“I can give you the money you need, Desi,” Gray said.
“No,” Des told him. “I already have to rely on my parents and don’t want to depend on you too. I need to do this on my own.”
“If you say so.” Gray kissed him on the forehead, and it felt good to have some affection.
“I got asked out by one of the doctors on my floor, but I turned him down.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I never know why I turn them down. Maybe I’m waiting for someone special to sweep me off my feet.”
Gray circled his waist, pulling him closer. “This isn’t a fairy tale, Desi. Real life is a lot harder than that.”
“Can you not burst my bubble?” he groaned.
“I’m just being real with you,” Gray said. “Don’t give up on finding love,” Des heard as he drifted off to sleep.
The following morning,Des woke up to his phone buzzing, wishing he could ignore it. He peeked his head from the mounds of pillows, not even questioning how he got to bed after falling asleep on Gray last night; he knew his friend was the one to get him situated before he either went home or went to sleep on the couch. Des stretched for his still buzzing phone, squinting as he looked at who had interrupted his sweet dream.
He groaned, pressing the phone to his forehead when he saw Mom lighting up the screen. It was another temptation not to answer, but he knew Ava only called for a specific reason. His parents weren’t bad people, and he didn’t hate them—he really didn’t; they just required so much from him.
“Good morning, Mother,” he said, answering the call.
“I can’t believe you’re still sleeping,” Ava’s stern voice responded. “Don’t you have to be at the hospital?”
He rolled on his back, staring up at the ceiling. “Not for another four hours.”
“When your father and I were in your position, we would...”
“Mother, is there a reason why you called me at five in the morning?” he interrupted before she went on and on about how dedicated she and his father used to be at the hospital.
“No need to get snappy, Desmond,” Ava said dryly. “Your father and I are having a small dinner party tonight, and we want you to join us after work. There are a couple of people we want you to meet.”
This was how their conversations always went, like a business meeting where they told him where and when he needed to be. There were never any sweet family moments he could pull up in his memory that brought a smile to his face. Family gatherings were stoic and mind-numbing for Des. The good thing was his extended family wasn’t so bad, but they hardly came around.
“Mother, you know I don’t like parties.”Especially the ones you throw. I always have to pretend I’m having a good time.
“It is a networking party, dear. Your father and I are preparing for your future. Plus, your father and I have a very important announcement.”
Des knew he should be ecstatic that his parents were investing so much into him, yet he wasn’t living his own life.I don’t want it! I don’t want your future plans. I want my own.Mentally, he was aware of how ungrateful he sounded, but he was very unhappy.“Mother, I don’t...” He went to say he didn’t want to work at the hospital anymore, but the words stalled on his tongue.
“What is it that you don’t know, dear? Speak up, I have a lot to do.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it. You know how unpredictable things at the hospital can be.”
“That is true,” Bianca said. “Very well. I will tell you the news we’re announcing tonight. Your father has decided to run for the New York Senate.”
“What?” Des sat up in bed, surprised at his mother’s declaration.
“Yes, isn’t it exciting?” Des pulled the phone from his ear and looked at the name on the caller ID to make sure he was really talking to his mother since he’d never heard her sound so excited.
“Why? Why did he decide to go into politics?”
“Because it’s something he’d always wanted to do.”
“I thought being a doctor was his ultimate goal in life,” he said sarcastically and was sure Ava hadn’t caught on.
“He’s accomplished that goal. Now, he’s ready to move on to the next one. So with him running for senate, we’ll both be retiring as administrators from the hospital. I’m sure that will make you happy not to have us looking over your shoulder.”
