by Ivy Wonders
I did know, but I also knew that a good parent could put what matters the most first when they had to. “If I were you, I’d talk to the guy and figure out what his plans are. See if he plans on hiring someone to care for his child, or if he’s got other family to look after the boy. At least then, the kid has a stable home life. That’s important. I can always help the guy adjust to life as a hard-working, single father. Plus we’ve got another neurosurgeon on board here already. This place doesn’t have to consume his entire life the way it does yours, Jonas.”
“Maybe I should keep on the lookout for another general surgeon, huh?” he said with a chuckle.
“I have the feeling if you ever met someone special yourself, then you’d figure out pretty quickly how to juggle this job and a personal life.” I felt my pocket vibrating and got up to answer the call. “I’ll talk to you later, Jonas. Take it easy.”
I felt a smile curve my lips as I looked down and saw Rebel’s name. I couldn’t ever recall a time that a call from Tara made my heart skip a beat.
I answered the call and before I could even get out a greeting, Rebel asked, “Do you miss me yet?”
“Damn straight.” Just hearing her voice made my cock stir. “I can’t wait to get my hands on you again, Doctor Saxe.”
“I can’t wait for that either.” She sighed with what I hoped were great memories of our one night together. “I’m still sore from our last session. I think I need a little more practice to become accustomed to all this activity. So, when do you think that’ll happen?”
“If Tara takes Eli, then this coming weekend you’ll get a full two nights and three days of my attention.” I crossed my fingers that Tara would come through this time.
“I’ve been thinking, and I wanted to talk to you about this,” she said. “I know I’ve been the one saying not to tell Eli about us, but I’m starting to feel kind of like we’re hiding something. And I don’t want Eli to think either of us wants to hide stuff from him. So, what do you say to telling him about us?”
“It would certainly help things when we’re all together, wouldn’t it?” I hated how I couldn’t even hold her hand when Eli was around. “I could stop by on my way home. He’ll probably still be at your place anyway. We could tell him together this evening if you want to.”
“I do.” She made a little moaning sound that sent a chill through me. “It’s not fair to hide things from your son just because I’m afraid of how his mother will react. She’s the one who left. She had to know that one day you’d find someone.”
“I agree.” I knew it would take time for everyone to adjust. Might as well start doing it. “Tara might be a little surprised, but I doubt she’ll be that taken aback. She has heard Eli’s daily reports of his days, and you and I are a big part of that.”
“Yeah, I think it’s best to be honest,” she said. “And I’d like to be able to kiss your cheek and have you wrap your arm around my shoulders in front of people without it being a big deal.”
“That sounds good to me, too.” It sounded better than good, but I didn’t want to go overboard. “So, I’ll be over later, and we’ll let him know. Anyway, how’s work going today?”
“A Rottweiler came in after being hit by a car, so that was horrific for a while. But I managed to get him stitched up, and he’s resting comfortably.” She laughed a little. “One of the vet techs took a pretty good bite to his arm. He cried like a girl. Then I found out it was his first dog bite, and I stopped laughing at him and bandaged him up good. I don’t think he was ready for that to happen.”
“That sounds more like the Rebel I know.” There was so much to admire about the woman—she was so caring and empathetic. “So, how about I bring home Chinese tonight? We can eat dinner together at your place.”
“Sounds good to me. No cooking, no cleaning, just eating and hanging with my boys—sounds like heaven to me.” I heard someone call her name in the background and knew our talk had come to an end. “Gotta go, babe. They just brought in another dog that’s been hit by a car. That’s the third one. I don’t know what’s going on today, but I sure hope it stops now.”
“Good luck, baby. See you around six. I’ll miss you until then,” I let her know.
“Same here. Bye, Harman.”
Now we just have to tell Eli about us. Why does that scare me a little?
Chapter 14
Rebel
As soon as I walked in my front door, I heard a knock on the back one. “Rebel, it’s Eli! I’m here.”
