From the Hat Down, page 21
“Thank you,” Ginny said. She finished writing something down and took a pack of powdered creamer and a pack of sugar out of a drawer. “Heard anything recently regarding Gina?”
“Her sister says she’s flying back to the States today, actually.” Meg thought for a moment. “If she left Germany in the morning there, she’ll probably be landing soon in New York.”
“Have you talked to her?” Ginny stirred her coffee with a little too much concentration.
“No, but she sent me an email. I’ll probably talk to her when she’s back in California.” She focused on her own coffee.
Ginny made an affirmative noise and tried her coffee. She was very particular about her morning coffee. “I hope you’re considering a visit.”
Meg shrugged and sipped. “It has been discussed. Possibly in three weeks. I’ll need to look at the schedule. If it happens, I’ll probably leave Thursday afternoon and come back Sunday.”
“Flying out of Denver?”
“Most likely. It’s a pain in the ass drive, but it’s more of a pain in the ass to fly out of Cheyenne for that trip and stop all over hell and gone before I actually get anywhere.”
“Clear your calendar on Thursday and drive down Wednesday night.”
“That’s an option,” she said, noncommittal. “But things get busy around here. That’s coming up on the Fourth, and people want to get everything scheduled, and make reservations for boarding. I might not be able to go—”
“It’s about two weeks out from the Fourth,” Ginny corrected. She took another sip of coffee, studying her.
Meg cringed internally and started to reply when Sandra came in, followed by Nicole.
“Morning, all,” Sandra said.
“Hey,” Meg said, relieved. She didn’t want to talk about a visit with Gina. “I’ll be in the back. Nicole, we need to prep for a canine neuter this morning.”
“Okay. Hi, Ginny,” she said as she passed the counter and went into the back.
“I’ll be in the back, too.” Meg followed her and avoided Ginny’s gaze. “All right, let’s get prepped,” she said as the door swung shut behind her. Meg relaxed and fell into her pre-surgery focus, something she always did. She viewed each surgery as a puzzle that needed to be solved or a task that needed to be completed for the health of the animal and the connection of the owner to that animal. If only human relationships could be that simple and that easy to deal with.
Almost three hours later, she checked on the cat she’d just spayed then administered annual vaccinations to a dog and pulled porcupine quills out of another dog’s face. By noon, she was ready for a break. She went to her office and sank gratefully into her chair. While she rested, she checked her phone for messages. She’d gotten a couple of texts, the first from a number she didn’t recognize. She opened it anyway. “Hey, Meg,” it read. “Gina here. Using my buddy’s phone. Landed in NYC. Flying on to Sac @ 12 EST. Call you when I can.”
And she smiled at the text, smiled because Gina had borrowed a phone specifically to send it to her. Did that mean anything? Or was Gina just being conscientious? She checked the time on her phone, saw that Gina had already been in the air for a couple of hours. The second message was from Mary, saying basically the same thing. Meg re-read the text from Gina. She wanted to see her. Wanted to more than anything, but then she’d be left to fly home with an even stronger crush. Or, as Sean said, Gina might reciprocate, even though she was seeing someone else. That thought was worse, somehow, than dealing with her crush. Alternatively, what if Gina and Sharon were on the rocks and their relationship was ending anyway? Would that make a difference?
She wasn’t sure. And even if that were the case, Sharon would still get hurt. Meg wasn’t sure she could be that big an asshole to someone, even if Gina was some kind of soul mate and they were meant to be together. She put her phone back on her belt. What kind of stupid thought was that, anyway? Meant to be together? Christ, they hadn’t even been in the same room together in five years.
On the other hand, what would it hurt, to go visit her? Meg stood and retrieved her sandwich from her mini-fridge. But if she decided to do this, no way was she going to stay at Gina’s folks’ house. She’d rent a car and get a hotel because it was weird to crash at your ex’s parents’ house. She and Gina hadn’t even really paved the friendship road yet. And out of respect for Sharon, Meg didn’t want to end up in a situation where she’d say or do something she couldn’t take back.
