Love Me Like You Do: Books That Keep You In Bed

by Fields, MJ

  We waited for about five minutes, and when Sadie came back, Callie’s face brightened and Bridget and the other woman with her turned their full attention on us without an ounce of shame. “I guess I’m coming to career day.”

  Ten

  Sadie

  What was I doing? Sure, I liked kids, but I was afraid that Callie wasn’t looking for a ‘mom for the moment’ like we did at Kids Klub, no, she was looking for the whole enchilada, the full package: lock, stock, and barrel. In other words, Callie was looking for a full-time mom, and I wasn’t mom material. Hell, I could barely take care of Wasabi.

  My thoughts were interrupted and quickly replaced by my doorbell ringing, followed by a bark, then another ring of my doorbell, followed by louder barks, followed by rapid bell rings. It didn’t take a fucking Einstein to figure out who was at my door. “I’m going to kill you, Harley,” I shouted as I made my way over and unlocked it to let her in.

  “Hello, sunshine.” Harley swept past me placing a quick kiss on my head. Bridget, Piper, and Kat followed her, each repeating the kiss. “We’re here to brighten your day.” I glanced toward my sliding glass door to show her that it was clearly not daytime. “Whatever, night, you don’t have to be so picky. Okay fine, we’re here to get the fucking details.”

  “What details?”

  “Oh, don’t you dare.” Harley stuck one finger into my chest. “Are you going to stand there and tell us that hot doctor came by the station for no reason?”

  “No, it was for his daughter. She just asked me if I would come to her school for career day.”

  “And you said?” Harley folded her arms and tapped one foot waiting for my answer.

  “Yes, I said yes.”

  “That’s wonderful, get on the good side of the dad,” Kat added.

  “No, I’m not trying to do anything of the sort. It’s community service, that’s all. I’m speaking to the class.”

  “Oh come on, don’t tell me that you aren’t interested in that dad, he is fine,” Harley teased. “He’s adorable in that, ‘I got an A in anatomy and it will come in handy when I fuck you’ kind of way.”

  “Shut up.” I threw one hand over Harley’s mouth. “Ryan is hot and all, but he has a daughter, one that is looking for a mom, I can’t be a mom. Do I look like a mom? No, I do not. I’m not ready to be a mom, especially to an elementary school kid. Besides, he’s a widower.”

  “Soooo?” Harley asked. “What’s being a widower have to do with anything?”

  “Do you understand that there is no competing with a dead wife? You’ll never be first. You’ll always know that you’re not his first choice.”

  “Do you think your stepmom, Margaret, feels this way?” Kat asked.

  “I don’t know, I’ve never asked. Regardless though, I’m not ready to be a mom.”

  “Did he ask you to marry him?” Piper stared at me as if I were crazy.

  “No, of course not. But to date him wouldn’t be fair, it would just get Callie’s hope up.”

  “You mean it would get your hope up?” Piper gave me a quizzical look.

  “What hope? Are you listening to me? I said that I’m not ready to be a mom.”

  “I know what you’re saying, but for you to be thinking it when he hasn’t even asked you to marry him, hell you two haven’t even gone out, have you?” Piper waited for me to answer. I shook my head. “I think you might be the one who has mommy on the brain.”

  “And with that, oh wise one, let’s add some fucking cheer to the night. I think we need some shopping therapy.” Harley gave Wasabi a kiss on his nose then put him down. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Shopping of course, now go get some fucking shoes on. Move it.” Harley clapped her hands like a drill sergeant.

  “I don’t feel like it.” Okay, I totally sounded like Wendy Whiner from the old Saturday Night Live episodes.

  “Did I ask you whether or not you felt like putting on shoes? Don’t make me tell you again.”

  I stared at her, shocked by her motherly attitude.

  “See what you did? You made Harley go all mother on you,” Piper said.

  “Mother, yeah that’s half the word,” I grumbled as I headed off to grab my shoes. Everyone laughed at my comment. “I think Sadie just called you a motherfucker,” Piper said as she fought to hold back her grin.

