“I swear I’ll be there in the morning. We’ll still spend New Year’s Day together. I wanted to tell you tonight, but I didn’t renew my residency, and I’m done in May. It won’t be like this forever.”
“And I told you not to make any decisions about your career because of me.”
“Do you hear yourself? You think we moved too fast, you don’t trust me, and now you don’t want me to make any decisions because of you, while telling me I did nothing to show you how important you are to me and that you still wanted me to meet your family.” She blew out a breath. “Baby, you’re disappointed about tonight, and so am I. We met at the start of the holiday season, and I’d planned to work most of it because that had been my norm for three years. I didn’t expect you, and I’m doing everything I can to handle my obligations to the residency and be with you because I am a woman of my word. I can’t ignore my responsibilities because I fell in love.”
“I’m glad the hospital trusts you,” I retorted. “I’ll tell everyone you had an emergency at work, and they’ll meet you at another time. Until we sort us out, no need to meet them anyway.”
“Carter.” She pleaded.
“You’re at work, and I’m pulling into my driveway. Happy New Year,” I said and disconnected the phone.
I allowed my head to flop back on the seat. We were already fighting a month in, and it was the last day of the year. We were supposed to be in love and happy that we got to spend the beginning of a new year together. Shit. Shit.
“Woof. Woof. Woof.” Tyson, my brown and white husky, jumped on the car, eager for me to exit the car.
Elle jogged up the driveway, followed by my other two dogs. She pulled out her earplugs. “Hey, Daddy. My time is getting better and better.”
“Where are their leashes?” I asked curtly when I opened the door and rubbed Tyson’s soft furry head. “You can’t let these dogs roam freely on this street. They could hurt somebody.” I wasn’t the pet owner who believed my dogs wouldn’t hurt a fly. They looked like wolves and, like any animal, would attack when provoked or scared.
“They ran with me. You trained them well.” Elle wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Relax.”
“I’m not playing, Elle. Run without the dogs if you’re not going to put a leash on them.”
“Fine.” Her pretty face, so much like the man I just left, scrunched up. “Why you all irritable?”
“I’m not irritable,” I raised my voice. “Just want you to do what I say without mouth.”
She frowned. “The visit with Pops must didn’t go well.”
“What? We’re good. Why did you say that, and how did you know that’s where I went?” I held my hand up. “Never mind, you and your Mama.”
She lifted her knee to her stomach and held it there before doing the other one. “You left chill and came back mad.”
I sighed, “I’m fine. Me and your Poppy hung out, that’s all.”
Elle smiled, and her mother’s dimples flashed. “I’m glad that the two most important men in my life are becoming friends.”
I hooked my arm around her neck and pulled her to me. “And I’m glad that you call him and not me ‘Poppy’. I’m far too young to be called that. He looks older than me anyway. It’s that white side of him.”
She jabbed me in the side with her elbow. “That’s mean and racist, and I’m half of him.”
I groaned. “How is it racist when it’s the truth? Black don’t crack. Just be glad your Mama got a lot of melanin in her skin.”
We walked toward the house.
“Ooh, I’m telling him what you said.”
“Tell him. I’m not scared of him,” I said before squeezing her shoulder. “I’m kidding. Don’t tell him. I hate when he calls me ‘St. Patrick’ like I’m in trouble.”
“He does do that. Alright, I won’t tell.” Elle showed off her dimpled smile again. “Grandma is making brisket and potato salad and black-eyed peas.”
“She told me. Can’t wait.” I rubbed my stomach. “Where are your brothers?”
“On the phone with their girlfriends.” Elle turned up her nose.
“Kani has a girlfriend?” I asked, wondering why I didn’t know. Unlike my older son, Sekani didn’t seem focused on girls.
She arched a brow. “It just happened over the break, so don’t tell him I told you.”
