I threw my mug in the recycling bin and followed him out the door. “Sure, but I’m buying this time.”
He didn’t argue when he saw that I wouldn’t let him win.
My stubbornness came from my father, but I liked a man who knew when to quit and let me return the favour of a simple coffee fix. Dr. Jack Masan was delicious eye candy, and I hoped for the opportunity to introduce him to my sturdy cuffs.
Chapter 2
It was nice to have a decent conversation with someone, even if it was only for coffee and a good chat before it was time for me to leave. It’s the simple things that we need to be thankful for, and I was thankful for Dr. Jack Masan's comfort while Dad was gone for testing. The doctor’s schedule was super busy, and yet, he made time for me. We didn’t have to leave the place where we were needed most to enjoy each other’s company.
I stepped out onto my balcony and looked down at the rush of vehicles that seemed heavier than the week before. From the sixth floor, the sun felt warmer, and the colour of lilies bloomed polka dots of colours that made the busy streets brighter for a late spring.
I inhaled the spicy aroma from my mug of freshly brewed French vanilla and closed my eyes to enjoy a moment of peace, ignoring the distant horns and sirens below. It was different without Dr. Masan in my company. Quiet. Up there, nothing could reach me—a safe space to escape the chaos.
I popped my earbuds in and listened to my playlist, dancing around to chase those endorphins, careful not to tip my mug. My efforts reminded me of the old days at the club when I tried my damndest not to spill my drink on anyone…except now, it was without the drunk girl twerking. I laughed at my reflection in the balcony’s glass doors.
But that ass, though!
Can’t lie, I wouldn’t mind backing it up into Dr. Hottie-Blue-Eyes. I sang along to For You by Rita Ora and fell into a peaceful, fun trance. Invisible soundproof walls from the noise went up around me on the balcony and drowned out the television coming from my neighbour's apartment below. Nature, a natural tranquility…nothing else mattered except the escape. But the robin that flew my way then quickly steered into the other direction must not have felt the same about my singing. I laughed at the sight, hoping I would see it again this high above the trees.
In the paused moment, I decided to call to check on my father to see if there was any update. I kind of hoped to speak with Dr. Masan this morning. Or just to hear his voice.
I took out one earbud, slid open the patio doors, and stepped back inside to grab my phone.
Missed Call: Southwestern Universal Hospital.
Dr. Masan was very patient with my constant calling, not that I was stalking. I never daydreamed about him until now because it was easy for me to dismiss the distraction of a good-looking man. What worried me was Dr. Masan wouldn’t call me unless it was urgent.
A journalist spoke loudly from the neighbour’s television below and interrupted my dialing.
“March Break starts right on schedule but may not end for schools across Canada as school closures remain in effect after the one-week holiday. Thanks to the new devastating Coronavirus, families across the world won’t be enjoying the spring liked they hoped for…”
Fuck. My heart jumped into the pit of my stomach, but there was no time to let the panic set. I understood how the clerk at the grocery store kept her cool during an incident that required her focused attention until a moment allowed her to break. I slid my patio door shut and called Dr. Masan for full details on the hospital's new protocols. I was scared about how this would affect seeing my father.
A nurse picked up on the other line, “Dr. Masan is conducting surgery at the moment. I can leave a message for you?”
I gulped. “Is my father, Joe Clary, in surgery?”
“Let me check…”
The anticipation killed me. How did she not know who the patient was in surgery but knew where the doctor was? I tried not to judge. Perhaps she didn’t have the full information because Dr. Masan rushed to emergency surgery. Essential workers had been so busy since the virus spread, and schools switched to home-school. As a police officer, I felt like I was still adjusting to continuous changing policies every day, all day.
“John Clary, no, Ma’am.”
Her words fluttered up from the pit of my stomach into relief. The heaviness of anxiety suddenly felt slightly lighter, and hope lifted to replace it. Maybe my father was recovering well.
“Dr. Hot—” the nurse paused.
I let out a snicker when the nurse almost slipped at calling him Dr. Hottie. I was sure of it. I would be naïve if I thought that I was the only one who called him that behind his back. A presence of the nurse's smile could be felt from the other side of the phone.
“Dr. Jack Masan left a note in case you called back. Because of the current situation of the COVID-19 virus, they permit only one family member to collect his belongings,” she barked before pausing again.
I breathed in deep a couple of times to meditate my frustration.
The pitch in her voice raised with more care as if she suddenly became calm. “Okay. I have a pen now. Is this Mr. Clary's daughter or wife?”
I questioned what type of person could change personalities over the phone so many times. A stressed one!
“Daughter. Jessa Clary,” I confirmed and told her that I would pick up my father and his belongings.
I scrolled through my social media while the nurse had me on hold. The virus took over the lives of the elderly across the globe in hospitals, nursing homes, those living their independent lives, and those with underlying health conditions. But only at first, because soon, children were affected by a new mutation. The pandemic brought a new virus to most of the world, and even the world’s smartest doctors seemed to feel defeated in all of their hope. There weren’t many words to describe such horror, not even zombies. The virus changed the world and how people acted, destroying friendships because people acted like they graduated with a medical degree overnight, which qualified them to debate over subtopics like procedures and masks. Perhaps the virus also brought out the truth in people, showed them who they had always truly been. Disgusting behaviour happened all around us, but now, we saw it from every angle, and nobody was afraid to show out. Their limited knowledge and political views made people forget that we were all in this together. The ever-growing number of deaths of loved ones across the news screen was tragic. Watching left me feeling helpless because there was absolutely nothing anyone could do except get used to the new normal of quarantine and masks.
“Thank you for holding, Ms. Clary,” the nurse announced and startled me enough to make me jump.
The best plan, per the nurse and Dr. Masan, was to have my Dad back at home with a day nurse to help him stay healthy and safe. Not having to visit the hospital would be a change, but a good one. I wanted to barricade myself in my room and quarantine with Dr. Hottie, but then reality set in. I was an essential worker, and hiding wasn’t who I was. At that moment, I hadn’t the slightest idea how busier and more dangerous my work days would become. Just the thought made me want to disappear for a while to collect myself because the ideal police work isn’t what most people think it is.
Maybe romance wasn’t in the cards for Dr. Masan and me, but a friendship couldn't hurt at the very least. There would hopefully be plenty of time to close the gap in regard to our social distancing soon.