Healing The Doctor's Heart. Shirley Hailstock

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      JAKE FROWNED WHEN Cal’s name and image appeared on his ringing cell phone. Obviously, his only brother wanted to check up on him.

      “I’m fine, Cal,” Jake said drily, instead of the standard greeting. Cal called each week, always asking about his health. As a structural engineer, Cal was working on a building project in Colorado. Jake had the suspicion that he took the job to force Jake to change from the recluse he’d become.

      “Good morning to you too,” Cal replied. “How’s Lauren? Have you fired her yet?”

      “She doesn’t work for me. So, as she’s reminded me several times, I have no right to fire her.”

      “I’m sure you tried,” Cal laughed.

      Jake didn’t respond.

      “Have you thought of talking to her?”

      “Talking to her?” His voice level rose slightly. “She seems to come with batteries that are on perpetual charge mode. I can’t get a word in and I’ve tried.” The truth was he did talk to Lauren. If he didn’t, she’d force him to answer questions all day.

      Cal chuckled. Jake could see the humor, but willed himself to keep his face straight.

      “Other than that, how are you doing?”

      “I already answered that,” Jake said.

      “What about the pain in your arm? Is it any better?”

      Jake didn’t want to admit that he had pain, but Lauren had helped with that.

      “She’s good at massages,” Jake said.

      “Massages?”

      Jake heard the question in his brother’s voice. “My arm, Cal. She massages my arm. Before you left, I told you what she’d done in the restaurant. She’s been doing it here too.”

      “Well, that alone is reason to let her stay. I know how much pain you were in. Is it less now?”

      “Yes,” he said, not explaining the sharp decrease he’d experienced in his arm since Lauren put her magic fingers on him.

      Caleb didn’t say anything for a minute. Jake could hear a muffled sound in the background.

      “Sorry, Jake, I have to go now. I’ll call you again next week.”

      “You don’t have to keep checking up on me,” Jake told him.

      “Sure I do. We’re brothers and one day we can talk about something other than your arm. Bye.”

      Jake clicked the end button. He remembered when his conversations with Cal had nothing to do with his arm. The two talked about sports, medicine, their jobs and the places in the world where Cal worked. Cal was always cautious, the planner. Being an engineer suited him, but the brothers had always been close. Jake was the daring one. Cal was more reserved, but they loved each other. They’d had the usual sibling rivalry, but Cal always supported Jake in his choices. Never did he think their conversations would be reduced to Jake’s medical needs.

      At least now they had Lauren to focus on. He thought about her and how she’d helped his arm. She had the ability to make his pain go away temporarily. Cal had joked about Lauren’s massages, as if there was something between them.

      Never, Jake thought.

      She wasn’t his type and she talked way too much.

      “Jake.”

      There she was.