  “Like that’s anything new,” Harley retorted.

  Heading back out to my living room, where Wasabi was spastic trying to jump up and get attention and Harley was aggravating him, I paused and took in the sight. I had the best friends, even if they were nosy. “Okay, I’m ready. Where are we going to shop?”

  “Walmart.” Kat held out her arm as if in a battle charge.

  I quickly glanced down at my clothes to make sure that I had nothing on to tie me to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Our trips to Walmart were legendary, and not in the right way. If I didn’t find myself so funny, I’d probably arrest myself for being a dick.

  We filed out of my house, and I locked up. Wasabi was none too pleased. Harley grabbed my hand and tugged. Piling into Piper’s Jeep, we all got situated and secured so Piper could be off.

  “Am I worrying too much about this?” I asked from the back seat.

  “Yes,” all four said in unison.

  “Now chill the fuck out and let’s have some fun,” Harley ordered.

  Fifteen minutes later we were pulling into the Super Walmart parking lot. “Ooo, there’s a spot, Harley, go block it for me.” Piper slammed on her brakes even though we were one row over.

  “On it, come on Sadie.” Having done this once or twice, I knew what to do. We weaved through cars to get to the other lane and hold the spot until Piper made her way around. While I stood and waved cars on, Harley knelt on her hands and knees pretending to search for something minuscule. Usually, it was a contact lens, which only made me laugh harder, since who in their right mind would put a contact in their eye after having it land on the ground at Walmart?

  Cars pulled up and honked, “Go on, she’s dropped something and is looking for it. She has to find it,” I shouted as I pointed over to Harley. A few cars revved their motors as if they were going to challenge me but decided against it and moved on. “Piper’s here, you can move.”

  “Found it,” Harley jumped up waving a non-existent item in the air.

  “We’re so going to hell; you know that right?” I wrapped one arm around Harley’s shoulders.

  “Girl, this didn’t earn us a place in hell, all the other shit we’ve done secured our seat on that bus.”

  “What are the rules this time?” I asked.

  “Twenty dollars, twenty minutes, and the first person to crack the cashier,” Bridget announced.

  We all raced inside and grabbed a basket then divided. Kat and I both ran to the grocery section while Harley headed over to office supplies. I glanced down at my watch as I moved down each aisle and added the things to my basket before heading over to the pharmacy for my final item. Rushing back toward the row of cashiers, I smiled when I saw Harley already waiting.

  “You got done fast.” I tried to take a peek, but Harley pulled her basket away.

  “Nope, just wait, I have to maintain my throne. I’m not letting any of you win.”

  “I’m here,” Kat waved as she came up from behind us.

  “Me too,” said Piper.

  The four of us looked for Bridget. I glanced down at my watch; the girl had less than a minute. “She’s going to run out of time. She never cuts it this close; she must be having trouble coming up with an idea.”

  “I’m here, I’m here.” Bridget raced up looking frantic, her red hair in disarray.

  “What took you so long?” I asked.

  “Moral compass, I stood and debated my decision.” Bridget held her basket out for us all to see.

  I looked in, “Oh shit, that’s horrid.” I covered my mouth.

  “I know right? My ma would kil
l me.” Bridget bit her lower lip.

  “Since I’m the reigning winner, I go last,” Harley declared.

  “Oh, you think you’re going to win, do you?” Piper asked. “Don’t be so sure.”

  “Fine, I’ll go first.” Kat volunteered as tribute. Marching up to the cashier whose name tag read Debbie, Kat slowly unloaded her basket, giving the woman ample time to scan each item. First was a jar of Vaseline, followed by a cucumber, and last but not least, a poster. I moved to the side to watch the show as Kat slowly unrolled the large teen-girl-heartthrob image of Zac Efron. She peppered his torso with kisses before handing it over to the cashier. “Be careful with that.” Kat held out one hand, as if to steady the cashier just in case she might drop it. But to our dismay, the cashier didn't say a word, she just rolled it up and bagged the items. “Don’t worry Zac-y, I’ll get you out of that dark bag in a minute.” Kat moved out of the way.

