had a mental picture of a little facility with no specialty care, antiquated equipment, and a scraper outside the front door to clean the barnyard residue off the boots of the patients and doctors alike."
"I'm sure Cathy showed you otherwise."
After the waiter took their drink orders, Will chatted amiably and Elena began to relax. Maybe she wasn't going to get the third degree from Cathy's lawyer husband.
Cathy returned, and Will rose to pull out her chair. Elena recalled when Mark used to do that for her, and as she often did when something brought to mind her loss, she felt herself die a little. She turned away and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with her napkin.
"Did I miss anything?" Cathy eased into her chair and set her purse near her feet.
Will shook his head. "I was giving Elena the third degree, but you got here before I could get out the rubber hose."
Cathy picked up a menu. "Well, there'll be none of that now. Let's have a relaxing lunch."
During the meal, the two women shared anecdotes and discovered mutual acquaintances. Will chimed in from time to time with comments and stories of his own. Both women declined dessert. Will asked for coffee, and Elena decided to join him.
The waitress left the bill, and Cathy slipped a credit card into the folder. She waved off Elena's attempt to cover her own lunch. "This is definitely a professional expense. I hope we can come to an arrangement. If we can, the cost of a chef's salad and iced tea is a pretty small price to pay for finding someone to watch over my practice while I'm on maternity leave."
Elena felt her lunch creeping back up into her throat. She'd hoped for something permanent, a move to somewhere she could put down roots. Now she wasn't sure. "So you're looking for someone on a temporary basis? A locum tenens arrangement?"
"Not necessarily." Cathy looked around. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable talking about this in my office?"
Elena wasn't sure she could wait one more minute to hear Cathy's offer— if there was to be one. "I'm fine doing it right here if that's okay."
"Sure." Cathy looked around the nearly empty room. "RJ's a friend of ours, and we eat here a lot, so they shouldn't mind if we keep this table a bit longer." She beckoned to the waitress. "Peggy, we're going to discuss a little business. Would you top off everyone's beverages, and then ask Darlene not to seat anyone near us?"
Even though there was no one within earshot, Cathy leaned a bit closer to Elena. "This is a two-part deal. What I need now is a locum tenens to cover my practice while I'm on maternity leave. I've told you about the salary and benefits. Do you have any questions there?"
Elena shook her head.
"But I'd like the contract to include an option for a permanent association." Cathy said.
Elena was afraid her dry throat could only emit a croak. She sipped from her cup. "The option would rest with you?"
"No, with both of us."
"Is the practice big enough to support two doctors?"
"I think there's room for another primary care doctor here in town, but I'll have a better idea about that later. First I have to fill the locum tenens position."
Elena had to concentrate hard on the words as they came through the high-pitched hum in her ears. It was happening. She had a place to practice.
"So far as your capabilities, there's no question there," Cathy said. "And I think you and I would be a good fit. There's only one thing."
Elena felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten like a violin string. She thought it was all behind her, but here it came again. "What's that?"
"Amy hinted that your husband's death is still affecting your professional behavior. Let's clear the air about that."
The sound of breaking glassware from the kitchen split the air. The noise might as well have been the sound of Elena's composure shattering. She squeezed her eyes closed in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the tears she already felt forming there.
5
C athy was sorry to
"I'm sure Cathy showed you otherwise."
After the waiter took their drink orders, Will chatted amiably and Elena began to relax. Maybe she wasn't going to get the third degree from Cathy's lawyer husband.
Cathy returned, and Will rose to pull out her chair. Elena recalled when Mark used to do that for her, and as she often did when something brought to mind her loss, she felt herself die a little. She turned away and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with her napkin.
"Did I miss anything?" Cathy eased into her chair and set her purse near her feet.
Will shook his head. "I was giving Elena the third degree, but you got here before I could get out the rubber hose."
Cathy picked up a menu. "Well, there'll be none of that now. Let's have a relaxing lunch."
During the meal, the two women shared anecdotes and discovered mutual acquaintances. Will chimed in from time to time with comments and stories of his own. Both women declined dessert. Will asked for coffee, and Elena decided to join him.
The waitress left the bill, and Cathy slipped a credit card into the folder. She waved off Elena's attempt to cover her own lunch. "This is definitely a professional expense. I hope we can come to an arrangement. If we can, the cost of a chef's salad and iced tea is a pretty small price to pay for finding someone to watch over my practice while I'm on maternity leave."
Elena felt her lunch creeping back up into her throat. She'd hoped for something permanent, a move to somewhere she could put down roots. Now she wasn't sure. "So you're looking for someone on a temporary basis? A locum tenens arrangement?"
"Not necessarily." Cathy looked around. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable talking about this in my office?"
Elena wasn't sure she could wait one more minute to hear Cathy's offer— if there was to be one. "I'm fine doing it right here if that's okay."
"Sure." Cathy looked around the nearly empty room. "RJ's a friend of ours, and we eat here a lot, so they shouldn't mind if we keep this table a bit longer." She beckoned to the waitress. "Peggy, we're going to discuss a little business. Would you top off everyone's beverages, and then ask Darlene not to seat anyone near us?"
Even though there was no one within earshot, Cathy leaned a bit closer to Elena. "This is a two-part deal. What I need now is a locum tenens to cover my practice while I'm on maternity leave. I've told you about the salary and benefits. Do you have any questions there?"
Elena shook her head.
"But I'd like the contract to include an option for a permanent association." Cathy said.
Elena was afraid her dry throat could only emit a croak. She sipped from her cup. "The option would rest with you?"
"No, with both of us."
"Is the practice big enough to support two doctors?"
"I think there's room for another primary care doctor here in town, but I'll have a better idea about that later. First I have to fill the locum tenens position."
Elena had to concentrate hard on the words as they came through the high-pitched hum in her ears. It was happening. She had a place to practice.
"So far as your capabilities, there's no question there," Cathy said. "And I think you and I would be a good fit. There's only one thing."
Elena felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten like a violin string. She thought it was all behind her, but here it came again. "What's that?"
"Amy hinted that your husband's death is still affecting your professional behavior. Let's clear the air about that."
The sound of breaking glassware from the kitchen split the air. The noise might as well have been the sound of Elena's composure shattering. She squeezed her eyes closed in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the tears she already felt forming there.
5
C athy was sorry to
Similar Books
