Grandpa said if Noah had a problem with it, they would transfer him to another doctor’s office. Beth hoped it didn’t come to that. No one should lose his job or have his life rearranged because she was here.
High overhead, huge palm fronds swished in the warm fall breeze. The sky was California-blue without a cloud in sight. Beth raised her face to the sun and told herself this was the beginning of a great new life.
The people inside that classy glass-and-stucco building might scoff at the latest Brennan grandchild coming aboard, but she was well-trained, hard-working, resourceful and unafraid. Nothing could ruffle her composure. Nothing could make her doubt herself.
Or could it?
She must be more nervous than she wanted to admit, but was it any wonder? The Brennan family reputation was a heavy load to bear. There were people inside who would love to see her fall on her face, and that was not just paranoia talking.
She tossed her car keys into her tote bag and slung the tote over her shoulder. From the car’s back seat, she gathered up a floral arrangement, two big gift bags and a smaller one. Arriving this early, she hoped to have her gifts on the desks of her staff when they arrived.
Stepping briskly, she headed toward the front entrance, as nervous as an intern on her first day. Today she would be working without a net, with no attending physician to consult and no colleague close by. In her office, she was on her own as never before.
On her own? That was old Beth thinking. She knew better than that. She could pray anytime.
Lord, I need you today.
It wasn’t much of a prayer, but a flood of confidence swept over her, surprising her with its immediacy and power. Before she was a Christian, she might have called it mind over matter or something equally indefinable, but she knew better now. The effect of faith on the human body was real.
Noah McKnight jogged from the employee parking lot toward the BMC staff entrance and took the back stairs, two at a time, hurrying to reach the office and get his daughter’s sign pinned to the bulletin board before Beth Brennan arrived. This time his daughter’s artwork would get the appreciation it deserved.
He rounded the landing and started up the next flight, grateful for this chance to stretch his legs. He’d been a nurse before Kendi was born, but he’d only been a health nut since Merrilee had died and he’d realized he was all Kendi had. If something happened to him, what would become of her?
When he thought of his baby being raised in a foster home, it felt like there was a giant claw in his stomach. He knew there were good people who raised kids for the state, and he’d known some, but he’d taken off on his own as soon as he could. Merrilee’s foster situation hadn’t been much better.
If there was a God, he would get to raise Kendi himself, but he hadn’t seen much reason to count on help from above. Merrilee had, and look where it got her.
Sometimes he missed the feeling that God was in control. If he were still a praying man, he would pray that things would go better today than he feared they would. Keith Crabtree’s sudden departure had been a shock to the staff, but a terrible blow to Mona Fitz, the senior nurse in the office. The doc and Mona worked together for over thirty years.
They’d all known Keith would be gone, but not for good. A couple of weeks before, he’d said he was taking the first week in October to go fishing. That wasn’t unusual. Keith often went fishing.
When Keith gave them all the same week off—with pay—Noah should have realized something was up. Keith had called it an early Christmas gift, but he’d never made such a generous gesture.
On that last day, Keith’s face had been void of emotion when he told them he’d just seen his last patient…ever. Beth Brennan was back in town and would be his replacement. He shook their hands and was gone.
Mona fell apart, sobbing and threatening retribution against the Brennans and their “spoiled princess” for forcing Keith out of a job. She wouldn’t be consoled by Vanessa, their young receptionist, or listen to reason from himself. The Brennans weren’t to blame because Keith wanted to retire. Anyone could see he’d lost his zest for the job.
This past week, Noah had spent a lot of time worrying about Mona’s attitude and whether Beth Brennan would know her stuff. Had she gotten her position because of her name? Would she be a powder puff and let Mona run the show, or would the two of them lock horns and he’d have to referee?
In all this time, would Beth have changed as much as he had? He’d worked through the stages of grieving, and it seemed like he had his sense of humor back.
Thinking, worrying, wondering what Mona would do today, Noah opened the stairwell door and stopped in his tracks. Stepping out of the elevator was Dr. Beth Brennan. Would she remember him?
The new doc smiled as if seeing him just made her day. It was no doubt mere friendliness, but Noah’s heart rate picked up as if it were more. Of course, he had also just run up a double flight of stairs.
“You’re Noah, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t think you would remember me.” He was unreasonably pleased that she had.
“Remember you?” A frown crossed her pretty face.
“We met…” If she didn’t remember, maybe he shouldn’t remind her of that bad day. “It was a while ago.”
“But I usually have a very good memory for names and faces.” She studied his face intently.
“Don’t worry about it. We barely met. But how did you know my name?” He sounded like a single guy talking to a single woman. That wasn’t like him. He never thought of himself as single.
“The scrubs,” she answered, glancing at his work attire. “Since you’re in scrubs, and I’ve learned that BMC only has one male nurse, you must be Noah.”
That was him all right. Around here, he was one of a kind. Some men might have liked that, but not him. If the regular hours of this job weren’t better for Kendi, he would be back, doing the job he loved in a hospital ER.
“I’ve lived in scrubs for so long,” she said, “that it seems strange to show up for work in street clothes.”
Just then he noticed what she was wearing, right down to the yellow sneakers that matched her yellow shirt. Her khaki pants fit just right, and her only jewelry was a practical watch. There was nothing about the doc that shouted “spoiled princess.”
If Mona had anything to complain about, it would be how young Beth Brennan looked. Without her long lab coat, no one would believe she was the doctor.
“I’m Beth Brennan, in case you’re as bad at remembering names as I am,” she said, setting down a couple of gift bags and extending her hand. “We’ll be working together.”
“I know,” he said, surprised at how his shortness of breath lingered on. He hadn’t realized he was this out of shape. “Can I carry those bags for you, Dr. Brennan?” he asked, trying to sound natural.
“Thank you, but, please, call me Beth.”
Walking side by side toward the office, he noticed that the top of her head was level with his chin, though the length of her stride matched his. Just guessing, he would say she ran or jogged regularly. Whatever she did to workout was working just fine. She was in great shape.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re part of my staff, Noah,” she said with a secretive smile. “Without you, our office just wouldn’t be complete.”
Oh, no. Here he was, ready to like and respect