“Oh, thank you so much.” Bianca sagged with relief.
The doctor nodded and left, closing the door behind him, leaving Bianca to her work.
Their clinic wasn’t as busy as some of the big clinics she’d seen, mainly because Minga Animal Clinic was not a twenty-four hour clinic. Bianca was content at a small location, not only for the hours, but because the owners were flexible with her schedule. They probably felt for her as a single mom, so they let her work around her daughter’s school hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
She clicked the mouse and pulled up a report of invoices that she then sent to the printer. During the slow hours, she would be stuffing the bills into envelopes to have them ready to be mailed to their clients. She closed the spreadsheet and opened the screen for the day’s appointments.
She blinked upon seeing the name on the next appointment. “Andrew Buchanan!”
Just whispering that name made her heart skip. It could very well be another person with the same name, but what were the odds, when Andrew had recently switched to her neighborhood fire station?
Bianca knew Andrew, but only slightly. She’d bought a wall calendar with pictures of all the swoon-worthy firefighters at Firehouse 12, where Andrew worked. She’d also bought a calendar from House 15 where her friends Renee and Leila’s husbands worked. However, it was Andrew’s chiseled jaw that grabbed her attention whenever she stared at the calendars she’d hung in her bedroom.
Her random encounters with Andrew had been enough for him to declare her insane. Some of her reactions had been worse than others. The worst one she recalled was at the Buchanans’ Christmas party.
Bianca had been invited as usual by Leila and Renee. She’d been standing in the living room with an empty cup, and Andrew made the mistake of asking her if he could get her some more hot chocolate. That part had been fine, until her eyes collided with his...
To say she got weak in the knees would be an understatement — more accurately, she got lightheaded from forgetting to breathe, and ended up falling and nearly dislocated her knee. Which had drawn the attention of the entire room full of people.
She’d been nervous that she would experience the same thing when her gaze had collided with his at his sister’s wedding, but she hadn’t.
As much as she’d wanted to hold her friend’s newborn, she’d chickened out the moment Andrew had glanced at her before returning his full attention to Adalee.
Her mind replayed the wide grin on his face as he’d admired his niece. Just thinking of his genuine smile warmed her entire body, and her nerves suddenly felt tense at the thought of seeing him again today.
I need a distraction! She lifted her hand to dig into one of the glass bowls of candy on the counter. The wrapper crunched when she ripped it off from the lollipop, which she then popped into her mouth.
They kept candy for their young clients as they waited, but on days like today when Bianca needed a distraction from stress, anxiety or you name it, the candy came in handy.
If not careful, she might end up polishing off the entire bowl today. So much for having lost weight for Renee’s wedding!
Bianca had bought a bridesmaid dress two sizes smaller than her regular size as an incentive to do a one week detox and then two weeks on a veggie diet so that she could fit in the dress. It felt good to go three weeks without sweets, but if she kept running into Andrew, all the sacrifice she’d made would be in vain.
Sliding off her chair, she rose and tossed the wrapper in the trash, then wiped up the already clean counter.
She turned to open the blue door to her right and stepped into the break room, where the employees stored their lunches and did the clinic's laundry. Reaching for the sponge from the sink, she dabbed soap to wash the cup, then set it on the rack.
Now self conscious, she wiped her wet hands on her scrubs, then patted her head. “My hair!” It was in a ponytail, the way she kept it when working most of the time lately. She yanked off the black hair tie and contemplated keeping her hair down, but after a second, she pulled it back into its original style, lest Andrew assume she’d fixed her hair for him.
When she returned to the front, her heart lodged in her throat at the sight of Andrew. Good thing he was immersed with his gray Great Dane, Rocky.
The dog rolled over onto his back on the ground, exposing his belly. Andrew squatted low, stroking the dog as he spoke to it. “Now you better behave, okay?”
The gentle way his muscles moved while his strong hands rubbed the dog tugged at Bianca’s heart, making her feel jealous of the dog.
Of their own accord, her feet moved forward. Get it together, Bianca. You can do this. She took in a slow breath, then cleared her throat to announce her presence.
Andrew rose at the sound and squared his broad shoulders. His clear blue eyes bore right into hers.
“Hey... Bianca!”
All her efforts to get it together wavered the moment he said her name.
He knows my name! Oh, he knows my name.
Down went the butterflies in her stomach. Her lips parted, but her mind went blank as it whirled in unfamiliar territory. Of course Andrew would know her name, but he had never called her by it before.
It’s not a big deal that he knows your name. She realized he was still waiting for her response—at least she needed to acknowledge that she was expecting him to bring in his dog.
He thrust his hands into the pockets of his cargos. “I didn’t know that you worked here.”
“Uh...” she swallowed. “I’m your doctor.”
Doctor? She winced. Good grief, just get a grip already. “I mean your...” She walked backwards, not remembering her job title. “I’m gonna get the doctor.”
She took another step backwards. This was getting worse. So much for not making a fool of herself, because right now, he was staring, perhaps amused, if the upward curve of his lips was any indication.
He winced and pointed behind her. “Watch out...”
Thunk!
Her body and head slammed right into the wall before Andrew’s warning could register.
