And I appreciate your taking the time to go over these important rules with me. Working here at Rankins Hospital is a dream come true, and I assure you I’ll do whatever is necessary to make a smooth transition, including rereading the handbook the hospital has provided and reviewing all of these highlighted notes.”
Dr. Boyd sniffed and adjusted his glasses. “That sounds fine.”
Ally thought he looked suitably defused, so she stood. “If there’s nothing further then, I’m anxious to get to work.”
* * *
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES later Ally was still trying to calm down. Seated behind her new desk inside her new office, she read her new job description for about the millionth time. Certain sections seemed to glow from the pages, reminding her why she was here: To facilitate patient care regarding medical treatment, procedures, hospital stays and preventative care... Appropriate consideration must be taken regarding the age, gender, ethnicity and religious beliefs of the patient...
Simple words, yet so open to interpretation and incredibly challenging to implement. The knot already bunching in her stomach tightened. Did her grandfather know the monumental task she was facing here? Of course he did. She wouldn’t be here if he didn’t have faith in her.
From the depths of her soul, she believed there had to be a way for traditional and modern medicine to meet peacefully, to merge, even. Yet she knew, and both her grandfather’s and her own experiences had taught her, how difficult the concept was for some people to accept. She hadn’t intended to wave her opinions around her new workplace quite so blatantly, and wouldn’t have, if Louis wasn’t a relative.
A knock startled her out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw a vaguely familiar male figure filling the open doorway. A tall figure, she couldn’t help but notice—very tall and lean. The Mariners T-shirt he wore predisposed her to like him, and she couldn’t help but appreciate the way it stretched nicely across his muscled chest. Longish dark brown hair curled over his forehead and at least a day’s growth of stubble shaded his jaw.
Handsome face, she noted, but it didn’t look like a happy one.
“Good morning, Ms. Mowak. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure. Come on in.”
Long strides carried him into the room. “How’s your cousin?”
Now she had the feeling she should definitely know him. “He’s doing very well, thank you. He should be released in a day or two. Do you know Louis?”
One brow ticked up. “Just from yesterday.”
“Oh, were you part of the medical team treating him?”
He gave his head a little shake. “Ms. Mowak, I met you yesterday. Pilot?”
“Your name is Pilot? I have a cousin named Jett.”
One hand came up to scrub his chin. “No, I was the pilot who flew you and your cousin in from Jasper Lake.”
That was it. “Oh, yes, of course. Mr....?” Had he ever said his name?
“Tag. Tag James. From Copper Crossing Air Transport.”
“Sorry, I didn’t...remember you.”
“Yeah, I got that,” he answered flatly.
Ugh. This was uncomfortable, although she wasn’t sure why exactly. She recalled the brief interchange about which hospital to fly to and realized she might have been a tad short with him.
“Your landing was excellent, by the way. That, I remember.”
“My landing?” He repeated the word like he hadn’t quite heard her correctly.
“Yes. In the bay. You’re obviously a competent pilot.”
“Competent?” The word came out slowly while his brows dipped down along with the corners of his mouth. He looked baffled. He crossed his arms over his chest and kept them locked there.
Hmm. Was he offended that she hadn’t recognized him? Or put out because she’d overridden his suggestion to go to a larger hospital? When she shifted into rescue mode, she tended to become hyperfocused on her patient and the circumstances surrounding the emergency at hand. And yesterday’s patient had been Louis, a family member, which had heightened both her concentration and concern. She felt it unnecessary to explain this.
“I apologize that I didn’t recognize you?” she said, and immediately realized that it came out sounding more like a question. Ally didn’t believe in superfluous apologies, or conversations, for that matter. She found them both a waste of time, and hers was at a premium.
With more smirk than smile, he said, “I can assure you I am more than competent, Ms. Mowak.”
Oh, brother. She should have seen that coming, pilots and their egos. Her second oversize ego of the day. At least this guy wasn’t her boss.
“Mr. James, what can I help you with?”
“Please call me Tag. I’m here to discuss the flight yesterday. Do you remember anything besides my competent landing? Do you have problems with your short-term memory I should be aware of?”
Ally felt a stir of dismay. Carefully, she answered each question and then followed with one of her own. “Of course. No, I don’t. And what about the flight?”
“Specifically, I’m here to talk about how your new position as hospital liaison affects me and the patients I transport, as per my business arrangement with the hospital.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“This is about the clay?”
“Partially. Not entirely. I have more than one issue.”
Oh, good, she thought wryly. She was about to get grief from the pilot, too. Who was next? The charge nurse hadn’t accosted her yet. But it was early, not even lunchtime. Patiently she waited for him to continue.
“If we’re going to work together I think we need to establish some ground rules.”
“I agree.”
He got right to it. “I don’t have issues with alternative medicine per se—herbal, Ayurvedic, naturopathic, homeopathic, acupuncture, Reiki or any other type of traditional remedy, for that matter, is fine with me. I don’t care or interfere with what people believe or how they choose to treat their medical conditions. What I do have a problem with is when it directly affects my job, and more specifically, my ability to save a life.”
“And you feel like my use of medicinal clay falls into the latter category?”
“I do.”
“Please keep in mind that yesterday I was treating a family member in an emergency situation. I wasn’t on the job.”
“I understand that, which is why I’m here instead of in Dr. Boyd’s office.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Even though I do not understand why you would purposely put your cousin in danger.”
“Obviously,
