New fic! I haven't abandoned The Gift of Stars, but man, this plot has been rolling around in my head for the past few months or so. Hope this one doesn't disappoint!


"Miss Ella, do you have any news on Mr. Abernathy's, erm, situation?"

"Oh, dear heavens, Paula! That Marcus… hmph! What shall we do with him?"

"Oh, have there been any unexpected turns of events?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Well, unfortunately for him, at least. Quite splendid for us."

"Pray tell!"

"Well, it seems that Mr. Abernathy has since begun to court Ms. Stephens—"

"Ms. Stephens? The preside—"

"Yes, the president of the gardening club, dear. I don't quite see what Lavender sees in him, honestly. What with the club foot and all…"

"Oh my. I wonder what Mr. Stephens thinks of this?"

"Gregory? He hasn't a clue! Just the other evening, he and Lavender were having supper at that one little bistro over on Elm—"

"The Continental?"

"Yes, that's the one! Well, in the middle of their appetizer, guess who would happen to walk in?"

"No!"

"Yes, darling. Mr. Abernathy himself."

"Such a coincidence! What transpired, pray tell?"

"Not much, disappointingly, but apparently Lavender had excused herself for a… breath of fresh air, if you catch my drift."

"Oh, that Lavender. Not quite the same after the loss of their vacation home. A pity."

"Truly a pity."

"Oh! Miss Ella, that reminds me. Have you heard the newest development regarding Mrs. Wilson and the bakery competition?"

"Mrs. Wilson with the blue ribbon-winning pie?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"No, dear! Please, indulge my curiosity."

"Well, it so happens that Mrs. Wilson's strawberry rhubarb pie was actually store-bought!"

"Store-bought? I can't believe that Gladys would stoop to such a level!"

"I agree! What is this world coming to? She could have at least made a better attempt at hiding the box it came in—"

"Oh, heavens."

"Miss Cobb?"

A bright, accented voice suddenly spoke up, breaking the ongoing gossip. Miss Ella Cobb, a regal woman of eighty-seven years, glanced up from her perch beside her friend, a warm smile gracing her elegant features. "Ah, Emma! Is the doctor ready to see me now?" She turned toward her confidant, one Paula Evans, and placed her hand gently on the other woman's arm. "I apologize, dear, but it seems that I am being called away! We must have coffee tomorrow and finish our discussion. Are you free?"

"I'll have to check my appointment book, but I'm sure that I can squeeze in brunch."

"Splendid!" Ella exclaimed, gingerly rising from her seat. "Now, Emma," she started, hobbling toward the newcomer, "I'm quite interested in this new fellow you have here. You know that William has been my primary physician for years, so you'll understand if I'm a bit hesitant at accepting care from a complete stranger."

"Oh, Miss Cobb, Dr. Reigns is a wonderful physician. Made top marks at university! And please, if I didn't trust him, then I would have left the office with Dr. Regal. I know that William has made a perfect choice with Roman as his replacement."

Ella nodded, her blue bouffant bobbing against her pudgy chin. "Well, dear, if William believes him to be suitable, then I shall have no qualms about it."

"Good," the nurse grinned, crooking her elbow for the shorter lady to clutch. "We have you in exam room number two. Your usual, of course."

"Bless your heart," Miss Cobb chirped as Emma steered her out of the waiting room and down the narrow hallway, a small wave thrown over her shoulder toward Mrs. Evans as they made their retreat. The duo took their time as Ella shuffled alongside the younger woman, her eighty-seven years catching up to her with each carefully placed step. "Emma, pray tell. What is your accent? It's quite… exotic!"

"Australian, Miss Cobb," she replied with knowing smile, "just like last time."

They finally entered the room, and Emma helped the squat woman up and onto the exam table before grabbing her chart from the door. "What seems to be ailing you today, Miss Cobb?" she asked, gingerly placing the blood pressure cuff around her patient's chubby upper-arm.

"Miss Emma," Ella began with a sigh, worry wrinkling at her brow, "I seem to have caught a dangerous and quite deadly disease. I don't believe I have much longer left on God's green earth." The corners of her small mouth turned down in a troubled frown.