Unlocking the door, I saw Eli with his friend Jason, both of them standing there with smiles on their faces. Moppy strolled around the backyard, saying hi in his own way to the other animals in cages. “This was our last day of school,” Eli told me. “Now we don’t go back until a week from today.”
“Yeah, next Monday we gotta go back,” Jason said as he hopped up and down. “So, we can help you every day, even in the mornings if you want.”
“You guys might have vacation, but I still have to go to work. I’ve only got Thursday—Thanksgiving Day—off.” It would be fantastic if I didn’t have to worry about feeding the animals in the mornings for a week, though. “There’s another twenty for each of you for feeding and watering these guys every morning this week. That would be a great relief for me, so thank you for suggesting it.”
Stepping out the back door, I saw the kids had already taken care of watering all the animals. “We just need you to put the food out here, so we can get to it,” Eli told me. “I think if you put it into a big garbage can with a lid on it, nothing will be able to get into it, and we can leave it out.”
“Great idea.” I walked around the side of the house to the garage. “I’ve got one in the garage I haven’t even used. It would be perfect.”
Rolling the large door up, I watched the boys as their eyes went wide. “All this space,” Jason said, then looked at me. “There’s nowhere in our whole place that has this much empty space.”
“Well, I haven’t accumulated much since moving in.” I tapped my chin as I looked at just how bare the garage was. “I suppose it’ll start getting filled up once I buy Christmas decorations. After the new year, I’ll stack those things up in here to store them.” I pointed at the empty black garbage container. “Eli, will you grab that? It’s got wheels, so you can just pull it outside.”
Eli did as I asked, and I closed the door back up. Jason seemed just as happy as Eli with his new job. “I’ve never had a job before. It’s pretty cool.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he shivered as a cool breeze swept through the backyard. “It’s getting chilly again.”
“It’s going to be a cold Thanksgiving this year, from what I’ve seen on the weather channel.” I opened the back door. “I’ll grab the bags of food, and you guys can put them into the container after you feed everyone out here. I’m going to turn on the warming lamps for them. I’ll cover some of them up with blankets later on.”
As we tended the animals, I found my heart racing as I thought about Eli’s reaction later to our news. I couldn’t wait to tell him; I thought he’d likely be thrilled that I’d be even more a part of his life than I’d already been these last few weeks.
After we finished, we all loaded up in my car—even Eli’s new dog—so I could take Jason home. “Two streets over, right?”
Eli pointed the way as the two of them sat in the back seat. “Take a right.”
I turned and went two streets down, stopping in front of another magnificent mansion. “Jason, I hope you know the code to the gate.”
“It’s my birthday,” he said, then nothing else.
I sat there with the window rolled down, my finger hovering over the keypad. “And that is?”
The boys cracked up, then Jason said, “Oh, yeah, you don’t know when my birthday is. September sixth, two-thousand, ten.”
Punching that in using only numbers, I got the gates to open. Driving up the curvy drive, I couldn’t help but marvel at the entire property. “What a beautiful p
lace, Jason. It must be great growing up here.”
“I guess.” He looked out the window. “I just wish Mom and Dad had had me when they had my brother and sisters. They waited fifteen years after the triplets before having me. All of them have moved away, so I’m all alone here.”
Eli shrugged. “At least you got a brother and some sisters. I ain’t got nothin’ at all.”
At eight years old, I knew even if either of his parents ever had more kids, Eli would probably never be as close to them as he would’ve been had he had a brother or sister when he was younger. It made me feel a little bad for the boy. I had no idea how lonely it would’ve been, growing up without a sibling.
“See you tomorrow, Jason.” I stopped at the ornate front entrance. “Tell your mom hi for me.”
“Okay, I will.” Jason hopped out of the car, waving goodbye to us.
We waved back as I drove away. “Your dad’s going to bring Chinese food for us for dinner tonight. So, I’m taking you back to my place, Eli.”
“Cool.” He smiled as he looked out the window. “Are you going to spend Thanksgiving with us, Rebel?”
