It's a Done Deal

Posted on Wed Sep 6th, 2023 @ 8:01am by Harina True & Antony Lockwood

1,127 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Rescue
Location: Planet ?????/Brookhaven
Timeline: MD 6, 1015

Antony brought up a few properties on the screen of the terminal he was working. He turned the monitor towards the Harina's direction and motioned for her to have a seat.

"Please, please sit down. Take a look at these and let's see if we can find you what you are looking for." The first property he showed was one the realtor was very familiar with. Although it did not have all the amenities of space she was looking for, it was only two blocks from the local village school.

"The first property here was a formal restaurant that we could definitely convert into a office for you. The office itself is very spacious and could house your practice with room to spare. The only downside is that it only has three bedrooms with one bathroom in the above domicile."

The doctor waved it away. "Converting takes time, and that's not as good a living space as we already have. What else is there?"

Unphased by Harina's response, Antony moved on to the second property. "Now this one is a very special property, but it does not have the above apartment as requested. This is a one story building with an open space for you to run a practice in and have a couple of offices for staff for yourself. What makes this special is that there is a small townhouse across the street that has four bedrooms and two bathrooms."

Harina took a closer look at this one. "A townhouse, you say? That means it's detached, on its own, but also attached to another one in a complex? Sort of like duplexes, only two attached to each other?"

"Mommy, mommy, that would be good! You wouldn't be bringing your work home with you. You always complain about that, but if we live across the street ...?" Fannie's voice trailed off, half beseeching.

Tucking her daughter's hair behind her ear, she smiled at her. "It isn't as easy as you think to leave it behind, but I agree, that could make it a little harder."

Turning toward the realtor, she asked, "What are the drawbacks to the office space? Small rooms? Bad plumbing? There has to be something that isn't optimal."

"There is nothing wrong with the property." Antony responded. "All of my properties are rehabbed when former tenants leave. If there is one downside, it would be the cost. This is one of my newest and nicest accommodations due to the spaciousness."

Ah, ha! Here it comes! thought Dr. True, waiting expectantly for an outrageous rent or some other costly thing. Like you have to buy it outright.

Antony paused for a moment as his eyes met with the eyes of Fannie, who gave him one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen.

"Look Doctor, let us put everything on the table here," Antony said. "What kind of medicine will you be practicing here in the village?"

"Pediatrics," Harina responded. She couldn't see how telling him that could cause a problem.

"Here in Brookhaven, we believe in the concept that it takes a village. Are you familiar with this concept? Antony asked.

"I am, but I don't necessarily subscribe to it for myself. That's neither here nor there, however," she murmured.

"If you are going to be practicing medicine here in the village. especially for the children, then you already have my gratitude. We are in need of another physician, so here is what I am willing to do."

Antony brought up a lease agreement on the screen and tapped his fingers over the console. Instantly the numbers on the property cut in half. He then looked over to Harina and gave her a smile.

"I believe it does take a village, and I think you will come along to thinking the same way soon. I actually think you do subscribe to that thinking. Part of the reason why you became a Doctor. Anyway, the place is yours for this price if you want it, as long as you do your medical work here in the village. Oh and this will include the price for your practice as well. Until you can get on your feet here in Brookhaven, at least."

Seeing her daughter's hopeful gaze, and noting the hefty cost reduction, the doctor capitulated. "I don't know about raising a child, but it might take a village to heal one, though you're wrong about my motivation. You don't know me well, though, so we won't quibble.

"Are you saying my services must be restricted to Brookhaven?" she asked. "And for how long is this contract good? I'd like a date, not a nebulous ... condition of service."

Fannie gave one bounce in her seat, but subsided at her mother's look.

"Not at all!" Antony said as he sat back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. "Just keep continuing your services in Brookhaven as well as anywhere else you choose."

Antony then made a couple of changes on the terminal and drew a contract with dates on it . "How does 2 years at the price sound? Or is that too nebulous a condition?" he said with a smile, trying to get one out of his hopeful new friend.

"No, that's fine, just perfect, in fact," the doctor said thinking she had misjudged the man seated across from her. "The only place I expect to have time to work is the Brookhaven Clinic and my own office hours. Those will be determined after I report in at the clinic and we see what we have going on there. How do you want my agreement?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I can transfer this agreement to a PADD and you take it home and look over it with your husband," Antony said as he transferred the lease to a PADD he had sitting around.

"If you all decide to go forward, come back and we can work out your banking details then. How does that sound, Harina?"

"Perfect," she answered, smiling at him at last as she reached for the PADD he passed her.

"Woohoo!" Fannie hollered, no longer able to restrain herself. She threw her arms around her mother, and gave her an unexpected hug. "We're going to have a house with lots of room, and I won't have to share!"

The doctor laughed, and reminded her, "Your dad hasn't seen this yet. Don't get too far ahead of him."

Fannie grinned and said, "Okay, but he always goes along with whatever you want, and you usually go along with what I want ... in this case, a little space and independence!"

For a moment, Harina wondered if perhaps this child would take a village to raise.

 

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