Emma quirked a brow in puzzlement, placing her fingers upon the woman's wrist to check her pulse while she pumped up the cuff. "And which is that? Your heartrate seems to be fine."

"Oh, dear. It's quite embarrassing, really. A rather… filthy disease. I don't wish to startle you, love."

"Miss Cobb, I've seen pressure ulcers as large as dinner plates. I'm sure whatever you've caught is not going to phase me."

The elderly woman clicked her tongue with a scowl. "Now, dear, that isn't how you should treat a dying woman! Dr. Regal would be ashamed; I just know it."

"My apologies," the nurse replied as she removed the cuff and charted her patient's vitals: a perfect one-twenty over eighty with a resting heartrate of 70, per usual. "Please go on, though. If you aren't feeling well, then Dr. Reigns and I will do whatever we must to ensure your health."

"Leprosy."

Emma paused, pen set mid-scribble. "Come again?"

Ella heaved a heavy sigh, twiddling with the hem of her tweed skirt. "Leprosy, dear. Oh, I can't believe it! I'm a clean woman, I tell you. I bathe twice a day! Oh, just put me in a colony. Better yet, just take my life!"

"Miss Cobb!" Emma exclaimed, placing her clipboard on the counter and rushing toward her frazzled patient. "I'm sure it isn't leprosy. There hasn't been a documented case in Maine in years—"

"And I'm the first!" the elderly woman cried out, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "I've lived a good life, but if God must take me, then I am ready. Pastor Michaels and I have spoken about this before, and I know that I must obey the almighty father's wishes."

The nurse was dumbfounded by her patient's admission, mouth agape like a fish as she tried to find the words to reply. "Miss Cobb," she started slowly, reaching out to grasp the woman's age-spotted hand, "I'm glad that you have found yourself ready and willing to serve, but I don't believe that God is calling for you yet. Now, where did you notice any bumps or lesions?"

Ella pulled the hem of her skirt up and over her thigh, pointing toward the prickled flesh. "Right here, dear. I noticed these bumps after my bath the other night. They're quite itchy, and my skin feels rather rough. I've read of the disease and have heard tales from across the sea, so I just know that this is what's going to take my life!"

Emma reached over and grabbed a pair of nitrile gloves from the counter and snapped them on before leaning down to examine the reddened expanse of skin. She gently ran her hand over the bumpy flesh, a good idea of what her patient was ailing from forming in the back of her mind. "Well, Miss Cobb," she started after a few moments, rising and discarding the used gloves into the trashcan, "I believe Dr. Reigns should have a gander at this."

"Oh, I knew it! I'm dying!"

"Now, now. Don't fret. I'll go ahead and grab Dr. Reigns. I have a wonderful feeling that he has the cure to your… leprosy."

The elderly woman nodded and pulled her skirt back down to her knee, preserving a bit of modesty. "Yes, please do, child. I feel a bit faint, all of a sudden."

Emma helped her patient to recline, propping a plastic-covered pillow up under her blue-tinted head. "I'll be right back, Miss Cobb. Just rest for now." The nurse padded out of the room and gently closed the door behind her with a soft click. "Dr. Reigns," she called, heading toward the back office. "I have quite a doozy for you."

A large, raven-haired man glanced up from his perch behind the lone desk as the nurse ambled in. "Huh? What's the matter, Emma?"

"Well," she started, twirling a strand of honeyed-blonde around her finger, "it seems that Miss Cobb has contracted leprosy."

The doctor's eyes grew wide, confusion practically sending his brows to meet his hairline. "L-leprosy? I- there hasn't been a documented case in Maine in years."

"That's what I told her, but apparently Miss Cobb is quite ready to take her diagnosis with good faith."

"You can't be serious," Roman replied, scratching at the scruff of his chin.

The nurse rolled her eyes, a small smile playing at her dark-lacquered lips. "Oh, I'm quite serious. See, Miss Cobb has a bit of a track-record here."

"What do you mean?"

Emma leaned against the desk, her icy orbs positively sparkling with mischief. "Well, Miss Ella Cobb is, how would you put it, a hypochondriac."

"Ah," the doctor sighed, closing the file he was working on and setting it aside. "One of those."

