by Tiana Cole
She had reached the third chapter when Richard finally made his way back out of the kitchen, covered in a number of stains on his clothes. He looked completely worn out.
“Sorry. Supper should be ready in about ten minutes…when it gets here.” Chloe couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m going to go change my clothes.” With those remarks, Chloe really started laughing.
She went back to the book and by the time she'd finished two more pages, he was back in the living room. He was wearing jeans with a t-shirt. The t-shirt looked like it had seen better days, as it was worn and faded. Chloe noticed that it had the logo of a popular band from the '80s.
She placed the book on the coffee table, opened with the pages down, so she wouldn’t lose her place.
“While we wait for our supper, do you want to tell me about the ideas you had for organization at the office?”
Chloe turned to him and allowed all the ideas she had floating in her head to come spewing out at him. He would interject here and there, asking all the right questions and including his thoughts and opinions. By the time the doorbell rang, they had settled all the ideas, and had a new plan in place for the office. They had both also finished their second glasses of wine. Chloe made a few notes as Richard went to get the food.
He walked into the living room carrying a pizza box and a plastic bag with items in it. He moved his head in the direction of the kitchen and Chloe got up, following behind him.
“I hope you like pepperoni. I guess I should have asked before I ordered it.”
“It isn’t a pizza without pepperoni.”
Chloe was surprised by the kitchen. Every kitchen appliance anyone could think of was located in this kitchen. The counters were covered with juicers, slicers, blenders, waffle makers, and anything else ever made to be used in the preparation of food. He turned and noticed her looking around.
“I have insomnia a lot. Late night television has tons of infomercials. They claim they help you cook, but as you’ve noticed tonight, they don’t.”
Chloe took a seat at the table while Richard gathered plates, cups, and napkins. Once everything was on the table, he took a seat across from her. He placed a slice of pizza onto a plate and handed it to Chloe, and then he got one for himself. There was already some garlic on the table, which he quickly picked up and sprinkled onto his slice.
“You said that you just moved here. Where did you live before?”
“Pittsburgh.”
“Really? I lived in Pittsburgh during my residency.” He took a bite of his pizza. After swallowing the bite of pizza, he looked at Chloe. “What made you move to the middle of nowhere?”
“Needed a change of pace.” She responded lightly, making sure she didn’t think about anything.
“You have definitely changed paces. I just don’t understand why such a big change.” He seemed to press while furrowing his eyebrows.
“There were issues that I needed to get away from,” Chloe said, hoping that would be enough to stop his prying. The last thing she ever wanted to talk about was David.
“Ahhh.” He nodded his head and took another bite. Richard could see something in her eyes that he wasn’t quite able to figure out. She didn’t seem to be lying, but she wasn’t telling him the complete truth. Being her boss and only knowing her for a few days, he couldn’t really push too much. He figured when she was ready, she would share more.
Chloe could tell that he wanted to ask her more questions. Of course he did. But she wasn’t ready to tell her new boss about the whole situation with her ex. She hoped that he wouldn’t keep bringing up the subject. “What caused you to move from there to here?”
“I grew up here. Wanted nothing more than to get away. Then when I went to college and then worked at the hospital in Pittsburgh, I wanted nothing more than to come home. When the town doctor decided to close his practice, I jumped at it.”
Chloe took a drink of her wine.
Their conversation went on and on as they finished the pizza. Chloe found herself laughing more than she could remember laughing in a very long time. She also found herself liking Richard more and more. A little pang of worry flickered through her mind.
“We ate that whole pizza!” Chloe leaned back and placed her hand on her stomach.
“That we did.” He gave a little chuckle. “Why don’t we go settle our stomachs in the living room?”
Chloe stood up and started to clear the table. Richard joined in and in a few moments, they had everything put in the dishwasher and in the garbage. They made their way into the living room, and Chloe sat on the couch just like she had before, and Richard took a seat on the other side.
“Would you mind if I took that book home with me?” She pointed to the book she had been reading earlier.
“Are you ready to leave already?”
“No, but my mind keeps going back to that story. I want to see what happens.”
“Be my guest. I know where to find you if I want it back.”
Chloe leaned back and allowed herself to relax. She took the opportunity to look at the pictures on the fireplace mantel. Most of them featured an older couple and then another male. She took a guess that they were of his parents and brother.
“My family and brother.” She wondered if he could read her mind. This was the second time tonight that he'd commented on something she was thinking. “My father used to be a doctor and my mom was this cities best nurse. They’re both retired and still live in town but they travel constantly. My little brother lives in California with his boyfriend. What about your family?”
“I’m an only child. My parents are . My father was a businessman and my mother used to work in a law office as a secretary. They are probably more in love now than they have ever been.”
“Why are you talking about them in past tense like that?”
Chloe remained silent and stared at a shiny spot on the freshly buffed wooden floor. She softly smiled and swallowed hard – it had been two years and was still hard to talk about.
