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The doors officially opened at eight, but patient after patient kept the clinic busy, more so than usual. If only there was some predictability to the matter, had he known he would’ve scheduled another doctor for the day. Unfortunately the day before there had only been a handful of walk-ins along with the four scheduled appointments. It had meant that he was able to catch up with the paperwork he hadn’t finished the night before.
There was no chance of completing paperwork between patients this morning. He recorded the key parts in quick notations, along with the audio that he recorded with his patient’s permission.
Cold season in New York City. From children to their parents and teachers, to family and beyond. There was no limit to how far it would spread.
It almost made him miss Egypt.
Beating back a sigh, and sliding his fingers under the arms of his glasses to massage his temples, Badr repositioned them properly, before penning in the last of the shorthand. The waiting room on the other side of the wall of his office provided a low hum of voices, none overly loud, but it didn’t do anything for his headache. The tea beside him was no longer palatable, scent having abated along with the heat.
That didn’t stop him from sipping, only flinching a little.
Not palatable didn’t mean he wouldn’t drink it. Necessities.
Another sip, followed by the door being pulled open, interrupted his cringe, resulting in a near spill on his medical coat.
The scent that wafted in was admittedly mouthwatering, his gaze lifting up to Jake, holding a large paper bag and cup aloft.
“According to Rameet, you haven’t taken a break yet,” Jake explained, stepping inside and placing the bag on top of where he was writing.
“I presume you saw the waiting room, seeing as you would’ve walked past it to come into my office.” Uninvited was the word that hung in the air between them while Badr swiftly relocated the bag, seating it beside his cold tea.
“Cold season.” Jake nodded as he crossed behind him, plucking the old tea, depositing it gently into the wastebasket and placing the new tea close to Badr’s hand.
“So you warned me.” He set down his pen to take the tea, perfectly hot, one sip turning into several.
Jake unpacked the bag, placing the takeout box within reach on the desk, but out of the way from his work. Dug into the top right drawer to pull out reusable utensils. Work done he folded up the bag, tucking it into his jacket pocket. “Have you heard of the saying-“
“Adage.”
“Close.” Lip twitching, Badr set the cup down, resuming his notations while Jake continued as though he hadn’t been interrupted. “There’s this saying. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
“I have heard of it,” Badr confirmed as he finally completed the last of his notes for the patient.
“I have my own personal saying.” Badr looked up, eyebrow raised. Ensuring that Badr’s attention was fully on him, dramatic pause not making him look away or roll his eyes, Jake tempered his smirk while lifting his pointer finger, for counting and emphasis. “A lunch a day keeps the Jake away.”
“And what does that adage mean?” he asked, knowing that Jake would be too happy to explain.
“Stop skipping your break.” Jake lifted up a second finger at the same time a dimple twitched up into his cheek. “And eat your food, it’s almost two o’clock.”
It wasn’t an order but Badr was already reaching for the box. “And if I do?”
“Then my responsibility is done, and I’ll be on my way.”
The koshari was hot and easy, precisely what he needed, accompanied by Jake’s words. The tension around his temples eased further with another bite.
Closing his eyes, almost sighing, Badr held back the faint breath when he sensed the slight shift of weight of well-kept, polished shoes behind him. “I’ll see you for dinner,” Badr said.
Jake’s footsteps didn’t squeak or falter, tea warmed fingers lightly grazing his neck. “I’m always better company than paperwork.”
That was nondebatable, another age-old truth. “As much as I agree, the paperwork needs to be done, or I’ll be late. Or bringing along an unwanted guest.”
“Absolutely not.” A huffed laugh from Jake, and a bitten off smirk of his own, Jake fingers trailed away, footsteps a few seconds later. “Do not. Be late.”
He would not.