AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Seth grimaced and said, "I would never wish the Seth level of exhaustion on anyone."
"Work's been kicking my ass too," Logan chimed in, running a hand through his light brown hair. "But that's what these nights are for, right? Let's forget about it all for a while."
"Here, here," Hugo agreed, raising his glass in a toast. We clinked glasses and drowned our first swig. The burn of the alcohol ignited a warmth in my chest, loosening the knots of tension that had accumulated throughout the day.
As the night wore on, we talked and laughed, discussing everything from work to family matters. It was comforting to be surrounded by people who understood the pressures of our careers and the challenges of balancing personal life with professional ambition.
"Dom, do you have an update on Somalia? You've been working pretty hard on that. I overhear our logistics team chatting about it," Logan asked.
I smiled. "Everything is miraculously coming together. Dr. Al-Sawi has secured an operating room, and he is assembling patient files for me. I should have them at the end of next week."
Hugo cooed. "Wow, that has come together really quickly. When do you think you'll be making the trip?"
I shrugged. "Not sure yet. There are still visas to acquire, final government permissions. Dr. Al-Sawi has some government connections. They seem to think that this is a great opportunity for their country as well."
"So, what's the issue?" Austin asked.
"Pirates. Terrorists," Seth answered grimly. "There's a lot of lawlessness that we just can't appreciate. Not a lot of news comes out of there, but the location still has a high risk rate according to the government site. Travel is definitely not recommended."
Logan looked concerned. "So, do you think Dom should go? I mean, if it's a risk, maybe it's not worth it. I mean, people are always worth it, but risking Dom's life? That's a no-go for me." Logan was always on the look-out for our well-being.
Seth shrugged. "I don't really know how to assess that. The UN sends missions there sometimes and they mostly come back out. Dr. Al-Sawi seems to be a very respected individual on the ground. He mentioned he could get protection and all that. It really is Dom's call in the end."
"Hey, I appreciate everyone's concern. I will promise to review all the factors before making the final decision. As much as I believe in the foundation, I know that getting injured is not something we are aiming for."
The boys murmured. "Yeah, please Dom. Don't take any unnecessary risks."
"I promise." I thought for a moment. "Hey, Seth. What if we did the operations in Kenya and just brought Somalis to Kenya for the operations?"
Seth looked thoughtful. "That might work, but then again, if you're going to do that, I would suggest you operate on the Kenyans. It would cost too much to transport the patients and with any kind of brain surgery, they really shouldn't be flying right away, so then there is a huge cost keeping them in a Kenyan hospital. Plus, they would be separated from their families and even I know that recoveries are faster when people are with their loved ones."
He was right. There was too much involved in taking patients out of Somalia into Kenya. "It just makes sense that I go. I'm only one person to worry about."
The table was silent, as we were all lost in our thoughts.
I decided it was time to change the topic. "Thanks for all your input. It's clear that a lot more thinking and planning has to be put into this. I'll make sure our team liaises with Dr. Al-Sawi's team on every small detail."
"Sounds good," Hugo responded. "And don't be afraid to do a brainstorming session with all of us if you need it."
"Will do." I rubbed my hand across my face. All this thinking was doing me in. "Who wants another drink?"
After the next round landed on the table, I knew there was something else I needed to talk to the group about.
"Guys, there's something else I need to talk to you about," I said hesitantly, my fingers tapping nervously on the table. The weight of my confession hung heavily in my chest, but I knew that I could trust my friends with anything, even the most vulnerable parts of myself.
"Shoot," Hugo said, giving me an encouraging nod.
"Alright." I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I'm falling for Calla."
The words hung in the air, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at finally admitting it out loud. My heart thudded against my ribcage as I waited for their reactions, wondering if they would think I was foolish for falling so hard and so fast.
The boys took turns looking at each other, looked at me, and then burst out into laughter.
"'Bout time you figured that out, buddy." Austin clapped me on the back.
"Shit, yeah. For such a smart guy, you're pretty dense in the love department." Seth had a point.
"Hey, hey," Hugo chided. "Give the guy a break. He's just coming into recognizing his own feelings."
