“Hunter. How are you?” he asked and reached out to shake his hand.
“Good to see ya, Doc.”
The doctor looked from Caroline to Hunter and then smiled. “You two know one another?” he asked.
“Not really,” Caroline said and Hunter spoke at the same time.
“Yes, we’re friends, and I came here to be supportive while she gets this cast off.”
“Well that’s great. Come on in and we’ll take good care of you, Caroline.”
She felt like she might pass out. Her head felt funny. She was in such a panic and she could barely focus on the two men as they entered a medium-size room. She could see a set of different tools on the tray next to the chair.
“Well, I’m Dr. Anders and it’s a pleasure to meet you today, Caroline. Did you get a chance to fill out the paperwork and medical history?” he asked and she shook her head. She had always taken care of her own injuries but the broken arm was medically necessary. She remembered Cameron kicking her so hard once that she thought her ribs were broken. She couldn’t go to the emergency room to find out or they would ask how she got them. If she told the truth they would call the police and more than likely they would want her to press charges. Cameron knew people. They would get him off and she would suffer a worse beating.
“Caroline, you feeling okay?” Hunter asked her as he covered her hand with his. She pulled back and held it against her chest.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to be here,” she snapped at him.
“I think I do,” he said to her, holding her gaze.
The doctor cleared his throat.
“So, you said your other doctor that casted this told you six to eight weeks?” Dr. Anders asked.
“Yes, and it’s been eight. So can you take it off now?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Just a few questions. Any medical history I need to know about? Any illnesses, other broken bones, any medication you take on a daily basis?”
“No. I’m good and healthy, just clumsy,” she said and he gave a half smile. She felt so damn nervous.
“Well then, when we’re finished I’ll need you to fill out the paperwork so we can place everything in the system. Let’s get started.”
Caroline was relieved until the doctor began to remove her cast and ask her some questions. How long had she lived in town, where did she work, how he never met her sister but knew she worked for Kenneth Pace. It was all too nosey, too personal, and under normal circumstances she would find it nice and feel welcomed. Considering she was trying to hide out and hope that Cameron didn’t find her, Chance seemed to be the worst town to hide out in.
“The receptionist said that you don’t have insurance and are paying cash. We run some great programs through the county if you need some paperwork on that,” he suggested as he began to break off the cast.
“No thank you. I’m good.”
When he finally had the cast removed, he started to examine her arm. It felt so good to have that damn cast off. She felt the tears in her eyes. She was free from Cameron. From the last physical reminder of what he had done to her. She wiggled her fingers and rubbed her hands together.
“It feels good, huh?” Hunter asked and she smiled.
“Amazing,” she replied.
“Well, I’ll let you fill out the paperwork while the nurse gets the bill ready for you.”
She glanced at Hunter and wished he weren’t there yet she felt safer that he was.
“Dr. Anders.” He turned to look at her.
“Uhm, is there any way I could just pay you and not fill this stuff out?” She glanced at Hunter and he watched her and then he took her hand and she felt the tears fill her eyes once again. He was being her rock and support yet he didn’t know what she was hiding. Could he really be trusted?
The doctor looked at them and at Hunter.
“Sweetie, are you in some kind of trouble?” he asked her.
She started to shake her head and then she lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear the emotion in her voice as she spoke. “Please, don’t ask me questions. I haven’t done anything illegal. I just can’t let you put my name in some computer system that anyone can access.”