Bottle it Up

Chapter Five

“Dr. Rhodes,” I muttered as a greeting, or more as a way to tell him I had arrived, as I slipped through the door. It only took me a second to find my new boss, he was the only person in the room, and the room itself wasn’t large by any means. A door lead to the walled off area where the check-in desk stood, and two rows of cushioned chairs were placed across. Dr. Rhodes was currently behind the desk, a few manila folders spread across the wood, and a pen dangling from his hand.

“Good morning Hazel,” he replied, only lifting his eyes for a second to make sure I was in fact, Hazel Murphy, before he quickly stuffed everything back into the two folders. I gave a weak smile in return, because he wasn’t looking and I wasn’t in the mood for wasting energy. As soon as the papers were covered by the tan of the folders his eyes were on me though.

He motioned for me to come over to where he was, and I immediately took the five steps necessary to complete the task. “Have you ever worked with computers?” he asked, and I fought the urge to laugh. He shook his head as he placed the folders, or as I know saw them as, files, into the cabinet. “That’s a silly question,” he muttered, under his breath, turning the computer on, “considering kids your age live on computers.” I blushed, taking the heat for the millions of other people my age.

“I only ask because although you don’t need to be a genius to check people in, it is on a computer, and my past few assistants haven’t been quite as-,” he started, pausing for a second, looking for the right word.

“Young,” I blurted without thinking, and he shrugged for a second before nodding.

“Young,” he repeated, turning the computer as I could see the screen. “Anyway, this is the screen that will always pop up after you turn on,” he started, and he went into an explanation of checking in patients, or as he corrected me, clients. This was a private practice he had said, and people came to him because it was a comfortable environment where we were all friends. I would’ve protested that friends weren’t paid unthinkable amounts of money, but it wouldn’t have done anything.

“So you’re all set?” he asked once I had entered the confines behind the check-in desk, and he had stood next to the door that led to his private office. I nodded, expecting him to enter but he didn’t. “Oh, and Hazel, one more thing,” he blurted, something crossing his mind at that exact moment.

I nodded, watching him as he thought out what he was about to say. “We’re high confidentiality, that means no cell phones, and no reading any of the files we have here,” he told me, my phone know feeling three times it’s weight in my pocket.

“That all?” I asked, crossing my ankles back and forth, shifting my weight as the realization hit me that I had nothing to do for the next five hours. He started to nod, but once again he paused.

“My nephew’s going to be working alongside you, kind of like co-workers,” he added and I raised an eyebrow. “I know, I know,” he started through a laugh, “You’re just checking people in, why would you need someone to help you.” He practically took the words out of my mouth. “But,” he continued, dragging the word out, “he needs a place to work, and I’m not sure if I trust him alone. Also, I would’ve needed somebody who I know would be here on time, because as you can see he isn’t here yet.” I sucked in a breath as he gave me a smile and finally went into his room.

What he said was a double hitter. He needed a place to work, and that meant that no one else would take him. There was also the matter he couldn’t be trusted alone. The two together, or even just separately, led me to the conclusion that I’d have a delinquent working next to me, or not working next to me; considering that our first client was coming soon and he hadn’t arrived yet.