“I might spend some of it with you guys.” I had plans to go to my family’s and wondered if I should invite Eli and Harman to come with me.
“We always have our Thanksgiving meal at lunchtime,” he said. “When do you guys have it?”
“Usually around then.” I frowned a little. “And your grandparents are going to be at your place.” I’d just remembered them saying that. “I guess I won’t see you until I get back around dinner time.”
We pulled to a stop in my driveway and got out of the car. “It would be nice if your family could come to our house, too.”
I ran my hand through his hair, which had already gotten a bit shaggy. “Who knows? Maybe someday.” Maybe someday Harman and I would be even more to each other. One day, he and I might even be living in that big house together. But that wasn’t going to be happening anytime soon.
Just as we got inside the house, my cell rang. When I pulled it out of the pocket of my scrubs, Eli saw Harman’s name on the screen. “There’s Dad. Can you remind him about the eggrolls, please? I like those the best, and sometimes he forgets them.”
“Will do,” I answered the call. “Hello there, Doctor Hunter.”
“Hey, I wanted to call before I picked up the food. What’s your favorite Chinese dish?” he asked.
“All of them.” I winked at Eli as he watched me. “Especially eggrolls, so get plenty of those please.”
“Hmm,” he hummed. “You wouldn’t be putting in an extra order of egg rolls for Eli, now would you?”
“Who, me?” I said with a high voice. “Not me.”
Eli whispered, “And don’t forget the fortune cookies.”
“Oh, yeah,” I added, “and please don’t forget the fortune cookies.”
“Okay,” I could hear the smile in his voice. “You don’t want anything special? You’re going to leave this up to me?”
“It’s all up to you, babe.” I put my hand over my mouth, catching my slip-up when I saw Eli’s furrowed brow.
“Oh, shit,” Harman hissed. “Bye.”
He hung up, leaving me standing there with no idea what to tell Eli. Thankfully, I didn’t have to say anything as Eli just went to sit on the sofa and picked up the remote. “Can I find a movie for us all to watch, Rebel?”
“Great idea.” I went to the kitchen to get out plates and make us something to drink. And mostly to keep some distance between us until his father got there. I didn’t want to tell Eli about us on my own.
After busying myself for a half hour, Harman finally came through the front door. “Dinner is served.”
Eli jumped up off the sofa. “Good, I’m starving to death.”
I met them at the dining room table. “Hi, there. Smells awesome.”
Harman pulled the containers out as he looked at me with a curious expression. “So, what’ve you two been doing?”
“I picked out a movie for us all to watch after dinner,” Eli said. “Are we gonna hang out for a while, Dad?”
“Well, since you don’t have school tomorrow, I thought we might hang out,” Harman said.
I spooned the contents of the containers onto three plates then passed them out. “Sounds good to me, guys. I’d love the company.”
Eli picked up an eggroll, taking a big bite out of it. “Yummy!”
Harman and I took our seats, and we all ate without saying much. We made small talk, mostly about what Eli would be doing over the holiday.
“Hey, do you want to come to work with me one day, Eli?” I asked, thinking he’d love that.
His jaw dropped. “Could I?”
“If it’s okay with your dad.” I looked at Harman for his answer.
Nodding, he said, “I guess it would be fine, seeing as you’re my girlfriend now.”
Eli smiled. “I knew it!” He laughed as he pointed at us. “Dad and Rebel, sitting in a tree.”
Harman leaned over and pressed his lips against my cheek. “Well, I’m glad that cat’s out of the bag now.”
“Yuck!” Eli squealed. “Girls have cooties, Dad.”
I tossed a fortune cookie at the kid. “We do not!”
Harman sat back against his chair. “Well, I’ll take them if she’s got them.”
Eli looked back and forth at his father and me. “I’m glad. I like it when we’re all together. It’s better.”
Harman agreed, “I think so, too.” His eyes went to mine. “Rebel, you make things better. I hope you know that.”
“You guys make my life better, too.” I thought about how boring my life had been before I met them. “I thought my life was fine, but then I realized how dull it had really been after I met you two.”