“They died in a car accident. I’m not sad that they’re gone I’m just sad that they can’t be here to give me advice and just watch their only child grow up. They were always so present in everything, then in an instant there is no one. It’s still a lot to handle sometimes but I just watch old VHS tapes and think of my childhood.” She told him with a giggling smile. He looked over at her with eyes that pressed for more. She was so deep, carrying secrets and so many emotions inside. He wanted to know everything.
They started to talk about their respective childhoods and realized that they had a great deal in common, even though they both lived in totally different towns. By the time they were finished talking, it was close to midnight. Chloe yawned.
“I should get going.”
“I think your boss would understand if you are late in the morning.”
“I’ve never been late a day in my life.”
“Well, I certainly don’t want to be a bad influence.”
Chloe stood up and picked up the book up she had laid on the coffee table. She slipped her feet into her shoes and then made her way to the door. Richard walked with her to the door and even outside to her car. Showing what a true gentleman he was, he opened her car door for her.
She wondered if he was going to kiss her as he stood beside her. Then the moment passed.
“Thank you, Chloe.”
“For what?” She asked confused.
“Coming over and having dinner. It was nice.”
“That it was.” She agreed and smiled, with slight unwarranted disappointment.
She got into the car, put her seatbelt on, and pulled out onto the street. The whole way home, she thought about the evening she had spent with her boss. It was an evening she had never expected, which she never had with anyone, including her ex. It was cordial, innocent, and friendly in nature. She had laughs and felt comfortable instantly, forgetting many times that he was her boss.
As she tried to sleep that evening, her mind jus
t kept replaying the scene before she got into her car. Why hadn’t he leaned in and kissed her? Was he not interested, or was he just too much of a gentleman? In her heart, she hoped that it was the gentleman thing. It hurt somehow to think he might not have been interested. She tossed and turned as she imagined how perfect the moment would’ve been if his flawlessly shaped pink lips leaned into hers and sealed the night with a kiss. It would’ve thrown away any doubt in her mind that this man liked her and wanted more from her.
Her eyes started to close as she imagined what it would be like to kiss Richard. This led to the first night in a long time when she didn’t dream about her ex. Instead, she dreamed about Richard and what would have happened if he had taken the opportunity to kiss her. She wondered if it would ever happen and would she really want it to.
Chapter 3
Chloe spent the next three days putting into place all the plans that she and Richard had made that night at dinner. Her days were busy and her evenings even busier, which included dinner with Richard and a breakdown of all the things that were important and needed for a company to run smoothly and efficiently, especially a doctor’s office. There had been policies developed by the previous owners which were still being carried out, and the two of them worked together to figure out what was still needed and what wasn’t working anymore. They built and reviewed things over and over again.
She had just finished rewriting one of the policies when Richard walked into her office. She looked up at him and his face was distressed.
“I need you to come with me,” he instructed. It wasn’t a question or a suggestion: it was more of a firm statement. He was telling her that she was coming with him.
“Where?” she asked, pushing herself from her desk. She was concerned with the way he looked at her. He fumbled with the cuff on his coat.
“I have a house call, and Julia had to leave early to pick up her children from school. I would go alone, but I have this feeling that I am going to need some help.”
“I don’t know anything about being a nurse. I am a business manager,” she reminded him as if he could’ve forgotten.
“You are the only one I have,” he practically pleaded.
Chloe knew she couldn’t tell him no. The look on his face was what made her finally nod her head and agree with no more reluctance. “If there is going to be a lot of blood, I will warn you now that I will either faint or throw up.”
Richard laughed boisterously as he turned away and headed for his office. Chloe followed him, watching as he gathered a number of instruments to put into his doctor's bag. The only one she was able to recognize was a thermometer. This trip was going to be fun.
Once everything was assembled, they locked the doors to the office and made their way to Richard's car. He opened her door and ran around to the backseat on the driver's side, throwing his doctor bag onto the floor.
Once they were both settled in the seats, Richard pulled out of the parking lot and headed out of town. Chloe looked out the window and watched the scene change from buildings to wilderness to fields. She watched as they passed one farm after another.
“Are you still liking the book?” he asked politely, making conversation to fill the silence in the car. She was so immersed in the scenery that it took her a moment to even notice he had said something. Instead of asking him to repeat it, she took a moment to find it in her subconscious.
Chloe turned her head toward Richard, wondering what he was talking about. It took her a moment to process what he asked, and then it was almost like a light bulb went off above her head. She raised her eyebrows and began to speak, “I do like it, although I’m only reading about a chapter a night.”
“Are you still working all night long?” he asked in a stern voice as if he disapproved. Although she knew in the long run he’d admire her nonstop work ethic.
