Page 13 of Naked Tails
He clicked the connectivity icon at the corner of his screen and found three networks nearby, all locked. What the hell? People didn’t lock their doors here, but they protected their Internet?
A man on a mission, he charged through the house, seeking a computer, phone, or any other portal to the world outside. He found a black dial phone (they still made those?) on a small table against the dining room wall.Why in the hell would anyone put it there?Oh well, he didn’t plan on staying long anyway.
His search also turned up a set of car keys, and a little further reconnoitering revealed a pickup truck in the barn, possibly even older and more dilapidated than Monica’s old beater. A valid tag adorned its dented bumper, and the rusting behemoth contained a full tank of gas. Armed with a shopping list and his laptop, Seth took off in the general direction of town. Surely a bookstore or coffee shop would offer Internet connection, right?
It took him driving completely through town, coming to farmland, and glimpsing the “Welcome to Possum Kingdom” sign in his rearview mirror to realize he’d missed his target. He attempted an illegal U-turn, but his aunt’s truck forced him to execute a back and forth seven-point turn. While an arrestable offense in some parts of the country, not a single soul wandered by to witness his law breaking, or deep embarrassment, though a sad-eyed spotted cow wished him good morning… or asked for food, whatever the hell her mournful “Moo!” meant.
He returned to the handful of buildings comprising Possum Kingdom, driving more slowly this time, searching for a likely Internet hotspot, a hardware store, or a six-foot Valkyrie to wrestle to the ground so he could recover his iPhone. Several older structures tickled vague memories from his childhood, but two apparently new buildings caught his eye, one bearing a sign that read, “Andrew Coleman, DVM,” and another matching sign: “Dustin Livingston, MD.” The two buildings connected in the back.
A vet and a medical doctor side by side? Well, he supposed it made sense in a town this size, if the few sparse buildings deserved the title of “town.” But why would so small a town need its own doctor and vet? Ahhh… farming community. Must be a lot of sick animals and ailing farm hands ’round about these parts.
An older model mobile home bore a single sign with two inscriptions: “Public Library” and “US Post Office.”
The Valkyrie’s truck sat outside the doctor’s office. Seth whipped in, or attempted to, given the lack of power steering, screeching to a halt near the front door. The sign caught his eye again, momentarily distracting him from his errand to retrieve his phone. Dusty, a doctor. He wondered what changes the years brought with them, although the picture on his Auntie’s mantel told the tale of angular planes maturing into handsome features. If the photo was any indication, Dustin had finally grown into his unfortunately large ears.
Breathing deeply to calm his suddenly shaky nerves, Seth switched off the truck and climbed down. He wondered how his aunt had driven the thing, or how she’d gotten in and out, with the stumpjumper tires elevating the cab to impossible heights. He tried to secure the vehicle, but gave up after finding the locks to be missing. Unwilling to leave any valuables unprotected, he grabbed up his computer case, striding into the doctor’s office with a take-no-prisoners attitude despite the anticipation eating at him. Would Dustin remember him? Recalling some less than stellar moments from his awkward younger days, he amended the question to,“Do I want Dustin to remember me?”
An overhead bell alerted a young woman at the counter to Seth’s presence, and no sooner had he crossed the threshold than an indescribable sensation swept through him, taking him back in time and bringing to mind freckles and red hair.What the hell was that?
“May I help you, sir?” the woman asked, gazing up from a computer screen.
Seth opened his mouth to ask for Monica, but out tumbled, “I’d like to speak with Dr. Livingston, if he has a moment,” only then realizing the irony in a childhood buddy bearing the moniker of “Dr. Livingston.” He wondered how many times folks chuckled while asking Dusty, “Dr. Livingston, I presume?”
Dropping her eyes to Seth’s laptop case and then raising them once again to his face, the woman’s welcoming demeanor chilled about seventy degrees. “We don’t allow solicitation here. If you’d like to make an appointment, however….”
Following her gaze to his laptop, Seth quickly stammered, “Oh… oh no. You misunderstand. I’m not selling anything. I’d just like to—”
Anything else he might have said evaporated into thin air, every single brain cell simultaneously declaring a strike. While some of his more catty acquaintances might not have agreed, the man rounding the corner, clad in light-blue scrubs, was a perfect specimen. Not too tall, not too short, not skinny, not fat, and with gorgeous auburn locks slicked back from his forehead, sweeping his collar in back. Clear green eyes locked with Seth’s, and for one brief moment in time, Seth swore no one existed in the universe except the two of them.
The handsome vision broke the spell. “Tiffany, Mrs. Riley needs to reschedule her appointment. Would you check what we have open for next Thursday and give her a call?”
“Sure, Doctor,” the lady replied, returning her attention to her computer.
“May I help you?” the doctor asked, the faint hint of a smile turning up his full lips.
Once again Seth detected a magnetic pull, and he wouldn’t have been a bit surprised to see lightning crackling between them. “Dusty?” he ventured, closing his mouth quickly lest Dustin notice the drool.
The faint smile blossomed and grew, revealing slightly crooked front teeth. The added touch of dimples and freckles gave the doctor a distinctive little-boy charm.
“Seth?” Dustin replied, eyes going wide. For a moment, he appeared to be sniffing the air, the gesture quickly changing to a good nose scratch.
Silence filled the space between them for an extended moment. Dustin was the first to break the silence. “I’m sorry about your aunt.”
Reminded of why he’d returned to Possum Kingdom, apparently many years too late, Seth heaved out a sigh. “Yes, and I’m heartbroken for not being here for her, and not having been located until after her service.”
“It was a wonderful service,” Dustin assured him. “The whole town turned out. Your aunt was a great lady, well-loved.” Was that a dig about Seth’s neglect for not attending the funeral? He hadn’t even known his aunt had passed away until a few days ago. “Anyway,” Dustin continued, “I haven’t seen you in ages. How’ve you been?”
“Okay, I suppose. It’s kind of weird being back here. But look at you! You became a doctor. Congratulations!”
The rush of blood to Dustin’s cheeks blended his freckles into a solid mass. “It’s nothing. I managed to make it through eight years of college without getting kicked out.”
“No, doing exactly what you want to do is quite an accomplishment. You always used to say you wanted to be a doctor or a vet….”
“… or both,” they chorused and then shared a chuckle. “Occasionally a dream comes true.” Dustin’s smile turned shy.
“Doctor?” The woman at the front desk interrupted their staring contest. “Two o’clock was open on Thursday; I’ve already called Mrs. Riley.”
“Thank you, Tiffany.” Turning back to Seth, Dustin asked, “Now, what can I do for you, Seth?”
