“I’m George, the physician assistant. I’ll take you to meet Lois, our billing specialist. I believe she’ll be the one training you.”
“Yes, that’s what Dr. Perry said.”
“Good. He’s with a patient right now. I’m sure you’ll see him later.”
George walked her over to Lois’s desk, and the old lady looked down her glasses and gave Jane a once over. He could see the same concerns registering in Lois’s suspicious face about why Dr. Perry had hired this girl on the spot. Lois wasn’t a person who stood for any kind of nonsense.
“This is Jane, the new hire. Jane, this is Lois.”
Lois sniffed loudly. “All right, pull up a chair, girl. Let’s see how you do with the scheduling software.”
“So nice to meet you,” Jane said softly. She rolled a chair over to the desk and sat, taking a pair of reading glasses out of the case in her purse. Once George saw that they weren’t going to kill each other, he stepped out and went back to work.
***
The ironic thing about trying to talk to Harriet about her phone habits was that she showed up on the phone with Martin and continued their animated conversation while she collected Granddad for his daily walk. Emma didn’t get more than a hello in before they left.
She sat at her desk and checked her email, responding to a few potential clients and adding things to her calendar while she waited. Harriet and Granddad were nothing if not predictable. Taking the route with the least amount of barking dogs, they’d circle back through the neighborhood and walk in the door in exactly twenty-two minutes, unless they stopped to talk to a neighbor. It was a walk Emma had taken with Granddad many times.
It wasn’t just Taylor’s advice that had her eager to talk to Harriet. Emma had two back-to-back appointments this afternoon, and starting tomorrow, she would return to working full time. Harriet’s trial period was up, and while Emma was excited for it, she was also nervous. This afternoon would be the largest chunk of time Emma would spend away from Granddad since Taylor’s departure. She wanted to go over emergency numbers and Granddad’s morning medications. He did not like Emma’s insistence that she check his pills to make sure he wasn’t forgetting or taking the wrong ones.
Emma glanced at the time and then checked outside. Right on schedule, they were coming up the driveway. She opened the door and smiled at the sight of them, one insanely cheerful and the other insanely grumpy.
Harriet beamed at Emma. Her cheeks were rosy from the exercise and her hair blown all about. “What a glorious morning.”
Granddad harrumphed. “We made it back alive. I guess that’s good.” He headed straight for his armchair and picked up his beat-up John Grisham novel from the side table.
Harriet’s phone jangled with Martin’s signature ringtone, and she gave an apologetic smile. “Hang on, we already had our morning chat so this shouldn’t take long.”
“Martin,” she scolded, turning away from Emma and walking into the kitchen. “Did you forget to tell me something?” She giggled at his response. “Well, I know that. You tell me every day. I love you, too.”
Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, he wasn’t calling for any particular reason, but the two of them would draw it out forever. Emma put her computer to sleep and picked up her phone. She had about ten minutes, give or take, before traffic would prevent her from being on time for her meeting.
Gathering up her things, Emma peeked her head in the den, but Granddad was already snoozing in his reading chair, the paperback open on his chest, rising and falling with his deep breathing.
There was nothing to do but stand in front of Harriet until she got off her infernal phone. The silent hint worked. Harriet said a final goodbye to Martin and stuck her phone in her back pocket.
“Does he call you every morning?” Emma asked, trying to sound casual.
Harriet pressed her lips together in a nervous gesture. “Well, not every morning. But most mornings.”
“Even though he knows you’re working?”
Harriet’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’m sorry. Do you not want me to take personal calls?”
“No, it’s fine. I just figured he’d worry about getting you in trouble.” It was an honest criticism. Why didn’t the guy fear getting his girlfriend fired with all his calls? Or perhaps he was hoping that would happen so she’d move near him.
“I’ll have him cut it back, I promise.” Harriet turned and opened the dishwasher, letting out a puff of steam. She gathered up the clean cups and bowls as if her job depended on it.
Emma walked around the island counter, feeling bad for making Harriet think this was about neglecting her job. Harriet was doing all she asked and more. “Harriet, relax. You’re allowed some downtime. That’s not what I was saying. I just wonder if maybe there’s something else that brings you joy, besides reassuring Martin that you miss him. Like a hobby.”Or a less clingy boyfriend.
Harriet paused with the bowls in her hands, her forehead wrinkling as she considered Emma’s suggestion. “I’ll have to think on that. I have been neglecting my crafting lately. I used to knit hats for cancer patients.”
“What a great thing to do. I think I even have yarn tucked away somewhere from when I tried knitting once. I was horrible at it. I’ll go look for it, but first, let’s go over Granddad’s pill schedule. And did you see this emergency phone list over here? Do you know everyone on here?”
Harriet gave her a sympathetic smile. Emma knew she must sound like an anxious mother leaving her baby with a sitter for the first time, but she wanted to make sure Harriet had everything she needed. Once that was out of the way, Emma retrieved her abandoned yarn and knitting needles from the top shelf of her closet and handed them off to Harriet.
“Tell Granddad I love him. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
