Doris snapped up the phone on the first ring. “Fifth-floor nurses’
station. Doris Powers speaking.” “Hi Doris, it’s Nick Harris.”
“Well, bless my soul. Jane’s boy. How are you, darling?”
“I’m good. Thanks for asking. And I want you to know I still haven’t told anyone that you told me to meet Shelly in the parking lot.”
“I thank you, honey, because I would like to keep that hush- hush if you don’t mind.”
“No problem. Anyway, could you let Dr. White know that I called?”
“I can do better than that,” Doris said. She handed the phone to Shelly, who happened to walk up to the station at that moment.
“It’s Nick Harris,” Doris whispered. “Be nice to him.”
*****
“Hello?”
Shelly smiled at her matchmaker.
“Hi, Shelly, Nick Harris.” “Hi, Nick, what’s up?”
“I was wondering if you had time for a quick lunch today.” “I might be able to break away for a half hour or so.”
“Can we eat at the hospital to save time? You have a cafeteria,
right?”
“I admit it’s nothing like your dad’s cooking, but it’s not too bad. In fact some, people eat way too much there,” she said, looking at Doris.
“That’s not very nice,” Doris whispered. Shelly was always on her case to go on a diet, particularly one that didn’t involve so much hospital cafeteria food. But to no avail.
“About twelve would work for me, Nick.”
After she had hung up, Shelly handed the phone back to Doris, who put the receiver in its cradle without looking up. Shelly watched her nervously shuffling papers and avoiding eye contact. “Maybe they should do something about the food here if it’s
gonna make people fat. What do think, Dr. White?”
“I think … ” She paused and smiled. “You were the one who
told Nick to meet me in the parking lot. That’s what I think.”