Operation Date Escape

Andy greeted with a bright, dentistry-perfected smile as he stepped from his office, finishing off what was left of a multi-grain bagel smothered in strawberry jam. His usual morning indulgence.
    “Good morning,” Nanci chirped.
    “Morning,” Kelsie said, leaving off the ‘good’ because hers had been anything but.
    He pointed down the hall. “There’s a fresh pot of coffee in the break room.”
    “You made it?” Nanci said in surprise.
    He laughed. “Don’t sound so shocked.”
    “ You’re a lifesaver,” Kelsie replied with a grateful smile. “I could really use the caffeine today.”
    He walked over to the sink to wash his hands. “ I take it your mom’s been playing matchmaker again?”
    “You guessed right,” her friend answered for her.
    Kelsie pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “Don’t remind me,” she told them as she twisted the ponytail holder around the gathered strands.
    “I feel for you,” Dr. Andy admitted as he dried his hands.
    “Thanks.” Everyone in the office knew about her mother’s determination to help her find Mr. Perfect, a man who didn’t exist.
    “Don’t feel too bad for her ,” Nanci announced with a grin. “She has a hot date tonight with a man named after a famous movie star.”
    Kelsie looked at her friend questioningly.
    “Movie ape,” Nanci corrected.
    Dr. Andy’s gaze shif ted her direction. “What?”
    Kelsie released a long sigh. “His name is Cornelius. What could his parents have been thinking?”
    “Must have been fans of Planet of the Apes,” Nanci said with a grin.
    “Some friend you are, ” she said with a frown, “reveling in my misery.”
    “Ah, come on, Kels,” her friend replied. “You know my heart goes out to you.” The sincerity of her friend’s words was quickly diminished by the snort of laughter that followed them.
    “Gee, thanks,”
    “Just think,” Dr. Andy added, his toothy grin widening, “if you end up marrying this guy, his pet name can be Corny and the two of you can have lots of little niblets together.”
    So much for sympathy.
    “And to think you gave up the chance at fame on the comedy circuit to pursue dentistry,” she called out as he walked away. Dr. Andy disappeared into his office, closing the door behind him.
    She turned to Nanci. “I’m so glad you two get so much enjoyment from my misery.”
    “Don’t mention it,” she replied as she pulled her rainbow-print uniform top on over her shirt. “That’s what friends are for.”
    “I wasn’t thanking you for being a pain in my ass.” Kelsie reached for her work smock that hung from one of several brass hooks by the office door. Shoving her arms into the sleeves, she added, “I suppose this is what I get for being dumb enough to answer my mother’s call this morning.”
    Both women scooped up their stack of patient charts for the day and then headed over to grab a handful of individually wrapped toothbrushes from the supply cabinet.
    “I have to admit I’m a little surprised you did,” Nanci said. “I would’ve thought you’d know better by now.”
    “Yeah, but like you said she would have hunted me down anyway. Can you believe my mother actually told this guy I would go in-line skating with him?”
    Her friend’s head snapped around. “She did what?”
    “That was my reaction, too. I mean we’re talking me here. Her daughter with two left feet. No doubt about it, I’m going to break my neck.” She started in the direction of her room.
    “Or at the very least a leg,” her friend called out behind her.
    Kelsie froze mid-step as Nanci’s words settled into her sleep deprived mind. Break a leg. That was it! If she broke her leg that would guarantee an early end to her skate date...
    She shook her head. What was she thinking? Okay, she’d clearly moved into desperation mode. She could only blame her thoughts on a shortage of sleep combined with a lack of caffeine in her system that morning. She had to consider the pain factor involved with a broken limb. Especially since she was not one that dealt well with pain, mental or physical.
    After depositing her stack of charts into the plastic holder on the wall, she walked over and hung her day’s schedule by the door. Then she made a bee-line for the break room and the freshly brewed coffee that awaited her.
    She grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it to the top with coffee. Bringing it to her nose, she took a moment to inhale the rich, caffeine-laden aroma, savoring it