2. Settling In

6 months later and the three of us have somewhat settled into our new life. Reya is a happy 5th grader who has tons of friends and thinks her teacher is the best. Aja realized soon after starting her junior year of high school she had accumulated a lot of credits and can now graduate a year earlier. I think she is still trying to distance herself from me, and holds a grudge about moving. But she is working hard at school, and has made a couple of friends. So far it's definitely an improvement.

I have a job as a Physicians Assistant (or PA) at an Urgent Care Facility. The hours are long, but I feel really lucky that I was able to get my education when I was pregnant with Aja and when she was little. Before I made the mistake of going back to him. Until I got this job I had actually never worked a a PA, I was never "allowed" to. He always made an excuse as to why I didn't need to work, everything from you are trying to leave me for someone else that's the only reason to be out of the house, to you won't be good at that job no one cares what you have to say, and no one will believe in you.I work hard on myself remembering that none of that is true.

I like my work my coworkers are wonderful to be around, even if I think I have forgotten how to make friends. I smile and am plesant, Im working on it.Each day I try to do my best for my daughter's and for my patients.

On a particularly busy day in February we had already seen 100 patients and it was only 6:30pm we work until 8PM or until all the patients are finished being seen.

"Renee, could you come here, quickly please." I hear one of our secretary's Hannah a pretty 20 somthing year old working her way through college,calls to me. I rush to the front office and stand next to Hannah. Then I see a young boy of maybe 5 trying his best not to cry with a blood soaked rag around his small hand. That's a lot of blood, I think to myself. Then I look to the person carrying the young boy, I almost forgot how to breathe I have never seen a man as attractive as this man, light brown hair lovely green eyes a perfect mouth and a super sexy 5 o'clock shadow, and he wasn't wearing a shirt, wow, and were his face was perfection, his body was, wow, is there anything more perfect than perfection. I looked back to the boy, the rag was this man shirt. Shake it off Renee, I tell myself and give my shoulders a little shake.

"Sir please come with me." I finally took my jaw off the floor and put my professional face back on and open the door from the waiting room to go to the exam room.

"Can your Daddy set you down here," I patted the exam table and spoke directly to the boy. He nodded his yes as an answer and was placed on the exam table.

"What's your name? I'm Renee and I am a PA."

"Evan" the boy answered and winced a bit when I stared unwrapping the shirt from his hand. He is so adorable and is being so strong.

As I got a good look at his hand his palm was sliced open from one side to the other, crap I really hope we have everything we need to fix this here. I covered the wound back " Sir, if this cut is too deep it could affect the tendons in his hand, and end up restricting mobility." I paused and glanced up at the incredibly handsome man to make sure he was listening." I am really worried this cut is too deep and he might need surgery." I took a deep breath I didn't want to seem incompetent but I want little Evan to have the best care.

"I believe in you." the handsome man looked me right in my eyes, I have never in my like felt so trusted and confident. How did he do that.

" Ok, I will do everything I can to make sure Evan is in tip top shape." I still had Evan's hand in mine when there was a soft knocking on the exam room door.

"Come in," I called out, " Oh good, Jessie I need you to get me a sewter kit, and.....oh I forgot to ask how did you get this cut Evan?" I asked him directly but Evan put his head down and seemed to not want to tell me. Now I'm worried I might have some kind of child abuse case. This guy doesn't seem like that type, but I remind myself I am not the best judge of character.

" Evan go ahead and tell Miss Renee what happend." the man incuraged Evan.

" Hmmmm, I found one of Twitain's knifes, I didn't know it was that sharp, and I saw Twistan doing cool twicks were he throws his knife up in the air and catches it, I just wanted to do it too."

"Tristan is my oldest son he is 17." the man explained. I nodded my head

"ok then, is Evan caught up on his tentness shots, if not we should get him a booster."

Jessie came back in with my table prepped and we set to work, Evan was correct, it was a very sharp knife. mostly what was needed was to stitch up his hand and bandage it.

" This is going to be difficult to keep clean and not rip the stitches out since its your right hand but if you can try to use it as little as possible it will heal faster. Mr....." I relized as I was talking I didn't even know Evan's dad's name. Defantly can't just call him Mr hunk.

" Link... Matthew Link." He put his hand out to shake my hand. Iquickly discarded my latex gloves to shake his hand.

"Oh", I skweaked, " You shocked me a bit," I giggle and had to mentality scold myself I'm a grown ass woman and I'm sure Matthew Link has a beautiful wife at home waiting for her son and husband to get home. As I looked at Matthew he had a stunning smiles adorning his beautiful face. "So if you want you can follow up with Evan's primary care physician to have the stitches check on in a week and removed probably in six weeks."

"Can I bring him back here? Evan likes you." Matthew asked.

"Of course, it might be a different provider though." I let them know

"I'll call ahead." Matthew said as he signed the last of the paper work picked up Evan being careful of his hand and was out the door.

I stood still staring at the now closed door for a few moments before I realized it was past 8PM and Hannah was locking everything up.

" Are you good if I head out now." Hannah asked

"Of course, I'm just going to chart on little Evan really quick and go home as well. Have a good night, see you in a few days."