The Doctor She Always Dreamed Of by Wendy S. Marcus

the sheriff come here looking for her? Kira wondered as she hurried down the hallway and down the stairs. No one knew where she was. Seeing no one in the living room or kitchen, Kira hurried outside, where Derrick’s dad stood, talking with the sheriff—a very large, very serious, very imposing man in full uniform—at the base of the porch steps. When he spotted her he asked, “Are you Kira Peniglatt?”
    â€œYes, officer,” she answered as Mr. Limone shook his head unhappily, turned, and walked back into the house without sparing her a glance. Well she couldn’t worry about him right now. “Is there a problem?”
    â€œYou tell me,” he answered, studying her. “My office received a panicked phone call from a woman named,” he pulled a pad out of his breast pocket and flipped to a page, “Connie, who’s worried you were kidnapped and you’re being held here against your will.”
    Kira smiled. Gotta love Connie. “I’m fine, Officer.”
    He looked over Kira’s shoulder. She turned to see Derrick standing on the porch.
    â€œSo you weren’t kidnapped?” the sheriff asked.
    â€œNo. I wasn’t kidnapped.” Not technically. “If Connie was worried, why didn’t she just call my cell?” Kira pulled it out of the waistband of her leggings to check the screen. Almost fully charged. No messages.
    â€œThat’s not going to do you any good around here,” the sheriff said.
    What? “Why not?”
    Derrick came to stand beside her. “No cell service,” he said matter-of-factly.
    Wait. “What?” Kira’s chest went tight and her heart started to pound. No, no, no. Her hand drifted up to her sternum. “No cell service?” She looked at the phone again. Closer this time. “That can’t be. This is New York State. Everyone has cell service.” But it could, in fact, be. And it was.
    Kira’s throat felt clogged with something big and uncomfortable.
    â€œWelcome to the north country,” Derrick said. “Hey.” He bent to catch her gaze. “No worries. Use the phone in the kitchen to call her.”
    â€œNo worries?” she asked, panic rising, pressure building in her head. “No worries?!” she yelled. “I’m on call this weekend. Being out of the city is no big deal, but I am required to be accessible by phone.”
    â€œOn call? Why didn’t you tell me?” Derrick asked.
    â€œWhy should I have to tell you? I charged my phone in your bedroom while we ate breakfast. I’ve been carrying it around with me all morning.” She looked at the screen again. This could not be happening, not now, not after Mr. Jeffries had put her on probation yesterday afternoon.
    â€œIf you would have told me I would have told you we don’t get cell service in this area.”
    The sheriff offered, “Some people can get a signal over in the library parking lot.”
    A lot of good that did Kira. “I need to make a call.” She turned and ran up the porch steps.
    â€œYour friend’s waiting. Said to call her first,” the sheriff called out. “Some big problem with one of your patients at work.”
    Of course there was. Of course the one weekend Kira didn’t have cell service there would be a problem with one of her patients. When she reached the porch she stopped long enough to glance back and say, “Thank you for coming out, Sheriff. I’m sorry to have wasted your time. As you can see, I’m fine.” Except for the fact she’d likely be unemployed come Monday. Mr. Jeffries had been looking for a reason to fire her for months. Unbeknownst to her, she’d just given him one.
    Back inside the house Kira ran to the kitchen.
    â€œEverything okay, Miz Peniglatt ?” Derrick’s dad asked.
    Kira did not like his tone and she stopped long enough to tell him so. “Look, if you have a problem with