He moved a few steps forward, but stopped short of touching her. He seemed to think better of it and dropped his hands to his side. “You okay?”
No, she wasn’t okay. She gave a quick nod, and a tense silence settled between them for a moment before he gestured to his dog.
“I brought Rocky in for his checkup and vaccinations.”
Oh, yeah. That was her job—to take the vitals. “Okay.”
She found her composure and slowly walked around the counter and to the door on the left. Opening it with a click, she gestured Andrew toward the hallway, making sure to avoid staring at him.“You can follow me to the back if you would like to stay with him... during the checkup.”
She ignored the electric jolt when their hands brushed as she turned to take Rocky’s leash from Andrew.
Once in the exam room, she set Rocky on one of the scales. Shortly after she’d entered his information on the computer, Dr. Emerson showed up to examine the dog.
Bianca restrained Rocky and stroked his head to keep him calm. Andrew remained a silent observer, except when he answered the doctor’s questions.
“Looks like Rocky’s a healthy boy,” the doctor concluded after running his hands over the dog’s body and checking his teeth. “You’re doing a good job with him.” He made a few notes on a tablet, then administered the vaccinations.
Bianca was supposed to sweet-pester clients to return for grooming, pet photography, doggy daycare—things they could easily do on their own at home. She would normally try to talk clients into that, but she was not about to upsell anything to Andrew.
It wasn’t until twenty minutes later, after Andrew had paid and left the clinic, that Bianca finally breathed...real breathing, so she could continue with the rest of her day.
Between the drop-in customers and the ones with appointments, it made for steady work, not too busy but enough to lose track of time.
> The steady hum of the dryer occupied the break room as she tossed more dog bedding into the washer.
The sound of the door slamming caused her to look up. It was Natalie, who took Bianca’s place for the afternoon shift. She was a high school student who wanted to go to vet school after graduation.
“Hi, Natalie!” Bianca spoke over the loud dryer as she poured detergent in the soap dispenser.
Natalie’s earbuds in her ears were an indication she didn't hear Bianca’s greeting. She pushed the start button on the washer and glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was two-fifteen, time for her to leave.
“Please tell me there’s anything edible in the fridge.” Natalie plucked the earbuds from her ears and shoved them in the pockets of her scrubs, then swung open the refrigerator. “I’m starving!”
The last time Bianca had checked, the refrigerator held only Dr. Emerson’s leftover lunch from yesterday. Bianca retrieved her purse from the hook on the wall. “Help yourself to some apples I brought this morning.” She gestured to the corner on the kitchen counter, where she’d left her two leftover apples.
Natalie scratched her messy auburn ponytail, her hands on her hip as if assessing her options. She then winced. “I liked your snacks better when you weren’t doing this stupid diet.”
Bianca chuckled. “You’re welcome!” she said, knowing those were Natalie’s only options for snacks. “There’s lollipops at the front desk, too.” She bid her goodbye as Natalie picked up an apple from the counter and bit into it.
As she drove to Daisy’s school, Bianca thought of her many blessings—one of them being her friend Leila and Leila’s husband, Ezra. Although Leila had just had a baby, she still insisted on watching Daisy after school or whenever Bianca needed a babysitter.
If she ever went back to school for her degree, and the pay raise that came along with it, she would have to repay Leila in some way for all the babysitting she’d done over the last six years.
Bianca’s stomach growled as she came to a halt at the stop sign near the school. She regretted not keeping one of the apples for herself. Maybe she could grab a snack from Leila’s house when she dropped off Daisy. While Daisy’s day was almost over, Bianca was just starting the second part of hers.
BIANCA SIGNED HER NAME in the blue folder at the rehab center’s front desk. Even though she’d been visiting her mother regularly here for the last three weeks, each person entering the building was still required to sign the book.
The smell of lemon and disinfectant hung in the building. As she walked through the long hallway, she waved to an older man in a wheelchair, then stepped aside for a young man in scrubs who was guiding a wobbling woman down the hall, as if helping her get her exercise.
When she approached the very end of the hallway, Bianca knocked at the half-open door to her mama Carmen’s room before letting herself inside.
Mama was plopped in a wheel-chair staring at the blaring TV.
“Hi, Mama!”
Carmen turned and smiled at the sight of her. “Hi, Mija.” She fumbled with the remote buttons until she managed to mute the TV, then tossed the remote on the bed and settled her hands on her long skirt. “You survived three weeks working two jobs.”
“It’s not so bad... I get some tips at the cafe, at least.” Bianca planted herself in the chair next to the window, where natural light streamed through the open blinds. Gone were her scrubs, replaced with a black t-shirt and jeans during her stop at Leila’s house. “Looks like you’re better, since you’re not wearing your gown anymore.”
Mama let out a dissatisfied sigh, and her brows pinched together. “I’m tired of this place, and I don't want to wear no more gowns or anything that shows any part of my body.”
A table had been wheeled to the side, and the food tray on top was piled with untouched pita bread, chicken, sliced cantaloupe, and oranges. Knowing it was way past lunchtime and would be too early for dinner, Bianca said, “You’ve not eaten your lunch again, Mama.”
