by Katie Dowe
“I agree,” Gavin said with a nod, his slate grey eyes warning Melvin to back off. “If there is nothing else, this meeting is dismissed. Fabian, stay a few minutes.”
He waited until the others had left the room and closed the doors before saying anything else.
“I am sure about this, Gavin. It is too risky-”
“And I already agreed with you. Relax. I just wanted to know if you would like to come and play poker with us at the club. They are playing for big stakes. Kurt is newly married but he managed to tear himself away from his wife and kid to be there.”
“When? And I take it that since you are the one with the billions you will be the one putting up my stakes?” Fabian asked with a grin.
“I know how much you get paid, man, so you pay your own way.”
*****
Savannah cooked. It had been two days since she that disastrous dinner with her father and it had driven them further apart. He had not called her and she was thanking her lucky stars. She certainly did not want to hear from him. Her apartment was comfortable instead of being luxurious and she liked it very much. Her father kept asking her to come back home to live in the big rambling house she had grown up in and she had refused. There was no way she would be going back there. She eased the meatloaf out of the oven and sniffed in appreciation. She had taken a cooking course a few months ago and it was paying off, not that she ate at home much. She practically lived at the hospital. She kept glancing at her phone to see if she had missed a call. She prepared the salad methodically, absently chewing on a piece of lettuce as she sliced the plump tomatoes. Calvin had tried to get her to come to some function one of the other interns was having but she had cried off. She was not in the mood to socialize. She put away the salad and started slicing through the meatloaf glancing at the clock. Tonight she was going to enjoy her rare night off and not think about a thing!
*****
“Uncle Gavin, you are home!” Six-year-old Gabby came racing down the stairs, her dark brown pigtails flying behind her. “Mom said we could have pizza. Can we?”
“May we,” Gail said automatically, a smile curving her lips as her brother picked up the little girl and swung her into his arms.
“We most certainly can.” He kissed her gently on the cheek. “So how was school?”
“It was okay I guess,” she said with a shrug. “I made a friend. Her name is Maria. Her parents are getting a divorce too.”
The adults exchanged glances but the little girl did not notice. “How about we order that pizza and you watch some TV?” Gavin suggested as he went with her to the living room. “How does pepperoni with sausages and mushroom sounds?”
“Yeah!” She hugged him tightly before he put her in one of the elegant sofas in his living room and ordered the television to come on to her favorite channel.
Gail followed him to the kitchen and waited until he had placed the order. She watched as he selected a wine from the floor to ceiling rack that he opened with just a button. “How is she?”
“She is not hating me as much as she did three weeks ago but she resents me and insists on talking to her dad every night.” Gail accepted the glass of wine and cradled the glass in her hands. “I have filed for a divorce, Gavin.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit and talk it over first? There is a kid involved.”
“That’s not fair. I would give my right hand for my daughter, but I am not going to stay with a man who did not respect me enough to sleep around on me,” she hissed.
“I am sorry, sis. You are right. Have you told her?”
“I am trying to find the right time to tell her.” She looked down into her glass. “I spent nights in my room trying to think of what I did wrong. Maybe I was not ambitious enough for him. You know that Otis likes the high living and he was not especially pleased when I did not cash in on your success.”
“Stop beating yourself up,” he told her quietly, feeling helpless as he looked at her. Why the hell did men cheat on their wives? It was not like they had been forced to tie the knot! He had the greatest respect for marriage and had never been out with a married woman. He knew what splitting up did to the children. Now his sister and niece were hurting because Otis could not keep it in his pants! “How about calling up one of your old girlfriends and going out for a night on the town on Saturday? I will babysit.”
“I could not ask you to do that. You have a very busy life as well as an overloaded social life.”
“I will put it on hold. I insist.”
Chapter 2
“I am sorry, honey, but you have a patient and it’s VIP,” Pamela told her as she made her way out. It had been a very long day and one that she wanted to just go on home and take a long hot bath and forget about the horrible events! Two gunshot wounds with one being fatal and they were just kids; one fourteen and the other fifteen.
“Where?” Savannah asked, suppressing a sigh.
“In room six. Niece of Gavin Parker.” Pamela nodded at the look on her face. “The big man is in there with her as well.”
Savannah made her way swiftly into the room to see Administrator Paula Laughlin and Chief Resident Alex Minton in the room. An adorable little girl sat on the bed with her legs swinging. She had made her way further inside the room before she saw the man lounging against one of the partitions.
“Ah, here is our own Dr. Myles. She is going to take very good care of you, Gabrielle,” Paula Laughlin told her with a beaming smile.
Savannah nodded to the adults and focused her attention on the little girl. “Hi, Gabrielle. What seems to be the problem?”
“My ear hurts.” She blinked her bright blue eyes as she looked at Savannah.
“Why don’t we take a look at it?” Savannah wished the adults would leave the room so she could be alone with the little girl. She used an otoscope to peer into the girl’s ear.
