Treading Lightly. Elise Lanier

your doctor call your mother or your ex-husband like that?”

      “Not ethically. But they’re both listed as my emergency contacts, so he figured he’d extort me.”

      “I thought a doctor had to take a Hippocratic oath?”

      “He must’ve stepped out to the bathroom or something during that part of the ceremony. He has no qualms about blackmailing his patients if he feels it’s in their best interests.”

      “That’s not right!”

      “Yeah, tell me about it. But he holds the strings, so I’ve got to dance his little dance like a marionette.”

      “Or walk his little walk.”

      “Yes. You’re catching on to my dilemma.”

      “How about a gym?”

      “Are you kidding? Do that in public?” Her hand waved at the broken treadmill.

      “Sure. Lots of people work out in gyms.”

      She looked sideways at him, her disgust clearly evident on her face. “I’m not ‘lots of people.’”