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Tris

The day becomes a flurry of insane activity from then on. Tobias sees fifteen patients in two hours. Most of them pose for photos with him, and three share their stories with me. Tobias diagnoses one child with a severe case of strep throat, another with scarlet fever and a third with conjunctivitis.

The stressed-out mother of the three children told me how much it meant to her to be able to see such a highly qualified doctor for free and to receive much-needed medication. Another patient, a diabetic seventy-five-year-old man, received a referral to a wound clinic for an ulcer on his foot that refuses to heal.

Christina and two of the other women who work as admins translate for patients who don't speak English.

At one o'clock, my parents arrive with trays of sandwiches and bottles of cold water for the staff and the patients who're still lined up in the midday heat.

Dad comes over to kiss my forehead.

I lean into him. "You're the best, Dad."

"Anything for you, honey. The whole neighborhood is buzzing about your doctor and what he's doing here."

"It's been a crazy morning. The people just keep coming."

"They're so thankful for the opportunity. Mrs. Lopez has had the worst time with gout, and the first appointment she could get with her doctor is in three months. Do you know how painful gout is?"

"I've heard."

"She came into the restaurant earlier singing his praises—and yours. We need more doctors like your Tobias willing to give their time to help those with less access. It's a very good thing he's doing here."

I don't bother to correct him. He's not my Tobias. But I agree it's a very good thing he's doing. Everyone who leaves the exam room comes out smiling, many of them clutching prescription slips.

After my parents leave to go back to the restaurant, I down a few bites of sandwich between taking photos, interviewing patients and posting stories to Instagram. The reaction to the stories is all positive, but I take the time to make sure there aren't any trolls weighing in on the posts.

So far, so good.

At two, my phone rings with a call from Lynn. "We're on for a feature story on tonight's eleven o'clock news. I'm on my way with a crew."

"Thank you so much, Lynn. I appreciate this."

"It's a great story. I'm happy to get the chance to tell it. See you soon."

I wave Christina over. "Lynn is coming with a film crew. How do we manage the line and consent?"

"Let's go outside, tell them what's happening and get the forms signed before Lynn arrives."

We spend thirty minutes in the broiling sun, explaining the form in English and Spanish and asking for permission for the prospective patients to be filmed by the TV crew. Most of them are excited by the idea of being on TV. A few volunteer to be interviewed, and I make note of who they are.

I'm giddy with excitement about what a great opportunity it is for Tobias to have this interview. I can only hope it doesn't blow up in our faces. If they focus more on the scandal in New York than they do on what he's doing here in Chicago. . . That can't happen. With all the people at the clinic prepared to attest to how thankful they are for the time he's giving them, that should be the point of the story.

I'm wilting in the heat when the NBC 6 truck arrives. I recognize Lynn from TV and from meeting her at a party I went to with Christmas several years ago. She seems to remember me, too. In full makeup, with every one of her shiny dark hairs in place, Lynn extends a manicured hand to me. "It's so nice to see you again, Tris."

"You as well. Thank you so much for coming."

"So you're working for Chicago General now?"

"Yes, in the public relations department. My first assignment is helping Dr Eaton acclimate to the community."

"I checked with a few sources and found out the board is reluctant to have him on the staff."

I hesitate, trying to find the words I need to handle this delicate situation. "Listen, Lynn. I understand you have a job to do, and the scandal in New York is salacious and titillating and all of that, but the truth of the matter is, he got a really raw deal from a woman he thought cared about him."

"I read up on it, and I have a question. If he didn't know she was married with children, why hasn't he said so since the whole thing went public?"

"Because she has kids, and he refuses to sling mud at their mother. Apparently, that happened to him when he was a kid, and he's determined not to repeat the cycle."

"Wow, well, that's a whole new angle on what I read online."

"I'm not going to tell you how to do your job. I can only ask you to look at the full picture and not get distracted by the tawdry bits."

"I appreciate the insight. Is he available for an interview?"

"I'll tell him you're here. We can catch him between patients."

"Sounds good. Is there an empty room we can use?"

"I'll ask Christina to set you up." I go inside, where even the tepid air-conditioning is a welcome relief. I find Christina working on a computer behind the reception desk and pass along Lynn's request.

"She can use our break room. It's the biggest room in the place." She gets up to greet her friend and see to getting the camera crew set up, while I wait for Tobias to finish up with his current patient. I can hear the low tenor of his voice but not what he's saying, which is just as well. It's none of my business. We're walking a fine line in getting the publicity we need while protecting patient privacy.

The door swings open five minutes later, and an older woman emerges, clutching a piece of paper. She's smiling widely, her brown eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Bless you," she whispers to me. "Bless you all for this." She squeezes my arm as she walks by me.

I duck inside the exam room to talk to Tobias and catch him making notes on a chart. He's so handsome all the time, but seeing him in doctor mode takes his attractiveness to the next level for me. "Sorry to bother you."

He gifts me with a sexy, private smile that makes my insides go batshit crazy. "You're not bothering me. I've been missing my constant companion from the last few days."

"Me too. You're making people so happy."

