By the time Corrie had prepared to go to Dr. Benjamin's office the next day, she was much less frazzled and had managed to abolish the echo of the doctor's voice in her head. Though he was not what she'd expected, Corrie chose to appreciate his sincerity and joviality rather than dwell on his warm voice and wide smile.

When Corrie arrived at the hospital, the door was open and warm rays of sunlight danced across the wooden floors of the office. The waiting room was already filled with those impatient to see the doctor upon his return, and Corrie paused to observe the masses clamoring for his attention. A head taller than most of his patients, Corrie could just catch sight of Dr. Benjamin's unperturbed features and ready smile as he greeted each person by name. When he caught sight of Corrie at the door, he smiled to her and waved a hand.

Corrie offered him a smile and quietly slipped towards Christina's room. She wouldn't deem to impose on his time when he was obviously so busy. Perhaps their conversation would have to wait for another day. Corrie opened the door and greeted her sister and settled into her regular chair.

"What's all the ruckus?" Christina asked, gesturing towards the chaos.

"The waiting room is overflowing with patients for the doctor," Corrie explained. "He's only been here for a year, yet he already seems so beloved by the town."

Christina smiled. "It's no wonder. He's a wonderful doctor. Plus, he always treats everyone kindly, even Mrs. Herbert when she comes in once a day with a new ailment just because she wants someone to talk to. Dr. B sits with her a few minutes and sends her on her way."

Corrie couldn't help but laugh. "That's kind of him."

"He's very kind. But tell me, how is it that you two have met before?"

Corrie glanced suspiciously at her sister and saw the familiar sparkle of mischief in her eye. "I'm afraid it's no salacious tale as you seem to suspect," Corrie explained. "I merely spoke to him briefly while I was walking home from visiting you my first night back in town. I had no idea who he was."

"And what was it he said about stars? What exactly did the two of you talk about?"

Again, Corrie sighed. There was no hiding anything from her sister, no matter how brief and innocent the conversation had been. "He saw me looking at the stars and commented on how beautiful the sky was. I didn't even see him watching," Corrie added.

"That's so romantic," Christina gushed. "Not to mention the two of you finishing that poem together yesterday."

Corrie grimaced. "Christina."

"What? You have to indulge me, my not-yet fiance is in Europe fighting," Christina added with a dramatic sigh.

"Filling your head with frivolous sentimentality isn't going to help," Corrie said sharply. "You know I'm courting Edwin, so to suggest anything untoward would be entirely inappropriate."

Christina glowered at Corrie's sharp rebuke, and Corrie caught her breath, realizing how much of her own internal tension she had just released on her sister. In all of her disappointment over hearing nothing from Edwin and her surprise at meeting Dr. Benjamin, not to mention her conflict with her parents, concern for Christina, and worry about her future, her carefully concealed anxiety had finally declared itself.

"I'm sorry," she instantly apologized, reaching out to touch her sister's arm. "That was completely unlike me. I just..." Corrie hesitated, wondering whether she should admit her concerns over Edwin. "Edwin and I...well, we're still figuring out how to navigate the new distance between us."

Christina smiled softly. "If anyone understands distance, it's me. David is on his way to Europe, after all." Christina's words flooded Corrie with guilt; while Christina's suitor was going to war, Edwin was living frivolously in New York, and still David found time to write to Christina. "If you and Edwin are meant to be, you'll make it through the time apart."

Meant to be. Corrie nearly laughed at the words; who was really meant to be? People married for money, status, seduction, but rarely love. Her own parents were a prime example, and although Corrie believed in love, she did not think it was nearly as common a commodity as romance novelists seemed to think it was. Poets, however, knew the truth: Love was as rare as a diamond and often as difficult to find in the rough.

"Miss Walker, Christina, good morning!" a masculine voice exclaimed from the door, and Corrie turned in surprise to see Dr. Benjamin.

"Good morning, Dr. B.," Christina chirped, smiling at him eagerly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt again," the doctor said, running a hand through his hair with a slight tinge of embarrassment marking his face. "I just came to check on Christina."

"Oh, it's no interruption," Corrie declared, standing and backing away from Christina's bed to give him space for his ministrations. "Thank you for coming to check on us, er, Christina."

"It's no problem, I assure you," Dr. Benjamin said as he began to check Christina's temperature and listen to her breathing with a stethoscope. "Hannah mentioned that you were hoping to speak with me in private?"

Corrie fought her blush at Christina's raised eyebrow and nodded. "Yes, if you have a chance. I know you're very busy, but I just wanted to talk to you about..." she glanced at Christina, not wanting to give away her true reason for speaking with him, "about the war effort."
Dr. Benjamin's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, of course. I have patients today until lunchtime, but I'd be willing to speak to you during my lunch hour."

"I don't mean to incommode you," Corrie exclaimed, unsure what exactly he was suggesting.

"Oh, it's no trouble," he said with a smile. "I'll just be eating a sandwich in the back room. Usually I go over paperwork, so it's as good a time as any."

~~~~~

"So I assume you don't want to talk about the war effort?" Dr. Benjamin asked in between bites of his lunch.

Corrie perched on the chair next to him in the cluttered back room of the medical practice, anxiety humming in her ears.

"Because if you were asking about the war effort, I may be in need of help here when the injured soldiers arrive," he continued, summoning Corrie's attention.

"When will they come?" she asked.

"I'm not sure yet; it all depends on the progress of the war. However, with Hannah taking over the newspaper, I'll be recruiting any willing members of the community."

"Oh, I'd be glad to help!" Corrie said. "I'm already here most days; I'd love to spend them doing something more useful than fretting by my sister's bedside."

"Would you really?" he asked, a bewildered smile on his face. "I...we would appreciate that greatly, Miss Walker."

Corrie nodded. "I'd be glad to."

"But I'm guessing you wished to speak to me of your sister?" he asked, his eyes keen as they assessed her.

Corrie looked down at her hands folded in her lap, afraid to ask Dr. Benjamin the questions that had been percolating in the back of her mind since she'd arrived. Would Christina ever walk again? Would she ever heal? Was there any hope? Would she survive?

"To be honest, Miss Walker, I can't give you any assurances," the doctor said, answering the questions she lacked the courage to ask. "Pneumonia, especially when complicated by a serious injury, is unpredictable and difficult to treat. Her leg is healing, but due to the time that passed between when she sustained the injury and when I was called upon to set it, the bones reset in such a way that she may never be able to walk again. The field of medicine is always changing, so there is a chance that there may be some new miracle that will allow us to rectify the stunted bones, but as of now, I'm afraid she may be limited to being wheeled about in a chair or perhaps crutches if she's lucky. The healing of her leg would proceed much more quickly were she more mobile, but because of her frailty due to the pneumonia, she cannot get the exercise she needs to strengthen it."

Corrie released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. The doctor's words affirmed everything she had been afraid of. Christina was likely paralyzed for life. But she's only twenty, Corrie wanted to scream, why is this happening to her?

"And the pneumonia?" Corrie finally asked at just above a whisper.

"Luckily, the disease has not worsened. She may recover, and I understand she's been improving since you returned, but I can give you no promises. I assure you, however, that I will do everything in my power to help her recover from this ailment once and for all." 

~~~~~

So? What do you think of Dr. Benjamin? Christina's pretty much me in this chapter, to be honest. I love how awkward Corrie gets around him!

What about Christina's prognosis? What do you think will happen next? 

Thanks for reading! :)

~ Hannah