The new exam room smelled faintly of fresh paint and optimism.
Charlotte stood in the doorway, arms folded, watching two neighborhood teenagers assemble the final bookshelf.
“Level," she said.
The taller one squinted at the bubble. “It's level-ish."
“Level," she repeated.
He sighed, adjusted it, and grinned. “Perfect."
---
Mrs. Alvarez stopped by with a box of donated supplies. “For the new space," she said. “And for the woman who saved my stubborn husband."
“Thank you," Charlotte said, sliding the box onto the counter. “I'll put it to work."
---
The billionaire's wife sent a sleek new blood pressure monitor with a handwritten note: *No strings attached.*
Charlotte showed it to Daisy, who was sketching at the reception desk.
Daisy smirked. “You gonna believe her?"
“On this one
