Northern Rebel Daring in the Dark - By Jennifer Labrecque Page 0,2

misconstrued their conversation yesterday? Regardless, there was still only one course of action. She would quietly give her two-months’ notice. Given the nursing shortage, she should be able to easily find another job in that time frame and it would give the practice some time to replace her, as well, without disrupting the flow of the office. She’d keep what had happened between the two of them quiet, even though at one point she’d considered telling Macy about it. In the end, she’d decided it was better to keep it to herself.

If Macy ever came to Delphi and asked her about anything, Delphi wouldn’t lie, but she wouldn’t approach Macy Zeller either.

She hadn’t finished putting her purse away when Debbie, the receptionist, put her head around the door. “Doc wants you in his office. He said for you to come as soon as you got in.”

She thought she’d made it clear last night where she stood. But it was just as well. She’d tender her resignation verbally and give it to him in writing tomorrow. While being friends was no longer an option, she didn’t want to leave on a sour note. She’d end things amicably and they’d each go on as if that unfortunate kiss and proposition had never happened.

She gave a cursory knock and opened his office door. Delphi drew up short, slowly closing the door behind her, her mind racing. Macy stood beside DeWitt, who was seated behind his desk.

Her stomach clenched. “Good morning.”

“Have a seat, Delphi,” DeWitt said, his stern tone remonstrative.

She would’ve liked to have refused, but her legs were shaking so much, sitting was probably a good idea. She sat.

“This is very difficult to do,” he said again in that austere tone underlaid by a weary patience, “but you’ve really left me no choice. Here are your separation papers. You’ll be escorted from the premises.”

“You’re firing me? I’ve left you no choice...?” Forget protecting Macy. “You came on to me. I was going to offer my resignation this morning anyway. I can’t work with you.”

“You said she’d try to turn it around,” Macy said, placing her hand on DeWitt’s shoulder. He placed his hand over hers. The devoted, loving husband. “Your ploy isn’t going to work, Delphi. DeWitt told me everything last night. I feel sorry for you, we both do, but we simply can’t let you get away with this.”

“What is it that I’m trying to get away with?” Her mouth was so dry she could barely get the words out.

“When he refused to leave me for you, you demanded he buy you your own place...” She wielded the condo brochure like a prosecutor presenting evidence to the jury. “...or you’d come to me with some lies to try to break us up. You’re sick, Delphi. You need help. But you’ve picked the wrong couple to extort. You won’t break up our family.”

It was like being in the middle of a nightmare and not being able to wake up. She couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.

“Macy, I’ve known you both for seven years. Do you really think I’d do this?”

Delphi saw it, for just a moment, the bleakness in the other woman’s eyes. If Delphi wasn’t the bad guy, then it had to be her husband. And if it was her husband... “DeWitt wouldn’t lie to me.”

Macy couldn’t see the small smirk that curved her husband’s mouth. Delphi eyed the other woman with compassion. “You have to believe what you have to believe.”

DeWitt picked up his phone and hit a button. “Debbie, if you’ll call security to my office. They need to oversee Ms. Reynolds collecting her personal effects and escort her from the building.”

2

Six months later...

“WHY DON’T YOU come to Good Riddance? I’m desperate.”

Delphi laughed, although her laugh felt rusty from disuse. “Thanks a lot.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Delphi’s long-standing college friend, Dr. Skye Shanahan, laughed on the other end of the phone. Delphi had moved into nursing while Skye had become a general practice physician. Delphi had been somewhere on the other side of surprised two years ago when Skye had given up her thriving Atlanta practice to move to a remote Alaska town. She’d married a bush pilot and hung her shingle out in a little spot called Good Riddance. Now, Skye’s long-standing assistant was taking off for medical school. “Well, actually, I guess I did mean it that way because I am desperate. But I wasn’t asking you as a last choice. Still, you’ve never even