“There.I’ll send these off to the lab.In the meantime, let’s see if we can’t help you sleep a little better, because you look like it won’t take much before you hit a wall.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mutter, as she pulls a prescription pad from a drawer.
She tosses me a sympathetic smile.“It actually pisses me off a little that even looking like a dish rag, you are still this beautiful.”
“Nice try,” I return.
She signs the prescription and tears the note off the pad, handing it to me with a flourish.
“I only speak the truth,” she insists, before getting back to business.“Ambien; take five milligrams once a day, right before bedtime.Let’s see what that does, we can always go up.Keep in mind though, this a short-term fix and not recommended for continued use, but it should get you some decent sleep.”
“Thanks.I appreciate it.”
“I’ll call you when I get the results of your blood work back, and we’ll go from there.”
I thank her again, and with my prescription clutched in my hand, I walk out the door, only to smack into a solid form.
“Whoa, imagine bumping into you.”
I lift my head to find warm brown eyes in a handsome, friendly face looking down at me.
“Dr.Sharma.Sorry, I didn’t look where I was going.”
“It’s Rohan, and the fault is all mine.What brings you here?”
Feeling a bit put on the spot, I shove the prescription Dana wrote me into my coat pocket.That’s when I notice a pair of perfectly blue eyes watching me from behind Rohan.
The sight of Hugo flusters me a little, and I’m suddenly in a hurry to get out of here.
“Just popped in to see Dana,” I skirt around the truth.“But I’m afraid I have to run.See you around, Doc.”
I turn on my heel and bolt for the exit, ignoring the hospital pharmacy in the lobby.I’ll hit up the pharmacy downtown after I close the shop, it’s only a block or two away.
I’m almost at my little white Toyota Prius when my name is called.I turn to see Hugo is easily gaining on me.
“How long are you going to keep lying to me?”
Hugo
Once again,as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize they probably weren’t the most diplomatic ones to invite answers.
The instant anger flushing Bess’s face confirms it.She turns her back on me and unlocks the doors of that little white dinky toy she drives.
I brace my hand against the door in an effort to prevent her from getting in and taking off, before I have a chance to make things right.
“Can I try that again?”I plead in a soft voice, adding, “Please?”
Her head remains low, so I can’t see her expression, but from the set of her shoulders I deduce I’m not her favorite person right now.
“Bess, come on, we’re friends.We’ve been friends forever.Being concerned about each other’s well-being is normal.Why is it you get pissed off at me when I’m just worried about you?”
When she doesn’t respond, I push on, “Are you ill?Is that why you were seeing Dana in the clinic?”
Thinking I have her attention, I let go of her door, but she immediately pulls it open and gets behind the wheel.
Not about to give up, I shove my head inside the car before she can slam the door shut on me.With my face suddenly inches from hers, I notice her eyes swimming with tears.
“Hey…”
