Flash Fiction Photo Challenge!

Last week I posted a picture of a fountain that I ran across in a doctor’s office. It was just such an awful, tacky looking sculpture that I decided to snap a picture to post here, and then write a flash fiction piece based on one of the comments from you all. Thank you, Stephanie Florentino, for your (second) story suggestion! In your honor, I used your name in the piece–for both characters! I challenged myself to keep it under 1,000 words too, which I managed with great effort. Thanks to all of you that gave ideas! It was fun to read your comments 🙂

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“Do we really need to keep this . . . this atrocity of art?” The blonde nurse in the teddybear scrubs took a step away from the trickling, tabletop fountain. It dominated the pediatrician’s office where she worked. She had despised the gaudy sculpture-lamp-fountain thing since she started at the new practice.

“I asked you to help me move it, not critique my choice in decor.” Dr. Florentino gave his nurse, Stephanie, a lopsided grin and unplugged the fountain so they could haul it into his private office. “C’mon. On my count. 1. . . 2 . . . 3.”

The two awkwardly shuffled through the empty waiting room and into the doctor’s office. They sat it on his desk, temporarily, and went back to retrieve the table.

“Something about the albino dolphins just creep me out. Face it,” Stephanie said, grabbing two corners of the table, “it’s ugly.”

“Wow. I had no idea you’ve been harboring this much hatred for the one thing in my practice that means anything to me.” The doctor backed into the office with his end of the table. They placed it against the wall opposite his desk.

Stephanie flushed. “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t realize . . .”

Dr. Florentino waved her off. “No . . . no need to be. I know it’s not exactly beautiful.” He walked over and examined it. “But it’s the one item I brought with me from Florida. A remnant of my old life.”

The nurse tried to see the fountain through eyes of nostalgia. Still ugly, she decided. “I see. A memento from the past.” She smiled. “We all need to have those little reminders. Or in your case, a big one.”

He laughed. “Yeah, I guess it’s a rather big souvenir. But I like the sound of the water. It’s soothing. Like the beaches in Florida. That’s the thing I knew I’d miss the most in Dallas. Let’s get it to its new spot, and you can call it a day.”

Stephanie helped him keep it level from the desk to the table. She grabbed a tissue and mopped a few stray water droplets.

“Thanks, Steph. At least in here, you won’t have to lay eyes on it as often.”

“Aw, it wasn’t that bad,” she said. “It does sound peaceful, I’ll give you that.” Stephanie sized up her boss, wanting to ask him the question that burned since she came to work for him. Everyone in the office speculated on why he came to Texas, but no one really knew the answer. “So, why did you leave Florida, if you don’t mind my asking?”

The doctor stiffened and the camaraderie cooled. “Sometimes you need to start over.” He plugged in the fountain and the gurgling water muffled the tension. “Thanks again for your help. See you tomorrow.”

Stephanie tried to conceal her wounded look. “You’re welcome. I’ll just get my things.” She turned to leave.

“Wait.” Dr. Florentino grabbed her arm. “I’m sorry. You were only being friendly.”

“No. It’s really none of my business. I shouldn’t pry. No worries.”

“You weren’t prying.” He took a few steps back and leaned against his desk.
“I know there’s talk. Though I want to leave the past in the past, I should probably clear the air.”

“Really, you don’t have to . . .”

“It’ll do me good.” He crossed his arms and gave Stephanie a look she couldn’t decipher. “And I trust you. You wouldn’t betray my trust, would you?”

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Of course not, doctor.”

“Please, call me Jason.” He raised an eyebrow. “If I’m going to share my secrets with you, we should be on a first name basis, don’t you think?”

“Sure . . .” she shifted in a way that put a bit more space between them.

“You see, there was an unfortunate mishap at my old practice. I had a wonderful nurse, that I’d worked with for years.” He sighed “You remind me of her, actually. Smart, detailed, dependable. Beautiful.”

Maybe she had listened to too many loose lips around the office, but she didn’t care for the tone of his compliments. “That’s nice of you to say.”

“Well, it’s true.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Anyway, there was a spill on the floor. She rounded the corner . . . slipped . . . hit her head. I tried to save her, called 911, but…” He shrugged.

She stared, dumbfounded.

“It was awful. The feds decided it might be foul play. They investigated. Of course, they couldn’t pin anything on me. But, since we’d been romantically involved in the past . . . they tried to say I was angry that she broke it off and this and that.” He bit his lip and looked at Stephanie, eyes flooding. “My reputation was ruined. No one cared that I was cleared of all charges. I lost my patients . . . had to start over.”

“That’s terrible. I-I can’t imagine.”

“Ah,” he cocked his head and gave a wistful smile, “Y’know . . . when life gives you lemons, you do what ya gotta do.”

“Well, it seems you’ve made the best of it.” She backed toward the door. “And, I understand why you’ve kept that,” she gestured toward the fountain, “that lamp thing.”

He stepped toward her and took her hand. “Thanks, Stephanie. And thanks for listening, I appreciate it.” He squeezed her fingers. “Have a good night.”

“You’re welcome.” She slipped from his grasp and was out the door in a hurry.

Dr. Florentino watched her leave, then turned to the sculpted dolphins. “Glad you girls know how to keep a secret.” He leaned over and inspected the far right rim of the fountain. The scalloped edge sported quite a long, narrow chip in the resin.

He leaned in close. Was that blood? Still?

He dipped his finger in the water and rubbed the pale pink spot. It felt rough and porous.

Dr. Florentino let his finger rest in the scarred cleft.

Next time . . . he’d have to be more careful.