“Just trying to get through all those policy books done. Once they are updated, I will be able to have the evenings free,” she said, thinking about how much of a joy that would be. She’d be able to get hooked to a crime-drama series, maybe try yoga or find a spin class, read more books, and learn how to bake. Her evenings would be very productive and for the betterment of herself and her health.
“If you need any help, just let me know,” he offered.
Chloe nodded her head, knowing that even if he could help, she wouldn’t let him. This was something else she needed to work on: being able to allow other people to help out. But this was going to be her first chance of being in charge of an entire office, and she wanted to do it all by herself. It was a selfish act, but she needed to prove that she could handle it herself.
She turned back to the window and watched as they passed yet another farm. She had no idea where they could be headed to with these conditions. When they reached the third farm she had spotted, they turned into the driveway. Chloe could see the cows and chickens roaming aimlessly around the grassy areas, eating and pooping freely.
When the car reached a big red house, Richard put it in park and turned it off. He grabbed his doctor's bag out of the backseat as Chloe climbed out of the car from the passenger seat. She took a few steps towards the house when she realized that he wasn’t beside her. She turned to discover him heading toward the barn. Her eyebrows perked up immediately and she turned on her heels to catch him. This was a strange location for a house call, which only made her more curious and worried because she had no idea what she was doing.
She quickly ran and caught up with him, and they made their way into the barn together. Chloe instantly put her hand over her nose, trying desperately to block out the horrid smell. It was something she had never smelled before.
“Manure,” Richard leaned close to her and whispered in her ear, answering her thoughts.
She continued to follow him, but hoped that wherever the patient was, it would be in fresh air. They turned the corner and Chloe stopped.
A group of people were gathered around a horse, which was lying on its side. They were talking and looking at the animal, which had a stomach twice the size of the ones she'd spotted outside earlier.
“Richard!” One of the men stepped away from the group and headed his way. He took the hand that Richard held out and gave it a pump. “Thank you for coming. Dr. Freedman was called away on another emergency, and I didn’t know who else to call.”
“Not a problem.” Richard followed the man closer to the horse, while Chloe stayed right where she was. She didn’t see anyone needing medical attention. When Richard reached for a box of gloves and pulled one out, the realization of why they were there finally hit her.
The gloved reached his shoulder, and by the time he had the second one on, the men had the horse standing on her feet. Richard quickly examined the horse, which included sticking his arm, all the way to the end of glove, into the hole in the back end of the horse. When he was done, he turned and talked with the men.
“It should be any moment soon, but I think she just needs some more time. She’s just like a human female. Sometimes their labor takes longer than others.” The men still looked concerned, but Richard quickly eased their minds by saying he would stay until everything was done.
After a few moments, Richard made his way back to Chloe, who had leaned against the side of the stall, finally becoming used to the smell in the barn.
“If you want to head back, I think everything will be fine. You can take my car and one of the guys will take me home.”
“I’m fine.”
The two stood against the stall and watched as the female horse started to show signs that her labor had increased. Once things really started to progress, Richard stepped up and helped the mother along, and all the while Chloe watched from her spot near the stall.
The small brown colt nuzzled up against its mother, trying to find a place to suckle. Chloe was sitting on a bale of hay, watching everything. This cute little creature had just made its entrance to the earth. A small little bubble of something slowly started to grow inside of
her as she watched the newborn colt stand for the first time. She clapped when it took its first step toward its mother, as a sense of pride had built up in her.
“Now you can say that you’ve seen a colt be born,” Richard told her, ripping off his glove and throwing it in a sanitary bag.
“It was wonderful.” She could feel tears forming in her eyes. The bubble grew a little bigger, and then she realized… it was the whole process of watching a living creature being born. It was the longing of having her own child nuzzle up against her for food, needing her.
Richard put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll tell the men goodbye and then we can head out.”
As he walked away, she felt the bubble grow some more. A part of her wanted a baby, and another part of her was thinking about Richard as being the person to help her out with that. He talked with the men for a little while and then headed her way. She shook her head, hoping to clear her mind from the thoughts which were bombarding her senses.
“I think mom and daughter are good.” He picked up his bag as he walked by it. “Why don’t we go and get something to eat?”
Chloe could only nod her head as she started to follow him back to the car. She was never one to turn down food.
They drove in silence all the way back into town. She could only think about how Richard had helped that mother horse give birth. She kept replaying the scene over and over in her head. When they pulled in front of a restaurant, she finally brought her attention back to the present moment.
“I thought about pizza, but I figured it wasn’t good if I continued to feed you the same thing every time we're together for a meal,” he said, making her laugh.
Chloe looked closer to see they were in front of the town’s steakhouse. A steak sounded really good to her right then.
A waitress took them to a booth, which was lit by a bulb inside a canning jar hanging over the table. Once they were seated, another waitress came to take their drink order.
“Can I have a large Bud Light, please?” Richard placed his menu on the table and looked at Chloe.
