Nerds on Fire

by Grady, D. R.

  “Congratulations, Trix. This is exactly what you wanted.”

  Her father’s pride in her helped ease the tension arcing through her. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  “What do you do?” Chrissy asked although she didn’t seem interested. She only ate the carrots, celery, broccoli and green beans. The minute amount of pot roast and potatoes she had taken remained on her plate.

  Trixi glanced at the meat and potatoes accompanying the veggies on her own plate and dug in with a shrug. Her job was demanding so she could eat whatever she wanted so long as she kept the baked goods in check. Sweets were her downfall.

  Before she could answer Chrissy’s question, her father chimed in. “Trixi is a nurse practitioner. She sees patients.”

  “Like a doctor?”

  Trixi nodded. “Yes, although my patients are newborns, often in need of acute care.”

  “I see,” Chrissy commented, although Trixi doubted it. She suspected this woman only saw what interested her and ignored everything else.

  They ate in the breakfast room just off the kitchen. Chrissy’s eyes, and attention, kept bouncing to the valuables in the room. If taking an inventory, there were plenty of treasures.

  The entire house had sheltered so many of her ancestors Trixi didn’t notice the expensive items left behind by previous generations. They were a part of her life. Looking at them through the eyes of a newcomer, especially one who was interested in their monetary value, she now saw what Chrissy found so attractive in her father.

  It was a shame, because Rylan could offer so much more than these treasures. He was a warm, smart, funny, and attractive man. There was more to him than the valuables found in this house and the one he would inherit some day.

  That reminded her. She turned to her father. “Have you introduced Chrissy to Gran yet?”

  Her father paused. “No, I thought we could go over there this evening. She’s entertaining Aunt Miriam and Uncle Johnny.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that,” Trixi exclaimed.

  “I told you, Beatrix.”

  She made a face at his usage of her full name. “You did not, because I didn’t know.”

  “I’m certain I told you.”

  “Can I call and invite us?” Trixi tucked a bobby pin back into her bun. “I’ll take the cake I set out for dessert.” She lunged for her phone, then rose from the table to call her Granny.

  When she returned, her dad was expertly stacking dishes in the dishwasher, with Chrissy, a useless beauty queen, hovering nearby. Her father was tolerant, but Trixi wondered how long the woman thought she could get away with not pulling her weight. Perhaps if you were beautiful and sexy you didn’t need to.

  Trixi had no idea.

  “It’s all set. We’re going over there for dessert. Gran is happy.”

  Thinking of that undauntable older lady always lifted her spirits. A bundle of verve and feistiness, mixed with practicality, elegance, and dignity, Trixi very much hoped to be like her Gran someday.

  She packed up the cake, humming as she bustled around her kitchen; one of the many rooms she loved in this house. Aware of her father’s indulgent glances, and Chrissy’s speculative ones.

  Her father finished the dishes while Trixi put away the few leftovers. There was enough here for her lunch tomorrow.

  They left soon after. After entering the garage, they all piled into her father’s luxury sedan. He was a businessman, a very successful one and it was apparent if you were looking for it.

  Chrissy, who was, took shotgun, while Trixi piled into the back. She held the cake, and observed all the happy looks her father sent his fiancée. Chrissy didn’t appear to notice as she seemed lost in her thoughts. Perhaps she was busy deciding which car she wanted Trixi’s dad to buy for her.

  When her thoughts turned sour like this, Trixi immediately shut them down. It was beneath her to be this spiteful. Just because she didn’t like Chrissy didn’t mean the woman wouldn’t make her father happy.

  Her stomach still twisted at the thought. How Chrissy could make him happy, Trixi didn’t know. She doubted very much the woman knew how to make anyone other than herself happy. With a quiet sigh, Trixi decided she needed to think about the relatives they were about to visit. Among her favorites, Aunt Miriam was elegant, yet casual, laid back even, and great fun. Uncle Johnny, Miriam’s husband, was actually a well-known cardiologist.

