CHAPTER 9: More Questions

Annie glanced around the table, immediately noticing Lu's empty chair.

"We'll wait a few more minutes for Lu." She announced as she glanced at her watch. Eric nodded, then turned his attention towards Marc.

"How was your day, Marc?"

"Okay, I guess." Marc replied softly, the uneasy feeling returning.

"Does your mom always work this late?" Annie asked. "It's almost 6:00."

"Most days she doesn't get home til after 7. Except for Wednesdays."

"She gets home early on Wednesdays?" Eric asked.

"No. She works all night. She does that so her patients that can't be there during the day can be treated"

"You spend the night alone?" SImon asked.

"No, I stay with my dad."

Just then they heard the front door burst open, and Lu ran into the dining room.

"Sorry I'm late. Last minute patients." Eric smiled as Lu took her place at the table.

"How was your first day at the clinic?" Eric asked after the prayer had been said.

"It went well." Lu replied.

"Marc was just telling us about your all night clinic." Eric said. "Not many doctors would do that."

"That's for sure." Annie agreed. "Why did you decide to do that?"

"Most of my patients are below the poverty level and have no insurance. Many are single mothers or women whose husbands work shift work. They can't make it to the clinic during the day because they have no one to watch their kids. So they come on Wednesdays. Sometimes at 3am."

"Will you be doing that at the clinic here?" Mary asked. Lu shrugged.

"I don't know yet. Since I am only going to be here short term, I doubt it. I did talk to Dr. Hastings about starting a chat room, though." Lu answered.

"Chat room?" Annie questioned. Lu nodded.

"At the RWHC, I have chat room every morning. It's a time when women can come in and we talk about anything and everything."

"RWHC?" Lucy asked. "What's that?"

"Rittenhouse Women's Health Center. When my old clinic closed, I moved to Rittenhouse and merged my practice with that of another women's health specialist to form the health center. Although we are partners, we each have our own practice and our own patients."

"It must be exciting to be a doctor." Lu said with a hint of enthusiasm in her voice.

"It can be," Lu answered. "But sometimes the long hours can really take it's toll."

"What made you want to become a doctor?" Annie asked.

"My mom died from breast cancer when I was 10 years old. We didn't have insurance, so she couldn't afford medical treatment. After she died, I promised my grandmother Isabel that I would become a doctor so no other woman would have to go through what my mother had."

"What about your daddy?" Ruthie asked. "Did he die too?"

"I never knew my dad because he left before I was born." Lu answered.

"I think that's enough personal questions for tonight," Eric said, sensing that Lu was becoming uncomfortable with the conversation. Lu glanced across the table at her son, who had been quiet throughout the meal.

"How was your day, Marc?" She asked him. The boy shrugged.

"Okay I guess." Something in her son's tone told her that something was bothering him. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and the young boy clearly read the message in his mother's dark eyes: I know something is bothering you, we'll talk later.