Becky screwed up her face into an expression of pure disgust. “I’ll have a little juice,” she suggested.
The stores in the mall were just beginning to lift their shutters to start the day as Kim and Becky made their way along the corridor toward the skating rink. Kim hadn’t asked again, but he was certain Becky was feeling better. She’d ended up eating some cereal after all, and in the car she’d been her usual, talkative self.
“Are you going to stay while I have my lesson?” Becky asked.
“That’s the plan,” Kim said. “I’m looking forward to seeing that triple axel you’ve been telling me about.”
As they approached the rink, Kim handed Becky her skates that he’d been carrying. A whistle sounded, indicating the end of the preceding intermediate class.
“Perfect timing,” Kim said.
Becky sat down and started to unlace her sneakers.
Kim glanced around at the other parents. mostly mothers.
Suddenly he found himself locking eyes with Kelly Anderson. Despite the early-morning hour she was dressed as if she were about to go to a fashion show, and her hair looked as if she’d just emerged from a beauty salon. She smiled. Kim looked away.
A young girl about Becky’s age skated over and exited the rink. She sat down next to Becky and said “hi.” Becky returned the greeting.
“Ah, my favorite cardiac surgeon!”
Kim turned, and to his distaste he found himself face-to-face with Kelly.
“Have you met my daughter?” Kelly asked.
Kim shook his head.
“Caroline, say hello to Dr. Reggis,” Kelly said.
Despite his reluctance to get into a conversation with Kelly, Kim greeted the young girl and introduced Becky to Kelly.
“What a delightful coincidence running into you again,” Kelly said to Kim as she straightened up from shaking hands with Becky. “Did you see my segment last night on the eleven o’clock news about the hospital merger anniversary?”
“Can’t say that I did,” Kim responded.
“Shucks,” Kelly said. “You would have enjoyed it. You got some good airtime, and the consensus is that your ‘bottom line’ quote stole the show. It lit up the phone lines, which the station manager loves.”
“Remind me not to talk to you again,” Kim said.
“Careful, Dr. Reggis,” Kelly said happily. “You’ll hurt my feelings.”
“Kim!” a voice called from the other side of the rink. “Kim, over here!”
Ginger had arrived and was enthusiastically waving as she started around the end of the rink on her way toward Kim and Kelly. She was in her early twenties, with pixie-like features, flowing blond hair, and spidery legs. When she wasn’t at the office, she made it a point to dress in her interpretation of a casual, sexy manner. That morning she had on a tight pair of jeans, a cutoff top that exposed her narrow, firm midriff, and a workout headband and wrist-bands as evidence of her fondness for aerobics. On her feet were cross-trainer shoes. She wasn’t wearing a coat.
“Oh, my!” Kelly whispered while watching Ginger approach. “What do we have here? I’m smelling tabloid material: the renowned cardiac surgeon and the aerobics instructor.”
“She’s my receptionist,” Kim said in an attempt to downplay the imminent confrontation.
“I wouldn’t doubt that for a minute,” Kelly said. “But look at that body. And look at that girlish enthusiasm. I get the feeling she thinks you are the living end.”
“I’m telling you she works for me,” Kim snapped.
“Hey, I believe you,” Kelly said. “And that’s what interests me. Even my internist and ophthalmologist divorced their wives to marry their receptionists. I’m smelling a story here. What is this, the typical male medical midlife crisis scenario?”
“I want you to stay away from her,” Kim growled.
“Oh, come on, Dr. Reggis,” Kelly said. “You cardiac surgeons think of yourselves as celebrities. This is the kind of thing that comes with the turf, especially if you date people half your age.”
Becky leaned over to Caroline and whispered: “I’ll see ya. Here comes my father’s dorky girlfriend.” Becky stood up, entered the rink, and quickly skated off.
Ginger came straight to Kim, and before he knew what she intended, she managed to plant a forceful kiss on his cheek. “Sorry, darling,” she said. “I know I was out of sorts on the phone this morning. I was just missing you.