  For some reason her thoughts slid to Mark de Vosse. Who she had studiously avoided thinking about this evening. If there was ever a man she wanted to think about but shouldn’t, it was him.

  Like all the other men she found interesting, she wondered if he even noticed her beyond someone from work. The only men who noticed her eligibility tended to be those she had no interest in. Case in point, Warren Wychert at the drugstore near her house. He followed her around his family’s store from the moment she entered until she finally left, frustrated and usually without what she needed.

  Instead she was forced to shop near work, but that wasn’t practical if it was the weekend. It helped if she took her father or brother, or one of her other relatives. Usually they distracted Warren long enough for her to grab what she needed. Still, it was sad she dreaded going there. It was also sad that Warren was one of the few men on the planet who noticed her.

  With her spirits already ebbing, Trixi heaved a huge sigh, and was grateful when they finally turned into her grandmother’s back driveway. In the twilight, much of the magnificent home remained hidden, especially as they approached from an angle and at the back. It was a house even better than where they lived, but Chrissy, who was exhibiting signs of nervousness, must not have noticed.

  Her father, after recognizing Chrissy’s distress, immediately set out to soothe her. It was sweet, but unnecessary. Chrissy wouldn’t fool Aunt Miriam or Gran any better than she had Trixi.

  Or so Trixi hoped.

  Chapter 3

  Trixi, Rylan, and Chrissy piled out of the car and into the modest black and white marble tiled back foyer. This house was magnificent, but before Chrissy could begin net worth calculations, they were ushered into the more intimate sitting room. This one was far more sedate than the massive one used for social gatherings.

  The room was impressive, but Chrissy might miss this because of its smaller size. Chrissy wouldn’t fail to notice the lack of antiques, or the lack of noticeable antiques, because every single piece in this room was coveted by collectors everywhere. The settee where her Gran resided was worth the taxes on the place alone.

  “Welcome, loves,” Gran greeted as she rose to hug and kiss Trixi and then her son.

  When she turned to Chrissy, Trixi noted Gran’s careful reaction. It didn’t take that lady long to reach the same conclusion as Trixi had. Satisfied her instincts were dead on, Trixi moved to her Aunt Miriam and hugged her with exuberance. Then on to Uncle Johnny who squeezed her tight, ruffled her hair, and complimented her like always.

  That she adored this couple was no small wonder. They had propped up her flagging self-confidence for years, were fun and interesting, and she loved spending time with them. Miriam was her father’s first cousin, but Gran had raised Miriam when her own parents were killed in a car accident when she was a toddler. Gran called Miriam her daughter.

  Raised as siblings, there was no doubt this was how Rylan and Miriam viewed each other. They might even be closer than siblings since they were probably best friends. He vetted every woman he dated through Miriam, so it worried her Chrissy had slipped through the usual process.

  Trixi noted Miriam’s response to Chrissy. Her aunt’s expression shuttered as she gazed at Chrissy with masked dismay.

  Not by any means stupid, her father had to notice their reactions. On the other hand, perhaps this was wishful thinking on Trixi’s part.

  She couldn’t imagine her father married to this woman.

  Upon introduction to Johnny, Chrissy immediately went on high alert and flirted with him, with innocence and seduction blended expertly together.
There was nothing wrong with her behavior, not exactly. This was simply a woman who kept all of her options open.

  Johnny was excellent husband material. Like her dad, he was wealthy, successful, and perched at the very top of his profession. Plus he was handsome, perhaps even more so than her father. The fact he was happily married seemed of little consequence to Chrissy.

  She did make certain Miriam and Gran noticed her flashy ring and cooed over Gran, but it sounded forced. Trixi’s dislike flared to full life again.

  Miriam’s heavy stare caused Trixi to glance in her direction and she saw her same despair in those beloved blue eyes. As though tugged there, she glided into her aunt’s embrace. It was a familiar place. After Trixi’s mother died, Aunt Miriam and Gran held them together, with Johnny helping when he could. His long hours kept him away from them often, but he remained there, in the background, helping.

