Time and Love Exchange

Unexpected

Just at a time when she needed to, the earnings from the sale of her stock photographs could help with part of the pet insurance Lynney had just bought for Specky. What was unexpected was that Mrs Dawson actually cautioned her daughter from making such a rash decision, especially after Lynney told her that she had shown the "PLHEM - 0104" mysterious code attached to Specky to Dr Lane presuming that some animal advocate organisation would take her precious bun away from her anytime soon. Still, Lynney was headstrong when it came to her soft spot for adorable rabbits so she would not change her mind.

When they were done with breakfast at a small nearby eatery, Lynney and her mother were bringing Specky back to SLO clinic for the arranged ultrasound scan. After entering the clinic, it was still early mid-morning so curious Lynney reasoned that no other vets must have arrived yet. Still, she could not help but wonder if Dr Lane could still manage to come back so soon after staying awake overnight in the clinic. Could a human being work well under a sleep-deprived condition?

While Mrs Dawson was looking after Specky in her arms, who appeared more lethargic than usual, Lynney prepared to discuss the medical bills for her precious pet with Cyndi, the receptionist with whom she has talked over the phone a couple of times.

"Hmmm...many procedures seem to have been waived for you, how great!" Lynney felt an incredibly warm feeling upon being told so by Cyndi.

"So for the blood tests only..."

"Excuse me,...sorry...I thought I miscalculated the time it takes to get here..."

A surprising interruption to their conversation by a guy who dashed straight through the open door to the reception counter startled both Cyndi, Lynney, Mrs Dawson and even the dreamy Specky immensely.

All ladies and a female rabbit were staring questioningly at this unexpected guy dressed casually in plaid shirt underneath a soft jean jacket and khaki pants. Even Cyndi was momentarily dumbfounded to ask him for a personal introduction. He was also holding a faded bicycle helmet which apparently had been worn on his journey to their clinic. He obviously could sense that they were taken aback by his sudden appearance in such a rushed and informal style. He quickly set down his helmet on the desk and offered his hand to Cyndi and Lynney.

"Hi umm...Sorry, didn't mean to be this unpresentable for a first-time impression...I'm Dr Loveland, who will be subbing for Dr Lane this morning...Nice to meet you!"

Cyndi was just as blank as Lynney, "Err...excuse me, Dr Love-land...I was not informed in any way by Dr Lane, who is supposed to have arrived here by now..."

This so-called Dr Loveland then broke out the unfortunate news - Dr Lane had met with a car accident on the way home from the clinic after finishing his "intense" overnight shift that early morning, shocking everyone. A longtime neighbour of Dr Lane, Dr Loveland revealed that he has seen the veterinary surgeon at the hospital and that he has requested for the latter's help to work on Specky at the last minute. Just when Cyndi and Lynney required some time to take in such an alarming news, a nurse from the hospital called in to confirm the fact that Dr Lane has indeed been admitted and was awaiting for an emergency surgery to be performed on his injured back.