AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I forgive you, though. I'm glad you spent more time with that sweet cheeks baby of yours. How is she?"
"Beautiful and happy.”
Mary gave me a wrinkly smile.
"Good, that's how kids are supposed to be. You're a good father, Dr. Sullivan."
Her words smoothed my edges, but I didn’t think I belonged to the good dad club anymore. Otherwise, I wouldn't have left my daughter with the stranger I was fucking.
Quickly, I shook those thoughts off and focused on what was in front of me; twenty-four hours of work that would give my brain a fucking well-deserved break.
We got back to business, and I ran myself ragged; rechecked with all my patients, made an airtight operating schedule for next week, clipped a few aneurisms, got my paperwork in order. Anything to feel back in my element again. When I finally walked out the doors when my shift was over, I was so numb, I didn’t even think about the bittersweetness that marked my life anymore. I loved work.
Zach and London caught up to me in the parking lot.
"Both of you are off the hook?" I asked and smiled.
Zach smiled and slapped London's ass.
"The perks of being able to control her schedule include that I can request her hours to align with mine."
Lucky bastard.
"Hey, where is Jess? I haven't seen any of the Monroes today."
"Free Clinic. A bunch of kids got admitted with chicken pox, and they took some overtime to make sure everything is good with them."
Jessica Monroe was a great doctor, and she'd only become greater with time. Now she was working on getting certified in prenatal surgery - operating inside a womb. How awesome was that? Only a handful of people were certified to do these kinds of procedures, and I was sure Jessica would be the next name on that list. Oh, and she was an asshole that would steal your food; I'd seen her eat from the plates of our patients! She and her wife, Wendy Monroe, were good people and two of my best friends, ergo two more people I needed to justify my highly immoral fake marriage.
"Sullivan, are you ready for next week?"
Zach rubbed his hands together with greediness. For a second, I didn’t pick up on what he was saying, but the evil smile on his face said it all, and I just burst out laughing. Oh, yeah, next week would be my therapy.
London shifted her eyes between us looking all confused.
"What the hell are you guys talking about?"
"Next week the new set of med students come in for teaching hours. This is like Christmas for Zach and I."
"You're gonna torture them, aren't you?"
Zach hooked one arm around her neck and winked.
"Grill 'em like a juicy beef steak. Trust me, babe, you'll beg me to make their lives hell. Most med students have a major God Complex and tend to rough nurses around."
"I want to see them try." Coming from the mouth of the woman who defied a surgeon with forty years in the OR to save a patient last year, the statement was scary as hell. I knew I'd enjoy seeing the fresh meat getting to know Drill Sargent London Boudreaux. This girl looked like a human lollypop, but she was one tough biscuit.
"Anyway, guys, I have to run. I want to check on Chelsea before her mid-afternoon nap."
"Dude, you need to bring the baby girl around soon. I miss her." I knew she was my kid, and that was a big factor, but I never would have imagined Zachary Ford melting like sugar in the rain in front of a baby. Chelsea could play him like a fiddle with just one smile. It kinda made me curious to see how mushy he'd be when his own juniors came along.
Maybe he needed to start practicing...
"How about you babysit tomorrow night? I only have half a shift, and I have some plans after."
London's face lit up immediately.
"Yes, oh, James, yes! Bring her around and let her spend the night."
