Page 10 of Older Cowboy

Wow.

“And many more…” everyone continued to sing, and right as the song ended, she remembered to smile and act appreciative. That part wasn’t hard because she did feel appreciative. But then Callie brought out what she always did.

Cupcakes.

No, one of those cupcakecakes.’

Erika withheld her sigh, not letting it escape. Callie couldn’t have any idea that she’d not only altered her own eating habits because of her diabetic husband but that the infernal disease had actually succeeded inkillingher husband. Or that this fact made Erika even less likely to indulge in anything made with sugar. Really, only her nearest and dearest knew that. Regardless, at least as far as her own family was concerned, they tended to ignore it.

How many times had she heard the words, “But you’re not diabetic, Erika. That was just Blake.” As if his condition hadn’t taken up so much significance in her day to day. As if his death hadn’t been this massive turning point in her life. Or as if she hadn’t known that. As if shestilldidn’t know it.

She adored her family, she did. But sometimes, they could be rather insensitive.

Callie, on the other hand, only did this due to what were undoubtedly good intentions. So, Erika played the happy birthday girl to the best of her abilities. She even ate one of the vanilla cupcakes—which was admittedly delicious—but when no one was looking, she scraped off all the icing. She had to lower the sugar content somehow.

Once Callie and Julie were done making a fuss, her employer approached her, Tim’s lips quirking up then down then up again almost anxiously. “Happy birthday, Erika. I’m happy to have you here, and I probably don’t say that enough.”

He didn’t say that ever, but she couldn’t deny liking that he said it now. She liked it a lot. Even if she was very much planning on going her own way as soon as possible. Their early run-ins had not been fun, and Erika had come exceedingly close to zooming out of there and slamming the door on her way out.

Yet, Callie had intervened on her behalf, and the situation had gotten better. Considerably better. Also, she and the office manager had become true friends in the interim. That was one part she wasn’t looking forward to. Informing Callie of her plans to exit and build her own practice.

She sincerely doubted Callie would like that. Not only because it would separate them as friends and coworkers, but also because it would leave a vacancy in her wake. A vacancy Callie would be tasked with filling.

Yet despite all this, including how much her work dynamic with her boss had now improved, she felt the need to move on to bigger and better prospects. Her career wouldn’t be ending here in this office but would be rising and shining inside her own.

She had some enormous and ambitious plans in that regard. Erika had built her academic and professional career around pediatric endocrinology, her specialty. With that specialty, she hoped to treat and hopefully destroy the harm caused by type one diabetes.

Since the condition almost always manifested during childhood, she wanted to study it on an individual basis, to catch the signs of it as early as possible to see if anything could either eradicate it or at least make it far simpler to treat.

Tim Blum was a general pediatrician with no particular specialty, and that was part of why she felt so compelled to make an exit. Did he have a few diabetic patients? Yes. But more often than not, he saw colds and flus. He was far more likely to need to treat the sniffles than anything so serious as a failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels properly.

Erika had been playing this card close to her vest, however, and she would continue to do so. She wasn’t sure what reaction Tim might have at the news. She wouldn’t be asking him for a recommendation since she’d been looking to open her own practice, but she couldn’t count on his improved behavior toward her staying that way once he knew she planned to move on to greener pastures.

The worst part, no doubt, would be disappointing Callie. The woman had done her a total solid when she’d interceded on Erika’s behalf, and she’d become one of her best friends. Maybe even her closest friend outside of family. The fact that Tim’s office stayed so busy, and that such a small market might struggle to find another RN also added to her worry.

So, she plastered her most convincing smile onto her features and acted as cheerful and thankful as she could. The day after that remained as busy as always, and though she’d seen that a piece of mail addressed to her had been left at her workstation, she didn’t have time to deal with it. It was rare—nearly unheard of—for her to receive mail there at the office, but it was probably just junk mail. Ultimately, she waved it off.

She’d just deal with it the next day.

Once the workday finished, she maintained a neutral expression until she was alone in her car. Her parents had invited her to dinner like they did every month, and she knew better than to not go. It wasn’t that she resented these invitations. She didn’t. It was just that her parents had opinions that Erika didn’t share. And most of those opinions centered around her decisions and her life.

Or the life they thought she should be leading.

So faced with handling both that and fretting about leaving her job, Erika didn’t emit the most joyful of moods as she entered her parents’ home that night.

“I’m making your favorite,” her mom announced as soon as she heard her lumbering inside. “Made from scratch meatloaf, sauteed carrots, and steamed broccoli.”

Erika tilted her head to the side in grudging acceptance. Thatwasher favorite meal. But then, since it was her birthday, that made sense.

“Thanks, Mom,” she embraced the older woman as she stirred the vegetables on the stovetop.

“Can’t not give my daughter what she wants on her big day.”

Suddenly, she regretted having any uncharitable thoughts toward her parents. They too had stepped in to help her cope with the loss of her young husband. The difference between them and Blake’s parents was more a matter of degrees. Her mom and dad wanted her to set her sites on the future with a new love along with her new career, while Nikki and Bruce—encouraging as they were where her professional life was concerned—remained tied to Blake, just like she did.

“You look worried, honey,” her dad said by way of greeting. Fabulous. “What’s going on?”

She offered him a half-truth. “It’s just that as I come closer to completing my degree, that means I’m coming closer to letting Callie down. I’m dreading that.”

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