Page 28 of Thunder

I don’t have time for this man right now, even if my body is gravitating towards him.

I give his sister a smile, and she narrows her eyes at me, which makes me wary. I look at Bradley one last time before turning to Dr. Thomas, who is frowning at Brittany.

“Is Dad still in reception?” I ask the man, and he nods as he slowly looks my way, and I hand him the chart.

“Everything is looking good, and I’ll see you in two days,” I say, and he narrows his eyes at me and confirms, “You’re going home to sleep, right?”

I raise a brow and confirm, “I am,” and he asks, “And you’re not working at the store tonight?”

I really hate that he saw me working there…

I clear my throat and lie, “I have no idea what you are talking about,” and I walk past him.

“Don’t make me give your dad your student loan information, Scottie Sapphire, because I will!” Dr. Thomas calls as I rush down the hallway, “You do not work tonight, and I mean it!”

“Damn, man acts more like a father than my own,” I grunt as I quickly get onto the elevator before he can follow.

***

I walk into reception a few minutes later after grabbing my things from the staff room, and Dad puts down the paper he was reading and stands.

“I thought we could go get dinner,” he says softly, and I swallow hard.

“What about Sammie?” I ask, and Dad smiles.

“I told Kavan to pick him up and drop him off at mine. I’ve already told your mama to watch him and explained I’ll be having dinner with you,” he explains, and I look down, hating the disconnect I have with my own mother. He says, “Scottie,” and I look up when he doesn’t continue. Smiling, he admits, “She wanted to join us, she was actually upset when I told her she couldn’t because we can’t trust Yasmin with Sammie.”

Disbelief fills me, I can’t help it.

Mama slapped me when I refused to attend Rachel’s wedding. She belittled me in front of them, called my job a waste of time, told me to grow up when my sisters affair came about.

“Come on, we’ve got a lot to talk about,” Dad says, and he lifts his arm and despite the move shocking me, not used to this sudden caring father, I go into him willingly. I allow him to guide me out of the hospital but just as he wraps his arm around me, he states, “Just so you know, I’ve paid off your loans so you won’t be returning to the store…” I freeze mid-step and absolute shock and fury fills me.

He did what?

I look at my father with a glare, but instead of backing down, he raises a brow with a smug fricking look on his face.

Mother…

“I spoke to your mother, Scottie,” he says before I can rip him a new one. “I had a long fucking talk with her about our treatment of you all because you didn’t become a lawyer. You are training to be a surgeon, not a cleaner, as your sister lied about. You’ve worked your ass off for years to the point not only are you ahead of peers your age, but you are the number one most wanted resident. Your mother was shocked that we never received your graduation invitation, hurt actually before you even bring up us apparently knowing, and you know where we found the invitation?” I shake my head, too shocked to speak, and he admits, “In your sister's drawer, in her old room. She kept it as a souvenir.”

“Well, that’s just creepy,” I mutter before I continue walking and Dad wraps his arm around my shoulders again and explains, “I told her about your loans and even she demanded we pay them off so you can quit your other job and focus on your residency. Heck, she even wanted to buy your home for you, that is how much your mother has realized her mistake, just as I have,” he sighs, “We’ve treated you poorly, we’ve listened to your sister, all because we wanted to believe her narrative of shit. After you chose your own path, we followed her lead all because she stayed on the path we wanted. I am so sorry, but I won’t watch you work yourself into the ground because that is what you are doing and you don’t even have time for yourself when you aren’t working. You’ve been basically raising your nephew, a constant reminder of how evil your sister is.”

We stop by his SUV, and I look up at him.

Swallowing hard, I mutter, “I don’t want you and Mama to buy my home,” meaning every word and not just because I’m proud, because I am, but…

Bradley comes to mind, which is absolutely stupid, but he does.

I’ve never had a connection like this before, and it’s scary, and I want to run but it is there and it’s making me rethink buying my home that I’m proud of, which again, is stupid.

“I know, I told your mother that and she’s agreed for now,” Dad admits and I sniffle when he pleads, “Come have dinner with me, and maybe next week, you, your mama, Sammie and I can go to the seaside? Maybe you can allow us to get to know our daughter again and allow us to prove that we are sorry?”

“I’m not mad, Dad,” I admit, “Resentful? Yes, but not mad because Mama putting me in public school and you both basically ensuring I fend for myself is the reason why I’ve become the person I am, and I like that person.”

“Still doesn’t make it alright, Scottie,” he says before nodding to his SUV and demanding softly, “Get in and spend some time with your old dad, and I can help you unscramble your head about Thunder.”

“I’m that obvious, huh?” I choke, and he nods as he opens the passenger door and confirms, “That you are, sweetheart, now come on.”