my gorgeous little sister, will never have to pick up a man in a bar.”

  “So, does that mean there’s still a job opening for me to check out at the hospital?”

  “I’m not sure which shift is involved, but I hear there’s an opening for an emergency room secretary, and it’s definitely worth checking out tomorrow morning.”

  “I’m all in, sister,” Lexi said, flashing the two-finger peace sign with one hand as she clinked glasses with the other.

  Chapter Two

  “You’re looking very cool in those platform shoes, but won’t you be pounding the pavement searching for a job today?” Katie asked, her eyebrows drawing together.

  “I’ll be fine. See you later,” Lexi said with a dismissive wave, closing the apartment door behind her. Since she’d only packed casual clothes, Katie had loaned her a camel polyester knit straight skirt with a white short-sleeved top to complete the outfit. Walking down the street, she brushed her hands down the front of the skirt. I love that this fabric doesn’t wrinkle.

  The bright sun was already high in the sky and Lexi was pumped to get started. She figured it would be a good idea to hit all the regular minimum wage-types of establishments first and save the opening at the Pompano Regional Hospital for her last stop of the day.

  Rounding the corner onto Royal Palm Beach Road, she took stock of where she was, and as luck would have it, the firs
t place she spotted was the First Savings Bank. Approaching the tall building, Lexi took a minute to check her reflection in the large front window. With a deep breath and a little apprehension, she pulled on the heavy glass door and strutted in.

  As she headed toward the reception area, a chuckle emanated from Lexi’s throat. Her father would have thought this scene was ironic since he’d recently accused her of having a checkbook register that resembled a fairytale. The young attractive brunette smiled as she approached. “Can I help you?”

  Lexi nervously fingered the strap on her shoulder bag. “I was wondering if there were any job openings here.”

  Reaching into her drawer, the receptionist slid a piece of paper across her desk. “You are welcome to fill this out now, or bring it back later at your convenience.”

  “Thank you.” Lexi casually looked down at the lengthy application, promptly stashed it into her multi-colored embroidered handbag and did a quick pivot before exiting.

  I should’ve known there would be questions regarding what math classes had been attended by the applicant.

  Never having the love or aptitude for numbers, she peered up and down the street. Wondering where to stop next, she shielded her eyes with a curved palm and spotted a local diner on the corner.

  I’ve never been a waitress, but what the hell. Again, she took a deep breath and started anxiously walking toward the restaurant.

  While holding the door open for an elderly couple as they exited, she spotted a fifty-something woman dressed in a pink shift with a white plastic name tag. After closing the cash register, the woman looked up at her and smiled. “Can I help you?”

  “There’s a sign in the window. Are you still looking for help?”

  “Harry, here’s another one for you,” Ruth bellowed in a raspy voice. A middle-aged man came out from the back, his name tag designating him as the manager. “Come back here with me,” he said, curving a bony finger. Lexi followed the tall, lanky man back to an empty storage room that he obviously used as an office. Waiting for her to enter the small space, he firmly closed the door behind them and grinned, showing a row of teeth that were yellow stained and crooked. Nervously, she clutched her purse and took a seat beside the desk.

  “I… I was here to inquire about the opening,” she stuttered before peering around the musty-smelling room.

  Harry pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket. “Do you have any experience as a waitress?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Not to worry, you don’t need much experience to work here,” he said, his tone deepening as he reached forward to touch her bare knee.

  Recoiling, she abruptly pushed his hand away. “I’m out of here, creep!” Lexi immediately stood, opened the door, and rushed out. Brushing past Ruth at the counter, she mumbled, “How can you work for that weirdo?”

  Ruth shrugged as she took a fistful of dollars from a customer. “He’s not so bad once you get used to him.”

  Shoving the door open in a huff, Lexi raced down the street toward a large structure that stood about a block away. As she got closer, the large Pompano Regional Hospital sign came into clear view. It was where her sister worked and, hopefully, would be her last stop that day.

  A little out of breath, she walked up the long winding road and smiled, gazing at the large emergency entrance sign in the middle of the circular driveway. Lexi approached the front of the automatic doors with a sigh of relief as they swung open to reveal a beehive of activity. Taken aback by the amount of energy in the expansive room, she quickly did a three-sixty turn to locate the information desk. Although her feet felt the pain of a misguided shoe selection, Lexi was instantly rejuvenated by the stimulating professional environment.

  A young girl with a large stack of paperwork in front of her peered upward. “May I assist you?”

  “I’m looking for the personnel department.”

  “Are you here to apply for a job?”

  A little weary and thirsty from the outside heat, she decided to swallow the first smart-aleck remark that popped into her head. “My sister is a nurse in this hospital, and she said there was an opening for a secretary.”

