Chapter 1 #2
It now featured more natural light, wider hallways, a lab for common tests, an X-ray suite, a secure records room, well-equipped exam rooms, public and private bathrooms, employee break room, and a private office.
Zak also had a special treatment room added on to the building for ursine patients with its own entry door and a gated enclosure.
Not only could he care for a natural bear here, but there would be times when a shifter patient in bear form needed attention and couldn’t fit in one of the standard treatment rooms. Zak was delighted with the almost-new clinic and said so.
“This is fantastic ! You’ve really outdone yourself, Knox. I’m going to love working here, and my patients will certainly appreciate it.”
Knox blushed at the praise and Levi kissed his cheek—proud of his mate’s skills.
DeeDee’s broad smile and scent revealed her pleasure as well.
She’d promised Zak a modern clinic with everything needed to set up his practice, and it was personally satisfying to see that their new doctor was happy with it.
“If there’s anything else you need, let me know. The new sign should be in place later in the week, and I have interviews set up for your office staff on Wednesday. We’d like to get you up and running as soon as possible.”
Though Zak was eager to get unpacked and settled, he readily agreed to join the move-in team for lunch at the Bella Vita.
He’d eaten there once before, on one of his secret trips, and found the place charming and with an excellent menu.
Weekends were the busiest time, but DeeDee had already reserved a table for six and they were seated immediately.
Zak’s intense training and limited finances during the last decade rarely allowed for something this fancy.
His parents would have called it posh, but it didn’t come across that way at all.
Shortly after they ordered, a handsome, broad-shouldered fellow approached the table. The ample silver in his dark hair gave him a dashing appearance, and DeeDee spoke up before he’d managed to say a single word.
“Loren! I think you know all of us by now, but I’d like you to meet Bear Creek’s new physician, Zachary Hall.”
Loren’s brows rose fractionally as he reached out to shake the imposing man’s hand.
“Ah, yes, Dr. Hall. I believe we met the last time you visited Bella Vita. Everyone I’ve spoken to is eager to welcome you to the community, including me. Please order freely as my guest, and I hope we meet again soon. Thank you all for joining us today.”
Zak had noticed a whiff of attraction emanating from the man, and though it happened often (from both men and women), he never let it color his opinion of someone.
Apparently, the gay community was well-represented in Bear Creek, and he found the realization comforting.
As Loren walked away from the table to greet other patrons, Zak turned to find the others watching him with interest.
“All right, you caught me. I made several trips to town in the last year without telling anyone, and stopped here for supper one evening. Loren talked me into trying the chicken cacciatore last time and I chose the chocolate torta della nonna for dessert. One of the best meals I’ve ever had.”
Conversation centered mostly around Zak’s years of training—humorous stories gathered during medical school and his internship. Once their meals arrived, Dash asked him about his qualifications to treat natural bears.
“I’ve never heard of a degree that combines human and veterinary medicine. How did you find time to do both?”
Zak was glad he’d asked. Most people wouldn’t know any different, though he was among the first graduates of the unique program.
“While earning my B.S. in biology from Pennsylvania State University, I worked part time as a veterinary tech. In the summers, I volunteered at some of the state’s best wildlife parks and zoos and learned a lot about bears.
For medical school, I went to the Philadelphia College of Medicine.
They’re the only ones in the country that combine a D.O.
degree with a specialty in black bear physiology.
“It was perfect for me, since I wanted a general practice without a human specialty. They developed a program that bypassed some of the training I didn’t need, allowing me to work with bears and human patients at the same time.
I spent many hours at the Philadelphia Zoo, learning directly from the veterinary staff, and was part of a local team that handled the relocation of bears in the wild.
Between the compressed program and starting college when I was seventeen, I finished my education a lot sooner than most classically trained physicians. ”
Tired of talking about himself, Zak asked the couples around the table how they’d met and about their work and families.
DeeDee had already told him the tragic story of how Dash’s first mate died, spending eleven years alone until he met Aiden.
From all appearances, they were a very influential and well-liked couple in the region: down-to-earth, generous, and friendly.
Knox and Levi had their own niches in the community, and their names had come up often during the last year.
Both couples could become friends, and neither Knox nor Dash seemed to care about his dubious genetics.