Page 65 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

“Sir? Can I help you?”

I coughed. “Yeah, I’m here to see, uh, Dr. Everett?”

“Sir, this is the ER. If you have an emergency?—”

“I’m not a patient. I’m… Could you page her?”

The nurse pursed her lips. “No, sir, I couldn’t.”

“But—”

“She’s very busy, and I don’t know who you are. If you’re a friend of hers, you can call her or text her. If you have an emergency, you can take a seat.”

“You can’t tell her I’m here, at least? I’m Oli’s father.” I cringed as it hit me how creepy I looked, barging in red-faced,demanding Claire’s attention. “Sorry,” I said. “I’ll do that. I’ll text.”

The nurse softened up some, now I’d backed off. “There’s a lounge down the west hall, if you need somewhere to wait.”

I thanked her, embarrassed, and headed that way. Claire hadn’t read my last text, but I pecked out another.

SORRY ABOUT MY LAST TEXTS. I KNOW YOU SAW THE CONTRACT IN MY FRONT SEAT, BUT I PROMISE, IT REALLY ISN’T WHAT YOU THINK. I’M HEADED FOR THE FAMILY LOUNGE DOWN THE WEST HALL, SO WHEN YOU GET THIS?—

“Blake? Is that you?”

I spun around. “Claire! Oh, thank God.”

She took a step back from me. “What are you doing here?”

“I know you saw the contract, but it’s not what you think. I never sent it, so?—”

“You signed it, right?” Claire clenched her fists. “Actually, don’t answer that. I know you signed it, and I know when. You signed it the day you played baseball with Oli. The day you made him those sandwiches with the fancy shapes. Then Dad took him shopping and we went upstairs, and I did that thing you like, you know, with my?—”

“Claire!”

She made a harsh gesture, a chop with her hand. “Then you went home and signed up for another four years.”

“But I’m telling you, I didn’t.”

“Did you sign it, or not?”

I shook my head, helpless. “I did, but?—”

“I have to go.”

“No, wait just a minute. Five minutes.Please.”

Claire turned her back on me, but she didn’t leave. I could hear her breathing, rough with anger. What could I say, and she’d understand?

“I filled it out, yeah.” I swallowed hard. My throat was so tight it hurt when I did. “I filled out those forms, and I signed them. That’s true. But I hadn’t decided yet— I mean, I haven’t. Or, last night I had, and I still want?—”

“You still wantwhat?” Claire covered her face, then she let her hands drop. “You’re not making sense.”

“I know, but please listen. I could transfer back home. There’s this fellowship — I could be here for Oli. But I can’t stop thinking, I have family in Munich. Not actual family, but for once, I’ve got… I have a home there. People I… We’ve all been through hell together. I trust those guys with my life. I’ve never once had that, and now, I can’t…” I looked down at my feet. I was blowing this bad. “I needed to see how I’d feel going back. If it felt right when I filled out those forms. But I never sent them. I promise you that.”

Claire’s shoulders hitched. She let out a long breath. “So, what you’re telling me is, you had to think it over.”

“Exactly! That’s all. But I never?—”

“So you looked at your child and you looked at your job, and you thought you saw, what? A choice?” She spat the words at me like poison. I flinched. When she put it like that, what could I say?

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