Perfectly Honest

Chapter 1

Written in the Stars by Esmeralda Garnet

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Life will be hectic and not much will go as planned. Revisiting an old hobby or trying something new should be your goal. Nurture the relationships that mean the most to you.

Dr. Mikaela Finn sat back and rolled her shoulders. One more chart and she'd be done. Finally. What a day. Between the delivery at two in the morning, the emergency C-section, her morning clinic of complicated prenatal patients, and an afternoon clinic that never seemed to end, she was toast.

She blew out a breath and looked up at the sign on her door. Dr. Mikaela Finn. Obstetrician and Gynecologist. It still gave her a thrill to read it. She laughed at herself. After six months she should be used to it, but it had been a long road. Finishing and passing her exams had been exciting enough, but being offered a junior position at St. Peter's where she'd trained had been icing on the cake. Clinic space, operating time, and an office within running distance to the delivery suite had been quite the coup.

Or so she had thought.

It was absolutely crazy. Rivermede was a good-sized city with a population of about one hundred thousand. But add in the catchment area of surrounding small towns with very fertile people, and it meant non-stop work. Plus, it didn't help that the senior staff and half the nurses still saw her as a trainee. Saying 'no,' to the endless stream of requests was hardly an option.

But something had to give. She had considered change and had sent out a couple of letters to hospitals in other towns, thinking change would be good, challenging even.

Just one problem.
She feared change.
So unless she found time to research and plan, she'd be staying put. In the meantime, a little practice saying 'no' in the mirror might be a good idea.

She clicked on the patient chart and started typing. Her brain felt slow. She had kept a very satisfying caffeine buzz going all day with three coffees and a chocolate bar, but it had worn off when the last patient walked out the door. Focus. Shit, what had she told that mom? Sex? No sex? Sex on Sundays? She envied the era of hand written charts. Write a few illegible squiggles and be done.

She finished the note, shut down her computer, and gave a huge yawn. Food or sleep? The thought of soft pillows and a warm comforter had her sighing. Food could wait.

Her cell phone rang as she shrugged on her coat. She checked the call display, half-afraid to see the hospital switchboard. Margo, she read with a smile.

"Mikaela, I have a favor to ask."

That was enough to send a shot of adrenalin through her. She could count on one hand the number of times her best friend had asked for a favor in the past ten years. "Of course. Ask away."

Margo hesitated. "I shouldn't even bother you with this, but I'm in such a bind."

Mikaela heard the uncertainty and worry. "What? Do you need a kidney? Bone marrow? You're killing me. What is it?" Margo laughed. "Sorry, you're right. Nothing so drastic. Although I need your time, which is probably a hotter commodity than your kidney," Margo said with a sigh. "For the past two weeks, Chloe and I have been painting a house for a client. I flew to Rainy River for a meeting this morning and left Chloe to finish the last room. Which she should have been able to do. Except, this morning she slipped and broke her wrist."

"Oh no. Poor Chloe. Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. She went to the Emergency Department. She's in a cast for six weeks and pretty high on painkillers, but at least she didn't need surgery. Luckily Rip's home and can help with the triplets. The problem is, I can't get a flight home until tomorrow morning. I promised the client I would have the painting done and everything put back by tomorrow, but Chloe said the bedroom still needs another coat of paint."