Chapter Two
Knowing that she wouldn’t get a signal on the ride up to the doctor’s office, Kendra had waited until she passed the elevator’s threshold to push send on her cellular phone. She waited until the conversation was almost finished before entering.
“Thank you so much, Patrick! I know Gracie will be happy that you can take over her classes while she is away. Okay, great! I’ll talk to you when I get back to the gym. Thanks again.” Letting out a sigh of relief, Kendra was happy to know that their old pal Patrick could come through for them. It wasn’t hard to find a substitute for their aerobics classes, but it was hard to find the best.
Kendra waited in the short line to sign her name on the waiting list. When she arrived at the window, she made sure the nurse knew that she had an appointment.
“Yes, I’m here for a four o’clock appointment. Kendra Jackson.”
“Yes, Ma’am, sign your name and we’ll call you back in just a few.”
“Thank you.” Kendra turned her cell phone’s ring to vibrate. It annoyed her when people with cell phones would leave them at high-volume rings in some of the most public places.
She wasn’t watching where she was going, but she was listening. She could hear Dr. Shields on the other side of the glass that was still open for the next client to sign up. Dr. Shields was talking to a client about the importance of getting with a support group as the door opened. Kendra looked up and saw the doctor say good-bye to his patient. Kendra’s mouth dropped. She jumped behind a wall before being noticed by Dr. Shields . . . or Dillian.
She found a vacant chair to sit in, behind the same wall that covered her from familiar eyes. Kendra thought before jumping to conclusions. She was aware that she always ran into someone she knew at Dr. Shields’ office. He catered to mostly athletes. Because of his expertise, his practice was growing.
But still, at the words “support group”, she thought of the problems that Dillian and Gracie had been having. Kendra couldn’t dig fast enough to find her celly to call her best friend. Right as she was about to push the send key to connect her call, her name was called for her appointment.
After the nurse had done all the basics: blood pressure and weight and height checks, Kendra sat on the cold vinyl table and settled in as comfortable as she could with the white-as-snow, paper gown she had changed into. Her mind played back to the earlier scene in the waiting room. With one swoop, Kendra jumped down off of the table to reach for her cell phone. Once again, she was knocked off course as Dr. Shields entered the room, ready for their visit.
Noticing Kendra shuffling between the chair in the corner and the examination table, the doctor took a jab. “Oh Miss Jackson, did you need extra time? I can go to the next room and see the next patient if you need me to.”
“Ohhh, no you don’t!” Kendra joked as she put her phone back in her purse. Holding the back of her gown, Kendra eased herself back on the table. “I already waited a lifetime for you to begin with, and you of all people know I don’t have that kind of time.”
“Well, look at you! I’m slow now, huh? Oh okay, let me let you wait just a little longer.” Dr. Shields turned, acting as though he would leave the room.
“Jokes! They’re all jokes, Doc. You know I’m only kidding.”
“That’s what I thought,” he reassured her with a slight laugh. “So how has it all been going for you, Kendra?” the doctor asked as he placed the chart on the counter.
“Dr. Shields?” With her voice reaching lower octaves, Kendra gave her doctor a glare from the corners of her eyes.
“Right, I forgot,” the young, successful doctor who resembled the actor Hill Harper responded as he scooted his wheeled stool over to his patient. “But I can’t help but try. I know you don’t like the mushy side of my profession. It’s not all books you know. I do care about my patients, Miss Jackson.”
“I don’t doubt it . . . I’m just not there yet. But just to let you off the hook. All’s well.”
Placing his stethoscope earbuds in each ear, Dr. Shields listened to Kendra’s breathing. After giving her different breathing techniques, Dr. Shields continued his examination, making her do different stretches to pull muscles in her back. Concluding his short examination, Dr. Shields charted and stood up. He walked over to the cabinet where the room supplies were housed and slipped on the large, non-powder gloves.
“Oh! Umm. What are you doing with those gloves, Doc?”
With a needle in his gloved hand, Dr. Shields turned to face a frightened Kendra. “Now, Kendra, you want new vitamins right?” She nodded affirmatively. “Well, I have to make sure there are no negative reactions with the other medications your primary doctor already has you on before I can go prescribing different vitamins or medicines.”
Unhappy with the answer, Kendra reluctantly agreed to the blood draw. She didn’t know for sure, but her usual vitamins weren’t working like they used to. For the last couple of weeks, she had been battling a cold that kept her coughing and sniffling, and she had less energy.
As Dr. Shields placed the used needle in the red biohazard container, Kendra thought it would be a good time to answer her questions out about Dillian.
“I thought I saw Dillian leaving here when I first got in.”
With his back to his long-time patient, Dr. Shields responded. “Yes, that was Dillian. Speaking of him, how is Gracie? Tell her to come on in if she needs her chiropractic touch-up for the year. That girl’s a hard worker.”
“Yes she is. And I definitely will do.” During the friendly conversation, Kendra wanted so much to probe more into Dillian’s “special treatment,” but she didn’t want to put her doctor on the spot.
As he held the door open to leave, Dr. Shields reminded Kendra that he would call in a prescription for her as soon as he received her results.
“You don’t have to come back in. If you’ll just leave your pharmacist’s number at the front, that will be all.”
“Okay. Sounds like a plan. I actually think Sandra has my pharmacy’s number.”
“Good. Well, just leave my money at the front and be on your way.”
They shared a final laugh. Kendra got up from the table and dressed to leave.