I was between appointments, reviewing the chart for my next patient, when Sarah knocked on my office door.
“Dr. Parker? There’s a woman here asking to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment, but she says it’s urgent. Something about her son’s pet?”
I glanced at the clock. 11 AM. I had one more appointment at 11:30 AM, then I was heading home to talk to Sam. Whatever this was needed to be quick.
“What is it? Dog? Cat?” I asked, already shifting into crisis mode.
“That’s the thing – she didn’t bring an animal. She just said she needed to speak with you privately.” Sarah’s expression was puzzled. “She’s really insistent it can’t wait.”
A cold knot formed in my stomach. “What does she look like?”
“Tall, dark hair. A bit overdressed. Like she’s doing the walk of shame, you know. Has a little boy with her, maybe four, five?” Sarah paused. “The boy looks… familiar somehow.”
Oh.
I knew exactly who was waiting in my reception area.
Nervous but also curious — because I wanted answers — I walked out to the waiting room.
Jenna was sitting with perfect posture, her black dress and styled hair making her look like she was heading to a nightclub. Leo sat beside her, clutching a truck, his legs swinging because they didn’t quite reach the floor.
He looked so much like Sam that it made my chest ache.
“Dr. Parker,” Jenna said, standing up with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you so much for seeing us withoutan appointment. We met briefly in the parking lot the other day.”
Leo looked up at me with those familiar brown eyes, holding a worn stuffed truck against his chest. “Dr. Chloe! Sam-Sam’s friend.”
Sam-Sam.The nickname caught me off guard, but I pushed past it. I wanted answers.
“Hello Leo,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Then I turned to Jenna. “What can I help you with?”
“Actually,” Jenna’s voice dropped to a whisper, “I was hoping we could speak privately. It’s about… well, it’s complicated. Adult things.”
She glanced meaningfully at Leo, and I understood the implication. Whatever she wanted to discuss wasn’t appropriate for her son to overhear.
“Of course. Sarah, could you show Leo the puppies in exam room two? We’ll just be a few minutes.”
“Puppies!” Leo’s face lit up with excitement.
Once Leo was settled in the exam room with Sarah, I led Jenna to my office, closing the door behind us. She settled into the chair across from my desk with the kind of composed confidence that immediately put me on guard.
“I think it’s time we had an honest conversation,” she said, her hands fidgeting slightly with her purse strap. “Dr. Parker. Chloe. Can I call you Chloe?” She took a shaky breath. “I know this is awkward. I know you’re probably wondering who I am and what I’m doing here. The truth is, I’ve been lying awake for days trying to figure out how to handle this situation, and I finally realized that everyone deserves honesty. Especially you.”
“About what?”
“About Sam and Leo.” Jenna’s voice cracked slightly. “About the impossible position we’re all in, about decisions that affect all of us - especially Leo. Sam’s been trying to find a way tohandle this that doesn’t hurt anyone, but I don’t think there is one.”
My training kicked in automatically.Observe. Listen. Don’t make assumptions.But my hands were already trembling slightly as I folded them in my lap.
“Leo is Sam’s son.” The words were delivered with gentle directness, like a diagnosis I needed to understand clearly. “One look at him tells you everything you need to know.” She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Sam and I were together five years ago. Just a summer thing, nothing serious. But Leo is the result, and now… everything’s changed.”
I nodded slowly. That matched what I’d suspected.
“I need you to understand something important,” Jenna continued, leaning forward slightly. “Sam and I aren’t a couple. We’re not in love. I’m not here to steal your boyfriend.”
Relief flooded through me so suddenly that I felt dizzy. “Okay.”
“But Sam’s made a decision.” Jenna’s voice was gentle, almost apologetic. “About Leo and what kind of father he wants to be.”
