“Do you recall how to use it?”
“Not really, but I’ll have to relearn it on my own and soon. Let me go and get started. What time is my first patient this morning?” I was sulking and quickly questioned whether this was my punishment for having jumped up and abandoned work yesterday for a whiff of Azmir Jacobs. No matter how much I tortured myself with such a trivial thought, I had no regrets waking up in his arms that morning.
“At nine thirty, Mrs. Ginn.”
“Okay. I’ll go grab a cup of coffee to get started.”
I went into my office to let down my things and start up my desktop. I dropped the shopping bag filled with my clothes and toiletries from my overnight stay in my small office closet and before I could sit down there was a knock at my door.
“Come in,” I granted mindlessly as I clicked the icons on my computer for programs I needed to fire up to use right away.
Sharon poked her head in, “Peter, the head cook from the rec is here with a delivery for you. He said he doesn’t want it to get cold so I have him right here.”
A delivery? I didn’t place an order. Confused and interested in getting to the bottom of this I nodded tentatively. Sharon moved aside and Peter, an average height Caucasian man with beautiful grays eyes, strolled in and handed me a clear plastic bag wrapped with two tan Styrofoam containers inside. My eyes bounced around in bewilderment as I accepted the bag from him.
“Ms. Brimm, Mr. Jacobs called first thing this morning and asked that I deliver this to you by nine. I hope you enjoy,” Peter explained expeditiously before turning on his heels. The sound of Azmir’s name made my insides clench and right away I felt the soreness from him being there again and again and again and again mere hours before. Peter’s presentation was brisk but not exactly rude.
“Thanks,” I muttered while eyeing the bag. That quickly, Peter exited my office and Sharon closed the door behind him but not before giving me a knowing grin. She knew better than to ask about my affairs with Azmir. She was always professional and as a woman of a certain age, she was filled with etiquette to my benefit.
My stomach growled as the aroma from the contents of the bag filled my nostrils. I’d totally forgotten about breakfast after hearing the news of the new reporting format. I opened the containers to find a cheese, tomato and onion omelet, home fries potatoes and turkey sausages. My stomach suddenly felt ravished so I picked up the utensil set that was nestled in a nicely folded napkin and set about feasting until my appreciation of the mouth-watering smell brought back my manners. I grabbed my phone and took a picture of the food. Checking the time again and realizing Azmir hadn’t returned my previous text, probably because he was still in transit to New York, I decided to send the picture to him anyway and include the caption: A girl can get used to getting fed…and so well. :-)
After hitting send, I barely tasted the food as I nearly swallowed it whole while playing around with the new reporting software before heading into my first patient.
My morning blurred past and before I could sit down and exhale at my desk, I heard my cell phone ring. I had a singe of enthusiasm in my belly wondering if it was Azmir calling since I hadn’t heard from him all morning. Thoughts of hope and all things merry came to a screeching halt when I saw Sebastian’s name displayed on the I.D.. I’d totally forgotten he’d called. As much as I didn’t want to hear from him, I had to face the music sooner or later and decided to get it over with.
“Rayna Brimm.”
“Oh! She finally answers my calls.” His slimy voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Sebastian always sounded as if he had a reservoir of saliva stuck in the back of his mouth. I loathed the sound of it.