  “I’ve got to get this over with, my conscience is killing me. I keep looking around to see if I recognize anyone.” Bridget dropped one pregnancy test, one box of Hefty garbage bags, and one pack of wire clothes hangers onto the belt for Debbie to scan.

  “Ooo, she’s good,” I whispered when the cashier still didn’t say anything, she only raised a single brow as she bagged up Bridget’s horror story and then sent her on her way.

  “I guess I’m next.” Piper placed her basket on the belt. The cashier pulled out the bottle of prenatal vitamins, and a box of wine. “I also need a pack of Marlboro, unfiltered please.”

  I grabbed onto Harley; we were both doubled over laughing.

  “I see you have reason to celebrate,” Debbie stated, keeping a totally straight face as she shook the bottle of prenatal vitamins.

  “Yeah, just found out,” Piper said, patting her stomach, and I about died.

  “Hmmm,” was all the cashier said in return. “You’ll need to go to lanes one or twenty-four to purchase your cigarettes. I’m sorry, I don’t have access to them.”

  “No problem.” Piper picked up her bag and moved to stand with Kat and Bridget.

  “Are you sure that you don’t want to go?” I asked Harley.

  “I’m positive. I’ve got to maintain my title. Now go bitch,” Harley said with a big smile on her face.

  I walked up to Debbie and set down my basket. Slowly I unpacked the pie crust, the chocolate pie filling, followed by whipped cream, and finally, a large box of chocolate Ex-Lax.

  The cashier looked at me, and I smiled trying to give her my sweetest, most innocent look. She rang me up but didn’t say a fucking word. “Damnit.” I turned and glared at Harley who was sticking out her tongue at me.

  Harley sashayed forward. I say sashayed, because the bitch was cocky; she believed wholeheartedly that she had this in the bag. “Can you tell me how much these are? There wasn’t a price.” Harley held up a large box of Magnum Bareskin condoms.

  Debbie scanned them, “Fifteen dollars and ninety-seven cents.”

  “Ahh, that’s too much, can you put those back for me?”

  “Sure, no problem.” The cashier tossed them under her counter into a bin.

  “These will have to do then.” Harley handed over a roll of Saran Wrap and a thing of Scotch tape.

  The cashier looked at the items then looked at Harley then looked back at the four of us. I had to give her credit; she’d been a great sport so far. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Debbie asked in a low whisper.

  And we all cracked up laughing.

  “Boom told you I would win.” Harley held out her right hand. “Thank you very much.”

  “Yeah, we see the game all the time, but yours was the most original.”

  I threw my hands up in the air, “Great, the girl’s ego is ten sizes too big already,” I said as we left Walmart.

  “Aww, we know.” Piper wrapped me in a bear hug. “Now stop worrying about shit before it happens.”

  “Yeah, concentrate on getting hot doctor into your bed first,” Harley said, giving me a wink.

  Eleven

  Ryan

  “Hi, Mr. Cameron, I’m Dr. Montgomery, what brings you in to the hospital today?” This was probably the fortieth time I’d said that phrase just inserting different names today, and I still had eight more hours to go. The stool squeaked as I took a seat and rolled it over to sit next to him. Mr. Cameron didn’t answer me as he moved the sheet that was covering his left ankle and let me see for myself. “Ouch.” I rolled back and pinched and pumped my hand under the sanitizer machine to get a squirt before moving back so I could get a closer look. “Does it hurt when I do this?”

  “Fuck. Yes it does.”

  “Can you tell me how this happened?”

  “I was standing on the kitchen counter so I could change a light bulb. When I jumped off like I’ve done a million times, my ankle decided not to hold me up.”

  I pressed lightly, trying to feel for any bone fractures that might be pressing against the skin. Thankfully, I didn’t feel any. “Okay, I’m going to have your nurse come in and get some ice on your ankle and I’ll order an X-ray. Once we get those results back, we’ll have a better idea of how to proceed.” I stepped out of the room and passed my notes off to the charge nurse. “Let’s get an ice pack going on patient in room seven, and order radiology up for an X-ray of his left ankle focusing on the lateral.”

