He honestly hadn’t expected to do more than a quick walk through of his normal ward at the hospital. He hadn’t expected to set a broken leg. He also hadn’t expected a lecture from the head doctor about students respecting their time off the clock and if he didn’t take care of his non-medical life how did he expect to provide top notch care for his patients either. It was one thing to quote scripture at Alfred to annoy him, it would have been quite another to take that tack with the head doctor. Alfred might well murder them still, but no one could eviscerate someone like Dr. Morris with just words.

This led to about fifteen minutes crying in a locked supply closet. By the time he’d gotten control of himself, he no longer felt ready for sideburns. Alfred could make Gael a lawyer in less than a year, but Jack didn’t think Moses could convince Dr. Morris that he was a good doctor. In control, but still off center, he grabbed up his black medical bag, and then checked his pocket watch.

He was two hours late for Gael’s party. He cleared his throat and strode towards the exit. Better late than never.

There was a cab waiting for him out front, not Henry, but a younger man in an automobile. He couldn’t very well claim to be Job, and he knew the comparison was out of reason, but he wasn’t happy anyway.

The young man waved to him and Jack tried to smile.

“Dr. Walker? Hi! I’m Caleb. Henry couldn’t wait anymore, but I said I’d be happy to take you to your party. Do you want to go someplace and get dressed first?”

“No,” Jack snapped, settling into the back seat, which was clearly not meant for a passenger the size of a grown man. “Thank you for waiting for me, Caleb. Please get me to my destination as quickly as possible. I fear I’m running late.”

“You got it, Dr. Walker!”

By the time they got to the warehouse where the party was, Jack had found not a single sliver of new love for automobiles. Caleb was nice enough, offering to wait to take them home, all night if he needed to, for a dollar, he’d stay.