Brian Haner Jr

The Women's Center Clinic took up half the second floor of a small, older office building in downtown Huntington. Nicole spent every other Thursday afternoon and evening at the clinic, donating her time. Her office here, with its scarred wooden desk and a cracked window, was a far cry from her spacious suite back at her regular practice, but Nicole didn't mind. Her purpose was to provide quality health care for those who wouldn't otherwise be able to receive it.

"All right, Granny Bea," Nicole said as she patted the older woman's arm. "Those supplements are working. According to the latest test, you have the bones of a seventeen-year-old runner."

The white-haired grandmother grinned at her. "You're exaggerating, Dr. Nicole, and we both know it."

"Maybe a little, but you're doing better. Keep taking those pills. Tell Sharon, the nurse up front, to give you another refill. Be faithful, all right?"

The tiny woman, a little bent but still in good physical condition, rose to her feet. She used a cane to help her balance. "You're a good girl," Granny Bea said. "I appreciate that you worry about me."

"Of course I do. You have my number, right?" Nicole made sure all her clinic patients had her cell phone number. If there was an emergency, most of them wouldn't bother going to a hospital. Large institutions hadn't been kind to the women in this neighborhood.

Granny Bea patted her purse. "Right behind my driver's lisence." She chuckled. "Not that I drive anymore, but I figure if I win the lottery one day, I want to be current so I can go right out and buy a big Mercedes. A black one."

"I can't wait to see you behind the wheel."

Granny Bea was still laughing as she walked to the door. "See you in six months, Dr. Nicole. You take care of yourself."

"Granny Bea," Nicole called. "You know the rule."

The elderly lady shook her head. "Silly child. You really think I'm doing anything like that, with my husband gone to his reward nearly ten years ago."

"You never know, Granny Bea. If you win the lottery, you're going to find yourself chasing away young men with your cane. I want you to be prepared."

"I think it's foolish. I only use them for water balloons with my grandson. Of course he tinks I'm incredibly hip for such an old lady."

She reached into the large jar of condoms Nicole kept by the door. One of the rules of both her clinic and her private practice was that every patient had to take a handful home. She didn't want anyone telling her she'd gotten pregnant or caught a sexually transmitted disease because she didn't have any handy protection.

"Bye, Granny Bea."

"Bye, child. You take care and find yourself a man one of these days."

Nicole grinned. "Yes, Ma'am."

She was still miling when she walked into the first examining room.

"Hi, Dr. Nicole." Elizabeth said from her seat on the table.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fat." Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. "I can't believe how huge I am."

"Hey, you're eight months pregnant. What did you expect?"

"I'm the size of a space shuttle."

Nicole studied the seventeen year old's round belly. "Generally women don't make space shuttle size until their ninth month. You're more like the nose cone."

"Very funny."

"I am," Nicole agreed cheerfully. "How are you feeling otherwise?"

While Elizabeth told of swelling and the occasional aches and pains of a basically textbook pregnancy, Nicole examined her. Unfortunately Elizabeth hadn't become a patient until after she was pregnant, so the free condoms hadn't been available in time. Now this pretty, intelligent young woman faced mother-hood the month she was supposed to be graduating from high school.

"Tell me what you're eating," Nicole said.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Three servings of protein, one with each meal. Milk with every meal. Fresh vegetables, four servings and at least two fruits. No sodas, only one candy bar every couple of days."

"You're still getting food stamps?"

Elizabeth nodded. Her long black braids swayed with movement. She had beautiful wide, brown eyes and skin the color of cafe au lait.

"I keep them at a friend's house," Elizabeth said. "And I only shop for a couple of days at a time. My mom doesn't know about them."

"Good."

The teenager's mother had a drug problem, not to mention a fondness for alcohol. There wasn't much money left over for things like food and heat. Until Nicole had stepped in, Elizabeth had often gone without a decent meal for days at a time.

"How's school?" Nicole asked.

"Okay. I'm studying hard. I've been talking to my teachers about maybe taking my finals early, so that I don't miss them. The baby's due that week."

"I'm glad you're planning ahead, but you do know that the baby might be late, right? This is your first and they like to take their time."

"I know. I just want to be prepared." Elizabeth's chin dropped. "I'm thinking of getting a job with I graduate."

"For the summer, you mean?"

"Not exactly."

Nicole's heart froze. As the teenager continued to avoid looking at her, her concern grew. "I thought you were going to college in the fall. You have that scholarship to Stanfod. Elizabeth, that's an incredible opportunity. You're one of the smartest young women I've ever met. You have a chance to be anything you want. Why would you turn your back on that?"

The girl shrugged. "I wouldn't, exactly."

"Then what's going on?"

Elizabeth shrugged again.

Nicole struggled for patience. "If you stay here, you'll always be trapped by your past. Look around you. Is this what you want for yourself? Your mother has been on drugs since she was twelve. You don't know who your father is. You have half brothers and sisters scattered who knows where. When you leave this town, you can be anyone you want. Your past stops here and you only have to worry about your future. You have dreams, I know you do. We've talked about them. Why don't you want the chance to make them come true?"

Elizabeth blinked back tears. "I want that so much," she whispered. "But it's not like you think. All my friends...they keep their babies. They stay here and find a life. They've been telling me that I'm a bad person for wanted to give up my baby. Half of them won't even speak to me anymore. They're saying if I was a real woman, I couldn't give up my child, and that I'm selfish and wrong."

Tears flowed in earnest now. Elizabeth brushed them away. "Dr. Nicole, I want to be just like you. I want to go to medical school and make something of myself, then I wan to come back to a place like this and save people's lives. I can't do that with a baby. I can't. I want to go to college, but now I'm afraid that it's wrong to want so much. Maybe they're right. Maybe I should stay here and just get a job. Maybe learn to do hair or something."

For Nicole, listening to Elizabeth was like staring into the mirror of her own past. She wasn't sure what to think, let alone say.

"Dr. Nicole? You have to tell me what to do."

Nicole pressed her lips together. Who was she to give answers? She'd messed up her own life so much she hadn't been on a date in years. She was afraid to allow herself any joy because she felt she didn't deserve it. According to her father, she was hiding behind a busy schedule. And she suspected he was right.

She knew the past had a way of catching up with a person, but she hadn't expected it to come in te form of a lost, frightened seventeen year old.

Nicole opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find any words. Just then her phone went off. Grateful for the interruption, she glanced down at the display.

"It's the hospital," she said, trying to keep the relief out of her voice. "I have to call them."

When she made the call, she was told about an emergency with one of her patients. She hurried back to the examining room.

"I have to go," she said, telling herself there was no need to feel guilty. "Make an appointment for two weeks and we'll talk then, all right?"

Elizabeth was still crying.

"I'm sorry," Nicole said. "It's an emergency. Remind Sharon to give you your vitamins. You're doing great. Hang in there."

What pitiful advice, Nicole thought as she ran down the stairs and raced toward her car. The worst thing Elizabeth could do was be like her.

As she drove toward the hospital, Nicole vowed she would make it up to the girl. Just as soon as she figured out how.