My mind kept going to the worst-case scenario.I dressed and drove to the airport.I’d been very lucky there was a flight for Connecticut leaving at six am.As I sprinted for the gate, I left Miles a message letting him know I’d be gone for the week.Miles would tell Valerie.Maybe I should try calling her?
I glanced at my watch.It was four pm East Coast time; she’d already be on her way home.Wait, it was three hours earlier in Seattle.After getting a cab, I got in, pulled out my phone, and dialed her number.No answer.I shouldn’t be surprised our conversations of late had only been a word or two.
Deciding against leaving a voice mail, I sent her a quick text, letting her know where I was.Thankfully the ride to the hotel was quick.After checking in, I kicked off my shoes and fell onto the bed.I had about three hours before I met Mindy.A quick nap would help me.I only wished Valerie was here with me.She was a calming influence on my life.In the last week, I realized I slept so much better with her in my arms.
* * *
“Want to tell me why you flew out here?”Mindy asked after we ordered our dinner.
“You were crying on the phone and not making much sense.Then you hung up.What’s going on?”The power nap I had made me feel a little better.Mindy didn’t look upset or out of sorts.Valerie’s words about panicking came back to me.
“I was crying because I was happy.I wanted to share with you before I was late for class, but my phone went dead unexpectedly.Didn’t you listen to a word I said?”
“Of course I did.”Had he?He couldn’t recall entirely what she’d said; all he heard was her crying, and his instinct was to hop on a plane to come and help her.
“You didn’t listen.Brother, you were the first person I called.The first person I wanted to call.I needed you to listen, not run to my side.You treat me like I’m twelve, and we need to have a serious conversation about that.”
“What?”I sat back in my chair.“I don’t do that.”Wasn’t that what Valerie had said to me?That Mindy was a grown woman.
“Not all the time, but there are occasions…” She shook her head.
“What were you upset about?”
“I wasn’t upset.Lord, Lucas, clean your ears out.I was happy, so happy that I started crying.”
What the hell was going on?“Sorry.What made you cry?”
“I matched.I got accepted into residency at Grassland Hospital.”
Blinking, I stared at her.“Wasn’t that where you wanted to go?”Then why the hell had she been crying?Wait a second; she just said she was crying because she was happy.What else had I missed on the call?
“Yes, it was my first choice.The competition was so strong I didn’t think I’d be accepted.This is a dream come true.”Her voice held that same happiness when she’d gotten into medical school.Now that I was calmer, I could hear it.
“They recognize talent.”Pride welled up in me.
“It’s more than talent.There’s a lot of hard work, and there’ll be more hard work in the future.”
“I’m happy for you.”I smiled.This was the best thing for Mindy.
“I know.But I meant what I said.I don’t want you running to my side all the time.Right now, it’s pretty cool that we’re here together to celebrate this milestone.”
“It is.”Joy filled me.
“Brother, I say this with all the love in my heart: It’s time for you to find happiness of your own.”
“What?”Where was this coming from?
“Lucas, you haven’t mentioned Valerie at all tonight.I know you two hooked back up, so what’s going on?”
“We had a disagreement.”That’s all it had been, except we’d barely talked to each other, and I didn’t even call Valerie when I hopped on the plane.No, I left that up to Miles.Yes, I called her from the taxi, but I didn’t leave a message when she didn’t answer.And she hadn’t returned my text.
“About what?”
I stared at Mindy.Instead of seeing the child of my past, I saw a woman.A grown woman.“About me and you.”Maybe Mindy would understand and help me figure out how to apologize to Valerie.
“Me?”Mindy sat back.“Why would Valerie be concerned with me?”
I didn’t know what to say.
