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THE HOSPITAL RAN ON constant busy and seven o’clock in the morning wasn’t any different. Charity carried a tray with two coffees. She had debated about grabbing a third for Elijah but chickened out.
The elevator opened on the sixth floor. Charity walked by the nurse’s station and noticed they were going over shift change and the patients’ charts. Her father would be in his office and she wasn’t entirely surprised to see Elijah’s lights off and office door closed, though she was a little disappointed.
She straightened her shoulders and tapped on her father’s door before walking in. “Good morning.”
Her father looked up from his desk. “I didn’t know you were an early riser.”
Did he always have to find a way to make her feel just a little bit less? “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Dad.” She pulled her coffee from the tray and dropped the tray and his cup on his desk, purposely on a stack of papers but knowing it wouldn’t spill. “I brought you a coffee. Decaf.”
His brows shot up in surprise. He quickly moved the tray from the papers but did open the coffee and take a few sips. “Thank you. Your mother used to come every morning and bring me one.”
“I know,” Charity said as she sat down across from him. “It was on the way to school. I always waited in the car.” She didn’t want to share a special memory of her mom with him. He’d ruined that years ago.
He took another sip and stared down at the papers in front of him. They both avoided looking at each as they drank from their cups. He finally broke the silence when he cleared his throat. “I like the venue and idea you came up with last night.”
“Good.” She needed to take the sullen child act down a notch. “I’m glad. I think it’s going to be a big success.”
“Yes, that would be nice. I have no interest in throwing a party for myself but if it can make the hospital some money, I guess I’ll just have to keep my head down and get on with it.”
Interesting. She would have thought he’d love the attention. “I’ll confirm the date for...” She pulled out her phone and skipped to the calendar six months from now. “March twenty-sixth? That’s a Saturday. It’s after Saint Patrick ’s Day and spring break which will help. No conflicting parties.”
“That’s fine.” He wrote the date on a piece of paper.
“I will probably need to be here again next weekend to check caterers and a few other things.”
He nodded and began rummaging through a desk drawer. “Here it is.” He held an envelope in his hand. “We haven’t discussed your rates or fees.”
Charity blinked. She hadn’t come this morning to talk about money, except maybe the amount she hoped they would raise. “I was only planning on charging the hospital for my expenses.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No. I –”
“Yes!” She spoke louder. “Look, you can get your accountants to make up some tax write off for my time but as long as some of my expenses are covered, that’s all I want.”
“Charity.” Her father sighed and shook his head. He handed her the envelope. “Here’s a credit card in your name. It’s to cover all your expenses and for hall booking, catering and whatever else needs to be purchased.”
“Fine.” She took the envelope and stuffed it in her purse. “It’s handy to put it in my name. I appreciate that.”
“When will you be coming up again?”
She leaned back in the chair. “I need to come again next weekend to confirm everything with the hall and I should also start looking at caterers and a few other things. I know it’s a bit last minute but would you be able to get an email or letter out to people at the hospital who would be interested in volunteering? I can draft the letter for you and then you send it out?”
“Sure.”
“It’ll be informal but if we throw in an open dinner, like pizza or something, people will come. We’ll do it here at the hospital on Saturday night. I’ll draft the letter shortly and email it to you.”
“For next Saturday?”
“It’s last minute, I know, but we’re working on a bit of a tight schedule. We’ll plan another proper one later in a month or two. From past experience, those who come out next weekend are the ones that will be the worker bees. It sounds bad the way I said but it’s the easiest way to explain it. They’ll spread the word because they are excited about a night out and will want to be part of the event. These volunteers are the true heart of making a fundraiser a success.”
“Really?” Her father looked skeptical.
“People need to know me. I’m going to be here regularly for the next six months, asking people for favors and getting organized like I own the place.” She didn’t miss the spark in her father’s eye when she said that. “I need to introduce myself and make sure people will recognize me the next time we meet. If I can find a few people, a couple of connections, it’ll make a big difference.” She’d need to remember their faces as well.
Her father shrugged. “Consider it done.”
“I’ll take care of the food, drinks, everything. You just get a conference room reserved here and have the email sent out.”
“Sounds go—” He was interrupted by an announcement on the PA system paging him. “Shoot! I need to go.”
“No problem. I’m going to head down to the cafeteria and get the letter written up. It’ll be done before I have to head out to the airport.”
Her father was already at the door, slipping his white coat on. He disappeared down the hall.
“Bye, Dad,” she said to the empty room. She jumped up and threw her purse over her shoulder and roughly grabbed her things. Her phone vibrated, catching her attention. She sighed and forced herself to relax before checking the message.
I hear you’re here. Come see me! It’s me, your BFF in case you forgot about me, Juls
“Julie!” Charity slapped her forehead. Julie had been her first and only roommate in university. They had been great buds ever since and she worked here at her dad’s hospital. She was a doctor and had married a doctor. Shoot, Charity had been in their wedding party. Julie would never forgive her if she didn’t stop by.
She checked her watch. It’d be tight be could be done. She jogged down the hall and dialed Julie’s number. She slowed to a walk and paused by the nurse’s station when she got Julie’s voice mail.
“Juls! I’m at the hospital now, about to head down to the cafeteria. Come meet me.” She hung up and started to pin Julie the same message. That would be quicker.
“Have you met Dr. Bennet?” One of the nurses spoke to another behind where Charity stood. Charity didn’t mean to eavesdrop but she couldn’t resist.
A young nurse giggled. “Mr. Hotness? Did you know he has a tattoo?”
The other nurse let out a silly, excited laugh. “The medical symbol? I’ve seen it.”
Another nurse walked by Charity, ignoring her and heading straight over to the other nurses. “Most of us have seen it, newbie.”
Charity rolled her eyes and walked to the elevator. She pressed the button. Dr. Elijah Bennett. Couldn’t say she was completely surprised.