  Trixi had only been a teenager, and the blow devastated her. Without these two women, she wouldn’t have come through such a terrible time with her sanity intact.

  She couldn’t imagine life without the people in this room. Johnny had been offered a position as head of the Cardiology Department in a prestigious hospital in Delaware so they had moved there about five years ago. Now, after a new appointment here at the same facility where she worked, they just recently moved back home again.

  Gran interrupted her thoughts by declaring it was time for dessert.

  Once everyone settled, Trixi picked up the cake and noticed tea, coffee, plates, forks, and a cake server at the ready. She carried the confection to the buffet where she quickly sliced it. Then set the wedges on the plates and added a fork before she served the moist chocolate fudge cake.

  It smelled wonderful, and she knew from previous tastings, it wouldn’t disappoint. Even Chrissy had a small slice. Trixi took orders for tea and coffee and once everyone was content, carried the remaining cake and beverage pots to the coffee table so everyone could help themselves.

  “Trixi, I need this recipe.” Miriam moaned as she forked up another bite.

  “You say that every time she makes this cake and then leave without it,” Johnny groused, but he sent a playful wink to Trixi.

  She grinned, savoring the chocolate cake melting in her mouth.

  “She ‘forgets’ it because she knows she’ll gain weight if she actually owns this recipe,” Gran enlightened Johnny. Her affection was apparent in the glances she sent Miriam’s husband.

  “Yes, Mom is right.” Miriam’s bright eyes twinkled at her husband. He leaned forward to kiss her.

  “I’d eat the entire cake, so you wouldn’t have to worry.” His assurance came with a lazy perusal of her happy face.

  Miriam laughed, and the sound tinkled merrily through the room. Trixi grinned as she watched the pair. You’d think they were newlyweds, the way they acted.

  “How long have you been married?” Chrissy appeared to be recalculating in her mind.

  “Nearly twenty years.” Johnny’s fork lay forgotten on his plate as he gazed at his wife. His adoration was apparent and as usual, Trixi fought down tiny pangs of envy. Her parents had enjoyed this same kind of love, as had her Gran and Granpy.

  Chrissy’s plastic face prevented too startled an expression, but her face did reflect her astonishment. “Oh, I figured you were newly married.”

  Chuckling, Rylan shook his head. “Everyone does, but no, they’ve been together for years.”

  “And have been happier than most couples I know.” Gran put an end to the conversation. She passed her plate to Trixi for more cake, and Trixi again reflected on how she wanted to be like Gran when she grew up.

  Nearly thirty wasn’t super young, but compared to her grandmother’s age, she felt childlike. Maybe she was. Still, she lived in a house she loved, held a job she could see herself working in until retirement, and... had no prospects for a husband.

  Yet women like Chrissy probably had them lining up. Trixi wasn’t upset with her looks. She didn’t mind what she saw in the mirror each day. It would be nice though, if an eligible man actually saw what the majority of the people in this room claimed to see.

  Gran turned the conversation to her and Johnny’s work at the hospital.

  Trixi told of her new, permanent position in neonatal. Her family was thrilled for her.

  “I’ve heard about a young doctor who is making strides in pediatrics,” Johnny said around a mouthful of cake.

  “Who is that?”

  “Dr. Leo de Vosse.”

  “Yes, Leo is a friend of mine.”

  Johnny frowned. “Doesn’t he work with sick kids?”

  “No, that’s Dr. Sam Welby. His patients all have cancer. I’m not certain I could handle cancer-stricken kids like he does. Leo works with normal kids.”

  Johnny sent her a knowing look. “You like the babies better though?”

  Trixi nodded, having just taken another bite of cake.

  “Of course she does.” Her father held Chrissy’s hand.

  They chatted a little longer before getting up to leave. Trixi tried to talk her Gran into keeping some of the cake, but that lady told her to share it with her friends.

  Remembering they were supposed to meet for lunch, Trixi figured Leo and Mark would enjoy the confection.

  After much hugging, her dad ushered her and Chrissy out of the house. It was completely dark now and a little chilly in the night air. They didn’t waste time hopping into the car to avoid the brisk wind blustering through the trees.

