“Hi,” I say back guardedly. “How’s Dani?”
“She’s being admitted, but there’s a good fetal heartbeat. Listen, I’m going to stay here for the rest of the day. And I need to be here tomorrow, too, so I might just crash in one of the on-call rooms.”
I stare at her.
“What?” She brushes a wild curl off her forehead.
“Rory, it’s Christmas and you’re on vacation.”
“Dani needs me.”
“She needs you to sleep in an on-call room?”
“No, but I need to do some research?—”
I hold up my hand, cutting her off. Standing, I gesture for her to follow me.
At least she actually does follow, that’s something. We step outside. It’s started snowing, finally. Fat, wet flakes float lazily to the sidewalk, but where we’re standing under the overhang, it’s not too cold.
I search her face. She stares back at me, wild-eyed.
“What research do you need to do?”
“The OB on call was open to a suggestion of mine, but he wants me to back it up.” She juts her chin up. “And I want to do that.”
“You do.” When she doesn’t say anything, I laugh under my breath. “Got it. Research is easier than going back to face your mom and deal with the fact that she heard us break up again. What do you want me to do, pack up yourthings? Deal with Carmen and Dante? Say my goodbyes and then just wait in the parking lot here until you’re done playing The Good Doctor and we can drive back to Ottawa in stony silence?”
It all comes pouring out of me.
Fucking fuck.
She stares at me, her eyes narrowing, turning steely and determined instead of wild and desperate. Nothing like a good rage to focus Dr. Aurora Minelli.
“Sure, make me the bad guy, Garrett. Couldn’t ever be you. Couldn’t ever be Mr. Tells Himself a Story So He Doesn’t Need to Communicate.”
“What story do I tell myself?”
“That I hate my job.”
Ah. I guess we’re doing this now. That’s what the angry jut of her chin is all about.
“Idon’thate my job,” she repeats, as if it wasn’t fucking obvious that’s her opinion. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
“No? Why not? Did it hit too close to home? And now you’re…what, working pro bono on your cousin’s case to prove that point? You love being a doctor so much you’ll leap at the first opportunity?”
“I’m justobserving,” she snaps. “It’s an interesting case.”
“It’s yourcousin! Don’t you think for a second you should just feel something here? Worry?”
“Of course I’m worried! I’m not going to actually treat her. I’m just talking to her physician.”
“Instead of talking to your mother.”
“Whoa. Offside. And have you tried talking to my mother? She’ll just find a way to spin it to where I should be grateful to you for giving me a parting gift.”
“This is good, Roar. Get it all out. Tell me how muchyou hate the—” The door opens and an elderly couple comes out, moving slowly.
Rory grabs my arm and pulls me around the corner, to the empty ambulance bay. I think she means for us to keep arguing, but as soon as her back collides with the concrete wall, my hands are in her hair, holding her head, and my mouth is on hers.
