My Forbidden Doctor - Stephanie Brother Page 0,8

inhaled sharply as I set down my taco to answer the call.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?" I relished this opportune distraction, and the line crackled lightly.

"Carl, I'm just calling to see how you're doing."

A small smile stretched my lips, and I relaxed into the seat to exhale slowly. Hanging my free arm out the window, I tapped the door of my car.

"Your sister says 'Hi'. Are you excited for dinner next week?"

"I am, yeah. Tell Laurie I said 'hey'. How's she doing in school?"

My sister was my mom's child from her second marriage, but semantics didn't matter to me. Laurie was my only sibling, and not sharing a father didn't make that less true. She was ten years younger than me, in her second year of college to become a lawyer.

If there was one thing little sisters were good at, it was arguing.

"She's great, yeah. I just got off the phone with her. She's got a test on Tuesday, but she's confident about it. I told her that if she were stressed, she didn't have to worry about driving all the way up to Rhode Island just for dinner, but she said that the test would already be over, so it was no problem." My mom just talked, and talked, and talked... but I liked listening. She didn't have anyone interested in her anymore, and it was kinda sad when she paused to stop herself. "So, Carl, how's your job been? I know we haven't talked much because you're still adjusting, but I wonder about it every day."

"It's been great— the hospital is very welcoming. I'm slowly but surely getting into the groove of being here. It's nice to be closer to home, too. After spending all that time in school in Connecticut, I'm glad to be in the same state as you again, Mom." I could practically feel my mom blushing as she exhaled a little 'oh', and my smile widened. "It's going to be nice to get together with you and Laurie."

"Oh... I've actually... I wanted to talk to you about that. I've... been seeing someone..."

My brows rose, a surprised bark of laughter bursting from my mouth before I clamped my hand over it. Flames ignited in my gut, and discomfort slithered between my shoulder blades as my mom's expectant silence rang in my ears.

"Mom... you're almost fifty-five and you have a boyfriend?" Those were two words I'd never thought to put together. My mom hadn't dated anyone since her second husband died. I'd always worried that she'd get taken advantage of because she was old, rich, and lonely, but nothing could prepare me for the shock that she was dating someone.

"Well... yes, I am. His name is Augustus, and he's a wonderful man." Oh, Jesus. Is she for real?

"... Augustus... like, he was named after the month on the calendar?" I couldn't help the words tumbling out of my mouth, and my chest tightened. "Mom, I thought it was just going to be Laurie, you and I. This is the first time we've gotten together for anything but Thanksgiving and Christmas and birthdays in almost three years..."

"I know, but I really want to at least introduce you to him, Carl. I haven't invited him yet. I wanted to ask you first. Your sister already said it was fine." A war rampaged through my chest, and I pursed my lips to hide my grinding molars. I wanted to be open to the idea of my mom being happy and having a relationship, but...

There's just something about the words 'my mom has a boyfriend' that makes me cringe.

"I mean... I guess I could meet him? At least— please tell me he's not my age or something?"

"He's fifty-six. Thank you, Carl."

I kept my damned mouth shut at my mom's happy, satisfied tone. Really, I shouldn't judge the guy when I hadn't met him. He wasn't automatically terrible because he was dating my mom.

"So, I'll let you go for now, okay? I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Yeah. I'll see you on Tuesday, Mom." Hanging up, I stared dazedly at my phone and covered my mouth with my free hand. Squeezing my jaw, my nose scrunched up in distaste. Briefly, I debated texting my sister, but she was probably cramming right now for her test.

What a Hell of a distraction.

Chapter 5

Melissa

"I don't know, Terry. That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen." Leaning on the balcony of my apartment, I crossed my arms as my neighbor shot me a wild look. "He's my doctor.