Bad Doctor

36

“You trust me to be alone in your house?” Willow asks, incredulously.

Reacting to my comment about having to attend a meeting this morning.

“Yes. I trust you.”

“I pulled a gun on you yesterday,” she says.

I shrug. “You didn’t shoot me in my sleep.”

“I couldn’t. You took my bullets.”

“You probably have extras in your bag.”

“I did happen to notice you left the gun on the coffee table.”

“Speaking of guns,” I say, “where did you get one so quickly?”

“I’m from the south.”

“So?”

“Everyone’s got a gun for sale.”

“Seriously?”

She nods.

“Does it work?” I say.

“How should I know? I’ve never shot a gun in my life.”

“I’m surprised you got that thing through the airport.”

“They don’t always x-ray the bags you check.”

“They do here,” I say.

“Lots of things are different here,” she says. “Like your car.”

“I don’t own a car.”

“That’s what I mean. You’ve got all this money, a multi-million dollar house, and your hospital’s a long drive, right?”

“So?”

“You don’t have a car. In Cincy, everyone has a car. Even I have one!”

“I don’t need a car. And parking’s a bitch in the city.”

“Anyway, it’s nice of you to trust me to stay here by myself. Who are you meeting?”

“One of my nurses.”

“For a little…” she smiles.

“I wish.”

“What is she, married?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Want some advice?”

“Seriously?”

She nods.

“Okay,” I say. “Let’s hear it.”

“Be persistent.”

“Persistent? That’s it?”

“Relentless,” she says. “Maybe you’ll wear her down.”

I frown. “Wear her down? Can you wear someone down into loving you?”

She shows me a half smile and shakes her head.

“What?” I say.

“How old are you?”

“Forty-two. Why?”

“And you still believe in love?”