“Hey, Doc,” Haley said from the doorway. “Class got out a little early, so I just came over.”
“Excellent. Check in with Nicole about the cat we just spayed. Have her go over the prep procedure. As soon as I finish lunch, I’ll be right there.” She held up her sandwich and smiled.
“Okay.”
“Get a fresh lab coat. You know where they are.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She walked away and Meg stifled a sigh. Again with the “ma’am.” She went out front to check her appointments.
“How old do I look?” she asked Sandra.
“Um, I don’t know.”
“Seriously. If you didn’t know me and you saw me on the street, how old would you think I am?”
“Uh. . .maybe late twenties. Thirty.” Sandra shrugged.
Ginny looked over at Meg. “Why?”
“Just curious about the age a woman hits before people start calling her ‘ma’am’ all the time.”
Ginny laughed. “Just wait ’til your doctors are ten, twenty years younger than you.”
Meg grimaced. “Yikes. Okay, what’s next?”
Ginny gave her the rundown and for the rest of the day, Meg was busy nonstop. Her last appointment went past five, so it was nearly five-thirty before she took a break.
“Here’s hoping nobody comes in before six,” Sandra said. She eyed the clock that hung over the door into the back. “Where’s Haley?”
“Out back with Rick walking some of the dogs.” Meg picked up the schedule and checked Thursday afternoon’s appointments. She’d take care of a couple of places on rounds in the morning, and then more in-office craziness. She checked Friday’s, too.
Sandra finished her paperwork and put patient folders away while Ginny checked the schedule grids and made some adjustments. At six o’ clock, Sandra was already out the door.
“Date with her cowboy,” Ginny said. She went and turned the sign on the door to “Closed.”
Meg rubbed her eyes. “Same one as last month?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“That’s some kind of record.” She stretched, trying to loosen her shoulder muscles.
“Speaking of dates.”
Meg snapped her gaze to Ginny’s.
“Sacramento,” she said in a way that required an answer.
“It’s complicated.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Ginny studied her, as if she was looking at a door and trying to figure out how to open it.
“There’s just—there’s baggage. And I’m not sure how I feel about it and I’m not sure whether I’m ready to deal with it. A visit could create problems.”
“A visit could also put a lot to rest.” Ginny started gathering her things to leave. “Let me know if or when you want your schedule cleared. Good night.”
Meg watched her leave, then watched through the front windows as Haley’s truck pulled up in front of the building. A woman Meg didn’t know got out, and she guessed this was Beth. She went to open the door.
“Hi,” she said. “Beth?”
“Yes.” She smiled, and it lit up her face, framed by a mass of blonde hair. She looked about the same age as Haley, and she wore faded jeans, a western-style red shirt, and old scuffed black combat boots. Pretty. “You must be Doctor Tallmadge,” she said. “Good to meet you.”
“Likewise. Come on in. Haley’s just finishing up.” She stood aside as Beth entered, trailing a faint odor of cologne. Something feminine and a little sweet.
“I’ll just wait here,” Beth said, gesturing at the chairs in the lobby.
“No, it’s all right. Let me get Haley. I’m sure she’d like to show you around.” She started toward the back when Haley emerged and almost ran into her.
“Hey, Doc—oh, hi.” She grinned when she saw Beth, in a way that indicated Beth was much more than friend. “Did you two meet?”
“We did,” Beth said, smiling back, and it made Meg think about how Gina used to smile at her the two years they were together.
“Why don’t you show her around?” Meg said “I’m just going to shut my computer down and make sure everything’s secure before Randy gets in. We’ll leave through the back.”
“Okay,” Haley said with a nod. She motioned with her head at the door behind the counter. “So back here is where all the cool stuff happens.”
Beth smiled. “So I’ve heard.”
Meg locked the front door, then went to her office. She heard Haley and Beth chatting with Rick, who was on duty until late, and then a door open and close as they went into the kennel area. She shut her computer down and picked her satchel up and went to wait by the back door for Haley and Beth.