"Yeah," the nurse nodded. "See, since well before I began working under Dr. Regal, Miss Cobb has visited once every two weeks like clockwork, complaining of some debilitating, deadly disease. It started off small, though. First, she would complain of ankle swelling and claim that she had Lupus, then it morphed into scabies which was actually irritation caused by a new laundry detergent, and then it finally spiraled into the plague."

"The Black?"

"The 'blue'."

Roman pursed his lips. "And how did Dr. Regal, erm, treat Miss Cobb's symptoms?"

"Well, he'd usually just find something around the office or prescribe her a placebo. It held her off for a while, but, as I said, she was in here two weeks later complaining of another strange illness."

"How long have you worked in this office, again?"

"Ten years this December."

Reigns reeled back. "And Dr. Regal charged her for each visit? Even though he knew that she wasn't actually ill?"

The nurse shrugged and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I didn't feel right charging her for the visits, honestly, so I told Alicia to sort of… keep it under the table."

The doctor nodded in understanding and rose from his seat, rounding the desk and heading toward exam room two with Emma in tow. "So, what is Miss Cobb's actual malady?" he questioned, stopping outside of the marked door.

"Dry skin. Probably due to the chilly weather since the seasons are changing."

He nodded slowly and opened the door, ushering his coworker in before entering himself. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for his first (and quite possibly most… interesting) patient. "Hello, Miss Cobb. I'm Roman Reigns, and I have taken over Dr. Regal's practice," he greeted, hand outstretched as he approached his patient.

Ella cracked her eyes open, chancing a peek at her new physician, before practically shooting up and off of the exam table in excitement. "Oh! It's quite the pleasure to meet you, Dr. Reigns," she giggled, inner-schoolgirl bubbling with glee. She grasped the doctor's large hand in her own, heart fluttering delight. She took in the physician's appearance—the broad, tanned expanse of his form, the immaculately trimmed scruff at his jaw, the jet-black hair tied back in a sleek bun. "Emma," she started cheerfully, her looming "death" apparently forgotten in her enthusiasm, "you failed to mention that Dr. Reigns is quite… handsome."

Emma shook her head with a quiet chuckle, throwing a knowing glance at her boss. "My apologies, Miss Cobb. I probably should have warned you, having been accustomed to Dr. Regal for all these years."

The elderly woman shook her head, her bouffant lively bouncing to-and-fro. "No worries, child. Now, Dr. Reigns, how old did you say you were again?"

"Twenty-nine," the doctor grinned, trying to pry his hand from the woman's impressive grip. "C-could you please let go of my hand? I'd like to examine your… leprosy."

"Please do!" she blurted, extracting her hand and speedily pulling her skirt up and over her thigh. "And please, be thorough."

Roman gulped and peered over at his coworker; Emma just grinned. He quickly sheathed his hands in a pair of gloves before setting to examine his patient's flesh himself. "Hm, this is quite a case you have here, Miss Cobb," he murmured after a moment, palms gently running over the expanse of skin. "I haven't seen an outbreak this bad since I was in med school."

"Oh, dear!" Ella gasped, covering her eyes in dismay. "Please, Dr. Reigns, how much longer do I have on this darling planet?"

The doctor pulled the hem of her skirt back down and patted her thigh. "Well, Miss Cobb, it looks as if you'll be gracing us with your presence for quite some time still."

"Oh?" she questioned, uncovering her eyes and gazing up into the doctor's own steely grays. "How, pray tell?"

"Well," he chuckled, turning to rummage in one of the cabinets above the counter before returning to his concerned patient. A long tube was clutched in his hand. "I do believe I have the cure to your… ailment."

Across the exam room, Emma rolled her eyes.

"This is a special topical ointment that Dr. Regal crafted himself," he explained, passing the tube over. "You must apply this ointment twice a day or else it won't have much of an effect."

Ella inquisitively peered down at the proffered medication. "A-and you're sure this will cure my leprosy?"

"I guarantee it, Miss Cobb," he nodded. "It may a few days to notice any changes, but I promise that your skin will clear right up as long as you follow my directions."

"Oh, thank you, Dr. Reigns!" Miss Cobb cheered, nearly leaping off of the table and into the large man's arms.