"It's been very enjoyable. They're so sweet and thankful. I hate that they haven't had access to a doctor in weeks. So many of them are afraid to go to the ER because they know they can't afford it, and some are immigrants fearful of deportation. Our whole system is so jacked."

"It really is."

"Most of the time, I see people when they're in crisis and in need of emergency surgery. I don't get to spend a lot of time getting to know them. I really like this. I already told Christina I'll come back tomorrow."

He's so sweet and earnest that I feel myself slipping off the edge of the slippery slope I've been clinging to, trying to hang on to some semblance of sanity as I fall deeper into something significant with him. "They'll be thrilled to have you back." I try to remember why I came in here, but then he crooks his finger.

"Come see me."

I glance over my shoulder at the door, which isn't closed all the way. My heart beats fast as a jolt of excitement zips through me when I realize he wants to kiss me.

Though it's possible we could get caught by any number of people, I don't care. I cross the small room to where he sits. "You beckoned, Dr Eaton?"

He stands, puts his arm around my waist and studies my face for a long, breathless moment before he gives me the softest, sweetest kiss. "I can't wait for tonight so we can be alone."

"Mmm, me too." And then I remember Lynn and the film crew and the reason we're here. "The NBC 6 team is here, and they'd like a few minutes."

His expression immediately hardens.

"I filled her in on your side of the scandal and asked her not to focus on that."

"What'd she say?"

"She wanted to know why you haven't told your side publicly. I explained about the children."

When we talk about this, his entire demeanor changes. I caress his face and compel him to look at me. "What you're doing here today is huge for the people you're seeing. That'll come through in the interviews she's doing with the patients. I have a good feeling about this."

Tension occupies every inch of him. "I'm glad you do."

I go to close the door and lock it before returning to him and placing my hands on his shoulders. "Breathe." I knead the tight muscles in his neck and shoulders. "Just breathe."

"So much at stake," he says softly.

My heart aches for him. "I know, and I have a feeling it's all going to work out."

"I wish I felt as certain as you do."

"Stick with me. I'll feel certain for both of us." I continue to massage the knots in his muscles until he begins to relax somewhat. "You've got this, Tobias. Just be yourself. That's all you need to do to convince the board that you belong here."

A warm smile lights up his gorgeous eyes. "You're making yourself completely essential to me."

"Is that right?"

Zeroing in on my lips, he nods.

If I start kissing him, I might never stop. With people waiting for him, we can't take the time right now. But later . . . I can't wait until later. "Let's do the interview so you can get back to the patients. It's hot out there."

"Lead the way."

I show him into the break room where Lynn's crew has set up lights and a camera.

"Lynn Rivera, meet Dr Tobias Eaton."

Lynn shakes his hand. "Great to meet you."

"Likewise. Thank you for this."

"No problem. Let's get you miked."

One of the technicians attaches a microphone to Tobias' white coat and hands him the attached unit. "Clip that to your belt."

When he's ready, Lynn gestures for him to take the seat across from hers. "Let's roll."

The cameraman gives her a signal.

"This is NBC 6's Lynn Rivera with Dr Tobias Eaton, a pediatric neurosurgeon who recently relocated to Chicago from New York. Today he's volunteering his services at the Charity free clinic in Little Amity. We caught up with him on a break. Welcome to Chicago, Dr. Eaton."

"Thank you so much."

"Could you tell us a little about the circumstances that brought you here?"

The only sign of his feelings about that question is in the pulsing tension in his jaw. "I left my previous hospital in New York after a relationship with a woman I thought I loved ended in rather dramatic fashion. All I'll say about that is I would never, ever knowingly get involved with someone who's married. I hadn't been involved with anyone in years before this relationship."

"As I understand it, Chicago General board has asked for some time to consider whether to extend privileges to you."

"That's correct."

"In the meantime, you've been getting to know the local area and volunteering your time here in Little Amity."

"Yes. I've really enjoyed seeing patients here today, and I'll be back again tomorrow for those who don't get in today. I'll keep coming until everyone who needs to be seen is taken care of."

I'm so proud watching and listening to him. He owns what happened in New York and is showing his dedication by volunteering his time for as long as it takes to see all the patients who've come to the clinic. I like him even more than I did this morning, and I wouldn't have thought that possible.

"I should get back to it. People are lined up outside, and it's boiling out there."

"Thanks for taking the time, Dr Eaton. We wish you well in Chicago

."

"Thank you." He gets up, removes the mike and hands it to the cameraman. "Appreciate the opportunity," he says as he shakes Lynn's hand.

"Good luck with the board."

"Thanks."

"This'll run tonight at eleven and possibly again tomorrow."

"Sounds good." He squeezes my arm as he leaves the room to get back to work.

"Yum," Lynn says to me in a low, suggestive tone. "What a nice guy."

I bite back a stinging—and extremely unprofessional—retort. "Yes, he is. Thank you again for doing this."

"Definitely a pleasure. I hope the yummy doctor will be sticking around in Chicago." She hands me her card. "Pass that along to him, if you would."

I take the card because there's no way not to without being rude. "Um, sure."

