Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Groaning, I stop in the hallway and Aubrey slides down slowly, bumping my erection on the way. This time I moan. It’s been over a year since we’ve had sex, and I’ve missed my wife terribly.
In three big strides, I grab my phone from the table and see Liam’s number on my screen. Instant panic arises. I press the button and wait for the video to connect. “Is Mack okay?”
“Hey, yeah,” Liam says. “Sorry, I should’ve texted you but uh . . . I signed Mack up for a recruiting program and I wanted to fill you in. The band shot a music video the other day and I had the videographer put some content together of Mack, and I sent it off in hopes of getting some scouts out here to see him pitch.”
Relief washes over me. “He said you taught him how to throw the slider.”
Liam nods. “He’s a natural, Nick. We should be thankful we didn’t have to play against him in high school. I don’t think anyone is going to hit him this year.”
“That’s fantastic.” I am dying inside because, once again, I feel like I’m failing my son as it’s not me who’s signing him up for recruiting programs.
“Anyway, you’re going to get a shit ton of emails because I put your email in there as well as mine. Anything he gets from a scout or recruiter, you’ll see. Just email me what you think and we’ll go from there.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” I tell him. “How’s Mack doing in school?”
“Thriving,” Liam says proudly. “He’s doing well, Nick. You’ve raised an outstanding young man. He’s been helping out at Mr. Powell’s, mowing his lawn, washing the car that rarely moves, and going to the grocery store for him. I’ve been teaching him to drive, if that’s okay. I probably should’ve asked first.”
“No, that’s perfectly fine. We were going to do that after football and then. . .” I trail off. “If I need to sign anything, email me and I’ll take care of it.”
“Everything good there?”
I turn, only to find Aubrey gone. My hope is she’s in the bedroom, ready and willing to pick up where we left off. Looking back at Liam, “I’ve been offered a job here.”
“Mack mentioned that after the game. You were really missed.”
Heart meet knife, twist.
“I hated missing it.”
“So, are you going to take it?”
“My son—”
“Your son is doing well, Nick. We love having him, and if the time comes when we don’t, we’ll let you know. If you need to stay because of your family, do it. But do it knowing Mack is being taken care of. Things are good in Beaumont,” he says. “I’ll have him call you when he gets home from school. We’re going to the batting cages after dinner to hit some balls under the lights. He said he struggled with that last year.”
“Yeah, he did. Thanks, Liam.”
Liam sighs. “You did it for Noah, Nick. I’m just returning the favor. Mack will call you after school.” He hangs up before he can see me lose my shit. I don’t know whether to scream or cry right now.
Or both.
I move about the house, looking for Aubrey. Because if it isn’t my heart aching for my son, it’s because my wife just left without saying goodbye.
9
If it wasn’t for Liam and Josie, my life would suck even more than it does now. I accepted the job, but not without conditions. I’m never out of town and I start after Amelie’s at school. Talisa picks Amelie up every day, however, I’ve gotten into the habit of taking her and it’s not something I care to stop.
I have never hated my profession, until now. It’s not the patients or the work, it’s the demand. There aren’t enough of us to go around, and those of us who are around, are already spread thinly. We are pulled in every which direction, with a mountain of work waiting for us. Being here makes me miss my private practice even more, and even though I love practicing medicine, this isn’t where I want to be.
Which means while Aubrey and I are trying to reconcile, or I’m trying to make things as perfect as possible for her while she continues to send me hot and cold messages, I’m encouraging her to think about heading back to Beaumont. Where she works is dangerous, riddled with situations I don’t want her to be in. At night, I worry about her safety, about when she’ll be home, or worse, whether she’ll even come home.
And when she is here, she’s absent or aloof, especially when something terrible has happened at the clinic. I get it, losing a patient really knocks the wind out of you, even though you always tell yourself not to get attached. It’s hard not to, though, when you know you’re fighting a losing battle even though you’ve told your patient’s loved ones you’ll do everything you can. Most of the incidents that rock her to her core have to do with young women, mostly around Amelie’s age. Those nights, Aubrey comes home and cries for hours. Angry, hot tears, and a verbal barrage of words thrown at me because I’m there. I’m her punching bag. Not because I deserve it. Aubrey has amazing parents who guided, nurtured, and taught her everything she needed to know to survive. The young women Aubrey treats are naïve, lost children of circumstance, whether it’s because their parents have passed away or they simply can’t take care of them. By the time they make it to Aubrey or any of the other staff, it’s usually too late. Disease riddles their bodies, making it impossible to treat. The ones the staff can catch early, those are the success stories. Those are the nights when Aubrey comes home happy and smiling.