Can't Love Christmas

Two

After three months in her new town, Ash had figured out her own routine. She woke up and had a quick breakfast, packed her lunch, went to work from 8am to 5pm with a 1 hour lunch break at noon, she came home and made dinner, and spent her evenings cross stitching while watching television or reading. She spoke to her family on Wednesday nights. Occasionally, she would have tea with Mrs. Rawson, or dinner at Miss Charlene's. It was a simple life; uncomplicated. It made her happy.

That steady routine was broken the day Rowan walked into the pharmacy. The pharmacist and owner, Sadiq, greeted him warmly and beckoned him up to the counter.

"Rowan! What can I get for you?"

"Hi Sadiq. I'm actually filling these for Hannah." He handed Sadiq a piece of stationery and a prescription from one of the two local general practitioners. Sadiq looked it over and nodded.

"Okay, give us about twenty minutes to get this sorted."

Rowan nodded in agreement and disappeared around the corner to the waiting area.

Sadiq handed Ash the piece of stationery. "Can you get him sorted with this, while I make this compound?" He finally passed over the actual prescription. "And add this to the system while I'm at it."

"Sure thing." She turned back to the computer and inputted the patient and prescription details. As she directed her attention to the stationery, her eyebrows shot up her forehead. It was a request for an over the counter anti-fungal medication to treat a yeast infection.

Ash's cheeks reddened as she thought about handing it over to Rowan. Not because she was embarrassed; if she had learned anything by being a pharmacy tech, it was talking about sensitive matters in a very clinical and clear manner. Her cheeks were red as she recalled the first time she had met Rowan, and how handsome he was. He had made more than one appearance in her dreams recently, and she felt bad for thinking of him like that when he was clearly in a relationship. It was even possible he had a kid. Sadiq didn't even question Rowan filling these prescriptions for someone else.

Not that she knew or had anything to feel guilty about, but the blush was involuntary. Luckily no one else was close enough to notice.

She called him back to the counter. "Your full name please and photo I.D.?"

He frowned while he dug out his drivers license. "Rowan Bremmer"

"And what is the name on the prescription?"

"One's for Hannah Phillips and one's for her son Oakley Phillips."

"And their birth dates?"

Ash continued to gather the basic information from him, while a smile played around his lips. As she was about to call Hannah to ensure they could dispense to Rowan, she spotted the note on the bottom of the chart stating exactly that. Ash flushed and cleared her throat while she put it through the insurance on file.

"The co-pay is six dollars." Rowan tapped his card on the pay pad and turned away from the counter.

"Here you go. Now, with this medication," Ash started but Rowan held up a hand to stop her.

"Not mine. I'm just the errand boy today. No need to give me the spiel." Ash blinked up at him, about to question his relationship and whether it was appropriate to release the medications to him when Sadiq sidled over.

"Rowan, have you met Ashtyn yet?"

"Yes," Ash answered, at the same time Rowan said "Not officially." Sadiq shot a puzzled glance between them.

"Well, this is Ashtyn. She's our new pharmacy technician. She's come all the way from Toronto, started with us a few months ago."

Rowan spared Ash a quick glance before returning his focus to Sadiq, "Beverley enjoying Florida then?"

"As she likes to say every time we talk, she's 'living her best life' down there." Sadiq illustrated with air quotes as he spoke.

Rowan laughed, "yeah, that sounds like Beverley." He grabbed the white paper bag and stepped away from the counter.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Ashtyn. I'm sure I'll see you around." He gave another nod in the direction of the raised counter, and headed out of the pharmacy.

Sadiq leaned in conspiratively, "He's a good one."

"What's that mean, Sadiq?" Sadiq turned and walked to his private office, grinning. "Sadiq! What does that mean!"