I nod just as the patient walks through the door, an older woman with a smile on her face. She is walking a little stiff, but other than that, she seems fine.
“If you don’t mind, my associate is going to join us so she can watch and learn. Is that okay, Ms. Gardner?”
“Yes, that’s fine, Dr. Lancer.”
Fuck. I haven’t been calling him by his title as I should have. He’s a doctor. Not just “Mr. Lancer.” I’ll have to talk to him about it and apologize. I make sure the phone goes straight to voicemail while I’m away from the desk and follow Dr. Lancer to the exam room. I never really thought about learning to be a chiropractor, but maybe Dr. Lancer can guide me.
“Ms. Price, if you’ll take the seat in the corner so you can see the adjustments I’m making, you’ll be able to get a better view.”
“Sure.” I shuffle to the seat and sit down, but on my way, I take the coat from Ms. Gardner and gently lie it on the chairs against the wall.
“Oh, thanks dear. It’s hard to get my arm out of the left side. You really helped me out.”
“Is that where your pain is?” Dr. Lancer asks her.
“Yes, and it shoots down my back. I haven’t been sleeping well either.” Dr. Lancer begins to gently palpitate her neck and either side of her spine.
We sit in silence for a few minutes. I don’t do well in silence. My mind tends to overthink about certain things, like Quin.
I barely even hear the satisfying pops as my mind runs back to the explosive sex we had earlier. I had my own snaps. Literally. Quin snapped my blouse and then ripped my bra off.
I had an adjustment all on my own.
I lick my lips at the memory of his hands around my throat and his cock plunging in and out of me. So much of it was angry, but a lot of it felt desperate. Like we had to reconnect or we would die. I always felt that way with Quin, like every moment was urgent, and if I didn’t breathe the air he breathed, I’d die.
That feeling has never gone away and I don’t think it will. Being around him when he has so much of my heart is bad for me since he won’t give me any of his.
“Oh god, Dr. Lancer. That’s so good.”
The patient’s moaning has me snapping out of my thoughts and Dr. Lancer’s eyes meet mine, humor shining in them when he knows what his patient sounds like.
“Okay, flip over on your other side for me,” he instructs, and when she turns, her back is to me, so I hide a giggle with my hand over my mouth.
He puts her in a safe position, arm extended under her head, knee bent, other leg straight, and he feels against the spine before pressing, the pops zinging around the room.
“Oh, so good. Good,” she nearly slurs, and I have to hide my mouth against my arm to really muffle my laughter. “Dr. Lancer. You have a magical touch. You know, my granddaughter is single,” she says out of nowhere. My brows rise in shock that she’s playing matchmaker at a time like this.
I also catch Dr. Lancer’s jaw tightening, but he puts on a good smile while Ms. Gardner flips to her back. “That’s very sweet of you, but I’m not looking to date right now.”
Lie. He wants love. He just doesn’t want love with a woman!
“Oh, she’s pretty. A little younger than you, but I think you two would get along so well,” she tries again.
“Relax your head into my hands. Perfect.” He jerks her head to the right and a few cracks echo through the small room.
“My goodness.” She melts again and he proceeds to do the other side. “Are you sure you don’t want her number?”
“I’m sure. I don’t get involved with patients or their families. It’s a policy of mine.”
“I understand,” she huffs. “Unless maybe you’re gay? I have a grandson that’s gay. Are you? I don’t have a problem with that. I think that’s all okay. People need to leave other people alone.”
Dr. Lancer freezes before checking her leg length.
“Oh, you are gay. You aren’t mad about it, are you? Oh, it’s alright. I wish I was gay. I feel like I’d have so much more fun,” she says out of nowhere, which makes the doctor smile. “But I just can’t seem to be, no matter how many times I try.”
I drop my pen on the floor and clear my throat, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.
“I appreciate your efforts, Ms. Gardner, but I think it’s best if you stay my patient. Okay? Now, how does that shoulder feel?”
She rolls them and hangs her head. “So much better, thank you. I bet you make your men feel like Jello with those big hands of yours.”
I stand quickly and decide to end this conversation for Dr. Lancer. “Ms. Gardner, let’s walk up to the front and get you checked out and maybe schedule your next appointment? He has another patient coming in soon and he has a few phone calls to make.”
“Oh, sure. Thank you so much, Dr. Lancer. You’re a real life-saver.” She wiggles her fingers in a wave and grins, her lipstick a bit smeared from lying face down on the table.
She looks like she had a really… great time.
“Here. This is my grandson’s number. Give it to the good doctor, will you? My Frankie is such a good boy.” She hands me the card. I smile, but on the inside, I let out a really big sigh because she isn’t catching the hint. I know she means well, and I don’t have the heart to get stern with her.
I reach for the card and nod, but that’s when I notice her handwriting. I can’t read it. It’s all squiggles. The F and R I can read, but everything after that doesn’t look normal.
“Ms. Gardner, are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, why?” her words slur as she speaks, and I jerk my head up when I notice half her face suddenly sag and the left side of her mouth turn downward.
“Oh my god. Dr. Lancer? Get out here now!” I yell and rush around the table, helping her to the ground. I reach in my pocket for my phone and dial 9−1−1.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know, but I think she’s having a stroke.”
“What! Ms. Gardner, can you understand me? Can you speak?” He shines a light in her eyes, but one pupil is fixed while the other is blown. He yanks the phone from my hand when he hears the 9-1-1 dispatcher. “This is Doctor Glenn Lancer at Lancer Chiropractic. I have a patient, seventy-three years old, female, and she’s having a stroke. Please, hurry.”
Ms. Gardner tries to speak, but it comes out a slurred, jumbled mess and I can see she’s scared. Her eyes are round and her hand shakes as she reaches for me. I hold onto it tight. “It’s okay, you’re going to be okay, Ms. Gardner. Don’t try to speak. Save all your energy.”
“I don’t think I did anything,” Dr. Lancer whispers, his fingers tugging the ends of his hair loose from their perfect style. “I have never done anything wrong, ever.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t anything you did. Let’s not think about that now. We will figure it out today. We’ll go to the hospital with her, and you will call her family. I’m sure she has an emergency contact she put down on paperwork here.” I go to get up, but her hold on me keeps me down.
The doors burst open and the paramedics run in, the body board at their side. It doesn’t take long before they are taking her blood pressure and heart rate, get her onto the board, and in only a few minutes, she’s gone, the bell ringing above the door as they leave.