Lynn and her crew depart a few minutes later.

"How'd it go?" Christina asks as she pours water from a gallon jug into paper cups.

"Good, I think."

"I want to get some water to the people waiting outside. Some of them are wilting in the heat."

"Let me help."

We tuck more release forms under our arms and take trays of water cups outside into the damp, sweltering heat. At the end of the line, I encounter a young woman holding a boy of about four or five. He's draped over her and sound asleep. Sweat rolls down the woman's face as she struggles to maintain her hold on the child.

"Chris." I draw her attention to the woman.

Christina talks to her in Spanish and then leads her inside where window units help to cool the waiting room. The woman weeps with relief as she takes a seat and resettles her son. I overhear her telling Christina that he's had a severe headache for days and suddenly stopped talking. When he woke up this morning, he couldn't walk. She was afraid to call for help because she doesn't have insurance.

Christina hands her the necessary paperwork on a clipboard.

The woman shifts her child in her arms so she can complete the forms.

I sense Christina's alarm as she strides purposefully to the room where Tobias is working, knocks on the door and asks him to see the boy next. I hear her use the word urgent.

Tobias finishes with his patient and comes out to the waiting room, where I get to see him in action as he quickly evaluates the boy. Turning to Christina, he says, "Call for an ambulance."

While Christina hurries off, the young mother breaks down. "What's wrong with him?" she asks in halting English.

"I can't be sure until we get a full workup, and I don't want to speculate, but we need to get him to a hospital right away."

"I can't afford that!"

Tobias puts his hand on the young woman's shoulder and looks her in the eyes. "I'll help you figure something out. The most important thing right now is getting your son somewhere that has the equipment to fully evaluate him. I can't do that here."

The child's mother, Sofia, weeps helplessly but nods in agreement.

I can tell that Tobias is relieved that she's going to allow him to transport the child.

Paramedics arrive a few minutes later, and Tobias directs them to take the boy to Chicago general. Before he follows them to the ambulance, he hands me the keys to Berta. Smiling, he says, "Don't get arrested."

"I'll try not to."

"I'll call you as soon as I can. Tell everyone I'll be back tomorrow." He runs outside and jumps into the back of the ambulance.

I have so many questions. He's instructed the paramedics to take the child to Chicago General, and he's going with him even though he doesn't have privileges there. What's his plan?

Christina tells the patients waiting for Tobias that he had an emergency and they should come back tomorrow. She hands out numbers on yellow sticky notes to preserve their places in line. Despite having waited, in some cases, for hours in the heat, they're mostly good-natured about not getting to see him today.

"I handed out sixty-three numbers," she says when she comes back inside, wiping sweat from her face. "He's a godsend."

"He's enjoying it. He said he doesn't get to do a lot of basic patient care. When people come to him, they're usually having some sort of crisis, so he doesn't get much time with them."

"I really like him, and from what I can tell, you do, too."

"I do. A lot."

She offers a big silly grin. "Yeah?"

I nod.

"This is big news, Tris."

"I know. I'm trying not to totally lose my mind, because who knows where he'll be in a month?"

"But the fact that you're even into him is huge."

"Yeah."

She takes me by the hand and tows me into the break room, which seems much bigger with the lights and cameras gone. After closing the door, she turns to me. "You have no idea how much we've all wanted this, for you to meet someone who makes you glow the way you do around him."

"I do not glow."

"Yes, you do, and it's awesome."

"I'm trying not to overthink it."

"Definitely don't do that. Enjoy it. You deserve it. Imagine how hot it'll be with him. I bet he knows what he's doing in bed."

"Chris! Stop." The thought of being in bed with Tobias makes the blood scorch my veins.

"Your face is bright red just thinking about it. Have you kissed him yet?"

"Maybe."

"I love this so much."

"Don't make it into a big thing, please?" I place my hand on my stomach, which suddenly feels unsettled. "I just don't know . . ."

She hugs me. "I understand why this is so difficult for you. I get that better than anyone. But I also know it's time for you to try again. It's been five years, T."

"Believe me, I know."

"You gotta let someone in there before it grows back."

I sputter with laughter. "Shut up."

"I'm serious! It can grow back."

"It cannot. A medical professional shouldn't lie about such things."

"It's a commonly known fact that the hymen regenerates just like the liver does."

I shake my head and roll my eyes as I try not to howl with laughter that would only encourage her outrageousness. "Lies."

"You also need to be concerned about dust and cobwebs. Nothing sexy about that."

"I'm leaving now."

"Hey."

I turn back to her.

"All kidding aside, I'm happy for you. Regardless of what might or might not happen with your sexy doctor, it's great to know that you can still feel that way for someone, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. It's been fun."

"It's okay to let it happen with him. Al wouldn't want you to be alone forever. He loved you, and all he ever wanted was for you to be happy."

The reminder of my sweet husband's devotion brings tears to my eyes. "I know."

"I'm here if you need to talk about it."

"I know that, too."

"Especially if you want to share the dirty details."

"I'm out. See you tomorrow."

"I bet the details will be extra dirty with him," she calls after me.