Page 64 of Dr. Off Limits

“He arrived last night,” Dad said. “I’m thinking I might move out. Hand over the keys to my five sons and I’ll go off and buy a boat to live on. It would be more peaceful than living here. I was told each time we had another son that once they turned eighteen, I’d never see any of you again. Chance would be a fine thing.”

I shook my head, smiling, but I caught Sutton’s eye and she looked panicked.

“He’s kidding,” I said. “He doesn’t mean it.” I hoped it wasn’t triggering for her. For a long time, I took my father’s rants to heart. It took about twenty-three years and a title of doctor, but I’d gotten used to it.

“Should we not have come?” she asked.

“Ignore him,” Mum said. “He loves having people around. Have a bit of cake and stop moaning, John. Come and sit down.”

The four of us sat around the old pine table while I cut and dished up the cake.

Mum raised her glass. “Here’s to new friends,” she said, smiling at Sutton.

Sutton raised her glass and I clinked mine against hers and then Mum’s. “Dad?”

“What? Oh okay then.” He raised his glass. “So, what do you do, Sutton? Are you a doctor?” The way he just assumed I’d bring home a doctor niggled at me. I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d guessed correctly or that he thought the only people with value were in medicine. He better not start offering her career advice or berating her about starting late or something.

“Yes,” Sutton glanced at me. “I’m just starting my first foundation year.”

“Very good. Which hospital?” he asked.

“Do you like the cake, John?” Mum asked. “Better than I could make?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Dad replied. “Your cake is second to none. You won a prize for your cake making.”

Dad could be gruff and annoying and impatient. As kids, he’d been critical and demanding of us. But he was always Mum’s biggest cheerleader and I loved him for it.

“I was fourteen when I won that prize. I’m not sure it’s right to still be taking credit for it all these years later.”

“A prize is a prize,” Dad mumbled. “But this is delicious, Sutton. Thank you. So which hospital did you say you worked at?”

“Drink some wine, Dad,” I said, raising my glass.

“Are you trying to get me drunk? I’ve got beans to tend to, don’t you know? And Dog needs a walk.”

“Just trying to help.”

“Well, stop it,” he snapped. “I’m trying to get to know this lovely young lady you’ve brought home and you won’t let her speak.”

This was it. Dad wasn’t to be blown off course. There was no getting away from the fact I was going to have to tell him that Sutton and I worked together.

Lucky for me, at that moment, the kitchen door swung open and Zach appeared. “Your favorite son has arrived.”

“I didn’t know you were going to be here this weekend,” I said.

“Wanted to be here when you told Dad that you’ve been dipping your pen in the hospital ink. Dad? Did you know that Jacob and Sutton work together?”

Why couldn’t I have been an only child?

“Zachary, go and take Dog for a walk,” Mum said. “We were having a perfectly nice conversation until you came in.”

Dad raised his eyebrows and took a mouthful of cake. Thankfully, he didn’t say a thing. But I’d be hearing about it.

There was no doubt.

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