  “Will do, Dr. Montgomery.”

  “I’ll be in my office, come and get me after we get the results.” I headed down the hall, ready to lean back in my chair for a few seconds and close my eyes. But before I could do that, I had to check emails since, when I was on duty, that was where all non-emergency calls were sent to in text form.

  I quickly replied to one after another then deleted the spam. But one particular email that stood out, this one wasn’t a call that had been transcribed. This was a regular old email, sent to my hospital email address.

  Ryan,

  I am concerned about your utter lack of respect for the fact that I am Caroline’s grandmother, my daughter is her mother. My other daughter is her aunt. You work ungodly hours and have no time for your own child, not to mention, that she is a girl, and girls need their mothers.

  I believe that Caroline running away the other day was a cry for help, and one that you are clearly ignoring.

  Do you realize that Sonya could be a stay-at-home mom for Caroline? She and Martin just found out they can’t have children, and them taking over primary care of Caroline would be a godsend. It would take pressure off you as well. Martin has a great job and can provide anything Caroline needs. She would want for absolutely nothing.

  Think about this, Ryan, you are doing no favors for your daughter trying to raise her. In fact, you are hurting her. You are depriving her from being in a loving family.

  Don’t be so selfish, I beg you to do what is right for once.

  Louise Hazelton, Caroline’s GRANDMOTHER

  I read and reread the email. What the fuck? I couldn’t be reading this right. I tried to read it again. Did this woman want me to give my daughter to another couple? I was a single dad because my wife died, not by choice. I wasn’t on drugs, we weren’t homeless, I wasn’t wanted for any crimes, and my only offense was that her daughter died, leaving me a widower with a child.

  I picked up the phone to call her and tell her exactly where she could shove her idea, but I stopped myself. I started typing, but again, I stopped myself. Then it came to me, the answer . . . the perfect answer, the solution for not just me but for Callie.

  I headed out of my office and to the chief of staff’s.

  “Hello, sir, do you have a moment? I need to speak with you.”

  “Sure, Ryan, come on in.” I walked in and took a seat opposite of him. Unlike my office, his was huge with windows lining an entire wall, making the place look full of hope. “What’s on your mind?”

  “You know that my wife passed away a few years ago, and that I have a daughter, right?” He did and I knew it, but I wanted that to be
the first foot I put forward. When he nodded, I continued. “Callie needs me right now. It’s hard to explain . . .” That was when the words from one of Callie’s movies came to mind, something that small critter in Lilo and Stitch said. “Our family is little and broken. It may just be the two of us, but I owe it to her to put her first right now.”

  “I agree. Your daughter should come first and has been through enough in her short life. What can I do to help?”

  “Well, as you know, we’re overstaffed at the moment, so I’d like to decrease my hours. I can come in early, but I would like to be off so that I can pick her up from school. I totally understand that if a major catastrophe hits, that may not be possible on a particular day, so I will keep someone available for those kinds of situations. But for the most part, I’d like to be off at two thirty. I can still be here at six in the morning, this would leave my commitment to the hospital at forty hours a week if I did it Monday through Friday. We can reevaluate my salary if need be. I’m good with any of it as long as my daughter has the support she needs.”

  “I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request, but can you give me a few days? Let me talk with the board and then I’ll get back with you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Ryan?”

  “Yes?”

  “Doctors Lahey and Truchellet are here, why don’t you go home? You look exhausted.”

  “Overwhelmed. I think the word is overwhelmed. Thanks, Art.”

  “I’ll call you as soon as I’m able to speak with the board.”

  * * *

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Have a seat, Mom.”

  “Is Callie okay?”

  “Callie is fine. I just need someone to talk to.”

  “Come into the living room.” My mom grabbed my hand. As long as I lived, I would never forget the feel of her hands. They were smooth, and her palms were shiny and felt like silk when she touched me. She sat on the sofa and pulled me down next to her, never once letting go of my hand. I felt like a kid again. “What’s on your mind?”