Dhillon watched her for a moment, enjoying her face in the moonlight, her fruity scent. “I promised my dad. That night. He sent me out with Hetal and my mom, and he went to get—You know, I don’t even know what he went back for. All I remember is that he told me to take care of them, to keep them safe.” He paused. “It was the last thing he said to me.”
Riya nodded, was silent for a moment. “Remember when we scattered the ashes? Your dad’s?”
Dhillon nodded.
“His brother was there, and he said that your dad never played it safe. He took every chance he could, to experience life, love, whatever. It’s part of why he fell in love with your mom in the first place. It’s why he had the courage to leave India and come to the States and start a whole new life in a country where he knew no one.” She paused and Dhillon felt her eyes on him. “I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Life is about risks and chances. You take them all the time, yourself. You bought that practice when you were just a couple years out of school. You’re so like him in so many ways, yet you put your loved ones in a bubble. Let them live, Dhillon. Just be there for them if it doesn’t work out.”
“Am I as bad as Hiral Mama?” The thought plagued him. He wasn’t that unreasonable, was he?
Riya squeezed his knee, and in spite of himself, Dhillon gloried at her touch. “No one is that bad. But you can’t protect them so much that they’re unhappy.”
“I feel like I’m failing my dad.” Dhillon stared into her brown eyes.
“You are.” No Riya sarcasm. Just honesty.
Dhillon pushed a breath out. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“You’re failing him, and them, because you won’t let them live.”
twenty-nine
DHILLON
“Dr. Vora, Rocky’s here with his mom. Again.” Hetal’s voice was tight and formal as she stood ramrod straight in the doorway of his office.
Dhillon gaped at his sister as her words registered. “‘Dr. Vora’? Really?”
She pursed her lips at him and nodded. Great, so she was still mad. He did want his sister to be happy, but he couldn’t shake the fear he felt when he thought about her fighting fires. It wasn’t safe.
“Thank you, Ms. Vora. Is that it for the day, then?”
“Shelly can give you an update on the surgical patients. Tristan is on her way for the overnight shift.” Hetal turned on her heel, nearly bumping into Shelly.
“Sorry, Shel.” Hetal smiled at the older nurse and walked around her.
“Seriously, Doc, this sibling animosity thing has got to stop,” Shelly said.
“She’s a nightmare, right?” Dhillon typed in a plan for the cat he’d just seen.
“No, Doc. You are,” Shelly said.
“What do you have for me?” Dhillon asked tersely. Every single woman in his life was going to be the death of him.
“Nala, Coco and London are stable status post ovariohysterectomy but need to stay for observation. Tristan is running late, but your sister said she would stay with the dogs until she arrived.”
Tristan was a first-year veterinary student who had worked with them while she was in college. She often did overnights, so she could study in between taking vitals.
“Perfect. Thank you, Shelly. You leaving, then?”
“Yes, I am. Grandkids are coming over, and they want to bake.” She grinned widely. “I’ll have treats in the morning. Maybe that’ll improve your mood.”
Dhillon grimaced at her. He stood, preparing himself for the last patient. “See you tomorrow.”
Dhillon followed his still-distant sister into the exam room.
“Ms. Sullivan, how good to see you and Rocky.” Dhillon looked at the chart Hetal had pulled up on the computer.
The lights flicked off, leaving them in the dark for a few seconds.