She turned to look at the silent man in the corner. “How long has she been complaining?”
“Since about an hour ago. I rushed her here. She was running a slight temperature before.”
Savannah nodded and turned back to the little girl. “I am going to get you some antibiotics and you will be okay in a few hours. What’s your favorite color?”
“Pink!” she said with a smile.
“Of course.” Savannah reached for her stash of lollipops and handed her a pink one. “I am not sure you are allowed sweets before bedtime and if you are I advise you to brush after eating.” She squeezed the little girl’s hands before getting to her feet. The chief resident shook Gavin’s hand and said something about getting in touch and Paula Laughlin left the room behind him. “Some amoxicillin, please,” Savannah advised the nurse. She looked at Gavin and indicated that they talk outside the room.
“Any history of ear infection in the parents?” she asked him briskly as she touched something on the screen of her device.
He wrinkled his brow for a moment as he thought about it. Savannah looked up to find out why he was not responding. “You don’t know?”
“My sister and her daughter only just came to stay with me for the past three weeks. I am afraid I have no idea,” Gavin said softly.
“Where is she?”
“I encouraged her to go out on the town and have some fun. I don’t want to call her unless it is an emergency. Things are pretty rough on both of them.”
Savannah nodded as she stared at him for a moment. She had seen his pictures in the papers lots of times. There had been a scandal that involved the pharmaceutical company three years ago and had almost cost him the company, something about tainted drugs but he had fought it and had won with the company getting bigger than ever. He was seen with a different woman almost every week and she suspected that it was not only because of his wealth but it had something to do with his tall, dark handsome looks. “It is not an emergency. You may take her home as soon as the antibiotics start working. I will write a prescription and you can pick it up at our pharmacy.” She made to move away but
he stopped her.
“Will you be here when she is leaving?”
Savannah squelched the impatience she was feeling. It was almost ten p.m. and she had an early shift tomorrow. “I will make sure she is good to go.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded and went to get a cup of coffee.
*****
“Why didn’t you call me?” Gail exclaimed as she rushed over to sit on the side of her daughter’s bed and examined her. The little girl was snug beneath the covers with her favorite stuffed toy clutched in her hands.
“And tell you that I messed up on my first babysitting gig?” Gavin asked her mildly as he got to his feet. “She is fine. Just an ear infection.”
“And the doctor was nice and very pretty. Even Uncle Gavin thought so,” Gabby said as she smiled sleepily.
“He did, huh?” Gail glanced up at her brother as she pulled the covers over her daughter. “Okay, baby girl, get some sleep. No school tomorrow.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Before they left the room she was fast asleep.
“How was it?” Gavin asked her as they went into the kitchen.
“It was lovely and we were hit on by a couple of guys who wanted to know if we wanted to hook up.” Gail shuddered a little bit as she put the kettle on to make tea. “It’s brutal out there and I don’t think I am putting myself back out there.”
Gavin laughed as he placed his phone on the shiny marble counter. “You are not even divorced yet. Give it time.”
“So the doctor who took care of Gabby? She was pretty?” Gail handed him his cup of tea and sat across from him.
“So she is pretty, so what?” he asked her his eyebrows raised.
“You are kind of a slut, darling. A pretty woman always gets your attention.”
“I was being nice to her so she could pay special attention to Gabby,” he said as he sipped his tea.
“The name Parker was not sufficient to accomplish that?”
“I was making sure,” he said with a grin. “I am not interested in anyone right now, Gail.”
“That would be a first.”
*****
“Is this seat taken?” Calvin pulled out the chair and sat putting his salad bowl on the table without waiting for her to respond.
“Make yourself at home,” Savannah said dryly. It was only the middle of the day and she felt as if she was wilting. It had been a very hectic morning with children coming in with one complaint after another. She had only just gotten a break and realized that the only thing she had this morning was a quick cup of coffee that tasted like tar.
“Thanks.” A grin lit his dark attractive face. Calvin fancied himself irresistible and had been through half the female nursing staff and a quarter of the interns and had now set his sights on Savannah who found it a little bit amusing and irritating at the same time. “How is your day so far?”
“The usual.” She pushed away her half-eaten beef sandwich, feeling full.
“I heard the big man himself came in last night and you treated his niece.”
“News travel fast,” Savannah said dryly.
“Rumor also has it that his pharmaceutical company is planning on putting in a new state of the art pediatrics wing.”
Savannah leaned forward, her interest peaked. “Just rumors or is it in the making?”
“I hear that Administrator Laughlin is in negotiations with the company.”
“Where did you hear all this?”
“I am afraid I cannot reveal my source,” he responded loftily as he dug into his salad.
“A confidentiality clause in the circle of gossip?” Savannah asked dryly.
“Precisely,” he said with a grin. “You could be getting the wing you have always dreamed of.”
*****
“Is it true?”
“Is what true?” Pamela asked as she made some notes on her computer. The place was a little quiet for a change and she had no intention of jinxing it. She was hoping for another half hour worth of peace.