Mama ran a hand through her short black hair, which was accented with gray strands. She glared at the food tray and spoke in disgust. “The food makes me want to throw up, and they make such terrible tortillas.” She pointed her chin to the tray. “Try that tortilla and tell me it's not the worst tortilla you’ve ever eaten.”
A laugh escaped Bianca as she shook her head. Despite living in the US for over forty years, Carmen insisted on eating only Mexican food, and spoke Spanish even though she was fluent in English.
“That’s pita bread, Mama. Remember when I ordered them from the Greek restaurant two months ago?” After asking the question, Bianca remembered that her mom had made a comment at how thick the tortillas were.
Her mom seemed to be trying to remember as she frowned through the window at the meager view of the parking lot and tall apartments across the street.
Bianca lifted a hand in dismissal. “Never mind! Just try it, it’s good.”
“Phew!” Mama turned her face to Bianca and made a face. “They’re trying to copy a tortilla and can’t make a good one. That’s why we end up with the terrible stuff. Anyway, two more days, and I will be home.”
Bianca didn't believe that Carmen was ready to be home yet, but she wanted her mama to be comfortable. “You’re supposed to be here for another week.”
“I’m not staying here for another week.”
That meant Bianca needed to get busy at home and move some of Daisy’s toys from her mama’s room.
Mama and Daisy shared a room, and if she was coming home in a wheelchair or walker, Bianca needed to make sure there were no tripping hazards in the house. That would definitely be a challenge, given that thirty percent of the house was buried in Daisy’s toys.
“I will talk to the therapist and see if they can let you out early.”
“I’m going home regardless of what the therapist says.” It wasn’t a question, but a final statement, and Bianca could not argue.
Mama glanced down at the boot encasing her broken leg. “It’s going to be a while before I get back to cleaning houses, and I hate for you to work two jobs.”
It made sense for Mama to worry, because income from her job contributed to part of the mortgage. Bianca was thankful that she and John had bought the house right before the market skyrocketed. They’d gotten a locked-in interest rate at two percent instead of the current rate of almost four.
“We will be fine, Mama.”
“As long as you dump that guy,” Mama said. “Find someone who can afford to buy us real dinner every once in a while, instead of that American food you cook.”
Mama cooked only Mexican food. Having grown up in the USA, Bianca liked a little variety in meals from time to time, so she cooked Italian or American food because she got tired of eating the same things.
“How did the coffee date go with him yesterday?” Mama asked, reeling Bianca from her thoughts.
“We cancelled...technically broke up.” That's if you can break up with someone before anything ever starts. Thomas was a thirty-five year old widower who wanted a wife to watch his five kids after school, so he didn’t have to pay for after-school daycare. “I told him to hire a nanny, but he said it would be too expensive.”
“Cheapskate!” Mama said.
“I’m a cheapskate, too,” Bianca said, not wanting to talk about Thomas in a negative way. He was a nice man, and they’d met in Griefshare last summer. Bianca had brought him to meet Mama and Daisy on their first date.
Thomas didn't bring his kids with him, but had suggested they meet at Mcdonalds so that Daisy could play.
“What man complains about how expensive Mcdonald’s burgers are?” Mama crossed her arms, “Then he fussed about the kids menu not having the one dollar chicken nuggets.”
“Money is tight these days.”
“Have you forgotten how he bought one soda, for all of us to share it?”
Bianca winced at the memory. He’d asked for the extra empty cups to take advantage of the free refills.
Bianca shrugged. “Okay, maybe that was going a little too far.”
Thankfully, that day Mama had reserved her comments until Thomas left, when she said that he was the worst date ever. As if she knew anything about dates.
“It seems he has his own baggage.” Mama smiled. “Maybe now you can find a normal man who can be a good father to my granddaughter.”
“I don’t need a man, Mama.” She already had a daughter and a mother to take care of.
Mama waved a hand. “Nonsense. Of course you do. You're not old, although you're getting there soon—a few wrinkles are starting to show up in your face if you keep worrying and working too hard.”
Bianca rolled her eyes. “I’m not looking for a man right now.”
“Whenever you start looking, can you go with someone who can help us fix things around the house? It wouldn't hurt if they have money, too.”
She’d intended to visit with her mama for another twenty minutes, but she knew that once Carmen started a conversation about Bianca’s dating life, there was no way of shifting it. She stood and grabbed her purse from the small bed. “I have to get to work.”
Mama looked her over. “You should start putting some of that red stuff on your lips.” She gestured a finger, searching for the word. “What's that thing people put on their lips I see in the commercials?”
“I’m not going to wear lipstick, Mama!” She bent to plant a kiss on Carmen’s dark brown forehead.
“Adiós, Mija! Bring me real Mexican food tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
She stepped out the door and, at Mama’s request, she closed it all the way.
Bianca walked back down the hallway, Mama’s words replaying in the back of her mind. Even though she’d said she didn't need a man in her life, it didn't stop her from desiring a man she felt drawn to. A man like Andrew. Although she didn’t know him that much, she knew that he was passionate about his family.
Would she apply lipstick if it meant that Andrew Buchanan would notice her? Hmm.
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