  Her dad dropped her off before he took Chrissy home. As soon as the headlights disappeared and Trixi was alone in the house, she tucked the cake into a more portable container and then dialed her grandmother and aunt.

  “What did you think of Chrissy?” she asked the moment Gran picked up.

  “Just a second, honey. I’ll put this on speakerphone so your aunt can listen in.”

  “It’s just us. Johnny had some paperwork to catch up on, so he’s in the study working.” Miriam spoke clearly.

  “Oh good. It’s always better if our menfolk don’t know how catty women can be.” Trixi checked that her dad hadn’t arrived home yet.

  “Honey, you’re not being nasty. That woman is not at all right for your father,” Gran said staunchly.

  “No, she’s a gold digger.”

  “Why would he fall for a woman like her?” Miriam ventured. It sounded like she was biting her lip.

  “Stop biting your lip.” Gran sounded distracted.

  “I’m guessing she’s capable of hiding her intentions from men.”

  “Yes, they notice her face and figure, but never look beyond those.” Miriam’s matter-of-fact tone resonated.

  “The thing is, Dad has recognized other women like her, so I’m surprised he got taken by Chrissy.” She tucked breakfast into her range before venturing upstairs to her bedroom where she set out her scrubs for the morning.

  “Your dad is smart, baby. I think he’ll see through her shenanigans before they marry.” Gran sounded confident. She hoped her grandmother was correct because even the thought of Chrissy as her stepmother was scary.

  “I hope so, Gran. I really hope so.” The despair in her heart threatened to overwhelm her but she shoved it away to bask in the combined love of her aunt and grandmother.

  “I think we need a little faith here.”

  Trixi paused at Gran’s statement. Gran wasn’t born yesterday, and the lady had more common sense than most. She probably knew what she was talking about.

  This calmed Trixi enough that when she heard her father come in, she was able to kiss him goodnight with her usual aplomb.

  He was bubbling over with happiness. She would not rain on his parade.

  No matter what.

  Although if he asked her outright what she thought of Chrissy, she was also going to be tactful, but honest.

  Hopefully tactful.

  The next morning at work, Trixi called out when she caught sight of her best friend strolling across
the hall. Katy, who must have recognized her voice, spun, searching for her. They met halfway, there might have been squealing...

  After hugging her friend tight, she looked Katy up and down. “You weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”

  “I know, but I was eager to get here so I came early. I have some paperwork to complete and a few meetings.”

  “I thought I was starting in neonatal today, but I also have to go through paperwork and meetings, despite my years here.” Trixi perked up. “I’m so happy you’re early. We can endure this together then.”

  Katy’s usual smile lit her face. “I have really missed you.” After another squeeze, Katy held her at arm’s length to peer at Trixi.

  Trixi returned her perusal. Despite the bright smile, she looked a little weary around the edges.

  “This must be Katy,” Leo said behind them.

  Trixi quickly introduced them. “Yes, Leo de Vosse, this is Katy Greene.”

  Leo took in her best friend’s blonde curls and bright violet eyes and an instant friendship flared between the pair. They were two kindred spirits meeting and recognizing each other.

  Mark approached them. “Shouldn’t you all be at work?”

  He directed the question to both her and Leo.

  “This is my best friend and sister, Katy Greene. She’s a trauma surgeon. Katy this is Leo’s brother Mark.”

  Mark shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Same for you, Mark.” Katy charmed him as well as Leo in seconds. “Are you also a doctor?”

  “He’s a neurosurgeon,” Leo said, busy with his phone. He handed it to Katy who handed hers to him at the exact same time.

  Trixi glanced at Mark, who contemplated the pair with as much interest as her.

  “What happened?” he whispered.

  “They met and became instant best friends.”

  He nodded.

  Katy and Leo must have finished inputting their information into the other’s phones because they handed them back and were already making plans to get together, perhaps for supper? Trixi couldn’t hear the entire conversation because Mark got paged.