Page 11 of Remember That Time

I shuddered at the thought of putting on a tux and attending one of these high society charity parties, but it wasn't anything I hadn't done before. I could tough it out for one night.

Three hours later as I entered the event venue, I wished I'd said no. There was a lot of noise even if everyone was talking in low voices. With almost a hundred people, it was still loud. The guy up on the stage playing the piano only added to the noise level.

I was going to have a headache before the night was over. I could tell it now. Tony better appreciate what I was doing for him.

I was still waiting for that pickle.

When a waiter passed me, I quietly asked him for something non-alcoholic. One, I wanted to keep my wits about me, especially after the last party I had attended. Two, it wasn't good for the baby, and until I fully decided what I was going to do, I wasn't taking any chances.

He pointed me to a tower of champagne glasses that were supposed to have sparkling apple juice in them. I passed many people as I made my way to the small round table to grab a glass and take a sip.

Okay, so it was sparkling apple juice.

Good to know.

I took another sip and then let my gaze wander around the room. I spotted a few people I knew, most of them from the medical field I worked in, but some were acquaintances and friends of my parents.

I casually walked over to one small group and began making small talk. That was probably what I hated most about these events. No one really spoke what they meant. It was all just platitudes and the latest rumors floating around the social circles.

I'd bet just about anything that half the people that donated tonight did it so they could get their name recognized and not because they truly cared about the children's hospital.

The Galeazzi family had donated a hundred thousand dollars because my parents believed in caring for the children and making sure they received adequate medical care no matter what.

"Dr. Galeazzi, can I have a moment of your time?"

I turned and then smiled when I saw the dean of the medical school. "Dean Roberts, what can I do for you?"

"I had planned to call you later this week to speak to you," the older man stated. "I didn't realize you'd be attending tonight."

"I'm just here on behalf of my parents. They are still out west visiting their new grandkids and couldn't come so they sent me instead."

Half truth, but whatever.

"I wanted to talk to you about that paper you wrote last month, the one about autoimmune diseases and their effects on the nervous system."

"I didn't write that one." I shook my head. "I wrote the one on autoimmune diseases and their effects on genetic cell reproduction."

Dean Roberts nodded quickly. "That's the one."

"What about it?"

"I think it might have some bearing on some case studies I'm reviewing at the moment and I wanted your permission to compare the data from those cases and the data from your report."

"I can send you what I have tomorrow if you'd like." While many researchers kept their research top secret, the article about this had already been published. It wasn't like the data I could send to the dean would be a trade secret or anything. "I'd be interested in what conclusions you come up with and if there is any correlation to my research."

"Of course, of course." The dean gave me a smile. "I'd actually like your take on my conclusions if you have the time. It'll take me a few weeks to get everything completed, but you might see something I miss."

"Sure, I'd be happy to look at it." If it had any impact on my research, that would be great. "Just send me what you have when you're all done."

While I had studied hard to become a doctor, medical research was where my heart truly lay. I didn't want to be treating patients day in and day out. I wanted to make medical breakthroughs that could save lives.

I was lucky enough now that my residency was mostly in a medical research lab. Granted, I wasn't very high up on the totem pole, but I wasn't at the bottom either. I could use a lot of my time to research stuff that truly interested me.

"How are your parents?"

"Like I said, they are in Seattle visiting my brothers and their families. There are three new grandkids to the two they already had so I doubt I'll be seeing them any time soon."

"Your brothers are both married to omegas, aren't they?"

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