I would be the idiot,” Payton said in a voice that held a hint of humor.
There were soft chuckles from the other women.
“Wh … What are you doing here?”
“I’m Dr. Jenkins. The new doctor.”
Eyes the same shade as the deepest part of the ocean twinkled at China.
Jean stepped forward. “I see you two have already met. Let me help with those.”
China handed her the sack of donuts and the paper tray with four coffees. “I said I’d bring donuts,” she murmured, unable to take her eyes off the doctor. How had she missed that shiny car in the parking lot? Because he’d made her late and she hadn’t been paying attention.
“I can see,” he said crisply. He looked at the coffee Jean held. “It looks like it was a good thing I stopped and got my own. You hadn’t counted on me.”
China’s face heated. No, she hadn’t. Why did he have to sound so gracious about it? To make her feel more guilty? The door behind him buzzed, preventing her from apologizing. She had never been so happy to see a patient.
“Dr. Jenkins, let me show you the office,” Jean said. “Robin will put the patient in exam one. When you’re ready we can get started for the day.”
The doctor gave China an unwavering look for a second before he followed Jean down the hall.
With relief, China sank into a chair next to Doris.
“Auspicious way to start the day,” Doris quipped.
“Only you could use a big word to sum up total and complete embarrassment.”
“Aw, honey. Such is life. Go do your job and all will be well.”
The buzzer announced another patient. China opened the bottom cabinet and stored her purse. “I guess I’d better get busy before I look worse. Donuts and coffee will have to wait.”
After Doris had taken the information from the mom of an eight-year-old boy, China led them to examine room two. There she took the child’s vitals and noted the mom’s recitation of his symptoms.
“The doctor will be in to see you in a few minutes,” she said, before stepping out into the hall and placing the chart in a tray beside the door. As she turned to go to the front, she ran smack into a wall of male chest. A large hand cupped her shoulder to steady her.
“Are you going to be running into me all day?” a voice asked from above her head.
China stepped away and looked up at the insufferable doctor. “No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” China pulled the chart from the tray and handed it to him. “Your patient is waiting.”
His low chuckle followed her down the hall. She shook her head. Obviously making good first impressions wasn’t her thing.
China waited as Dr. Jenkins examined the boy and told the mom, “I’m going to have the nurse do a strep test and see what we’ve got. I’ll be back in after we know for sure.” He smiled reassuringly.
She followed him out of the room.
“It’s China, isn’t it?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Exam two needs a strep test. Where do I find those?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
China moved by him, taking special care not to make contact. She went into the lab and he followed. “They’re right here.” She opened the cabinet. “I’m, uh, sorry about calling you an idiot.”
He shrugged his shoulder. “It’s okay. Sometimes I am.”
Now he was being charming. She hadn’t expected that.
“Thanks. I’ll get this done.” China held up the preprepared swab with its plastic cap. “I’ll let you know the results right away.”
Doris came down the hall. “China, your mom’s on the phone.”
She wished she could make it clear to her mom not to call her during work hours. “Please tell her I will call her back.”
“I’ll take care of the test if you need to get that,” Dr. Jenkins offered.
“No, I’ll do it.”
China waited for the doctor to come out of the exam room where Robin had placed another patient. When he stepped out she said quietly, “The boy has strep.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
The rest of the morning passed in much the same way. At lunchtime China and Doris took their meals brought from home outside to the table. Robin and Jean would eat later.
“So how is Dr. Jenkins working out?” Doris asked.
“He seems to have a solid medical background, is great with the patients and thorough.”
“Well, that was certainly a clinical evaluation,” Doris remarked.
“I guess it was but I’ve not seen him do anything past strep and stomachache.”
“Jean said Administration at the hospital told her he’s from Chicago.”
“Why would he want to come down here and work?” China picked up her drink and took a sip.
When Robin joined them China gathered her leftover microwavable lunch. She had to be on duty while Robin ate.
Jean called from the door, “China, Dr. Jenkins needs you in exam two. We have a boy with an open wound.”
“On my way,” she responded. “This may be where I get to see what he can do,” China remarked to Doris as she hurried away.
China entered the exam room to find Dr. Jenkins with a lanky boy of about eleven years old sitting on the table and a mom perched on a chair with a troubled expression on her face.
“China, I’m going to need saline, a pan and a suture kit,” he said, without looking up from his patient.
“Yes, sir. Right away.”
He glanced up and gave her a quizzical look. A sharp tightness shot through her chest honed from childhood. What had she said wrong?
China left to gather the supplies. Returning, she found that Dr. Jenkins had turned the boy around so that he could place the pan on the pull-out footrest. There he would be able to pour the saline over the wound so it would run into the pan. China set the supplies on a small metal surgical stand that was stored in one corner then pulled it out to within easy reach of the doctor.
She opened the bottle of saline and handed it to him. He began to pour the liquid over the wound. When the boy winced Dr. Jenkins said, “I’m not from around here so tell me about this skimboarding you were doing.”
The kid relaxed noticeably.
“It’s done with a thin oval board. You throw it down and jump on it and ride it along the surf coming in on the beach.”
“That sounds like fun. Are you any good?”
By this time Dr. Jenkins was preparing the local anesthesia to deaden the wound and the boy was taking no notice. The doctor had skills.
“Pretty good.”
China had never learned to do anything like skimboarding, surfing or the usual water sports common for someone who lived near the water. Her father had become more controlling after her brother had left home at sixteen when given the ultimatum to straighten up or get out. China had learned early in life to do as she was told or she too might not have a place to live.
After her brother had left her father hadn’t wanted China or her sister hanging out with the crowd down at the beach or doing much that wasn’t under his watchful eye. Her mom, devastated by losing one child, had left most of the parenting