Whatever happened over the next few days could change her life. For Harper’s sake, he hoped it brought her closure and a sense of relief. And if it made her decide to stay in Sapphire Bay, he’d be even happier.
Chapter9
Harper stood outside the medical clinic, her hand hovering over the door handle. For the last few days, she’d thought hard about the course Zac wanted her to do. All night, she’d felt a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. It was the perfect reintroduction to trauma nursing, but was she ready for it?
Her time was precious. If she had to choose between the trauma course or the community outreach program for caregivers, she’d take the outreach program any day. Especially if it helped people who were in a similar position to her.
“Good morning, Harper,” Mabel Terry called as she bustled along the sidewalk. “I’m glad to see you believe in the early bird catching the worm.”
Harper wouldn’t usually be at work this early, but Zac wanted to talk to her before his patients arrived. “I have a quick meeting scheduled with Zac. How’s Mr. Terry?”
Mabel stopped and sighed. “He thinks he’s a forty-year-old in an old man’s body. He was gardening until seven o’clock last night and can hardly move this morning.”
Allan loved puttering around in his garden. Throughout the year, he brought baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables for her granddad to enjoy. Unfortunately, he’d had a fall a few weeks ago and it hadn’t helped his mobility. “If you think it’ll help, I could take him some of the cream Granddad rubs into his muscles.”
Mabel waved away her offer. “He’ll be fine in an hour or two. I hope it’s not too busy for you today.”
“So do I. Have a great day, Mabel.”
“You, too.” With a warm wave, Mabel headed over to the general store, ready to serve her first customers of the day.
Taking a deep breath, Harper pushed open the door and stepped inside. The clinic was so quiet she could hear the photocopier working from a room halfway down the corridor.
Walking toward Zac’s office, she felt the weight of her decision pressing down on her.
Zac greeted her with a warm smile. “Thanks for coming into work a little earlier, Harper. Have a seat.” He nodded at the chair opposite his desk. “Have you given any more thought to registering for the trauma course?”
Slipping her backpack off her shoulders, she sat on the chair. “It’s a great opportunity, but I’m worried about the time commitment. I’m already helping Ethan run the support group for caregivers. I’m not sure how I can do that and the course.”
Zac leaned back in his chair. “I thought it might be difficult. Both are important but, if you had to choose, which one would you do?”
Without hesitation, Harper replied, “The support group. If I can make another person’s life a little easier by sharing what I’ve learned, all the extra time it takes would be worth it.”
Zac nodded. “I was hoping you’d return to nursing after doing the course, but I understand why you want to help Ethan."
When she first started working for Zac, he’d told her how much they needed extra medical staff. Harper understood how difficult it was to find specialist staff in this part of Montana, but she wasn’t ready. Her life had changed, and she was happy with the decisions she’d made.
“For now, I really enjoy being a receptionist. If I ever want to return to nursing, I’ll let you know.”
“I’m looking forward to that conversation.” Zac’s steady gaze held hers. “I’ve been where you are, Harper. When I came home after working with Doctors Without Borders, I was a mess. I never thought I’d practice medicine again but, after Doc Reilly retired, there was no one else to take his place. I thought I didn’t have a choice, but I did, and I haven’t regretted a minute of my time here.”
Harper could only imagine what a big decision that must have been. “Was returning to medicine difficult?”
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Getting close to people and not knowing if I could cope with losing them terrified me. Sometimes, you need to create something positive out of the horrible things you’ve seen. Helping the community has helped me.”
Harper swallowed the knot in her throat. “I saw so many senseless deaths in the hospital. On the streets, people thought they were invincible, but they didn’t know half of what was happening. I still have nightmares about body bags being loaded into refrigerated trucks because the morgue was overcrowded.”
The expression in Zac’s eyes softened. “One day, you’ll be able to put those images aside and see how much of a difference you made.”
Harper picked up her backpack and hugged it close. “I hope so. Thanks for being so understanding about the course.”
“You’re welcome. I’d better catch up on some paperwork. Let me know when my first patient arrives.”
Harper smiled and left Zac to the pile of folders on his desk. Working here was good for her soul. But, some days, all she wanted to do was go back in time and change her decision to work in New York City. The job that had held so much promise had almost destroyed her.
And one of the patients who’d changed her life was arriving in the next few days.
Owen unlockedthe front door of the second community housing cottage on Anchor Lane. With Pastor John busy with other appointments, and Penny Terry in Bigfork, he’d brought Harper with him to see if this was somewhere he could live.
