“Are you kidding?!” Alex exclaimed. “You’ve exceeded my expectations. I mean, think about it. When you arrived two weeks ago, the entire place was basically just a shell. Now there’s flooring and paint.”
Charley chuckled, walking slowly down the stairs to the first floor as she kept the camera on her. The mixed scent of fresh paint and sawdust lingered in the air. All that was left to do was install the cabinets in the exam rooms and then move the furniture and equipment in. “It helps when you bribe the work crew with donuts and coffee,” Charley joked.
Alex laughed. “Whatever works. I don’t care how you got it done. It looks amazing.”
Hearing that, especially from Alex, sent a wave of relief washing over Charley. She’d been so consumed by checklists and contractor walkthroughs that she hadn’t really taken a step back to appreciate just how far the space had come. Two weeks ago, when she arrived, it really had been nothing more than concrete floors and drywall spread across three unfinished levels. Now, standing inside the nearly completed building, Charley could hardly believe the transformation. It was still a work in progress,but it finally felt like something real. It was something worthy of the people it was meant to serve.
“And how are things with you? Are you settling in okay?” Alex asked.
Charley could hear the concern in her friend’s tone. She would never tell Alex, but she was functioning on very little sleep as she had been working around the clock. There were nights that her aunt and uncle had even brought her dinner because she couldn’t break away.
She leaned against the counter that would eventually serve as the reception desk.
“I’m doing okay. Keeping busy has helped. It doesn’t give me much time to think about things. Well, other than work,” she said jokingly.
Alex laughed, but then her expression softened. “When do you move into your apartment?”
“In a couple of weeks.”
Alex smiled. “That’s good.”
Charley smiled. “Alright, I'd better let you go before I end up dragging you through every closet and storage room. Plus, John, the site manager, will be here any minute to do a walkthrough.”
Alex grinned. “You know I’d happily follow you through every inch of that place. But go and do your thing. And Charley, get some sleep.”
Charley’s jaw dropped open. “What do you mean?”
Alex didn’t say anything, she just quirked her one eyebrow as if saying, “you ain’t fooling me.” Then again, this was Alex. The damn woman never missed anything.
“I promise. Talk to you later,” Charley said, before ending the call. She ignored Alex’s comment about sleep.
Just as she set her phone on the table she was using as a makeshift desk in the lobby, it buzzed with a new message.
John (Site Manager):Just pulled up. I’m out front when you’re ready.
She typed back, telling him that the door was open and to come in.
Today was all about getting answers. She needed a clear picture of what remained before final inspections. The building had come a long way in a short time, but the finishing touches were everything.
The first floor would welcome visitors with a bright, modern lobby and a warm reception area that would lead into the counseling center. Upstairs, the second floor housed a state-of-the-art medical wing designed to handle non-emergency care with discretion and dignity. And the third floor, the nerve center, housed the administrative offices.
???
Two hours later and another coffee later, Charley was back in the lobby, double-checking a list on her clipboard when John popped his head around the corner. His navy shirt was a shade darker from sweat, and his toolbelt clinked faintly as he stepped in. He held his cell phone in his hand.
“The cabinet installer called. He’s free this evening if you want to get those cabinets installed in the exam rooms tonight. Are you available?”
Charley looked up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Seriously? That would be great. If we can get those installed, I can move up the furniture and equipment delivery.”
“So, is that a yes?”
Charley smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I have plenty of things to do around here to keep me busy,” she said. And that wasn’t a lie. She had about twenty boxes of office supplies to sort through.
John nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. “That’s the last big item for the exam rooms. Once those are in, we’re just looking at touch-ups and punch-list cleanup.”
She exhaled, finally allowing herself to feel the slightest bit of relief. “If tonight goes smoothly, we might actually be ahead of schedule.”
John grinned. “Careful. That kind of optimism gets you in trouble.”
