Child of Her Dreams. Joan Kilby

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СКАЧАТЬ two o’clock. Are you working here?”

      “Just for today. The receptionist is away, and Dr. Matthews hasn’t got a new one yet.” Geena glanced from right to left, then whispered, “I’m having so much fun playing receptionist—you have no idea. But things are a little disorganized. You might have to wait a few minutes.”

      “That’s okay.” Linda lifted a laptop computer. “I’ll just take a seat and get caught up on my, uh, newsletter.”

      “Talk to you later.”

      The examining room door opened and out came a man in his late forties with unnaturally black hair and a pale-blue suit jacket over his arm. Geena recognized Ray Ronstadt, Kelly’s real estate boss. According to Kelly, he was newly divorced and on the prowl.

      “Thanks, Doc,” Ray said, rolling down his sleeve. “When will you have the results?”

      “Wednesday morning. Give me a call.” Ben cast a questioning glance at Geena. “Next?”

      “Mrs. Chan.” She reached for the chart and with a nod indicated an elderly patient. Before Geena could hand the chart to Ben, Ray swaggered to the desk.

      “Hey, Geena,” he said, buttoning his cuff with a nearsighted squint. “Kelly told me you were back in town. If you get bored with this one-horse burg you can always take a ride on the wild side with yours truly.”

      Ben, still waiting for the chart and for Mrs. Chan to shuffle across the waiting room, frowned.

      “Gosh, Ray, that sounds like too much excitement for me,” she said, smiling blandly. “Dr. Matthews says I’ve got to take it easy after my collapse.”

      Ray appeared taken aback. “Oh, yeah. Sorry to hear about that.” He stuck out his neck as he adjusted his tie. “You look damn fine to me.”

      “That’s very kind.” She tilted her head to one side, pen poised. “Did you need another appointment?”

      “Nah. I’ll call for the results of my blood test in a few days.” He smoothed his hair with both hands. “A single guy who gets a bit of action has to be careful these days. It’s the least I can do for my lady friends.”

      “How thoughtful of you.” Gross! Geena heard Linda’s suppressed giggle and was careful not to catch her eye.

      “So how about dinner?” Ray went on undeterred. “The steak house in Simcoe has a two-for-one deal on Tuesdays.”

      “Uh, thanks, Ray, but I’m really busy on Tuesday.” She rose and walked toward the exit.

      He followed like a lamb. “I guess a gal like you gets lots of invitations.”

      “Hundreds. Thousands. More than I can accommodate.” She opened the door and ushered him through. “Bye now.”

      Geena handed Ben the chart just as Mrs. Chan made it to the examining room doorway.

      “Very smooth,” Ben murmured to Geena. “Maybe we should get another appointment book for all your invitations. Maybe your own secretary.”

      She slanted him a glance. “I don’t need a book to remember the invitations I accept.”

      To her disappointment, he didn’t take the hint. Just escorted Mrs. Chan into the examining room. Geena shrugged and returned to the desk.

      Late in the afternoon, long after Linda had seen the doctor and left, the door opened, and a woman came in with a baby in her arms and a young boy by the hand. The woman’s long, dark hair was pulled into a straggly ponytail, and she wore a beaded muslin blouse, which Geena recognized as vintage 1960s, over a long flowing skirt.

      “Hi, I’m Carrie Wakefield,” she said. “My son, Tod, has an appointment.” She pushed the boy forward and shifted a runny-nosed baby to her other hip. “Sorry we’re late.”

      “That’s okay.” Geena looked at the boy, who had a cowlick and was wearing striped pants and cowboy boots. “Hi, Tod.”

      Tod regarded her solemnly out of round brown eyes. His face was thin and too pale for a boy off school for the summer. “When a pig is sick, what kind of medicine do you use?”

      Geena frowned. Did the boy mistake this for a veterinary clinic? “Gosh, Tod, I don’t know. What’s wrong with the pig?”

      His face crinkled in an impish grin. “You use oinkment! Get it?”

      Geena laughed. “That’s cute. How old are you, Tod?”

      “Nine and a quarter. Why don’t hippos play basketball?”

      “Um…they’re not tall enough?”

      “They don’t look good in shorts.” Tod gave a deprecating shrug. “That one’s not very good—hippos don’t even wear shorts.” Then he informed her, “I’ve got monster glue at home.”

      “Come and sit down, Tod, and don’t bother the lady.” Carrie Wakefield looked worn-out and out of patience as she jiggled her crying baby in her arms.

      “I’m not bothering her.” Tod turned to Geena. “Am I?”

      “Not at all.” Geena rose from the desk. “Come with me, Tod.” She led him to a small table in a corner of the waiting room with toys and books for children. “Do you want to play with the trucks?”

      “I want you to read to me.” He shoved his hands in his pants pockets.

      “Tod,” his weary mother remonstrated. To Geena, she said, “He’s going into grade four and is perfectly capable of reading for himself.”

      “That’s okay.” Geena studied the boy. His expression was half defiant, half needy, as if he was starved for attention and used to getting short-changed. She wondered what was wrong with him besides having a baby brother who required a lot of his mother’s time.

      “I’d love to read to you, Tod. How about this one,” she said, showing him a collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons.

      Tod’s face lit. “I wish I had a pet tiger.”

      “Me, too.” She patted the bench beside her.

      Tod leaned unselfconsciously against her side, and she was agreeably aware of his small body snuggling up to her. This is what having a child would feel like, she thought as she opened the book. Ten minutes later they were giggling at Calvin’s outrageous antics when she sensed someone watching them. Geena looked up to see Ben in the doorway, his dark eyes thoughtful.

      “It’s time for you to see the doctor,” she said, closing the book.

      “We haven’t finished,” Tod protested.

      “Come, Tod.” Carrie rose, her baby asleep in her arms.

      When they’d all trooped into the examining room, Geena tidied the magazines and toys in the waiting room. Tod was Ben’s last patient, and though she was tired, she also acknowledged that this was the most satisfying day she’d had all week. She’d enjoyed playing with the children СКАЧАТЬ