He smiled, his glasses slipping down his nose as he nodded toward the computer screen.

“You have a very organized system, Mara,” he said.

“It keeps the scheduling mistakes to a minimum,” I said.

“We are glad to have you here,” David said, pointing to the staff roster where my name was listed simply as Mara Bell.

I opened the first folder and began typing the patient history into the new database, the keys clicking under my fingers in a steady rhythm.

The clinic smelled of antiseptic and clean paper, a familiar scent that made the space feel instantly manageable.