Playing Doctor

Chapter Twenty

hap·pi·ness [hap-ee-nis] - noun

1. state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

Sigh.

Pulling down another section of DVDs, I sorted them into the appropriate piles on the floor before grabbing another section. I tried not to glance at the front door or wonder where Gray was and how he was doing. It was none of my business. I had Charles.

Sigh.

At least I had my volunteer work at the clinic. It was the real bright spot in my life. Dee was a dynamo, and Rosalyn was an excellent physician. I felt privileged working with them, even if it was grunt work. I glanced at the clock in the front. I was due to volunteer for an hour during my lunch break today. I perked up just thinking about it.

One thing that didn't perk me up: the return call I got from Kevin's boss. Obviously, Kevin had her bamboozled too, because she wasn't willing to oust Kevin-or Jenny-from the conference. I was back to square one with the research: uncertain what to do and with practically no time left.

Sigh.

"Daphne?"

I looked up to find Walter frowning down at me. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?" He scratched his head under his baseball cap.

I wondered if he knew his hat was on backwards. "I'm putting this section in order."

"Wasn't it already in order?"

"It was completely unorganized. All the foreign movies were lumped together instead of in their subcategories." I shook my head. How did they operate before I got here?

"Subcategories?"

"Yes. If you come in and you're specifically looking for a French movie, you'd have to scour the entire section and still you might miss some. By arranging the movies in subcategories according to their primary language, it'll make it easier for customers to find what they want."

His frown deepened until he got what I now called his constipated look. "But-"

"It'll increase foreign rentals. I'm sure of it."

"Um. Okay. But I'm the boss. The next time you have an idea like this, you have to tell me before you do it. You can't just take over the store like this. You've got to check with me." He shuffled back a couple steps before he stopped and spoke again. "Because that's what bosses do. Approve things and shit."

I wanted to tell him that was just a waste of time since we both knew he'd just capitulate anyway. He reminded me of the megalomaniac chief of surgery I worked for during my first year of residency. But I just smiled politely and said, "Of course."

He winced at the shelves and walked away.

I finished reshelving the movies with plenty of time to spare before heading over to the clinic. I even spent a little time organizing the mess under the counter before I dusted my hands off and started to call Walter to let him know I was taking my lunch.

Except my cell phone rang. I pulled it out and answered it only because it was Charles.

"Let's go to dinner tonight," he said after I greeted him.

"Don't you have baseball?"

"We had to forfeit because a bunch of the guys on the team got sick. So what do you say? Dinner? I know this great burger joint."

"I can't tonight, Charles, and I have to go now."

"But I haven't seen you all week," he complained. "What if I stop by and rent a movie? We can watch it at your place."