Physical Exam

Wendy, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, greeted her friend and colleague with a sly grin. ‘Well, well, look who decided to show up after taking a couple of days off. How was your little reunion with your newlywed husband?’ Callie’s lips curved into a playful smile as she shot back, ‘Oh, you know, same old same old. Just the usual newlywed bliss.’ Wendy’s laughter was infectious, filling the break room with a lightness that Callie cherished. But beneath the banter, there was a sense of gratitude that lingered. Callie was thankful that Elias had not divulged the details of her ordeal two days ago. Some things were too painful to share, too personal to lay bare for others to see. As the conversation flowed, Wendy mentioned Simon’s name in passing. Callie’s heart skipped a beat, her composure momentarily faltering. ‘Wait, Simon? I thought he returned to Steinheim. What happened?’ Wendy leaned in and lowered her voice. ‘Yeah, it’s crazy. Lemuel mentioned Simon got arrested just last night.