Eli looked at me with knowing eyes. “It’s kind of like we were all meant to be together.”
“Profound for such a young boy,” Harman mused as he ran his hand over his son’s head.
“Time for another trim before we watch the movie, I think,” I said as I watched them.
“I think I need one, too,” Harman said, then looked at me. “I want to look sharp for the holiday. And I’d love it if you’d join us.”
“I can’t.” It didn’t make me happy to have to decline. “I’ve got to go see my family. We do the meal at lunchtime, and Eli’s told me you guys do it then, too. And your parents will be coming for that.”
“We’ll do ours in the evening, then, if it means you can be there.” Harman reached across the table to take my hand. “I want you to be there. I’ll change the time if that’s what it takes to make that happen. It’s no big deal, you know.”
Although I didn’t think he needed to do that, I loved that he would. “I almost want to tell you not to, but the truth is, that makes me extremely happy that you would do that to make sure I’m included in the holiday with you guys.”
“So you’re saying yes,” he didn’t ask, just stated. “Because I know I want to spend that time with you and Eli and my parents. It won’t be the same without you.”
Eli’s eyes glistened as he looked at his father. “Just like a real family, right, Dad?”
Harman’s thumb moved across my knuckles, and my insides melted at the look he gave me. “Yeah, Little Buddy. It’ll feel like a real Thanksgiving this year. Waiting a few hours for Rebel won’t hurt us a bit, will it?”
“Nope,” Eli agreed.
I’d never had anyone look at me the way those two did. It stirred something deep inside of me—something that had laid undisturbed until that moment.
The next evening we had the HOA meeting, and I was a bundle of nerves.
I stepped into the garage—a ten-car garage, milling with catering staff—with Harman at my side. Patricia waved at us. “Come over here and sit with us.”
Harman took my hand in his, making sure everyone knew we were together. “Hey, Patricia. Thanks for the invite.”
He pulled my chair out, and I sat down
as I felt all eyes turn to me. “I’ve dreaded this,” I admitted in a whisper.
She pushed a plate full of food toward us. “No reason to dread this. It’s more of a get together than a meeting. So, are you two finally official, or what?”
I looked at Harman as he quickly said, “Yes, we are.” His eyes cut to two men who looked our way. “Make sure Jack and Bill know that, too.”
When I looked at the men he’d spoken about, they both waved at me. And I laughed as Harman took our clasped hands to wave back at them. “Harman!”
“What? They need to know.” He kissed my hand in front of everyone and just like that, our relationship was out there for our neighbors to see. No more hiding from anyone.
But there was still that one person who didn’t know yet. And I still felt worried about how she’d take the news.
Chapter 15
Harman
The Thanksgiving holiday passed in a happy blur, and both Eli and I had a better time than either of us could remember. My parents had pulled me to the side to let me know they adored Rebel and were happy about our budding relationship.
Things couldn’t have been better. And when Friday came, Eli got a call from his mother telling him she’d be there to pick him up at four that afternoon. She also wanted to know if Eli would take her to meet Rebel, the other woman in his life.
I’d planned on being there for that meeting. I didn’t think Rebel should have to do that on her own. But an emergency surgery had me running late, and I found I couldn’t make it after all.
At the tail end of the surgery, I was supervising an intern as she stitched up our patient and looked at the clock on the wall. Four o’clock exactly.
I wondered if Tara was at my home already and on time to pick up our son. Or had she flaked again?
The minutes went by slowly, and I kept looking back and forth from the patient to the clock. When four-thirty came around, I felt a twist in my gut, as if my body was sensing that Rebel and Tara were meeting at that very moment.
Would they be cordial to one another in front of Eli? Or would one of them feel threatened and lash out at the other? Not over me, but over Eli. That boy thought Rebel hung the moon and that showed in his eyes. And Eli had been terribly disappointed by his mother, and that showed in his eyes, too. I also knew how protective Rebel felt about Eli.