Unexpected Alpha's Claim by Miranda Martin

Author:Miranda Martin [Martin, Miranda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

20

MONICA

“Thank you kindly for this. I really needed it.”

That was an understatement. I couldn’t put my need to get out of that sanctuary into words. My first day at work was not what I had expected. I met each and every one of my colleagues. They were not that many of them, but the doctors and nurses were not my issue.

It seemed that word about Shandaken’s new doctor had spread far and wide. Making me into an absolutely uncomfortable spectacle that Monday morning. The locals were apparently enthralled by the fact that a New Yorker had decided to “honor them with her presence” in Shandaken’s Medical Center. At least those were the mayor’s words.

The mayor… it was astounding to my New York City sensibilities that the town’s highest-ranking official had chosen to be there, and so very early in the day no less. After his short speech, many of the town’s three thousand residents had paraded through the halls of the medical center, hoping to catch a glimpse of their new doctor. I must have shaken more hands in eight hours than I had in two years at the Metropolitan Hospital. By the time my shift was over I was exhausted and had a throbbing headache.

Heading back to that “dungeon” as Raul had called it was not an option. I needed space. Wide-open, big space with sky and most of all, no gawking crowds. When I met Helena that afternoon and she was about to transport us back to the sanctuary, I instead asked her to take me to the place where Raul and I had kissed for the first time.

“I can understand your frustration,” she said in a cheerful tone as the two of us strolled through the brush. “You’re new here and not used to this sort of attention. I should have warned you about the locals. They’re small town folk, which means everyone knows everyone. Everybody’s business, no matter how hush-hush, tends to get out and sometimes, they do get a bit too friendly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked looking over at her and trying to understand.

I’d never in my life been in a small town for more than a night. Everything she had just said sounded so weird as to be completely alien. In the city you minded your own business. Period.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s really not a big deal,” Helena said. “It’s just that they tend to be a little too cordial at times. Like this one time a local farmer, Walter Telford, had a cow in labor. Christopher Lansdale, the local vet, came and delivered her. Everything went just fine. Cow and calf were in perfect health. Walter was so happy, God rest his soul... He hugged Lansdale so hard that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.”

“Oh, God…” I chuckled, her story sending a sensation of warmth into my stomach. “You’re a fine storyteller, Helena.”

“So I’ve been told.” She smiled over at me. “Hold on.”

Her abrupt halt made me to do the same and then I heard the noise of leaves and brush being crushed under pressure.

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