"You know, I think I should go," Colin said, getting up from the table. "I'd like to go over everything again before I start seeing patients."
"Sure. Do you remember the way, or do you need a ride?"
"I remember, and a walk will do me good. Thanks for breakfast."
"Have a great day!"
Colin quickly retreated to his part of the house and, closing the door behind him, leaned against it heavily. His breathing was just as heavy, and his heart was pounding like crazy. What the hell?
Adrenaline, he told himself. New town, first day at work, completely new people. Everything totally unfamiliar. No wonder he was under a lot of stress. And the coffee was pretty strong. And yeah, Brad was sexy. And all those associations… Oh, pull yourself together, you moron! You're a grown man, a doctor, not a teenager with raging hormones.
Hm? He hadn't been scolding himself like that before breakfast, had he?
He took a deep breath.
Maybe once he left the house, once he focused on work, those unnecessary thoughts would fade away? He was a professional, wasn't he? If he could handle an emergency room in life-and-death situations, why wouldn't he be able to handle…?
Yesterday, he had lost a patient. He didn't know the man. He had literally seen him for the first time. And yet, the loss hurt. In a way, a doctor gets used to the fact that people die before his eyes, but only in a way—because, in truth, it always hurts. Colin used to find comfort in his boyfriend's arms in those moments. Maybe that was why he was so drawn to Brad now? He needed someone, something, to give him a bit of relief? And sex—well, sex was usually relaxing.
After coming to that conclusion, true or not, Colin felt calmer. His heart slowed down, and his cheeks returned to their natural color. He was now ready to take on his work with the composure fitting a family doctor. He grabbed his hoodie and bag and stepped outside.
The air smelled fresh with the invigorating scent of conifers. He took a deep breath and immediately felt his mind clear. This was exactly what he needed.
He set off confidently down the road he remembered from yesterday. The walk shouldn't take more than ten minutes, so it would be quite pleasant—especially since the sun was shining brightly, quickly chasing away the night's chill. Summer clearly didn't want to give way to autumn just yet. Not that Colin minded.
Walking down the sidewalk, Dr. Stone looked around carefully, noting where each store was located. He hadn't come across a supermarket, but he did pass a rather pleasant-looking shop that sold both groceries and household chemicals. On his way back, he had to remember to stop by and buy himself some shower gel. He appreciated his hosts' hospitality, but he definitely didn't want to surround himself with a scent he associated with Brad Lipski. Not that these associations were unpleasant, but in this case, that was exactly the problem.
The shop was five minutes from his house, precisely halfway to work. Perfect.
The town wasn't ugly. At least this part of it. Maybe the buildings weren't the newest, showcasing typical suburban or small-town architecture, but he couldn't expect skyscrapers in a place like this.
Damn, he was going to miss those towering metal-and-glass high-rises. Even the hospital he had worked at until now was pleasantly modern, looking as if it truly belonged to a developing world. Whereas this clinic…
Colin stopped in front of the unimpressive façade of the building. That window belonged to the reception, that one to his office. The treatment and hospital areas were further inside. Well, it wasn't exactly an architectural marvel, but at least it had a roof, four walls, and the minimum necessary equipment. If Colin couldn't diagnose a patient with what he had on hand, he would simply send them for tests at the hospital. Simple.
This was going to be a walk in the park. A quiet, peaceful walk on a warm, sunny day.
Feeling reassured, he stepped inside and—
"Weh, weh, weh…" The wailing of a baby hit him in the face, followed by its mother's voice:
"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay! The doctor will be right with us…"
Two children, around five years old, were chasing each other down the hallway, ignoring their mother's stern reprimands.
An elderly man sat grimacing on a chair, leaning on his cane.
Stacy was trying to talk on the phone over the cacophony.
This was no peaceful retreat. This was a war zone—worse than an ER.
"What the hell is going on here?!" he thundered from the doorway.
Everything went silent. Everything froze. Stacy's hand, holding the phone, dropped slightly.
"Nurse, are all these patients scheduled for nine o'clock?"
"Uh, no, Doctor. Only Mr. Werwick, but you see…"
"My daughter has a fever, and—" the woman with the baby stepped forward. The other woman, the one with the two kids, looked ready to do the same.
"Everyone, please calm down. I am one person, and I have only two hands. Nurse, once you finish your call, come to my office."
"Yes, of course…"
Colin might have been young and not particularly experienced (at least not when it came to being an internist), but life had already taught him enough to know there were two types of doctors: those who controlled the situation and those who were controlled by it. He had no intention of being in the latter group.
He set his bag next to the desk, hung his jacket on the rack, and slipped on a crisp, freshly laundered white coat. Just then, Stacy walked in.
"Doctor, I'm so sorry about this whole—"
"It's fine," he cut her off, sitting at his desk and turning on the computer. "The woman with the infant goes first. Looks like an emergency, and I can't ignore such a small child. Mr. Werwick—he's the one with the cane?"
"Yes."
"It's not nine yet; he can wait. The woman with the two kids?"
"Mrs. Farrokh. She had no one to leave them with and complains of severe back pain…"
"Alright. The mother with the baby first, then Mrs. Farrokh—please have the children stay under your supervision at that time—and then Mr. Werwick. Send in the first patient."
Stacy beamed, her red curls shining like a halo.
"Yes, of course! Would you like me to make you some coffee?"
"Thank you, I had some at home. Patient, please."
The key was to maintain control over the chaos.
Good chaos wasn't so bad—at least Colin hadn't noticed that he had completely forgotten about his little obsession with Brad Lipski.