Me: Later, Handsome
“I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen you smile that big,” Melissa said, taking a bite of a bagel and waggling her eyebrows from my open door. Her jet-black hair bounced like the puppy ears on her vet tech uniform as she winked and pulled a donut out from behind her back.
“Mmm, thanks,” I mumbled, taking a big bite. “Love that scrub top.”
“So it’s a guy?” she said, not at all taking my casual attempt to change the subject.
“Is what a guy?”
“The reason you have this ooey-gooey look on your face.”
Did I?
I thought back to the way I felt in Mark’s arms. He probably hugged me to shut me up, but the hopeful part of my mind whispered,“You know that was more than a hug. The way he held you, the way he caressed you.”
“What, no...” I said, shaking my head hard enough for tendrils of my ponytails to come loose and fall around my face. Just because some enormous, tattooed, delicious guy held me like I was the most important thing in his life did not mean I was going to develop feelings and live happily ever after.
“You’re such a liar,” she said with a smile. “But stay in denial if you want. Mrs. Daniels is here with her dog, hoping to squeeze in for an early appointment. First surgery isn’t until nine. Would you prefer we made an appointment this afternoon?
I stood up and stretched before finishing the last sip of my coffee.
“No, that’s okay. Bring her to exam room two, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Will do,” Melissa said, taking my lab coat from the back of my door and handing it to me. “And I found that butter pecan creamer you like so much. Can I make you another cup of coffee?”
“Thank you, that would be amazing. Is she the one with the Beagle?”
“No, Yorkie.”
“Got it, thanks.”
I straightened my lab coat and fixed my ponytail before walking out the door and down the hall, stopping at exam room two. Taking a peek at the chart, I nodded then knocked gently on the door. Mrs. Daniels was pacing the small space, cradling her Yorkie. She wore a bright purple tracksuit with matching shoes, and her white hair was coiffed eloquently to the side.
“I’m so glad you could squeeze me in, Doctor,” she said, passing her Yorkie to me. “Sugar has been struggling to go potty, and her acorn is swollen and red. I don’t know what to do.”
Her acorn?
Sugar looked at me and whined, and I stroked her soft brown fur, murmuring soothing words and setting her on the exam table. Her eyes and ears were clear, but her bladder was full. I checked her vitals, then turned back to Mrs. Daniels.
“We need to get a urine sample and do an x-ray to check for blockages. How long has this been going on?”
“Since last night, Dr. Crews. Her poor acorn is so swollen, and I’m worried.”
“Okay, we’ll figure out what the issue is. What do you mean by acorn?”
I put my stethoscope around my neck and kept one hand on Sugar, waiting for Mrs. Daniel to explain. Melissa knocked on the door, and I passed Sugar over, running through the needed tests while I waited for an explanation.
Mrs. Daniels paused until Melissa left, then rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. “You know, heracorn.” She started pacing again with her eyes on the ground, muttering to herself about vulgarity. “Sugar has been licking her area obsessively, and now, it’s red and swollen.”
When she said area, her hand traveled down to the waistband of her pants, and she looked like she was in physical pain from the effort of this conversation.
Oh. Her acorn.
I tried to hold in a laugh, but it threatened to bubble up, so I bit the inside of my cheek and schooled my features.
“You mean her vagina, right Mrs. Daniels?”
“Tsk, we do not use such language, but yes.”
