“I didn’t know about that.”
“We didn’t tell you.”
How about that? He was being left out of hiring decisions too.
“We’ve all agreed to cover for you while you’re gone.” For the first time, Lawrence’s features relaxed. “We all think highly of you.”
At least there was a little esteem to hold on to. It didn’t make him feel any better.
“That’s why we’re doing this. It will mean some extra work on our parts, but it will be worth it. You’ve covered enough times for us. Now we’re returning the favor. I don’t want to see you burn out. The pediatric profession needs you.” He stood and held out his hand.
Seeing no room for negotiation, Kingston rose. “Thanks?” he said, shaking Lawrence’s hand.
“You’ll be sincerely thanking us for this at the end of your sabbatical. I promise.”
Kingston wasn’t so sure. He’d never heard of any of his peers taking a forced sabbatical. His father sure hadn’t.
Oh, great. Now his parents would find out he’d been compelled to take a vacation. He checked his watch. “I’ve got a patient scheduled in five minutes—”
“Already taken care of.” Lawrence went to the door and opened it. “Get what you need out of your office, and we’ll see you at the end of October.”
Like a chastised child, Kingston dragged himself into the hallway. Two of the clinic’s nurses, Yolanda and Brenda, halted a few feet from him. Then Janine poked her head out of the break room. They were all staring at him.
“Guess I’m on vacation!” He fought for a light tone andsomehow managed it, along with a grin that had to be as natural as processed cheese.
The women broke out in smiles. “Have a great time, Dr.Bedford,” Janine said.
“Go somewhere tropical,” Yolanda added.
Brenda, who stood next to her, nodded. “We went to Hawaii last year. It was beautiful. Andrelaxing.”
Kingston nodded, still smiling as he hurried to his office. The grin faded the moment he stepped inside. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes. Unbelievable. Not only had he made mistakes with his patients, but everyone in the practice knew he was burned out.
Everyone but him, apparently.
Kingston opened his eyes and surveyed his office. There was a time when he’d been meticulous about keeping everything tidy. The disaster in front of him was the furthest thing from neat. He couldn’t remember when he’d gotten so sloppy. His desk was cluttered, there were files on the floor, and when he’d arrived half an hour late for work that morning because he slept through his alarm, he’d tossed his laptop bag on one of the chairs in front of his desk. Unlike the other doctors, he kept his door closed.
That was a fairly new development, too, just casting things aside because he was always behind. How had things gotten so out of control?
He plopped down on his chair and ran his hand through his longish hair. He’d been meaning to get a haircut, but he hadn’t had the time. He glanced at the closed laptop on the left of his desk. His work computer. After debating for a second, he opened it and started googling. When he foundone of the numerous doctor-rating sites listed, he clicked on it, typed in his name, and gasped at the two-star rating with . . . whoa. Thirty reviews. He had a few five stars, but those were more than three years old.
There were always more bad reviews than good—it was human nature to focus on the negative more than the positive. But the ratio of bad to good in the last five months was abominable. Not to mention embarrassing.
“I used to like Dr.Bedford, but...”
“He seems to have lost his touch...”
“My son asked why he was so cranky...”
“I wonder if he has a personal problem...”
He cradled his head in his hands. This was worse than being humiliated in front of his coworkers. This was public disgrace. Worse, these ratings could affect, and probably had affected, the entire practice.
This is bad. This is so bad.
Somehow he’d have to make amends to his colleagues, his patients, and their parents. He’d call every one of them and apologize. He’d send Janine and the nurses flowers, golf certificates for the doctors. Except for Dr.Parsley. He preferred sailing. If he had to spend the next two months begging for forgiveness, he would do it—
The door opened, and Lawrence stuck his head inside. “I forgot one thing.”