“Thanks, Doc,” Haley said as they approached the back door about five minutes later.
“Did you manage to convince Beth that nothing untoward occurs here?” Meg smiled.
“Almost.” Haley smiled back as Meg opened the door.
“Thank you, Doctor Tallmadge,” Beth said as she walked past her outside into the parking area behind the building. “I really appreciate that I was able to see where Haley’s doing her internship. She’s really excited about it.” She took Haley’s hand.
“We’re glad to have her aboard. Thanks for coming by. See you tomorrow, Haley.”
“Sure thing. Later.” Haley waved with her free hand as Beth pulled her gently away, toward the front. Meg watched them until they rounded the building, thinking that a lot had changed since she was their age, and it was second nature for Beth to take Haley’s hand, even in a Laramie parking lot. She glanced around anyway, because as much as things had changed, some things hadn’t, and all it took was one asshole who decided he didn’t like to see queers holding hands in public. She didn’t see anything that set off alarms, so she got into her truck. She needed to get home and see how Moonshine was doing on his own.
The land line rang and Meg glanced at the clock on her computer screen. Nearly ten. The ID showed a California area code.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hey, Cowgirl.”
Meg nearly choked on her own breath. “Hey! Wow. How are you? Last I heard from Mary was that your plane landed earlier this evening and you were really tired. So how come you’re not in bed?” Oops. Maybe an image she didn’t need.
“That’s about right. I am crazy tired and a bit sore, but nothing I can’t handle. I’m staying up a little bit later so I can go to sleep at my normal hour and fool the jet lag.” She smiled, and Meg could hear it in her words.
“Yeah, that should work. Wear dark clothing, too. The jet lag won’t see you lurking in the hallway or anything.”
Gina chuckled. “Damn, I’ve missed you.” Before Meg could say anything or process the statement, she continued. “So my mom has doctor’s appointments lined up already. She’s worried about one of the gashes on my leg. It was pretty deep and I’m limping a little bit. I think my mom just wants to make sure everything gets checked a hundred times.”
“I’m with her on that. How deep was the injury?”
“Maybe a quarter-inch. It was a clean slice, so the scar won’t be too bad. There’s no serious muscle damage, but I’ve got a bunch of bruises in the area, too, and it hurts to walk too much.”
“Well, I’m still with your mom on this. Get checked out again.”
“Yes, Doctor. I will,” she teased, and the warmth in her voice sent sparks down Meg’s spine.
“And if you keep limping, you could always be a pirate,” Meg offered slyly. “Get a parrot and an eyepatch. I think I have a hook you could use.”
“Oh, thanks,” Gina said with mock sarcasm. “I knew I could count on you for career advice.”
“Speaking of which,” Meg started. “Care to share a little bit about what’s next?”
“Don’t know, actually.” Gina fell silent for a bit. “Honestly, I’m burned out. And I don’t really feel like talking about that right now. I’m pulling the cranky and tired card.”
“Fair enough.”
“I’d rather hear how you are. Start talking, and if you hear snoring, you’ll know that’s your cue to hang up.”
“So you’re saying my conversation will help you sleep?” she teased back.
“I’m saying that hearing your voice makes me feel like all is right with the world.”
Meg bit her lip to keep from saying what she really wanted to. “Well, all right,” she managed as she stood and went to the back door, where she could see the stars.
“So spill it. What’s new?”
So Meg caught Gina up on her plans to eventually start a practice or take one over in Saratoga, and she chatted a bit about what her dad and the ranch crew had been up to.
“And how’d it go with your mom?” Gina asked when Meg had finished.
Meg groaned. “That’s a whole other can of nuts. And how about I tell you about that later? Because I’m a doctor and all, and I’m ordering you to bed.” She realized what she’d said too late. Shit.
