A Perfect Gem

A Perfect Gem By Lucy Rains Book Five of the Jade Series Dedicated to my loyal readers that have come this far with me. Chapter 1 A sharp throb pierced my temples as the patient in front of me leaned closer to my face. “I swear I have an appointment at 1:30! That lady on the phone told me so yesterday!” The elderly lady in front of me pushed her thin, wire frame glasses up her nose as she stared down at me. Her soft, creased cheeks began turning a light shade of pink in her heated frustration. I had been ‘that lady’ on the phone, and I was positive I had told her 12:30. “I’ve been waiting for this appointment for three weeks! I need to see the doctor today.” She stabbed her index finger on the laminate countertop and leaned forward on her last word. Three weeks was actually a pretty short wait to see Kyson. His schedule was now backed up to at least five weeks, unless you wanted to come into the clinic and take the chance of waiting for two to three hours for a ‘same day’ appointment. Lucky for this woman, he’d had a cancellation for later that afternoon. “Mrs. Porter,” I looked her straight in the eyes and held a hand out. “I’m so sorry for the confusion, but if you would be willing to wait about thirty minutes, the doctor will have an opening to see you.” The phone on the desk in front of me added to the chaos with a shrill ring. A young mother with a toddler on her hip and baby car seat in tow entered with a bang through the front entry door. Somewhere in the waiting room a man coughed heavily, while another groaned in pain. This was a normal day in the medical clinic where Kyson worked. A constant stream of mishmashed needs that carried through every minute that the clinic was open. Next to me Sophie, my co-worker and the other receptionist, was trying to explain the HIPAA policy to a young man that had a hard time reading basic english. Mrs. Potter huffed while straightening. “I have Bunco club at 2:30. I just…” she looked from side to side, “I’ll have to call someone.” With a huff she looked back at me, “I’ll wait.” Before I could hand her the necessary paperwork to fill out, she turned and sat down with an indignant sigh in an empty waiting chair. Her phone appeared in her hand and she began stabbing at the screen with strong, knobby fingers. I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the tension from my temples. My phone vibrated in my purse on the floor next to me and I ignored it. The phone on my desk was still ringing and I picked up the handset to answer it. After booking three more appointments, giving Mrs. Potter her paperwork on a clipboard with a pen, and checking on the young mother that had entered the office, I finally had a second to breathe. “Did you have a chance to bill the insurance for this one?” Sophie asked me, holding up a file with the name ‘Hall’ written on the top. I shook my head, opening my mouth to explain why but she was already turning away with an eye roll. “It’s fine, I’ll take care of it.” “I have a free minute, finally,” I protested. “I can do it really quick.” She leaned over the desk, pulling out the papers and reading the necessary information. “We both know there is no such thing as a ‘free minute’ in this office, and I’ve heard your phone going off for the past hour.” Sophie looked back and jerked her head towards my purse. “You should take a second to check it.” “Sophie,” I said in a low tone. “I know you have to pee.” I put my hand out for her to give me the file. “Give it to me and take a break while you can.” She narrowed her eyes at me while rubbing a hand over her large abdomen. “I just went thirty minutes ago.” The statement was a mixture of annoyance and frustration. I kept my hand up, waiting for the file. She was due in a month and was constantly complaining about the baby abusing her bladder. “Then it sounds like you should be due for another round. Come on.” With a sigh, she slapped the file closed and shoved it into my hand. “You’re right.” I flicked my hair over my shoulder dramatically. “I always am,” I said in a sing-song voice while she waddled away. As with most of the staff in the medical office, the atmosphere had been tense and awkward when I first started working. People casted leary side glances in my direction and the whispers sounded between the staff throughout the day. Sophie hadn’t trusted me, and with all of the gossip drifting around town, she didn’t know what to think of me. With consistent friendliness on my part, after a few weeks she had let her guard down and things had been pleasant ever since. The phone on the desk rang and I rolled my eyes as I picked up the handset to answer it. “Allied Medical Clinic,” I answered pleasantly while pushing down the urge to groan in exhaustion. “I have been texting you for the last two hours! Why the hell haven’t you responded?” Alex’s smooth voice was tight with irritation. I glanced around the waiting room and swiveled away from the desk in front of me. “Because I’m working, why else?” He sighed dramatically. “Why did you have to take this job? It’s impossible to get a hold of you during the day.” “What do you need, Alex? Are you out of bacon again? Because I just bought some on Tuesday and I’m not going to the store tonight.” “It’s not that-” “I put your work belt in your closet