“Pamela, you are the eyes and ears of this hospital so you should know if we are getting a new pediatrics wing. I have been lobbying it for the past six months and I am wondering if we would be getting a play section for the terminally ill patients.”
Pamela peered at her over her glasses. “You care too much.”
“And so do you. So is it true?” Savannah sat in the woman’s chair and looked up at her.
“I am going to advise you to get your skinny ass out of my chair. Because if I sit on you, you are going to need surgery.”
“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” Savannah said blithely, not in the least bit intimidated by the woman they referred to as the front office dragon.
Pamela sighed and looked around before whispering. “It’s in the making.”
“How soon?”
“Really?”
“We need that wing, Pamela.”
“And Paula is working on it as we speak. Why don’t you fast forward it by talking to Gavin Parkers yourself? You treated his niece, I am sure he was impressed by the bang up job you did.”
“I might just do that.” Savannah got to her feet.
“Happy hour at Benny’s tonight. How about taking off that lab coat and letting your hair down?”
“I might,” Savannah said with a wave of her hand as she left.
*****
“How are you today, Tommy?” Savannah asked as she pulled up a chair and took the little boy’s hand.
“I feel better today. Mommy brought me some cookies. Is it okay for me to eat them?” the six-year-old asked anxiously.
“Of course,” Savannah responded with a smile as she looked over at the mother sitting in one of the chairs and doing her puzzle. Tommy Silvia had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor a month ago and was on a steady decline ever since. He had been sent home two weeks ago when it was discovered that there was nothing to be done for him but he was back again with complications. Savannah had told the mother that she must prepare herself and the family to lose him any time now. He was being made comfortable since there was no point discharging him. The little boy was considerably cheerful and upbeat about his illness and always had a sunny disposition. Savannah wished there was something more she could do for him.
“Is there anything you need before I go and make my rounds?”
“No, that’s okay, Doctor Savannah. Will you come and see me before you leave?”
“You know I always do.” She squeezed his hands gently.
His mother followed her out of the room. “You are so good with him,” she said sadly. “You should have kids of your own.”
“The time is not right.” She touched the woman’s arm briefly. “Any word from his dad?”
“Tommy Senior ran off as soon as he heard how sick his son was. Who does that?” she asked fighting back tears.
“I am so sorry, Mrs. Silvia,” Savannah said softly. “I am so happy that you have your mother and sister to support you.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
*****
Gavin dunked his head beneath the showers and let the water beat down on him. It had been a very hectic round of indoor tennis which had him coming out on top and Ryan promising to trounce his ass the next time. He grinned as he recalled slamming the ball home to get his winning. If truth be told he had been working out his frustrations as well. It was now the second week of December and that meant that his sister and his niece had been with him for almost two months. He had grown close to the little girl and dreaded her leaving at the end of the month. Gail had secured a place for them and had refused to accept any help from him. “You have been channeling money to my account ever since Gabby was born. I have enough and besides I got a job in the DA’s office. So we will be fine.”
At least they would be there for Christmas!
He shoved fingers through his wet tangled hair and closed his eyes. Spending time with his niece made him realized how much he wanted a family of his own. He had spent his
life going into meaningless relationships and had nothing to show for it. He looked back and realized that he would he would never choose one of those women to marry or carry his child. He turned off the shower and reached for a towel to wrap around his waist. Maybe it was the conversation he had had with some of the members earlier today about family and settling down!
*****
“I want that one, Uncle Gavin!” Gabby pointed to a huge pine tree that looked as if it would touch the ceiling of his living room.
“I am not sure it would fit, princess.” He stared up at the towering tree dubiously and turned to look to his sister for help.
“Don’t look at me,” she said with a wave of her gloved hand. “You were the one who promised her a big tree.”
“You are right.” He hoisted her up into his arms and she snuggled. She was getting over her anger and resentment and was happy that her father was coming into town to visit her over the holidays. “That one.” He nodded to the sales guy.
“Right away, Mr. Parker.”
“How are we going to get trimmings for that very big tree?” he asked her fondly.
“We could stop at the store and buy them,” Gabby said eagerly.
“I suppose we could.” His attention was caught by a very familiar looking woman who was talking to one of the sales guy. “Hey, isn’t that the doctor who took care of you when you had the ear infection?”
“Doctor Savannah?” The little girl turned to look where he pointed. “Yes, it’s her! Can we say hi?”
“Honey, I am not sure-” her mother started to say but the little girl had wriggled her way down and was racing towards the tall slender woman wrapped up in a black coat.
They saw when Savannah looked down at the little girl and her smile came readily.
“I am sorry. She just ran before we could stop her,” Gail apologized. “I am Gail Parker-Reynolds.”
“That’s quite okay. Savannah Myles.” She extended her hand to the woman and looked at Gavin briefly. “I am happy to see she is doing well.”
“Thanks to you.”