“No shit.” She grinned. “He plays for Richmond.”
“I can’t believe it.” I threw up my hands. “First, I met Noah Spencer, who’s with Tampa, and now I find out that you’ve got a pro player in your family. It’s crazy.”
“Noah’s a honey bear, isn’t he?” Jenny sighed. “I just love to watch him with Angela. They look at each other like they’ve just now fallen in love. It’s adorable.”
“I’ve never actually seen them together. I met Noah on my first day and accidentally unloaded on him after my run-in with Mira. And I’ve seen Angela professionally a few times.” I broke off a piece of bread. “She’s a sweetheart.”
We ate in silence for a few moments before Jenny spoke again. “It occurred to me the other night after I left your trailer that you heard a lot about my life, but you didn’t share much about you. I know you lived in Philadelphia and went to school there before you worked at the hospital, but tell me about your family. Do you have brothers and sisters?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m a lonely only.”
“Are your parents still together?” Jenny angled her head. “Sorry if that sounds nosy. I’m just naturally curious.”
“They are.” I swallowed my bite of bread.
“But you don’t want to talk about them.” She twisted her mouth. “That’s okay.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to.” I groped for the words to explain what I meant. “My parents are wonderful people. They love me, and I love them. I’m very lucky to have them. But we’re also private people.” I paused. “One of the big reasons I took this job was to get away from situations where I know that I’m given opportunities—or losing them—because of who my father is. He’s kind of well-known in the medical field.”
Jenny frowned. “Okay. So you came down here to be just Emma Carson, not Dr. Somebody Carson’s daughter. I can understand that.”
A tiny bit of guilt twanged in my gut. I didn’t want to be less than honest with Jenny, who’d already proven herself to be a good friend, but at the same time, I wasn’t ready to open up that much yet. I gnawed on the inside of my lip, remembering my conversation with Angela and the negative effects of guilt.
“My father’s name isn’t actually Dr. Carson,” I said slowly. “Someday, I’ll tell you who he is and why I decided to use—uh, another name, but I’m not ready to talk about it right now. I hope you understand. It’s not about you—it’s my own insecurity.” I held my breath, bracing myself for her response.
For a long moment, Jenny stared at me, and then one side of her mouth quirked up. “God, you are just ridiculously together and all self-aware, aren’t you? Is that part of the whole naturopath deal, too? Because I’m going to be honest, you’re making me feel like a real loser. Especially after I spilled my guts to you about Nico.”
Relief that she wasn’t pissed made me fall back into my chair, giggling. “No, it’s not part of being a naturopath. And I’m not that put together. I’m actually a hot mess most of the time. But I try to be as real as I can be.” I picked up my wine glass and sipped it. “We haven’t known each other very long, but I’d prefer not to lie to someone who I already think of as a friend.”
“That’s sweet. I feel the same.” She clinked her glass against mine. “I’ve met some great people here in Harper Springs, but still, it’s different when you’re an outsider.”
“It’s so true. And they all somehow know.” I related my story about the receptionist from City Hall. “She was so unpleasant.”
“You mean, she was a bitch?” Jenny giggled. “Here’s a tip about friendship, Em. We don’t have to sugarcoat things. Among friends, we call a bitch a bitch.”
“Got it.” I closed my eyes and let my head hang back from the top of the chair. “I need to head back to my trailer. Tomorrow’s another day.”
“Cheer up, chick.” Jenny stood and shrugged on her bathing suit cover-up. “One thing I’ve been telling myself for the past few weeks is that we’ve just got to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Every day will be easier.” She picked up the now-empty bottle of wine. “And for the ones that aren’t easy . . . at least we have wine. And each other.”
* * *
Jenny was right—mostly. The next couple of weeks weren’t all sunshine and roses, but I survived. I had a few more small spats with the head nurse, and I ran into a few patients who were openly skeptical about my field.
Elaine Dulinksky was one.
“I don’t hold with that new agey woo-woo nonsense.” The woman who was battling lung cancer shook her head. “It’s not for me. I’ll stick with Dr. Girard, thanks.”
I bit the inside of my lip and inhaled deeply. “I understand your concerns, Mrs. Dulinksky.” My tone was even and pleasant. “But please realize that it’s not a matter of making a choice. You don’t have to give up Dr. Girard for me to have input on your care. We work together.”Or we would work together, once he got his ass back stateside.I was starting to get tired of talking to patients about how things were going to work when he was still such a huge unknown variable in my mind.
“I don’t want to pay any extra, either.” She was stubborn, and I wasn’t sure she was even listening to me. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“There’s no extra charge for my work. I’m employed by the hospital.” I tried to anticipate her next objection. “And if you’re worried about the mental and emotional elements being at odds with your religion, I can promise that I absolutely respect each person’s belief system.”
“I don’t have a religion. I told you, I don’t like the woo-woo stuff. Doesn’t matter if it’s dressing up on Sunday and praying to the empty sky or if it’s dancing around with crystals.”
Okay, then. “That’s understandable. But what if I could give you advice on what and how you’re eating, and that made the medicines that Dr. Girard is giving you more effective?”
Mrs. Dulinksky pursed her lips. “I guess if Dr. Girard said it was all right, I wouldn’t object.”