Roman caught the spirited woman and pulled her into a quick, friendly embrace. "You're welcome, Miss Cobb. That's what we're here for," he replied, gesturing toward the nurse where she hovered by the door. "Isn't that right, Emma?"

"Oh, yes," the Aussie grinned, crooking her arm in offering of an escort. "Come, Miss Cobb. Let's get you going, okay?"

The trio filtered out of the examination room, Miss Cobb excitedly babbling away about her new lease on life as Roman retreated toward his office.

"So, will we be seeing you again, Miss Cobb?" Alicia, the receptionist, spoke up from her desk as Emma and the elderly woman hobbled into the waiting room.

"You never know, dear," Ella replied with a shrug. "At eighty-seven, one doesn't quite know what will happen! Ah, bodies. How strange they are."

"Strange, indeed," Alicia agreed, muffling her laugh with the sleeve of her sweater.

Emma saw the eccentric woman out and trekked back to Reigns' office, playfully blowing a raspberry at the receptionist as she passed by. "Dr. Reigns?" she called, stepping into her boss' office. "Alicia and I are going out for drinks after work this evening, and we were hoping that you'd join us."

The doctor glanced up from the previously abandoned file he had been working on, tapping his pen against the desk in contemplation. "Actually, I'll have to take a rain-check, Emma," he said, expression a silent apology. "I still have a ton of unpacking to do."

"Ah, I understand!" the nurse smiled. "Incredibly generous of William to sell you his house, though."

"Yeah," Roman agreed, "Pretty nice of him to leave all of his furniture, too. Wasn't expecting that one at all."

Emma shrugged. "Dr. Regal's always been a generous man. He'd give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it, honestly. Quite caring. Couldn't see him hurting a fly."

"I could see that when I first met him. Nice man. Seems too young to be retiring, though."

"Well, he'd practiced for decades before deciding to hang up his stethoscope, so to speak. He was able to save up quite a pretty penny, and what with his son having left home for med school, I guess he decided that it was a good time to return focus on his wife. What a dear, Mrs. Regal is. Absolutely lovely woman."

"I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her yet."

"Ah, well, since they're still living in town, I'm sure you're bound to cross paths sooner or later."

Roman nodded. "I'm sorry I can't make it out for drinks, but I promise to treat you girls to an evening out as soon as I get everything settled at home."

"I'm holding you to that!" Emma smirked, turning to plod out of the office and retrieve their next patient. She paused in the doorway, testing out the following words on her tongue. "Dr. Reigns… Roman," she started softly.

The man hmm'd in acknowledgement.

"I-if there's something troubling you, please don't hesitate to come to Alicia or me for help."

Ro quirked a brow. "Emma?"

The girl turned back and gradually approached her boss. "It's just, toward the end of Dr. Regal's tenure, he seemed to be in an odd mood. Very tense. He'd snap at Alicia and me over something as simple as being low on tongue depressors. It was pretty disconcerting because we couldn't really gauge his state of mind at any time. The patients started taking notice as well, but we all pretty much just chalked it up to issues outside of work. He'd always apologize for his terse words, but he was rather aloof. Just, not quite in the zone, so to speak. Seemed like he always had something else on his mind. I really want the three of us to get along. Anyway, Alicia and I already adore you, and I'd rather you come to us if there are any problems. We may not know each other very well quite yet, but we're here if you ever need anything."

The doctor mulled over her explanation. When he had first met Dr. Regal, the man had seemed quite distant, albeit incredibly genial. Perhaps there was more to William than he had initially let on. Roman shook the wild hair of a thought from his mind and flashed an appreciative grin at the nurse. "Thank you, Emma. I hope that you and Alicia can feel the same. If there's ever anything, please don't hesitate to come to me. I-I'd really love for the three us of to have a strong relationship. 'Sides, it isn't too fun working with someone you actually despise. Been there, done that, and I really don't feel like going there again."

"Deal," she winked, reaching out to pat the man's arm. "Ah, I'd better go grab Mrs. Evans for her appointment. She isn't quite as bad as Ella, but she's still a handful."

Roman sighed, glancing down at his watch and internally shuddering at the time.

9:51 AM.

It was going to be a long day.


Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think so far. Any comments are greatly appreciated!

xoxoCele