Chapter 3

I woke up to the sunshine going through the window. What time is it? That's always the first thing to go through my head. Then its…holy cow, I've got to pee! Gosh, it's hot in here! I flip the covers off and get up to turn the fan off next to my bed and then head for the bathroom. It's more like a full on run. I get in the show and prepare for what I'm expecting to be a very long day. As I walk to town I can't help but feel foolish.

I reach the office and there are people crowded all over the room. Maybe today I'll actually have someone come to the office and I'll be able to treat them. I quickly walk to the front desk where Mrs. H is sitting.

"I can see a patient in Exam room B," I said excitedly but Mrs. H doesn't look to happy.
"What's wrong?"

"All these patients…" She eyes the waiting room. "They are all here for Brick. He's been the doctor here for the past few months. It's a small town, sweaty…" Of course.

"That's what they say." I am confident that someone in this town, no matter how small it may be, will at least not care if they go to Brick or come to me. I turn to the room full of people.

"I know that most of you are here for Dr. Breeland, but I can see any of you right now," I said in a proud voice and a smile. If you think that you know what it feels like to be an elephant in the room, you have no idea. They all stared at me and I wasn't sure what to do. I turned around to Mrs. H and she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Dr. Hart is a very talented doctor, I'm sure all of you would feel completely comfortable with her. No one moved. I sighed and then a younger girl, probably in her mid twenties, stood up.

"I have to be somewhere in an hour, I guess I'll risk it," She said, kind of unsure of herself. She was pretty; blonde hair, clear, tan skin. I smiled at her and put my hand out. She quickly shook it and rushed into the exam room. The waiting room watched her until she was out of sight and then got back to their magazines or whatever they were reading. I turned to Mrs. H for her file which was already out on the desk. The girl was sitting on the table when I reached the room.

"I'm Dr. Hart." I smiled and waited for her to reply but she didn't, she just seemed distracted and shaky. "May I ask your name?" I said a little confused.

"Oh…yeah…Lauren…"

"Pretty name." I looked over her files to check for allergies and anything that I should be aware of.

"So what is the problem today?"

"Um…" she looked nervous and I'm pretty sure I knew why. I had to say something.

"Listen…Lauren…I know that in a small town like this I understand that you're nervous with me. But you should know that anything you tell me I would never say anything to anyone to hurt your privacy…plus it's against the law, patient confidentiality." She smiled and shook her head like she understood and I'm hoping that maybe it lightened her up.

"I've been…getting these pains…" She wrapped one arm around her torso as if she were trying to protect it and that's when I realized that she had beautiful, simple diamond ring on her left hand. Another possibility. "In my stomach. Sometimes it's just like a cramp but sometimes it's so bad that I collapse…" I raise my eyebrows and the possibilities automatically start racing through my head.

"Ok, well I don't want you to worry because anxiety and stress could make the situation worse. There is a possibility that there is a simple fix."

"Possibility? What else could there be?"

"Cancer, ulcers, things like that," I said bluntly and then realized what I just told this women. Her face went from concerned to petrified. "I'm…sorry. I have this habit of being horribly blunt with my patients. I'm going to take some tests and we'll check for all of the possibilities. But I'm confident that whatever it is you're going to be ok." She smiled and I think that a little bit of the fear melted from her face. I gave her a hopeful look and then walked out to the desk to get a few things. I took a blood test and sent it off to the lab. Lauren put her jacket back on and started to leave.

"Before you leave, Lauren, I have a few questions…" She looked at me and slowly sat back down.

"What about?"

"You're married right?"

"Yes, why?"

"I know this is…personal…but I have to consider all of the options, you understand that right?"

"Of course…but I'm not following."

"Is there a…"possibility" that you husband could be…a…abusive…" I hated to even think about it because she was so nice and such a beautiful woman. She laughed a little bit.

"I know this is what every woman says when she's asked that question, but absolutely not. My husband and I are in a very healthy relationship. I promise you that."

"I'm not doubting that you are telling the truth, but I do need to examine your torso…just to see if it's tender. Okay?"

"Sure." She rolled her shirt up a few inches and I felt around her abdomen.

"Tell me if it hurts ok?" I finished and took my gloves off.

"There is no swelling, and no pain which is a good sign. If you would just leave your information with Mrs. H, I'll give you a call when your tests come in. Sound good?"

"Great." She started to walk out of the examination room and then stopped.

"Dr. Hart…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you…I was really…unsure about you, to tell you the truth. Especially since my husband doesn't know about any of this." Oh, boy. "But you really helped me calm down." She smiled and walked to Mrs. H. I sat down and felt like I made a good impression but I'm not sure if it was enough, enough for the whole town to feel comfortable with either doctor in town. I walked back to Mrs. H in the waiting room and she had a huge smile on her face.

"What are you so happy about?" Without saying anything she opened a drawer labeled 'Dr. Hart Patients.' There was one file in it and she pulled it out.

"What's this?"

"Your first real patient." I was shocked.

"What?"

"Lauren Filipelli just made her official doctor; Zoe Hart." I started to smile and it just seemed to get bigger and bigger. We yelled and jumped up and down for a few seconds before realizing that the entire waiting room was watching. We both suddenly stopped and looked around.

"Sorry…" I whisper and walk to my office. I wrote 'First Patient' on the calendar. At the end of the day and had only helped one other patient and that was because it was a 5 year old who needed some Neosporin and a Band-Aid. I started walking home around 5:30. George pulled up beside me half-way home.

"Need a ride?" I smiled and really just wanted to say no. I liked him a lot but I new that he was engaged and I couldn't even have a chance with him.

"That's alright, I need the exercise."

"Really? That's like the worst excuse ever!" I smiled and stopped walking to look at him.

"I don't want to take your time…I walk it every morning and every night."

"That would be the 2nd worst! And if you walk it twice every day, you need a break." Ok, he's being persistence.

"Ok…fine, this one time." He smiled and my heart fluttered a little bit. I got in the truck and all of a sudden it was awkward.

"I'm sorry…I didn't say anything." George said 10 minutes later.

"About what?"

"That I'm engaged…to Lemon."

"Why would you need to apologize for that?"

"We've known each other for a couple days! And we've barley talked!" I knew exactly what he was talking about, and I'm pretty sure that I was overdoing it a little bit. It was quiet for a couple more minutes.

"You really should wear a ring, you know it? I mean most fiancés do!"

"What?" I looked at him and then out the window completely surprised at what I had said.

"Sorry." I said just in time for him to pull into my driveway. "Thanks…" I said as I got out and ignored his pleas to hang on just for a second. Am I being too dramatic? I thought he was flirting…Stupid Southern men…

So I hope that you guys like this, and I'm sorry that I haven't updated in so long. I've been gone for the past 2 weeks; hunting, and then I had to housesit with my cousin over the weekend. So please review! and thank you a ton for reading!