Page 26 of Hooked on the Otter Doctor
Langarus cocked his head at me. “Is that your plan? A private practice on Nor? Returning to one of the hospitals?”
“Oh, no, not at all.” It was good to know they didn’t know everything after all. “Actually, I’d simply like to continue acting as the medical lead for the delegation.”
The prince huffed a laugh and pressed a hand to his chest. “Oh, good. And, yes, of course. That’s excellent.”
“Apologies, Your Highness. I hadn’t meant to worry you.”
He waved that away. “I’m just glad we don’t have to convince someone else to do it.”
I didn’t say it aloud, but there was no way I would’ve let them place the delegation responsibilities on Sitara’s shoulders as they had been on mine. It really was too much for one person.
Since things had gone so well, I continued with, “I’d like to do the work from the surface, if possible.”
“From Kleifar, Svalnorland?” the captain asked.
I nodded. “I’d prefer to make a permanent residence there, but I understand that travel around Earth or to the ship could be required from time to time. I wouldn’t need to modify anything else.”
We spent the rest of our time together discussing the logistics of working from the surface as well as creating a larger home for me than the cottage so that it could include an office. Since I’d begun to think of the cottage as home and because there were others on my team who might want to work from Earth, too, we settled on constructing or purchasing an office building instead.It could act as a conference center with training facilities that would help the local economy every time we had guests in.
And I was excited to get started. If nothing else told me that I’d made the right decision, that did. I was absolutely ready to get back to work.
After thanking them both, I left in search of Tobias so that I could share the good news with him. According to Owen’s reply, they were finding out if they could take a tour of the infirmary because Tobias wanted to see where I’d worked. Pleased by that, I hurried to join them.
Doctor Sitara was in the infirmary’s lobby with the prince consort, Owen, and Tobias when I arrived. “How’d it go?” Tobias asked the moment he saw me.
“Very well.” I looked to Sitara and decided I might as well be the one to tell the Lago what was coming. “I’ve resigned as ship’s doctor in order to devote myself to leading the medical branch of the delegation from Earth.”
She gasped and blinked rapidly at me for a moment. “But who?—”
“You. I’ve recommended to Captain Langarus that you take my place.”
Sitara gripped my arm. “Thank you. Truly.”
“No thanks needed. You’ve earned this.”
Suddenly, a blue light came on above us. Sitara said nothing and reentered the infirmary at a run, and I nearly followed her. But I wasn’t on call for an emergency and didn’t want to be.
“Is something wrong?” Tobias asked.
I cleared my throat. “There’s an emergency incoming.”
“Should we leave?”
“They won’t come through here.”
“You could show him your office,” Owen suggested. “You’ll be out of the way and you’ll want to clear it of personal items anyway, right?”
“Yes.” I gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
“And we’ll return to causing chaos elsewhere,” the prince consort said with a wink.
Tobias and I thanked the two of them and promised to find them again while we were on the ship. After they left, Tobias took my hand.
“I do want to see your office,” he said, “but we don’t have to do it now.”
I kissed his knuckles. “It’s okay. It startled me and I am concerned for whomever has been injured, but we don’t have to go into the patient areas to get to my office.” I gestured to an unmarked glass door off to the side of the main ones and led him over when he nodded.
My access still worked, so we were soon walking down a boring pale gray hallway that opened up into the administrative area of the infirmary. No blue lights and no one scrambling to anyone’s aid. I felt the tension in my shoulders lessen as I led Tobias into my office.
