“The houthe lookth great, Mom!” Morgan said, smiling to Carrie.

“’Mom?’” Jeff repeated in mock outrage.  “Who do you think hung all these lights?”

“I think your part ith beautiful, too, Dad,” Morgan said, giving him a hug.  They stood on the front porch enjoying the bright Christmas lights and the cool-for-Houston air.

When Ian drove slowly down the block, looking for the address Morgan had texted him, Morgan waved.  With a grin, Ian waved back and parked his minivan in the driveway behind Jeff’s truck.

“Thank you so much for inviting us!” Victoria called out as she chased her two little boys who darted up the sidewalk toward the porch.  Ian followed behind lugging a duffel bag with pictures of construction vehicles on it and carrying a cooking tray.

Victoria hugged Morgan and shook hands with Carrie and Jeff.  “I’m Victoria, we met briefly when Morgan and Ian got their white coats.  Thank you so much for letting us bring those little monkeys with us.  They’ve been begging to decorate cookies all day – what a fun idea!”

“We’re glad you came!” Carrie smiled back.  “My sister and her daughter come make cookies with us every year, and it’s always fun.  The more the merrier!”

“Morgan!” Gracie called out from the street.  The gawky teenager waved at her older cousin and crossed the lawn ahead of her mother, both of them carrying grocery bags.  She hugged Morgan, Carrie, and Jeff, then looked at each of them, smiling her metallic smile.  “Did you all get Christmas colors for your braces, too?”

“Yes, Sweetie,” Carrie smiled at her niece.  “We all saw Dr. Carter for our adjustments this week and Annette suggested red and green colors.”

“Great minds think alike,” Vanessa laughed, smiling her own red and green braces at her sister’s family.

“But did you also get holiday color rubber bands like the cool kids?” Victoria asked, giving a self-deprecating chuckle as she flicked her tongue at the red and green rubber bands stretching across the front of her mouth.

“Mine are just the boring beige color,” Jeff smiled at her.

“Aww, you got left out,” his sister-in-law Vanessa teased him.  “I did,” she turned to Victoria, “but I took them out for the Christmas cookies.”

“Mom!” Gracie reprimanded her, “you’re supposed to keep your rubber bands in all the time!”

“Yeah, Vanessa!” Carrie teased.  “If I have to wear them, I want you to wear yours!”

“Hi, you guys!” Sarah greeted the group, climbing up the porch steps.  “I’m Sarah, one of Morgan’s classmates,” she said, introducing herself to Morgan’s relatives.

“Let’s head on in, I can get drinks for everybody,” Jeff offered.  Vanessa paused on the porch, pulling out a package of elastics and stringing them on her braces, shaking her head at Gracie.

--

An hour later, with Christmas music playing and the fireplace lit, everyone was comfortably visiting.  Gracie was enthusiastically helping Ian and Victoria’s little boys decorate cookies at the kitchen table while Ian sat on the porch with Jeff sipping a beer and Victoria laughed with Carrie and Vanessa.

“Hey,” Sarah asked, nudging Morgan’s arm.  “What are your housing plans for the spring semester?”

“Oh, I figured I’d thtay here,” Morgan shrugged.  She hadn’t really ever considered moving out.

“Well, maybe reconsider,” Sarah encouraged her.  “I was talking to one of the fourth-year students in the library – you know Harriet?” Morgan shook her head.  “She just got engaged and she wants to move in with her fiance.  She owns a condo in walking distance to school with three bedrooms and she’s desperate to rent it.  Elise was there, too, and we both were interested, but we need a third.  One third of the rent is probably about what you’re paying for gas driving all the way out here.  And you’d save two hours a day of commuting,” Sarah’s eyes widened as she gave her pitch.  “Just think about it!”

Another great chapter. Thanks!

New Year’s Day was warmer than usual as Jeff and Carrie hugged Morgan goodbye and drove off in Jeff’s truck.  With all three of them helping, it had only taken a few minutes to set up Morgan’s bed and carry her few possessions into her new room.

The condo had three shoebox-sized bedrooms at the top of a cheaply-constructed set of stairs that led up from the living room, kitchen, and half-bath on the ground floor.  Morgan was on her hands and knees, pushing a plastic bin filled with sheets and towels under her bed when she heard a knock on the doorframe.

“Morgan?  Hi, I’m Harriet,” a friendly voice said.  Morgan turned to see a very tall Asian woman in yoga pants, tank top, and sneakers greeting her from the doorway.  “Sorry I’m running late; it looks like Sarah was able to let everybody in.”

“Oh, hi, Harriet!” Morgan smiled at her new landlord.  “Your condo ith great!”  She stood up.

“Thanks!  You guys are lifesavers,” Harriet said.  “Justin and I wanted to live together, but no way we could afford the payments on an empty place.  I’ve got keys for each of you downstairs.”  Morgan followed Harriet who trotted athletically down the creaking stairs to the tiny kitchen table.

