A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 17

Three years later.

Located at 18 Auburn Avenue in Kingsbridge, an old, three-story brick building nestled in a residential neighborhood served as a private medical practice. The sign outside read: The Adams Wellness Clinic.

The clinic occupied all three floors. On the first floor, a pharmacy handling both holistic and conventional medicine shared space with the registration and billing counters. The rest of the ground floor housed the office of Quentin Adams, the clinic's owner and primary physician, alongside a waiting area, an urgent trauma room, a triage desk, and rows of seating for patients.

The second floor was dedicated to IV treatments and diagnostic equipment.

Up on the third floor, the entire space was devoted to acupuncture and holistic therapies. From the left side all the way down the hall, there were six treatment rooms, each equipped with four beds. Twenty-four patients could be treated simultaneously. But even with these facilities, it was nowhere near enough to meet the overwhelming demand.

Chairs lined the hallway. Patients squeezed tightly together, making room for others as best they could, while those who couldn't find a seat simply leaned against the walls. Everyone clutched a treatment referral slip signed by Dr. Adams from the first floor. All eyes were glued to the treatment room doors, hoping they would be called next.

Three men stood shoulder-to-shoulder against the wall. A refined, intellectual-looking man asked the guy next to him, "Which doctor did you request?"

A burly man with a round face chuckled good-naturedly. "I hear she goes by Dr. Shultz."

A guy with a buzzcut scoffed, crossing his arms. "That woman wears a surgical mask every single day. No one's even seen what she looks like."

The intellectual man smiled gently. "A friend recommended her. I'm told she practices energy channeling and dynamic needle placement. She's supposed to be incredible with chronic pain."

Others in the hallway chimed in.

"The results are undeniable. The only problem is how hard it is to get an appointment."

"Why doesn't Dr. Adams come up here and help? Things would move so much faster with both of them working."

"Dr. Adams graduated from a standard medical school. His acupuncture skills can't compare to Dr. Shultz's."

"Actually, there are two other acupuncturists up here, but ninety-nine percent of the patients come specifically for Dr. Shultz and demand her by name."

"I'm so sorry, please give me a moment. I have to run downstairs," Dr. Shultz said, immediately turning and leaving the room.

The writer was left lying there alone. Not that he minded; having a chance encounter with such a mesmerizing woman made the wait completely worthwhile.

Out in the hall, Dr. Shultz rushed toward the stairs. The massive crowd of patients waiting to register on the first floor immediately spotted her. The crowd surged forward.

"Dr. Shultz! Dr. Shultz! You're so busy today! The queue is already up to seventy!"

"Dr. Shultz, I finished my herbal supplements from last week. I'm here for a follow-up. I'll see you on the third floor later!"

"Dr. Shultz, I brought you some cured ham from the countryside! Here, take it!"

The triage nurse had to use every ounce of her strength to physically push through the sea of waving arms.