Chapter 2: The Small-World Ping

Before bed, I messaged my mom on iMessage: “I’ll bring my boyfriend home tomorrow, don’t set me up with anyone else.”

She replied instantly with three heart emojis and a dancing grandma sticker—classic mom Bitmoji energy.

The next morning, I saw a new chat request pop up on my phone from the service app.

Messenger name: “Logan Carter,” profile picture of LeBron dunking. I remembered the fine print said reps can’t use their real photos until booked for privacy.

I remembered—I’d chosen basketball under athlete. Why basketball? Probably because my mind was still on yesterday’s patients, all basketball players, so I picked something familiar.

I accepted the chat request. After Logan Carter’s name was a bracket: one-day boyfriend—Amazon marketplace gig.

Logan Carter sent a greeting first.

He kept it simple—“Morning, Autumn!”

Naturally, I replied politely, though I felt a little awkward.

I typed back, “Hey, Logan. Nice to meet you.”

Logan Carter said: “I’ll go by your schedule. I’ll notify the shop, and the timer will start then. We’ll only start when you text ‘Begin.’”

Me: “...Okay. I have to work during the day. I’ll find you after work.”

Logan Carter replied: “Okay, I have things in the morning too—the athletic department scheduled our physical exams today.”

I sat up abruptly. No way, right? The world’s really this small?

My coffee nearly spilled as I double-checked his profile picture, and a nurse walking by gave me the side-eye like, easy with the caffeine, doc.

I asked: “Silver Hollow Medical Center?”

Logan Carter said yes. Then asked: “How did you know?”

“You might not believe it, but I’m a doctor there. Yesterday I did physicals for your team’s first batch. One of your teammates even recommended Amazon to me.”

Logan Carter replied: “Oh, I told them I do side gigs. So, see you later?”

I got to the hospital early—my body’s on autopilot since I started working. Every morning I make myself a cup of coffee to wake up, but today my stomach felt off—not bloated or painful, just uncomfortable.

I reached for a ginger chew from my desk, trying to settle my nerves. This whole situation felt surreal, like I’d walked into a sitcom.

Honestly, I was a little nervous.