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He didn’t look pleased with her putting him off once again. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Okay.” She pulled a card from her purse and handed it to him. “My phone number is on it. ’Bye, Gabe.”
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_cf2f61e1-bb4f-5e1e-9203-170c00681dec)
TWO DAYS LATER Gabe was on his way out of surgery when his phone rang. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hey yourself. I’ve not heard from you in weeks.” His mother sounded eager to talk.
“I’ve been busy.”
“Too busy to check in with your mother?” Her tone held a teasing note but there was also some scolding as well.
“I’ve been trying to wrap up things here. Planning a move at the same time has kept me tied up.” Along with finding out he would soon be a father...
“I’m so proud of you and pleased you’ll be moving closer. I don’t see enough of you.”
With his schedule, he couldn’t promise it would be much different, but he did need to tell her about the baby. At least that would make her happy. “Mom, I’m glad you called. I’ve got some news.”
“I hope it’s good?”
“It is. I’m going to be a father.” Even though he’d had a couple of days to adjust to the idea, the words still sounded strange.
“You are! I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone!”
Gabe chuckled. His mother was as excited to hear the news as he had expected she would be. “I’m not really.” He didn’t want to get into it.
“Okay... Well, when is she due?”
“Sometime after the first of the year.”
His mother shot back, “You don’t know the exact date? Is it a boy or a girl?”
He really didn’t know much. He and Zoe were going to have to really talk. Today. “I’ll have to ask Zoe.”
“I’m guessing she’s the mother?” Curiosity filled her voice.
“Yes, her name is Zoe Avery.”
“Where did you meet her?”
“At a professional meeting.” He wasn’t surprised his mother was full of questions.
“Gabe, I’m guessing this wasn’t planned?” It sounded more like a question than a statement.
“It wasn’t, but we’re working all that out.” His pager went off. He was needed in ICU. “Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you soon. I promise.”
“Okay. I love you, son.”
His mother might not have been around much, but he had known he was loved. His child would at least know Gabe cared, even if he couldn’t be there for him all the time. He’d learned early from his mother that sacrifices were necessary to survive and succeed in a profession. That focus was important to get what you wanted. For him, that was to build a renowned liver-transplant program.
He checked on his patient in ICU the nurse had paged him about and increased the dosage of pain medicine, before giving instructions to his physician’s assistant to notify him if there were additional issues. Then he headed to his office for some privacy. It was time he and Zoe had that overdue conversation. He just hoped she wouldn’t try to evade it. They needed to discuss things whether she liked it or not.
She answered on the second ring.
“Zoe. It’s Gabe. Please don’t hang up.”
“I wasn’t going to.” The soft voice that he’d know anywhere as Zoe’s sounded distracted.
“Uh... How’re you doing?” He felt like a teen calling a girl for the first time. It mattered too much.
“I’m fine.”
His chest tightened. She didn’t sound like it. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine and so is the baby.”
He was relieved to hear that. It amazed him how quickly she and his unborn child had become so important to him. “Uh, what’s the baby’s due date?” He’d been so shocked to learn she was pregnant he’d not thought to ask earlier.
“January twenty-second.”
“My father was born in January.” He shook his head. That was an odd statement. He’d not thought of that in a long time. “Do you know what it is yet?”
“No. I’ll find out soon.”
“You’ll let me know as soon as you do?” Why should he want to hear so badly? How much time would he spend being a father anyway? More than Zoe apparently thought he should. Fatherhood wasn’t what he’d planned for his life but now he had to adjust and adapt. He was determined to be the best father he could be.
“I will if you want me to.”
He would like to tell his mother the sex. She would be so excited. Would start buying clothes. “Zoe, how did this happen?”
She tittered. “Why, Doctor, I thought you, of all people, understood the birds and the bees.”
The Zoe with a sense of humor had returned. This was ground he was comfortable on. He huffed. “I don’t mean the physical process. I thought you had things handled.”
“I thought so too. I guess the pill failed.” She sighed. “Or maybe the condom was bad. I don’t know. I just know I’m pregnant. I’m sorry, Gabe. I realize this isn’t what you wanted.”
It wasn’t, but he could tell by her tone that she hadn’t planned it either. “Maybe not, but I’ll deal with it. Meet my responsibilities.”
“This baby needn’t ruin your life. I have things handled. I can raise it. I want to. There’s no reason for you to change your lifestyle because of us. I know this wasn’t in your life plan.”
“You’re not going to handle this alone. I’m here to help. I should help.”
In the background, a woman called Zoe’s name. Was that her mother?
“I’ll be right there, Mom,” Zoe said in an exasperated tone.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes. And no.” Zoe sounded bone weary. “Mom’s Alzheimer’s has really progressed. She’s more confused these days. More demanding.”
The faint sounds of Zoe’s name being shouted again reached Gabe’s ear.
“Sorry but I’ve got to go,” Zoe said. “’Bye.”
The click of them being disconnected was the last he heard.
The next day between surgeries he couldn’t stop himself from texting her.
Is there a good time for me to call?
A few minutes later he received her reply.
Tonight. No later than ten-thirty my time. I have an early meeting in the morning.
Gabe typed back.
Will call at ten.
He needed to discuss his trip to her part of the world the next weekend. He would be looking for a house and wanted her to set aside some time to see him and discuss the baby’s future.
His phone buzzed. He was needed in the emergency department. There had been a car accident. It turned out that his patient was a teenage girl who required surgery right away.
Hours later, Gabe left the operating room and checked his phone. He groaned. It was already after ten-thirty. Remorse filled him. He’d promised Zoe he would call her earlier. This was just another example of why he shouldn’t have a family. He was so focused on his job. A wife and children deserved better than leftovers and afterthoughts. He would soon be a father. Where was he going to find the time? He had to show Zoe how serious he was about being a parent.
