Chapter 7: Happy Clinic
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Candy, Judy and Natalie were in Happy Clinic attending their patients when they heard a loud thud followed by the sound of broken glass coming from the backyard. They rushed outside to check and found the big window in the hallway had fallen off.
"Yikes, finally that one fell too," sighed Natalie.
"I thought it was going to happen last week," muttered Judy.
"What to do now? At night it might be windy," said Candy.
One visitor volunteered to block the hole with some wood and nails just like what they did to other falling windows in that building.
"We handle this Candy. You do the patients," said Judy.
"Okay!" Candy went inside leaving Judy and Natalie with other visitors who volunteered to take care of the mess.
They all felt sad for the collapsing building. Clearly Happy Clinic was badly in need of some repair or it wouldn't last much longer. Looking at the face of the little children who're sitting there, Candy shook her head worriedly. What happened to them if there's no Happy Clinic?
Candy sat back on her desk and continued writing prescriptions to Dr. Martin's patients whom he left hurriedly just now. Helplessly, she sighed, kept thinking about the dire situations. Dr. Martin was just not the type of person who wanted to ask for financial assistance... No, he wouldn't do that. Moments later, Candy heard some noise.
"Sir, you can't enter!" Judy was yelling. "It's not your turn yet, please wait." Some hustle and bustle followed before her room was burst with the scent of magnificent cologne.
Out of the corner of her eyes Candy saw a man, the most elegantly dressed man that had ever walked into Happy Clinic or perhaps this earth. Candy was not foreign to elegant suits. Albert had plenty so did her ex-boyfriend actor, Terry. But, no one wore it with the sense of sophistication as this man. Even though her heart belonged to someone, she wouldn't be human not to admire his tall and powerfully built figure.
"Nurse Andrew?" The man stepped inside, the expensive fabric of his pants swishing with his every move screaming elegance and class.
Candy looked up to see the face. Neatly swept brown wavy hair, familiar tanned face... Neal Leagan! Immediate Candy wished she were somewhere else.
Neal halted his step, the surprise was mutual.
"Sorry Candy this gentleman insisted on getting in. I can't stop him." Judy entered shortly followed by an attractive young girl with loose auburn hair. The auburn hair girl stopped and stood behind Neal.
"I take care of him, Judy," said Candy. "Oh, would you give these prescriptions to Dr. Martins' patients, please? Thanks."
Judy fetched the paper from Candy's hand and left.
"Candy Andrew," Neal said in a bitter dark voice. The last time they met, she and William made him flee tearfully in a packed dining room full of friends and family
"Neal Leagan," Candy bit back.
"You were sitting and resting while we all are waiting outside. Do you know that I have spent seven minutes of my valuable time waiting for my turn?"
"I am writing prescriptions for Dr. Martin's patients not resting!"
"His nurse should do that. Your service is too slow here."
"He has no private nurse."
"What about a VIP service. Do you have one here?" Neal asked arrogantly.
"No, we don't," Candy answered coldly. "I'm serving number seven now. If you're not number seven, please wait outside for your turn."
"I'm number nine but I want to be served now." Neal gestured to the auburn girl behind him. "My assistant here can arrange to pay additional amount - you name it how much."
"Everyone here is equal regardless how much they pay!" Candy went to the door. "Number seven!" she called.
"I have waited much longer than I have ever been in my entire life!" complained Neal.
"I feel sorry for you." Candy said sarcastically.
"Seven minutes! I can't wait anymore."
Jerk! Candy steeled herself. Some people are just born with an amazing sense of annoyance.
"There's a chair outside. You sit and wait for your turn, Mr. Leagan!" said Candy through her greeted teeth.
"If someone wiped it first with disinfectant and made sure it won't fall apart while I sit, I'd consider it."
Candy rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to sit, don't sit! Stand!"
"I probably choose to stand but I can't breathe here. Is there a window that is not broken and can be opened?" Neal complained. Neal's assistant pointed to one window behind Candy to Neal.
"Finally…" Neal examined the window closely. "How many times is this window cleaned a week?"
Candy ignored him.
Neal wrapped his handkerchief around his hand and pulled the window handle to open it wider. The hinges squeaked ominously like they'd almost fall off.
"Unbelievable! You call this place a clinic?" mocked Neal.
Candy felt she almost exploded. Then she saw Neal's assistant smiled kindly at her. Her anger subsided.
"Number seven, please enter," called Candy to the patients at the door who looked hesitated to enter. She ignored Neal and attended her number seven then number eight patients. After dozens of exaggerated sighs of impatience from Neal, Candy finished.
"Your turn, Neal," said Candy.
"It's about time." Neal snorted.
"What's the problem?" Candy asked.
Neal threw his face, didn't answer. His assistant moved forward and spoke for him. "Nurse Andrew, I'm Neal's assistant, Dayna." Dayna threw an affectionate look at Neal. Candy blinked, not quite believing what she's seeing.
"Neal had his finger cut today by a sharp branch during our company outing. We are worried that there's some splinter inside," added Dayna.
"Show me your hand," Candy said to Neal.
Neal stayed unmoved, ignoring Candy.
"Neal, the nurse wants to examine your finger," said Dayna in a gentle singing voice. Caringly, she took Neal's hand and brought it to Candy.
