Callie closed her eyes, letting the memory and all the emotion it brought up wash away along with the sweat and exhaustion from work.
Her parents’ outdated notions weighed heavily on Callie’s heart. She could not bring herself to entirely discard their plans for her, no matter how much her soul cried in rebellion. They were her family, which meant that she desperately wanted their approval, and just as desperately wanted to be strong enough to walk away and live her life the way she wanted. It was a sad reality that she wasn’t ready to face the truth. Having both would never happen. Eventually, she would have to choose. Her happiness, or theirs.
Chapter 2
Callie was having the sexiest dream she had ever had. A dream that involved a bed covered in white sheets, with her handsome patient from the day before lying naked between her legs, teasing, and tormenting her with his tongue and fingers. Just as the dream version of Callie was soaring towards her orgasm, an annoying ring pierced the fantasy. Slowly she blinked her eyes open, feeling the wet heat between her legs and her pounding heart. Damn, she had been close to her much needed release, even if it did feel borderline inappropriate to be fantasizing about a former patient. Cursing inwardly at the fact that she had forgotten to turn off her ringer, she reached for her phone and mumbled, “Hello?”
She instantly regretted not checking the caller ID when her mother’s condescending tone filled her ear, jolting her fully awake.
“Callista? Why do you sound so terrible? Are you sick? That’s what happens when you insist on working in an emergency department. All of those awful people spreading disease.”
“Oh, hello Mother. I’m not sick, I’m just waking up that’s all,” Callie responded, refusing to even acknowledge her mother’s horrible words.
At the ‘harrumph’ of disdain from her mother, Callie struggled to hold onto her confidence as a grown, independent, successful adult. Talking with either one of her parents always brought out her insecure inner child.
“I’m calling to tell you that your father and I need to have your RSVP for our upcoming campaign dinner. I must let the catering company know how many people to prepare for well in advance as you know.”
Callie sighed inwardly at the haughty arrogance in her mother’s tone. Yes, she had been to many formal dinner parties at her parents home. She was very familiar with protocol, including the need for a prompt RSVP.
“Of course Mother, I will be there. The invitation only arrived yesterday, but I’ve already cleared my work schedule for that weekend.”
“Good. And make sure you dress appropriately.”
“Yes, Mother. I’ll make sure to change out of my scrubs and wash the blood off my hands.” Callie hoped the sarcasm in her voice wasn’t obvious as she rolled her eyes.
With a derisive sniff, her mother replied, “Oh, Callista. Must you be so crude. I’ll expect you to let me know promptly if you will be bringing a suitable guest, or if I must find an escort for you. You’re getting far too old to attend these events by yourself you know. It just isn’t suitable anymore.”
With that parting shot about her non-existent love life, her mother hung up. Callie groaned and flopped back onto her bed; all hope of a peaceful morning shattered. After a few moments trying to reclaim a sense of calm, she got up and pulled on her running gear. Maybe five miles on the pavement would ease the tension a conversation with her mother brought on.
* * *
Later that evening Callie’s best friend Reagan Grant came over with a bottle of wine and a plate of homemade brownies in hand. They had a standing weekly date for a night of hanging out, and she always provided the snacks. Reagan was an executive assistant at an investment firm downtown but hated her job and dreamed of opening a bakery. Her gourmet brownies were Callie’s favorite treat and a regular part of their girls nights.
Callie and Reagan had been friends since childhood, and were as close as sisters, without the annoying sibling fights. They knew each other’s deepest secrets, hopes and desires. Reagan was there for some of the most painful instances of Callie’s desperate attempts to please her parents. Their junior prom had been the worst. Callie had reluctantly allowed her mother to arrange a date for her, worn the dress her mother chose, and followed every instruction perfectly. Yet still the evening was a disaster. Her date kept trying to force her to get drunk and have sex with him, and the dress her mother chose was the topic of ridicule from the mean girls in school. If Reagan hadn’t been there, refusing to leave Callie’s side, the night could have been much worse. Yet when Callie tried to tell her mother why the evening had ended with her coming home in tears, instead of sympathy and support Callie received criticism and accusations.When will you learn to behave like a lady… That’s just what boys do…Yes, her mother had insinuated that she deserved the negative attention, not caring in the least that Callie had been hurt and close to violated. That time, and for every other moment of emotional pain inflicted by Callie’s parents, Reagan was the one to help her pick up the pieces and carry on.
When Callie finished recounting her latest conversation with her mother, Reagan wrapped her arms around her best friend in a quick hug. Then she turned, crossed her arms and said, “You know I love you, and I support you, but good grief Callie, here we go again with your mother, that righteous bitch. When are you going to realize that you will never be able to make her happy? Hell, she probably doesn’t even know what happy is! I still can’t decide if you’re certifiable, or just way too forgiving for how you keep putting up with their crap.”
Callie sighed. Reagan’s comments were not anything new. Callie knew that Reagan disliked Callie’s parents, and wanted Callie to cut ties with them. What Reagan had never been able to understand was how desperately Callie wanted a family – even one as cold as hers.
“I know, but come on, they’re my family. How can I just walk away from them?”
“I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. They may be your biological mother and father but when have they ever treated you like their daughter. You can and you should just walk away. Just stop answering the wicked witch’s calls and stop going home for dinner unless they start showing you some respect!”
“Reags, I know. I know how you feel, and part of me knows you’re right. I’m just not there yet. Can we please talk about something else?”
Reagan sighed, looked at Callie then shook her head in acceptance. They knew each other well enough to know when to back off.
“Okay then, I’ll drop it for now, if we can talk about S E X. More specifically, how to get you laid! As your best friend, I happen to know it’s been way too long since you were with a man. When was the last time you went on a date?”
Callie blushed, unable to deny what Reagan had said. It had been far too long since she had been intimate with a man – fantasies not included. She debated telling Reagan about the handsome man she’d stitched up at work but decided against it. For now, she would keep her sexy patient, and the dream he inspired, to herself.
“Between the insanity of medical school, residency and now my shift rotation, plus picking up overtime to pay off my student loans, I don’t have time for a social life. You’re the only date I need. Besides, you know I’m going to have to marry someone my mother chooses, so what’s the point of going out with random guys on dates that I don’t have time for anyway.”
Reagan stopped in the middle of arranging the brownies on a plate and looked at Callie with exasperation. “The point is, you’re a successful, beautiful young woman who deserves to live a little! ESPECIALLY before you make the biggest mistake of your life by marrying some closed-minded, stick-in-the-mud, and being trapped forever as your parents puppet. Look, just humor me and take the creepy arranged marriage out of the picture for a minute. Don’t you want some romance and excitement? Isn’t it time for you to finally live a life outside of the hospital? I bet Eric has some friends I could set you up with.”
Callie shuddered at the thought of being set up with anyone connected to Reagan’s current boyfriend Eric. She had tried to gently tell her friend that Eric, with his sleazy smile and the way he looked at Callie gave her a majorly creepy vibe, but Reagan insisted that she was happy with him.
“No! No. I mean, thanks, but I don’t want to be set up.”
