Mallory sighed and pressed her fingertips into her forehead. She wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and never wake up. Her head was pounding, probably because some handsome, funny, but overly egotistical pro-football player had kept her out at all odd hours of the night after insisting upon going dancing to work off his dinner. She'd admit she'd have a very interesting night with Ryan.
"Are you alright Dr. Evens?"
Mallory turned to the pretty little brunette who she'd just hired as the receptionist at the office. She was sweet, but she talked a lot and she had a tendency to write down the wrong appointment times. Mallory smiled and nodded her head.
"Yes, Rachel. I'm just tired. I stayed out a bit longer than I should have last night."
"Oh well don't worry. You only have three more patients before lunch."
Mallory sent up a silent thanks and walked into one of the exam rooms were a new mother was fretting over her new born baby.
"Oh Dr. Evens! I don't know what to do. Abigail just won't stop crying. She won't eat or sleep. It's driving me insane!"
"It's nothing to be worried about Mrs. Halley. Little Abigail is just colicky. She should be fine if you switch her formula."
"Are you sure that's all it is? Is colic serious?"
"Well it's rather common in babies, but it's certainly no fun."
Mallory watches as the woman visibly relaxed.
"I'm guessing little Abby isn't sleeping all night yet?" she asked.
"No. Not yet. Michel, my husband, has been getting up with her the past few nights. He says it's his gift to me as an early birthday present." She said, smiling fondly at the thought of her husband. Mallory felt a slight pang of longing, but brushed it aside with a smile of her own.
"That's very considerate of him. How about we weight the little one here and see how much she's grown in the past two weeks?"
Two hours later, when she was finally able to close for lunch, Mallory laid her head on her desk and closed her eyes, attempting to block out the world. The office was empty, save for herself and one of the nurses who was catching up on some paperwork.
Digging in the side drawer of her desk, Mallory found a bottle of Aspirin and took two, hoping that they would help with her nagging headache.
There was a knock on her door and Mallory looked up to see her sister walk in looking like something that had just stepped off of a magazine cover, which was more than likely the case. She wore a dark green sweater dress and a pair of brown leather boots. Her hair was perfectly styled and her makeup was flawless.
Mallory suddenly felt drab in comparison with her hair piled on top of her head, glasses perched on her nose and a white lab coat open over a sensible grey skirt and black button down top.
"Hello my wonderful, sweet, outrageously beautiful baby sister." Macey practically sang as she sailed through the office and into a leather chair in front of Mallory's desk.
"Hey Mace."
"How'd it go last night?"
"It went well." Mallory shrugged.
She'd actually had fun with Ryan. He was funny and had made her laugh. By the end of the night they were talking and hanging out as if they were old friends. They'd even made a date for lunch. It was, however, strictly platonic. He was a bit too egotistical for her type.
"So did you two hit it off?" Macey asked, innocently biting her nails.
"Macey! Tell me you didn't do all of this to set me up!"
"I didn't! Not really, anyways. I just hoped maybe you two would hit it off. I mean you haven't been on a date in ages. I could have just called the guy and cancelled but I wanted you to have some fun."
"I did have fun, but he's not my type sis."
"You have to admit Mal, he is yummy."
"Yummy is an understatement."
"Is it now?"
Mallory's gaze flew to the large figure standing in her doorway and she could feel her face heating up. "Uh, hi Ryan?" she muttered.
"Ryan? Oh dear. That's embarrassing." Macey giggled.
"Ryan, this is my older sister Macey Lenora Evens. Mace, this is Ryan O'Connell."
"Pleasure to meet you Macey."