“Hi roomie!” Elise smiled happily to Morgan around the pink appliances that filled her mouth and jutted her jaw forward.  She and Sarah were unpacking newly-purchased plates and cups from a WalMart run.

“Thanks for sending back the lease agreement,” Harriet said to the three new tenants.  “Here are keys for everyone,” she handed them each a metal key.  “And a clicker for the parking lot gate.  Trash day is Tuesday,” she said.  “And thanks again for renting this place,” she said, giving them a genuine smile.

“You have bratheth, too!” Morgan said, surprised.  Harriet had metal brackets with thick archwires and black powerchains on perfectly-aligned white teeth.

“Since late in second year,” Harriet nodded.  “I told my orthodontist I’d better be done before graduation and my wedding.”  She gave a wry laugh.  “Seriously, though,” she looked at Elise and Morgan, “professional school is a great time to do braces.  You’re studying all the time anyway, everyone’s supportive.  Why not?”

-

“Can I get thome help with my thtuff?” Elise asked when Harriet had gone.

“I’m done unpacking,” Morgan said.  “I can help,” she said, following Elise out to the parking lot.  Elise’s battered Jeep was packed to the roof with clothes, a bedframe, and a twin mattress wedged at an angle from the tailgate to the passenger-side windshield.

“I’m tho exthited for thith apartment!” Elise enthused as they carried her things back to the condo.  “I’ve never hadth my own room before.  Or roommateth I like ath muth ath you guyth,” she smiled at Morgan.

“Aww, thankth,” Morgan said.  “I’ve alwayth lived at home.  I think I’m finally ready to move out.”

They chattered about school, plans for the spring, and their families as they unloaded Elise’s car and settled her luggage in the room.  On the last trip across the parking lot and up the stairs, lugging the mattress and sweating heavily, Morgan backed up the narrow staircase holding her end of the mattress.  She squatted down to place it on the bedframe.  Elise raised her end of the mattress as high as her arms could reach to pivot the mattress through the doorway and on to the bedframe.  Morgan stepped sideways through the doorway at the same time to make room.

“Thorry,” Elise lisped to Morgan as they squeezed past each other, her armpits passing in front of Morgan’s face.  The thick stubble from several weeks without shaving was wet with sweat.

“No worrieth,” Morgan reassured her.  She realized with a strange feeling that Elise smelled nice.

“Hey, you two,” Sarah said from the hallway.  “I’m ordering a pizza. Any toppings I shouldn’t get?”

-

An hour later, Morgan heard the delivery driver knock downstairs.  She checked the time and sighed.  Going to the small shared bathroom, she unpacked her headgear pouch and untangled the straps.  She inserted the facebow, clipped the straps around her neck and over the top of her head, then walked down the creaky stairs.

“Hey Morgan, thith ith amathing,” Elise said, holding up a slice of pizza.  “Or maybe I’m thutht hungry,” she grinned, cheese and olives mashed in her braces.

“Here you go,” Sarah handed Morgan a slice on a paper plate.

“Thankth,” Morgan said, taking a bite.  She looked at her new roommates.  “Umm, I have to wear thith,” she gestured to her headgear, “twelve hourth a day.  And I’m thuppothed to get more time in whenever I have the opportunity.  Tho I’d like to have it in pretty much all the time I’m in the apartment,” she blushed slightly.

“We can remind you if you want,” Sarah offered, chewing on her pizza.

“Thankth,” Morgan nodded.

Morgan followed the hallway signs through the large hospital complex toward the cancer center.  In a quieter part of the facility, she found the pharmacy, its counter and tiny waiting area looking a bit like a sleepy miniature retail pharmacy.  An older woman in scrubs, her gray hair pulled back in a short ponytail, heard the door open and poked her head out from the rows of shelves behind the counter.

“Hello?  Can I help you?” she asked Morgan with a kind smile.

“Hi!  I’m Morgan Vara.  I’m a pharmathy thtudent obtherving with Dr. Hanrahan today,” she smiled at the older woman.

“Morgan! We’ve all been curious about you! You must really have impressed Dr. H,” the woman said.  “I’m Sylvia,” she extended her hand across the counter.

“Good to meet you, Thylvia,” Morgan said, smiling.

“I’ll let Dr. H know you’re here,” Sylvia said, disappearing into the shelving.  Morgan sat in one of the waiting room chairs.

“Morgan! Welcome!” Dr. Hanrahan said, brightly, as she pushed open the door to the waiting room and rolled through.  She stopped her wheelchair at Morgan’s feet and reached out her hand to shake.  She gave Morgan a glittering metallic smile, her braces nearly hiding her teeth.

“Thank you for having me,” Morgan smiled back.

