Page 64 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

BLAKE

Iwoke late and muzzy, and reached out for Claire. I wanted to tell her about the dream I’d just had, her, me, and Oli camped out on a cloud. The cloud had been bouncy, like a trampoline.

“Claire?”

No answer. I opened my eyes. Her side of bed was rumpled and cold, her blouse gone from the chair where she’d tossed it last night. Her bra was still hanging over the lamp, but I guessed she’d forgotten it, or hadn’t seen it.

I sat up and stretched. Eight o’clock already. Claire must’ve slipped out and headed to work. I figured I’d better head out myself. I went to the closet and found some fresh sheets, and stripped the bed down and made it up good as new. When I searched for the hamper, I couldn’t find one, so I chucked the sheets straight in the wash. I went to text Claire to let her know where they were, but my phone wasn’t in my pants or on the nightstand.

“Where…” I did a slow spin, scanning around. Had I tossed it somewhere, along with my clothes? Or, no. We’d been headed to Thanksgiving dinner. I hadn’t wanted some text buzz interrupting our meal, so I’d left it behind, on the seat of my car.

I dressed quickly, then hurried to get it. I had a few texts and two new emails. The first mail was spam, and I flicked it away. The second was a message from the hospital — information on my fellowship. An application. A stern reminder I’d need to act fast. Well, that was no problem. I’d reach out today. But first, I needed to talk to Claire. If we were building a life, and it felt like we were, these types of decisions weren’t just mine.

MEET UP FOR LUNCH?

One checkmark popped up: my text was delivered. Then a second popped up to show it’d been read. But Claire didn’t answer, and I frowned, perplexed. She always sent back at least a thumbs-up.

IT’S IMPORTANT,I tried.I HAVE KIND OF BIG NEWS.

The checkmarks popped up, and then the dots. Then the dots disappeared and didn’t come back. Well, she was busy. She’d get back when she could. In the meantime— in the meantime…

My train of thought stuttered, and then it derailed. My contract from Munich, had it beenmoved?I checked the window to see if the wind might’ve done it, but it was shut tight, and so were the others. And the pages were face-down, not face-up like I’d left them. The wind hadn’t done that, so… had it been Claire? Had she seen, did she think?—

I grabbed for my phone. She still hadn’t answered. I tried one more time.

TALK TO ME. PLEASE?

Checkmarks. No answer. My stomach felt sour. It was happening again, just like back then: the first hint of trouble, and she was shutting me out. Surely she wouldn’t, not after last night. She’d as good as said she wanted a future. She wanted this, us. She’d said… hadn’t she?

I gripped my car door, weak in the knees. I was suddenly eight again, looking up at Miss Jenny.

“You can’t take me away. It’s a mistake.”

She’d flashed me that look I’d seen on a hundred tired faces, pity and frustration rolled into one. “Sweetheart, we?—”

“No!Go get Mom!”

“I already talked to her. She’s sorry, but?—”

“No, no. Shepromised.”

“We have to go.”

I’d known, I’dknownmy mom wouldn’t leave me. I’d have staked my life on it, and somehow she had. And Claire had done it before. Slammed the door in my face. I could have explained back then, and I could explain now, why I’d filled out those forms. Why I hadn’t mailed them. But she wouldn’t listen. She wouldn’t talk.

“Stupid,” I hissed. “Got your damn hopes up. Didn’t life teach you better than that?”

I kicked at the gravel. It bounced off my wheel. Claire couldn’t leave me, not now. We had Oli. If I could just talk to her, she’d understand.

I texted again,IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.This time, only one checkmark popped up. I tried calling instead, but her voicemail picked up.

“Claire, listen, please—” I hung up the phone. I couldn’t plead with her voicemail. I had to see her this time. She had to look in my eyes and see I meant every word.

I sped all the way to the hospital and parked like an ape, then barged into emergency shouting her name. A few patients looked up, and the nurse on the desk. I stopped, feeling stupid, and tried to calm down. The nurse frowned at me.

“Sir?”

I breathed in and out. I couldn’t go charging her, scaring her half to death. I had to be calm, to explain from the top. Then she’d see she could trust me, and we would talk. I’d tell her about the fellowship. We’d plan our next steps.

---