His child. Somehow that sounded weird and right at the same time.
Regardless of the time, he needed to talk to Zoe, even if just to make plans for the weekend.
She answered on the first ring. “Hello.” The word was said quietly as if he had woken her.
He remembered her voice sounding like that the night they had spent together. “It’s Gabe.”
“I know.”
Was that because of caller ID or because she recognized his voice? He hoped the latter. Now that he was actually speaking to her, he was a little unsure. “I’m sorry I’m late calling. I didn’t think you’d be asleep yet. There was an emergency and time got away from me. How’re you doing?” he finally asked.
“Fair, all things considered.”
“Has something happened to the baby?” Gabe’s middle clinched at the thought. He was surprised at how quickly his mind had gone that direction.
“No. The baby is fine. The doctor said today it measures just right. Heartbeat is strong.”
An odd feeling washed over him. He was relieved to hear it. “Was everything all right with your mom after last night?”
“Yeah, she was just confused. She gets more anxious and demanding these days. She’s asleep now.”
“That must be stressful.” He couldn’t imagine what he’d do with his job demands if his mother required his attention like Zoe’s did.
“I don’t wish this disease on anyone.”
Gabe had heard Alzheimer’s was difficult to deal with, but this was the first time he’d known someone facing it daily. “Do you have any help?”
“Not really. My sister lives about four hours away and travels for work, so she can’t come often.” There was a pause, and then she asked, “Do you happen to know how the boy from Chicago is doing? His mother was beside herself.”
“She was, but she was much better after she knew Bobby was going to be all right and they had a place to stay for the night. I spoke to her the other day and Bobby is doing just great.”
“You called her?”
Gabe grinned. “Don’t sound so surprised. I did. I like to keep track of my patients. She said if it weren’t for the stitches in his head she wouldn’t even know anything had happened.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. You were good with him. Both as a doctor and a person.”
“Thanks. I like to see that my patients get complete care. You weren’t half-bad yourself. Using the diaper to stop the blood flow was quick thinking.”
“It’s my turn to say thanks.”
The self-assured Zoe had returned. Smiling to himself, he got down to business. “I wanted to let you know I’ll be in town this weekend, looking for a place to live. I’d like to see you. Discuss things without being interrupted.”
“Look, Gabe, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, really I do. But you don’t need to feel obligated. I’m fine. I can take care of the baby.”
His blood ran hot. Why did she keep pushing him away when he was offering to help? Did she expect he’d be satisfied with a phone call here and there and a few school pictures? It was time to make himself clear. “Zoe, I have every intention of being an active parent in my child’s life. You’re not going to push me out of it. I’ll gladly handle my share of the expenses. I not only want to be involved, I will be involved. Let’s try to keep this between us and not drag others into the situation.”
Silence lay heavy between them.
She must have gotten his less-than-subtle hint about hiring a lawyer. He didn’t want to go there but he would if he had to. Growing up without a father hadn’t been fun. At baseball games there hadn’t been a man in the stands cheering him on or coaching on the sidelines. When he’d liked his first girl and she had wanted nothing to do with him, there had been no man to listen and offer advice based on experience. His mother had tried but it just hadn’t been the same. Those memories only made him all the more determined to be a present father to his child. It was his child, his responsibility.
After his and Zoe’s night together, he’d like to believe they had parted friends, albeit uncomfortable ones, but civil nonetheless. He wanted to build on that. He had no interest in angering Zoe, so he volunteered in a conciliatory tone, “I’ll be looking at houses most of the day on Saturday, so how about having dinner with me that evening?”
“I can’t. I don’t have anyone to watch Mother.”
“Then I’ll pick up something and bring it to your place. I’d really like for us to talk about this.” He wasn’t letting Zoe run from him forever. He saw another call was coming in. He’d have to get it. “The floor is paging me. I’ll be in touch on Saturday.”
* * *
By Wednesday, Zoe had red-rimmed eyes, a runny nose and was sneezing.
“Of all the times to get a head cold,” she murmured as she headed down the hall of one of the local hospitals to see a patient. She already had her hands full with life and her job, and to feel awful was almost more than she could take. Since Gabe’s call, she was still trying to sort out her thoughts and feelings.
The reality of him moving to the area, of seeing him on a regular basis was slowly seeping in. Against her better judgment she looked forward to seeing him again. That was a road she needed to close but how could she when their lives were becoming more intertwined, both personally and professionally? Her life was changing so fast she was racing to catch up. What more could happen?
She sanitized her hands using the liquid in the container by the patient’s door and pulled out a mask from the box on the shelf nearby. Mr. Luther was her most difficult patient but one her heart went out to. Why, she didn’t know. He didn’t make it easy. It could be Mr. Luther was the father figure she was missing in her life or that he just didn’t have anyone else. He reminded her of a bad-tempered grandfather who hid his huge soft spot well. For some reason she was the one person he would listen to. Maybe he sensed she liked him despite his rough outer shell. Regardless, she was determined to do whatever she could to help him.
Knocking on the hospital door, she waited until she heard the gruff “Yeah.”
She took a deep breath to fortify herself for what was coming. Pushing the door open, Zoe entered the dark room where the TV was blaring. The sixty-four-year-old man who sat in a chair beside the bed didn’t even look her way as she entered.
He’d been in and out of the hospital for months with advancing inflammation of the liver caused by hepatitis C. Because of it he had a yellow tint to his skin and eyes and ongoing nausea and fatigue. It didn’t look like he would have any improvement without a transplant. She hoped that Gabe might help her there. When the time was right she’d ask him. With any luck, Mr. Luther would be transferred to Gabe’s care at National Hospital and listed for a transplant.