“I hope it’s worthwhile for you,” Dr. Hanrahan said, reaching into the backpack on her lap.  “Take these,” she said.  She handed Morgan two manila folders.  Morgan saw that one had a patient chart ID sticker on it.  The other was labeled “Clinical Observation Agenda” in handwritten sharpie.  “I’ll show you around and then you can get started,” she spun around and rolled back through the door behind the counter.  Morgan followed, carrying the folders.

“You’ve seen the waiting area,” Dr. Hanrahan said over her shoulder.  “The area behind the security door is where we actually do our work; drugs are kept in the stock area with the shelving and we have a working area for compounding.  Sylvia’s office,” - she waved to Sylvia who was seated at a desk in a small alcove just outside the secured area.  “Sylvia is the hospital’s lead pharmacy technician.  She knows everything and you would do well to learn from her,” Dr. Hanrahan looked up at Morgan and grinned again, but her green eyes were serious.

“My office is here,” she pointed to a larger office with a window.  Dr. Hanrahan’s office had a wide table for a workspace and a beanbag chair and a shelf with brightly-colored toys in the corner.  The table was piled with journals.  “The door is always open and you’re always welcome if I can help you.”

“Thankth,” Morgan said.

“Let’s get you started!” Dr. Hanrahan said, with excitement.  “You can work at the desk up front today.  Sorry, but you’ll mostly be doing compliance stuff today so we can get you a badge, access to the secure area, and let you start doing fun stuff next time.”  She shrugged with a smile, her large braces glinting in the fluorescent light.

Dr. Hanrahan logged Morgan into the computer at the front desk and helped her make her own password.  Once Morgan was working independently, Dr. Hanrahan went into the secure area behind the desk.  Morgan could see her working with Sylvia through the large window at Morgan’s back.

Morgan worked diligently all morning to complete the training videos about controlled drug security, patient privacy, and computer safety.  She could see why Dr. Hanrahan had been apologetic, but Morgan was still excited to be learning real skills she would need as a pharmacist.

Just before noon, the door to the waiting room opened and a tall, familiar-looking man about forty years old in green scrubs walked in, carrying a Starbucks bag and holding the hand of a little girl with curly red hair.  The little girl wore a princess dress, pink cowboy boots, and was skipping as they walked.

“Good morning,” the man said.  He had a tired smile, mussed hair, and gentle voice.  “Are you new here?”  The little girl peered at Morgan over the edge of the counter.

“I’m Morgan.  I’m a pharmathy thtudent obtherving with Dr. Hanrahan,” Morgan explained.

“Oh!” the man smiled at Morgan with increased interest.

“Mommy!” the little girl squealed, pulling her hand out of the man’s grasp and running around the counter to jump into Dr. Hanrahan’s lap as she rolled through the door.

“Hey, little bug!” Dr. Hanrahan said, hugging her daughter.  The man leaned down for a kiss.  Morgan realized she’d seen the man and girl in Dr. Hanrahan’s family photo.

“Surgery went late, so I just picked up Sofie at daycare,” the man explained to Dr. Hanrahan.  “We’re going to head home and take a nap, but we wanted to see you first,” he smiled at her.

“No nap!” Sofie replied.

“Maybe just a nap for Daddy,” he smiled at her.  “Coffee and some muffin-thing.  It has raisins and cream in the middle,” he said, handing Dr. Hanrahan the Starbucks bag.

“Ooh! Sounds amazing!” she said.  “This is my husband, Tony, and Sofie,” she said to Morgan.  “Morgan is a pharmacy student doing her first-year clinical experience here.”

“Let’s visit Miss Sylvia!” Sofie chirped, pulling hard on Dr. Hanrahan’s hand.

“Okay! We’ll just say hi,” Dr. Hanrahan laughed, following her through the door.

“So you’re the famous pharmacy student Kelly is hosting,” Tony said, giving Morgan a kind smile.  “Congratulations.  You must be extremely impressive.”

“What?” Morgan blushed.  “No, I wath grateful to come obtherve.”

“Well, Kelly has always refused to host a pharmacy student,” Tony explained.  “But something changed her mind after she started teaching at your program this fall.  She got the Dean to recommend the top 5 students and she said she’d consider hosting one of them if she thought they could keep up.  And I mean it, you must have really impressed her.  Among other things, Kelly’s a fantastic pharmacist and an actual genius.”

“Shut up,” Kelly muttered to him, smacking Tony’s leg lightly with the back of her hand as she and Sofie returned to the room while he was speaking.  She gave him a look that started out exasperated, then softened as he grinned at her.  “You two should head home.”  She kissed him.

“Bye!” Sofie waved at Morgan.  Morgan smiled at her.  “Daddy!  Mommy’s friend has sparkly teeth like Mommy!  She’s so pretty!”