I want this, and the universe has been throwing up giant, flashing “detour” signs as I stubbornly kept to the same life plan I’ve had since I was twenty-two years old. It’s about time I listened.
“Yes,” I say with all the confidence in the world, my chest inflating with hope. “I’m sure.”
He takes my hand, a smile splitting his heavily lined face. “I’ll have my attorneys send over a contract after New Year’s?” he proposes tentatively, still clearly expecting me to change my mind.
“Looking forward to it,” I agree, calmer than I would have thought possible. “If everything looks good, I think I can get out there by February to start the transition.”
Dr. Gonzalas’s hand falls back to his suitcase. “If you’re sure, Vogel. I wouldn’t blame you if you backed out. Why don’t you sleep on it and give me a call tomorrow?”
“I don’t need to sleep on it,” I assure him. “This has been… I’m glad to have run into you.”
“Not half as glad as I am,” he assures me with a wry smile, his eyes shining. “This practice is my life’s work, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather hand it off to.” We shake hands again and turn toward our respective gates.
As much as I’d like to, I can’t turn around and walk back out of the airport. I have surgeries scheduled for this week, patients depending on me, and a department head who I’ll have to notify of my resignation when the ink is dry on the contracts with Dr. Gonzalas. My house will have to go on the market, and I’ll need to buy another one in Connecticut. There are things, a lot of them, that need to be done before this actually happens.
That doesn’t stop me from dropping into a seat beside my gate, though, and pulling out my phone.
August: I’m moving to Connecticut.
It takes an entire fourteen seconds before the first response comes in, followed in quick succession by three more.
Lacey: Wait, what?!
Lacey: Like, for real????
Lacey: Are you on the plane yet? I have so many questions!
Wells: What she said.
I chuckle, rubbing the stubble of my beard as I stare down at the screen, the painful ache that appeared in my chest asI left The Chestnut, now overflowing with excitement.
This might not work.It’s important I keep that in mind and not put the cart before the horse on this road, which is bound to be ridden with potential pitfalls.Wanting it to workmust surely be the most important part of this, though, and if Lacey and Wells want it to work too…
August: Boarding soon. I’ll call and tell you the whole story when we land.
Lacey: I’m crying.
Wells: You’ve been gone less than 12 hours. Miss us that much already?
My chest is ready to burst open with relief and excitement as I type out my response.
August: Yes. Which seems like a pretty strong indicator this thing is worth fighting for, if you’re both in agreement.
It takes less than ten seconds for me to receive their responses, nearly simultaneously.
Lacey: One bazillion percent, yes.
Wells: Fuck yes.
Adjacent to where I’m sitting, people are beginning to line up for our flight. I don’t join them, though, choosing instead to sink back in my seat, staring out at the blustery tarmac beyond the terminal window.
I’ve made a lot of hard choices in my life and in my career. Even if they were the best I could do with the information I had, there was always a lingering fear I’d somehow missed some massive variable that would have changed the outcome of my decision.
This… Lacey and Wells? There are too many massive, unknown variables to count. This is the most impulsive, ill-thought-out choice I’ve ever made, and yet, I’m not worried.
Grinning to myself, I rise from my seat at long last, joining the last few stragglers waiting to get onto the flight.
It might be a bit longer than I’d like, but damn it, I can’t wait to get home.