“I’d rather talk to you,” Gina said matter-of-factly, skipping over Meg’s comment. “But I know you have to get up early. And I forgot about the time difference between us. I didn’t realize what time it was there.”
“No problem. Thanks for calling.” She tried not to think about how this felt like it did when they were together, talking for hours on the phone, caught up in the moment and not realizing how much time had passed. And it dawned on her that Gina hadn’t mentioned Sharon. Not once.
“Not to sound too weird, but is it okay to call you again?” Gina asked, sounding tentative.
“Does ringworm itch?”
Gina snorted. “I think so. . .that’s one thing I didn’t pick up overseas, thank God.”
“Well, there you go. Call me. Do you have an American cell phone?”
“Not yet. I have to rely on the good graces of the vast Morelli network for that.” She sighed. “I have a ton of shit to catch up on, too. Mary’s coming by tomorrow with a laptop and I’ll be able to check email. Exciting, I know.”
She smiled. She could practically hear Gina’s eye roll over the phone. “Check in when you can. Mary has my cell phone number.”
“For sure.” She hesitated. “Thanks for talking, Meg. It means a lot to me.”
“Duh. Isn’t that, like, what your, like, friends are supposed to do?”
“You do that a little too well. You could move to California. Just wear Hawaiian shirts with your cowboy hat. Keep ’em guessing.”
“Hell, Gina. I do that anyway.”
“Which? Wear Hawaiian shirts with your hat or keep ’em guessing?”
She flushed and she was glad Gina couldn’t see it, because it sure felt like Gina was flirting with her. It was at once familiar and exciting but also confusing. Still, Meg fell into the moment. “I’ll let you be the judge,” she said, a little too coyly.
“I already know. You keep ’em guessing,” Gina said softly. “Okay, get some sleep, Doc. This has been. . .I don’t have the words. Funny, I know. Me the writer-type and all. It’s been wonderful talking to you. Take care.”
“You, too. And I’m really glad you’re home safe.”
“Same here. And I’m not sure when I’ll be able to call. I’ve got a lot going on here, but I’ll keep you posted on all relevant medical procedures. I know you have a thing for those now.”
Meg laughed. “Not sure how I feel about that assessment.”
“I personally really get a kick out of it. All right, catch you later.”
They said “bye” at the same time and hung up. Meg stared at the phone before replacing it on its holder. “Shit,” she muttered. She didn’t know Sharon. She might be a little jealous of her, but it still felt weird for Gina to flirt when she was seeing someone else. It bothered her. It burst a bubble of sorts. And maybe she wouldn’t like what she saw if she visited. How much could someone change over eight years? Quite a bit, it seemed. And Meg didn’t want to see that side of Gina. No matter how it felt to talk to her, how it was both exciting and familiar, she didn’t want to see the side of Gina that didn’t acknowledge her girlfriend, and that flirted with Meg. But still, the crush remained. She sighed, frustrated, and closed the back door so she could get ready for bed.
Chapter 19
“Do you think it’s weird for someone not to mention their girlfriend at all?”
Sean looked up from her plate. They were sitting at a table in La Luz Mexican grill, festive and maybe a little garish. But it had some of the best fish tacos in Colorado, Meg was convinced. Sean cocked her head. “Gina’s still not talking about Sharon?”
“No. Nada. Zippo. It’s like she doesn’t exist.”
Sean took a bite of her enchilada and swallowed before answering. “Have you talked to her since she called you when she got in?”
“No. And I’d tell you if I had.”
“This is true.”
“The last email I got was Tuesday telling me the doctor check-up went fine and she hasn’t had time to get a personal American cell to replace the one she lost over there. But no mention there, either, of Sharon or even anything personal. Just newsy and friendly.” And here it was Thursday, the week after Gina got back from Germany and she was still stressing out about visiting.
“Okay, so let’s go for the most obvious first. Is Gina still with Sharon?”
“As far as I know. She said in December that Sharon was taking a position in the States. And Mary told me that Sharon’s coming to visit late next week, I think.”
