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Chapter 8 ~ Gossip Kills

Anastay struggled to concentrate on her patients. However, all she could think about was seeing the wolf last night. It had been peering right into her window, staring her down. She thought at first she was crazy, but she knew she had seen it.

“Dr. Lontenz, are you okay?” Brian Littrell, the local Reverend, asked as he cupped his hand. Brian had a small incident with his shears as he was pruning his wife’s flowers. He had slipped and cut his hand, which required some stitches.

“I’m fine, Reverend,” Anastay assured with a small smile. She noticed Elania clicking her tongue as she set down Anastay’s tray of utensils. “I just had a rough night.”

“Taco keeps you up?” Brian asked, motioning with his chin to the dog peering into the examination room. Anastay had trained Taco not to step foot into the examining room for contamination reasons.

“No, he sleeps through the whole night,” Anastay replied as she began to sterilize Reverend Littrell’s hand for the stitches.

“Oh, my wife and I just bought two Chihuahuas. We have Tyke and Litty, those two whine so much. I swear, my wife takes care of them like they’re our children,” Brian told Anastay with a lighthearted smile.

“Maybe you should give her some children to take care of,” Elania told Brian with a smirk crossing her lips. Brian’s face went pale. Elania chuckled, “Brian, you’d be great with kids.”

“No thank you,” Brian told them warily.

“Mrs. Littrell has been in to see me quite a few times. Although, I’m not at privilege to say what we talk about, I am at liberty to say that she’s a healthy woman. There is no reason why you should not be able to conceive a child.”

“For once, I think a doctor might be crazy,” Brian teased.

“At least go home and talked to Leighanne?” Elania groaned at her Reverend, pushing on his shoulder gently.

“We’ll see,” Brian answered as he glanced down at his hand. He gasped in surprise as he glanced back up at Anastay. While they were talking, Anastay had gone ahead and applied the stitches into his hand. She quickly bandaged it.

“No water for at least three days. Keep away from swimming pools, and keep it bandaged. Elania will make an appointment for you on your way out,” Anastay replied as she started to clean up her tools.

“Thank you!” Brian replied as he walked out.

“We make a pretty good team,” Elania approved as she bumped Anastay lightly with her hip, and then followed Brian out. Anastay smiled to herself, pulling her dirty gloves off and tossing them into the waste can.

*~*~*

Anastay yawned as she collapsed into the waiting room chairs, sprawling herself out on three of them. Elania was keying in the last of the appointments. Taco was resting in his bed, waiting for Anastay to pick him up and take him home. Lazily, Anastay peeked one eye open. “Are you still mad at me?” she asked Elania.

“For what?” Elania asked, hitting the enter key with a poke of her manicured fingernail.

“Yesterday?” Anastay answered with surprise.

“Oh, that? Forget it!” Elania bubbled.

“Seriously?”

“Duh!”

“You are one weird kid.”

“Please, I’m older than you, doctor.”

Anastay gave a yawn as she waved her hand, “And I’m higher on the food chain, what’s your point?”

“Why so tired?” Elania asked, changing the subject.

“I’ve been having nasty nightmares.”

“Why?”

Anastay gave an icy glare. Elania’s eyes grew wide in surprise. She nodded, and glanced around fearfully. She grabbed Anastay’s hands and pulled her up. “What are you doing?” Anastay blurted.

“Come on, I feel the need to gossip,” Elania said, widening her eyes for the full effect. Anastay stood upright with full alert. She reached down to snatch Taco from his bed. Hurriedly she walked out, locked the office doors, and pushed Elania into her car. Gossip was what she needed, now.