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The sad thing is that Mr. Prichard was in here a few weeks ago, swearing that someone came onto his property and killed Margie. He found a pile of feathers, but no carcass. Thankfully, Margie was only rattled and came home a few days later. I have no doubt a coyote or something tried to get her. I suggested once again that he enclose her area, for her safety, and to keep the oldman from landing a night in jail, but he never does it. If Chandler and I don’t go over there and escape and predator proof her pen, then it’ll never get done.
I’m going to sweat my ass off today, but maybe a little heat exhaustion will keep me from thinking about how I utterly ruined everything with Adalynn.
Chapter 28
Adalynn
I’ve attended every single doctor’s appointment in my adult life alone. I’ve never had someone here to hold my hand or chat with while I wait, but I’ve never felt so alone in my life.
I hate that I’m a fixer. I hate that there’s this need inside of me that urges me to help everyone. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little old lady struggling to get a case of Ensure into her trunk or that one time that poor rattlesnake looked like he was all but dead on the hot concrete. I didn’t think twice about going back into the bakery and grabbing a bottle of water. The snake literally rattled its tail in warning as I poured water on it, but the sound of that rattle changed when he realized he could lap up the water that was pooling in his coils.
Every man in my life, my dad, stepdad, the twins, and, of course, Cash, told me what I did was incredibly dangerous when I relayed that story to them that evening at dinner. I was urged, not so gently, to consider my safety over everyone else before jumping in to help people.
“You won’t be able to help anyone if you’re dead,” Donnie had muttered, but I didn’t let it bother me. He was always the moodier one of the two.
I didn’t let their irritation change me. If there’s a need, I will always be the first one to step forward and offer a helping hand. I don’t do it for recognition. I help because it’s what’s right. It does bring me a sense of satisfaction, but that always comes secondary.
The problem with helping everyone else is that I rarely have time to focus on the things in my own life that need repair. I woke up three days ago with the decision in my head that I need to put myself and my own well-being first for once. As I showered, I told myself I was in my “no” era. If helping othersinterfered with my own goals and plans, then it was going to get a no from me. I was no longer going to inconvenience myself to make others happy. I was no longer going to make myself smaller so others could shine brighter.
It's why I made this doctor appointment a couple months ahead of my normal annual schedule.
“Adaleigh?”
I tilt my head as I look at the nurse standing in the doorway. I know she means me. I’m the only person in the room. Any other time in my life, I’d be perfectly fine waiting fifteen minutes in an empty waiting room. I’d consider that they were busy in the back or some other kind of emergency has happened, but I’ve sat here stewing while the nurse and receptionist gossiped about a vacation one of them was planning.
“It’s Adalynn,” I correct, enunciating my own name. “Does it say Adaleigh on the file?”
The nurse narrows her eyes at me before looking down at the chart. I don’t miss her calming intake of breath.
I should probably ask her if she needs a minute to familiarize herself with my history as much as she seems familiar about a ski trip to Breckenridge in the winter, but that would be mean. I may be in my “no” era, but I’ll never be hateful out of spite.
“No, ma’am,” she says, her fake smile in place. “I apologize about the wait. Can I get you to step on the scale?”
“Weight is up a couple of pounds,” she says in a tone that somehow manages to sound both professional and chastising at the same time.
I’d like to see her go through a hard time while working at a bakery and see if the leftover treats didn’t end up in her mouth at the end of the day.
I hold my head higher, not saying a thing as she escorts me to a room.
“Shouldn’t I be meeting with Dr. Glade in her office?”
“Dr. Glade sees her patients in the exam rooms. She’ll be with you shortly.”
I don’t see Dr. Glade shortly. It’s forty-five minutes before the hateful nurse sticks her head back in to let me know the doctor had to shoot over to the hospital half an hour ago for an emergency C-section.
“She should only be another fifteen minutes or so. You can wait, or would you like to reschedule?”
I can tell by the inflection of her voice, she wants me to leave and come back another time. She probably didn’t pay much attention to my personal information past letting me know I’ve gained six pounds since I was here eight months ago.
“I’ll wait,” I tell her.
Monday is my only full day off and I was lucky enough to grab this appointment only because someone else canceled last minute.
Fifteen minutes actually turns out to be an hour, but I’m not angry at Dr. Glade when she gently knocks on the door before stepping inside.
“I hope everything went well in surgery,” I say genuinely.
She gives me a smile. “Mother and baby are both healthy.”