Candy's impatience was about to burst when she noticed Dayna blush profusely. Incredulous, she stared at Dayna's flushed face. Oh my Lord! This girl has a crush with Neal, thought Candy. She really had to see this to believe it. Someone could actually fall for Neal! Candy stared at Neal who was not even looking at the girl who's giving him a full attention. She felt so sorry for Dayna and forgot about her own anger.
Quietly, Candy examined Neal's finger. "Nothing serious. It should be fine," said Candy wryly.
"I don't need to go to a clinic for that kind of answer," Neal finally gave a response. "I want something to prevent it from getting infected before it's checked by my private doctor tonight."
"This is really nothing. There's no wood chip inside. Even if there is, it would come out and heal by itself."
"Then I want my money back."
Oh please. Heavens!, thought Candy.
"I pay to get some treatment not for waiting in line for half an hour just to have a nurse look at it for two seconds!"
"Your finger is fine," said Candy dryly. "I can give you a band aid –"
"Because it's my finger not yours. I want to see the head of this clinic and complain!"
"He's out. I am replacing him at this moment."
"May I know, how many patients have you killed, nurse Andrew?"
"Damn ass! Get out of here," spat Candy, losing her patience. She got up. Dayna slowly got up too and waited at the door.
"Tut tut…That's not nice," Neal said. He grinned unpleasantly. "I guess you can wrap an orphan's turd with professional degrees but it remains a turd."
"It's better than a classless piece of garbage who's wrapped in expensive suit but it remains garbage!" Candy walked towards the door.
"What did you say?" Neal pulled her elbow.
"I'm busy. Someone who leaches on his parents won't know that other people need to work," Candy hissed. "I have more important patients to attend. Get out!"
"Watch your tongue! Do you know that I can close this place and throw your so called more important patients on the street by tomorrow?"
"This place is not yours!" said Candy indignantly.
"Then, I'll buy it."
"It's not for sale!"
"Nothing is not."
"Freak! Albert will stop you!"
"Albert! What the hell he cares? He doesn't even bother to fix this collapsing clinic for fuck sake!"
"How dare you to criticize Albert!" roared Candy. She was fully in fury now.
"Stupid orphan!" Neal roared back. His brown eyes were blazing like hers. "You still are full of that moronic uncle!"
"Albert," screamed Candy. "Is a man of high standard and strong character. He draws others to him unlike you who repels. That's why no matter how low you bent and begged, that orphan still rejected you!"
Candy pushed Neal roughly aside to walk forward.
"Damn you Candy!" Neal pulled her elbow to stop her.
Candy jerked her am to release it from Neal's grip but he was too strong for her. He easily pulled her and pressed her against himself until she felt the hard contour of his chest. He was muscular and strong, not at all like the soft teenager Neal who she could toss around liked a rag doll. Unable to free herself, Candy looked up to swear but the words died in her throat. Neal was looking at her. His eyes went soft like he was about to kiss her.
"Let me go," Candy screamed. In panic, she grabbed Dr. Martin's half empty cup of coffee and splashed the content right at Neal's face.
Startled, Neal released his grip of Candy. Promptly Dayna came forward and stood in between Neal and Candy.
"Neal, your father is waiting for you," Dayna said softly. She pulled tissues paper from her bag and carefully wiped some coffee spill from her boss' face.
"You're lucky that I'm in a rush!" Neal scowled. His every syllabus trembled in fury. He snatched some more napkins from Dayna's hands and burst out of the room. Dayna nodded uncomfortably at Candy before scurried outside too.
"Oh Candy, what happened." Natalie came to Candy. She had been hearing some noises followed by Candy's scream and decided to come to check. Her friend's face was white with rage. "Say something… Are you okay?"
"I met Neal!" Candy said, trembling with anger.
"Oh, I am so sorry. I'm so sorry," said Natalie. "Take a seat. I take care of your patient." She gave Candy a glass of water.
"That's alright, I'm fine."
"Be good. Sit here, take a few minutes of break."
"Thanks, Natalie." Candy sat down, finished her cup of water and went back to work.
ooOoo
When Neal was back in his office, he found his father sit on his desk waiting for him.
"You're late! Everyone else has come back an hour ago," Henri scowled at his son. He stared at Neal's suit and white shirt which were spotted with dark patches from the dark coffee. "What happened to your shirt?"
"I… uhm went to a clinic," said Neal.
"And…?" Henri examined his son's face. "The nurse is blonde and pretty?"
Neal didn't answer.
"You just never learn. Not a bit!" Henri shook his head and got up. "The Tarbell folks have come twice today. I made up some excuses to send them away and come back again tonight so you can join us!"
"It's Eliza's work. I can't master it in two weeks." Neal couldn't help not to grumble.
"That's why I will do it with you. Eliza usually did this by herself!" Henri pointed to a tick folder he put on Neal's desk. "I made some summary for you. Read it." Henri walked before he stopped and turned around. "Ask someone to pick up a new suit for you. Change! At seven o'clock come to my office!"
"Seven at night!" Neal almost screamed. That late! Gone was his plan to test drive his new car.
"Son, one day all this will be yours," Henri said impatiently. "Get to it! I won't be around all the time to watch you!"
Neal didn't respond. Dad will always be around, Neal thought matter-of-factly. So do Eliza and mom. Then, his mind roamed back to Candy. He wouldn't go soft this time. Ignoring his father's folder, Neal picked up the phone…
-To be continued-
Thank you! Thank you ! Thanks so much for reading! Really appreciate it. Hope you stay.
oOo