Page 2 of Give Me Forever

"Are we keeping you from anything, son?" Dad asked.

"No, I took the shift last night, so I'm off today. I just wanted to hang around and see if Bonnie needed anything." But I was starved, too, and wouldn’t mind a strong cup of coffee.

"All right, then. Let’s go," Mom said as we all went downstairs.

The place was semifamiliar to me. It was only my second month here, as I’d recently relocated from Honduras. The cafeteria was full as always with patients and doctors milling around. As the group found a table, I bought coffees for everyone, and Dad bought muffins.

Once we joined them, Mom looked around, observing the layout. "This is a nice place. I'm so happy you decided to stay here and be close to home."

"I haven't signed a permanent contract yet," I reminded her carefully. I didn't want her to get her hopes up. I wasn't sure I was staying in Chicago for good. I was of half a mind to go back to Doctors Without Borders. I’d worked with them for years, gallivanting around the world, and it really had been a rewarding experience. I’d been in Central Africa before relocating to Honduras.

I’d come back to Chicago for Olivia—we’d been in a long-distance relationship for a while. I figured we could take things to the next level if I moved back here. Turned out she was seeing someone else behind my back. Yeah, I was bitter about it. I would eventually let it go, but not yet. The whole thing was too fresh in my mind.

The other reason I was here was because I was in talks with the CEO of the hospital to add a pro bono clinic. After my experience in Doctors Without Borders, it was something very important to me.

"Oh, honey, don't say that. We just got you back," Mom said. She knew what happened with Olivia—they all did—and although they were disappointed in her, my family was happy we didn’t stay together. My brothers thought she wasn’t that “into” me. They’d never met her because she’d always found excuses to ditch family gatherings, but they were spot-on, considering she was dating someone else.

"Careful, brother. Next thing you know, Mom and Gran will emotionally blackmail the rest of us to convince you to stay," Travis said.

Mom straightened up. "Oh, we don't need you kids to do our dirty work. Beatrice and I are clever enough."

I chuckled. Damn, I’d been away for too long. I missed my family a lot. We’d always been one for all and all for one, having one another’s backs.

"Haven't you missed us at all?" Mom asked.

"I see. You really are going straight for the punch," I teased. "Of course I missed you. And I'm not saying I'll necessarily leave again. I just want you to keep in mind that everything's up in the air. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Hmm." Clearly she didn't agree with me. "Sam, have you thought about moving from Travis's hotel? You can't stay there forever."

"I'm looking for something else."

I heard Travis snicker and glared at him in warning. He knew my plan. I didn't want him to spill the beans. I was sure my family would have a lot of opinions, and I wasn't ready for them.

“That's great," Mom said, her eyes lighting up. That was her getting her hopes up. Now I felt like an ass.

While we finished our coffee, we spoke a bit about when Bonnie and the baby would be allowed to go home, and then my parents and my grandmother rose from the table.

"It's time for us to go. You tell us when we can come visit again," Mom said, looking at Travis, who glanced at me. He needed me to use my “doctor voice,” as he called it.

"I don't think any more visits are necessary, Mom, because Bonnie's probably going home tomorrow,” I explained. “You're all welcome to visit her then. For now, she needs rest."

Gran sighed dramatically. "Come on, let's go. We're not wanted here."

As soon as they were out of earshot, Travis chuckled. "Man, they're laying it on thick, aren't they?"

I shrugged. "You've got to give it to them. At least they did listen when Bonnie told them to leave."

"Why didn't you tell them you plan to move in with Avery?" He flashed me a shit-eating grin.

“Because then they would give me crap like you're about to do. And besides, that's not set in stone either."

Avery Sinclair had been my girlfriend during high school. Our relationship ended abruptly after prom, and I hadn’t seen her since. Our high school had set up an alumni Facebook group, and someone posted about a loft that was available. We were both interested in it, but she needed someone to share it with her. The rent was high, and the loft itself was huge. I could afford it myself, and I didn't need a roommate, but I thought I’d help her out.

I'd told Travis last night after I saw the Facebook post. He’d given me shit then and clearly still wasn’t done with it.

"Just saying, I think it's a bad idea. And if the family knew, they would tell you the exact same thing."

I smiled lazily. "See? That's why I don't ask their opinions. I don't need anyone to tell me I'm wrong."

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