Page 23 of Enduring Promise

Russ’s stomach twisted. This was the moment they’d been dreading. He exchanged a quick glance with Hillary, their silent agreement clear. They couldn’t let Claire go anywhere alone with him.

Claire hesitated, her smile faltering just slightly. “Oh, um... I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to leave the party. Everyone’s expecting me to be here. I’m sure they’d be so pleased to meet you.”

Michael’s smile tightened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. “You know I hate these kinds of events. I go to them because they make you happy, but I cringe when I see all these stuffy people eating crab puffs and talking nonsense. You know I like to be challenged. I need to be doing work that matters and having conversations with substance.”

“I know,” Claire apologized somberly.

“We’ll go outside for just for a bit. I need air and I want to have some privacy. You and I have some lost time to make up for.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice steady. “But just for a moment.”

As they turned to leave, Hillary stepped forward, her expression warm and friendly. “Claire,” she said brightly, “don’t wander too far. Your grandmother has insisted you and I makeplans for the summer at one of her cottages on Cape Cod. I know you’re always so busy with work, but we must pick a date that would work for both of us.”

“Oh,” Michael gave her a polite but dismissive smile, his focus already back on Claire. “Claire lives in the lab. She’s very dedicated to our work. A cottage on in a sleepy town would bore her to death, right?”

“Uh,” Claire stuttered. “Michael, this is Hillary and Russ. They’re friends of Madame Fournier. They’re recently married.”

“Marriage,” Michael groaned. “People still trying to pretend humans can sustain monogamy. I’m so glad we are science-minded and don’t fall to those social lies.”

Russ clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to grab Michael by the collar and throw him out of the party. Instead he extended his hand for a shake and squeezed just a little harder than normal.

“I’m Dr. Michael Hale,” he said, wincing a bit under the tight grip.

“You work with Claire?” Russ asked, playing dumb. “She’s been enthralling us with talk of her incredible work on advancing medicine and the miracle-working doctor making all of that happen.”

“That’s me, the man, the legend.”

“And humble,” Hillary joked, painting on a smile. They all chuckled and Michael continued on, seemingly unbothered.

“It’s not easy to move things forward at the pace I am. It’s like playing God,” he said, gesturing broadly with one hand as if presenting to a lecture hall.

“The procedures we’re developing are decades ahead of their time. People don’t understand the level of innovation we’re bringing to the table. It’s groundbreaking, revolutionary... and let’s be honest, intimidating for some.”

He glanced around the room as though expecting applause. When none came, he powered on, undeterred. “I mean, I’ve been featured in some of the top medical journals—The Lancet,JAMA, you name it. My work’s been on the cover ofScientific American. EvenForbesdid a piece on the economic implications of my research. It’s not just about medicine, you see. It’s about reshaping the entire industry.”

Russ exchanged a subtle glance with Hillary, both of them silently agreeing that Michael’s ego could fill the room twice over.

“Claire’s told us some incredible things about what you’re doing,” Russ said, feigning polite interest. “It all sounds so complex and collaborative. What’s your role in the process, Claire?”

Michael let out a short laugh before Claire could speak, cutting her off with a dismissive wave. “Oh, Claire’s part of the administrative side of things,” he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s great at keeping everything running smoothly, you know? Scheduling, compliance, making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. The research needs that kind of structure, of course. The boring stuff but she’s up for it.”

Claire’s face remained neutral, but Russ caught the way her fingers gripped her glass just a bit too tightly.

“She’s a fantastic support person,” Michael continued, oblivious to—or ignoring—Claire’s discomfort. “She gets to see the magic happen up close, which is probably a thrill for someone her age. But, you know, she’s not exactly wielding the wand herself.”

Russ felt his blood simmer at the condescension in Michael’s tone. He glanced at Hillary, who was maintaining her polite façade but he knew her well now. She was raging inside.

“I see,” Russ said carefully, leaning slightly forward. “And this ‘magic’—the procedures, the advancements is there ever a pace that’s too fast?”

“Oh, I can handle the pace. This is nothing less than a paradigm shift,” Michael declared, clearly delighted to be back in the spotlight. “We’re talking about cutting recovery times in half, reducing dependency on outdated surgical methods, and creating a system where precision meets efficiency. It’s the kind of work that will cement my legacy.”

Russ nodded slowly, his expression inscrutable. “And Claire, you must have a unique perspective on all of this, being so close to the process.”

Claire opened her mouth, but Michael cut in again. “She does,” he said, his tone dripping with patronizing affection. “She’s got a front-row seat to history in the making. It’s good experience for her, gives her an appreciation for what’s possible when you have the right vision and unmatched skill.”

“It sounds like a lot of pressure, Michael. Being at the center of all this innovation. It must be exhausting, trying to manage everything.”

Hillary tilted her head slightly, letting a warm, admiring smile creep onto her face. “It really does sound incredible, Michael,” she said, her voice honeyed and just the right side of impressed. “Not many people could take on so much responsibility and still have the confidence to make it look effortless. You must have nerves of steel.”

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