Page 88 of As They Are
“Okay, yeah. I get it. I’ll ask Mollie. Or just take a hot bath.”
“Epsom salt could help.” His voice came out low, and I wondered if he was late to whatever he had to get to. He certainly didn’t seem to like the words he spoke.
“I bet it will. Thanks for hanging out, Henry. I’ll see you at filming on Monday and then the bar that night.”
“ThisMonday?”he asked.
“Yep. That’s the date I texted you. Mark is so excited. It’ll be fun!”
I turned before I could think too hard about him turning me down and ran for my truck, completely missing the way he had only grown more tense when I mentioned the bar.
17
HENRY
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Mark Bell:Folks, if you’ve ever wanted to be on TV, this is your chance! Come on down to Bell’s Brews TONIGHT. Our star couple will be there as well as Lucas’s band!
Comments:
Jade Clark:Technically, we all have the chance to be on TV all the time ... But I’ll be there.
Kerry Winsor:I’m looking for a babysitter. URGENTLY!
Marjorie Brown:Time for me to break out my go-go boots. I wonder if I can figure out what these kids call twerking.
Jade Clark: Wow, I wish I didn’t have eyes.
Henrietta Brown:They still have to make it TV appropriate, Marj. And that sight would get any show taken off the air.
Marjorie Brown:My own WIFE? How could you!
Monday came far too quickly.I’d put it out of my mind, ready to forget I’d ever agreed to it, but Wren’s reminder told me time was moving far too fast.
I dreaded going, but hoped that I would have an easy work day before it started.
That did not happen. I had a slew of physicals with kids and many shots to give, which led to a lot of distraught children. After the third crying fit, my ears were ringing.
I closed for lunch again to get some peace and quiet, and while I felt better, it was only temporary.
The plan was to get footage of us getting drinks with Jude to highlight how much fun we were having in town. To top it all off, Lucas would be there, which meant the bar would be louder than usual.
Wren was waiting on me, hair down. She looked cute in a flannel and jeans. I wanted to tell her that, but I was exhausted. By the time I saw her, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
“Hey,” she said when I walked up to her. I gave her a kiss on the cheek as a greeting since Jude and Madison were nearby. “Have a good day?”
“Yep,” I made myself reply.
She watched me, and I wondered if she was waiting for me to elaborate. I couldn’t say much due to patient-privacy rights, but I also had no idea how to tell her why I was so worn out.
I couldn’t say my day was too loud and I was tired because of it. That made no sense.
We got our mics on, which consisted of me getting touched in ways I didn’t want. My mood wasn’t great when we walked in.
But thenoiseinstantly made it worse.
“Wow!” Wren said. “This is like an actual concert in here.”
