Page 73 of Clara Knows Best

“You didn’t happen to make coffee, did you?”

“Yoli’s making it now.”

“Great.”

“Your first appointment’s the rescheduled cancellation from last week. I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to come in,” she added politely.

“Thanks. Hey, I’m sorry things deteriorated like they did. Pretty sucky night, huh?”

“Yeah, totally.”

When he was gone, she blew out a big breath. Her cell phone rang, showing her mother’s number, and she braced herself and answered it. “Hey, Mom.”

“Clara, I just heard from the hospital. Can you let Jesse know that his patient came out of his coma last night? His doctor tells me he’s stable and the reattached leg is looking great.”

“Yes, I’ll tell him. That’s great news.”

“Thanks. How are you doing? I heard you had a rough evening.”

“Oh. I’m fine,” she said choppily. “I’m good.”

“Good.I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Okay. Do you need anything picked up?”

“Well, I have a grocery list for your father—”

“I can take care of it on my way home,” Clara said. “It’s raining pretty hard right now. I don’t want to make Dad go out.”And I’m not in any hurry to get home tonight, either.

“Well, I’m sure he’ll appreciate that. I’ll text you.”

“Okay. Bye, Mom.” she said, and hung up.

“What’s the great news?” Jesse asked from behind her.

She swiveled in her chair, and her heart squeezed at the sight of him leaning in the doorway with a cup of coffee.Pull yourself together!“Motorcycle patient woke up and he’s doing well.”

His eyebrows rose. “He woke up on his own?”

“I’m not sure. That’s what it sounded like.”

He looked happy. “Cool.”

“Yep.”

He squinted at her. “You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“That thing you were doing last night. You’re acting all quiet and you have big, sad eyes.”

“This is just how I look.”

“No, you normally look like you’re plotting someone’s demise,” he explained.

She made a face. “I don’t know, maybe I’m tired.”

“If you have a headache, I can prescribe something.”

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