“They’re gluten-free, but you’d never know it,” Mia said with a smile.
“Are you my chair mate for the day?” the woman asked.
“Yep. Best seat in the house. Best nurse, too.”
“I heard that!” Natasha called from her computer, a grin on her face.
Mia leaned over. “Flattery gets you everywhere with Natasha.”
“Noted,” the woman said with a smile. She held out her hand. “I’m Barbara.”
“Mia. Nice to meet you.”
“What are you in for?”
She said it like they were in prison, and Mia laughed. “Kinrovi.”
“Never heard of it. What’s it for?”
“I have a rare kidney disease. I’ll need a transplant at some point, but until they find a match, this keeps things under control.”
“A kidney transplant, huh? My cousin had one of those. Got it from his dad, if I remember right.”
Mia looked down at her hands. “Yeah, family members are usually the easiest way to go.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I’m adopted, so it’s not an option for me.”
Mia looked up to see the slight wince on the other woman’s face, probably from the way Mia had said it. “Ah.”
“What about you?” Mia asked, changing the subject. “I haven’t seen you here before.”
“First time. My doctor’s been wanting me to try this new drug for my Crohn’s disease for a while now, but I held out as long as I could.” She eyed Mia’s arm and shuddered. “I hate needles.”
“I understand. I did too, at first. But Natasha’s so good you’ll barely feel it.”
Barbara took a deep breath. “I hope you’re right.”
Natasha approached and introduced herself to her new patient. While they chatted, Mia sent Noah a text message.
Mia:Wings?
Noah:Sure.
Mia:They have a new flavor. Orange ginger. Wanna try it?
Noah:Nope.
Mia:Come on.
Noah:Why can’t you accept the fact I like them plain?
Mia:Because it’s weird.
Noah:Some might call it loyal.
Mia:That’s a good quality in a husband, I guess.
Noah:You guess?
Mia:Okay, it’s definitely a good quality.