  “Make a right at the green elevators and walk down the hallway. The personnel office will be on your left.”

  “Thanks.” Lexi gave a friendly wave before turning toward the bank of elevators. After wearily traveling down two wrong halls, she eventually found the office. Stay focused, she thought to herself, glancing at the department name etched on the glass door.

  * * *

  A few hours later, Lexi inserted her shiny gold key into the knob and pushed it open.

  With a magazine in her hand, Katie was propped up on the couch. “Thank God you’re all right. I was starting to worry.”

  Instead of answering, Lexi opted to plop herself down on the loveseat and rubbed the lids of her tired blue eyes.

  “Should I assume things didn’t go well?”

  Letting out a loud groan, Lexi tilted her head. “My feet hurt.”

  “But you look very cool in those platforms,” Katie reminded with a smug grin.

  “I know, I know, give me a second to recover.” Kicking off her heels, Lexi began to rub her toes. “On the bright side, it seems I’m going to be working in cushy, comfortable white shoes.”

  Katie’s eyes instantly lit up. “Oh, my God. You landed a job today?”

  Sitting up with legs folded underneath her, Lexi said, “It looks like we’re going to be working in the same place.”

  Katie squealed with delight, running to give her younger sister a big hug. “The emergency department? What are your hours?”

  Lexi coughed a couple of times. “Give me a second, I desperately need something to drink.”

  Katie pointed at her sister. “Sit right there and rest those tired puppies,” she ordered, running to the sink for a glass of water before returning quickly. “Now, fill me in. I want all the details.”

  Lexi took a long drink of the cool water, smacked her lips, and inhaled a deep breath. “After a couple of discouraging drop-ins, I wandered down the street and managed to end up standing in front of the hospital where you work. It was pure luck that I came across it.”

  “Your sense of direction has always been a little off. Didn’t you use the map I gave you?”

  “After a short interview with a creepy guy who manages the diner down the street, I got a little disoriented and never pulled it out of my purse.” Crossing her eyes, Lexi placed the glass of water on a nearby table. “My next stop ended up being the hospital’s personnel office.”

  “Did you tell them I was your sister?”

  “Why would I do that? I wanted to get the job,” Lexi deadpanned before breaking out in laughter. “Of course, and everyone I told seemed thoroughly impressed,” she continued, batting her eyes. “After filling out a bunch of paperwork, I met with a man in the personnel office who asked me some general questions. I can’t remember his name, but when we were done, he directed me back to wait in the reception area.”

  “There are quite a few people who work in that department. Hmm, I wonder who the guy was?”

  She shrugged. “Can I finish my story?”

  “Sorry, please go on.”

  “Well, after he made a few calls, this official-looking guy walked me down to the emergency room.” Lexi hesitated for a second as if a light bulb had gone off in her mind. “I remember now—Jim Backus was his name. Anyway, he introduced me around to a couple of the nurses and a very handsome doctor.”

  Katie was on the edge of the couch, motioning for Lexi to talk faster. “Which one? There are five doctors that work in that department.”

  “I think his name was Dr. Morales. Do you know him?”

  Katie’s green eyes lit up. “I’ve worked with him.”

  “Jesus. Your voice just went up an octave. Please don’t tell me you dated this man.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I never mix work with pleasure.”

  “Funny,
I always thought doctors and nurses were destined to have affairs with each other.”

  Katie’s brows firmly knit together. “I think you watch too many soap operas. So, then what happened?”

  “He took me into an office down the hall and asked me a lot of questions. I was surprised to be interviewed by a doctor.”

  “Well, he is the head of the ER. What did he ask you?”

  “Mostly things about my background. Then he explained what the job entailed. It was almost as if he was trying to discourage me.”

  “I hear the last emergency room secretary was wonderful and has big shoes to fill. He was probably trying to see if you have the right personality for the job. The nurses in that department are great to work with, but the doctors can be really tough.”

  Lexi nodded. “After our conversation, I was shuffled back to the PR office and waited for Mr. Backus to return. Surprisingly, he made me an offer right then and there. Honestly, I was shocked that it happened so fast.”

  “There isn’t a department in this hospital that could run without an efficient secretary. Seriously, being hired on the spot is a huge compliment. So, what are your duties?”

  “The way Mr. Backus described it, I’ll be ordering tests from the lab, working with the admitting office, calling the pharmacy to fill drug orders, getting in touch with the doctors of incoming patients, and filling out forms for x-rays. Dr. Morales said their emergency room is the city’s largest trauma center.”

  “I hear it can get pretty hectic down there,” Katie offered.

  “Dr. Morales stressed that too, which made me a little hesitant, but when they handed me an offer, it was one I couldn’t refuse. The pay was a lot more than I’d expected.”