Page 176 of Her Wicked Plan

“They don’t come out here?”

“Most of them don’t appreciate the beauty of gardens. The ones that do, I’ve heard, helped plant these flowers.” She steps over to the tall hedge that acts as a wall to the entire area. The tall shrubs surround the perimeter, although I’m sure there is a fence behind them so no one can escape.

Ruby runs her hands along the leaves of the hedge, giving each finger a chance to touch it as she continues walking. I send the pictures to my mother and then pocket my phone. “I’ve never been to the courtyard, but I think I’d rather spend my time here when I needed fresh air as well.”

She stops, turning her head while the tips of her fingers pinched a leaf. “You’ve never been out there?”

“Haven’t had the time.”

“You get the weekends off, don’t you?”

“Typically, I do unless something here needs my attention.”

“And what do you typically do with your weekends?” She wonders.

“Lately, I’ve been going home.” I cross my hands behind my back. My face falls slightly, making Ruby take notice. Her head bends to the right while her forehead creases with a line of confusion. “My mother is sick.”

Her face softens immediately, sorrow flashing in her gaze. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Madden.”

“It isn’t your fault, Ruby.”

“Yeah, but—” She lets go of the leaf, her hand combing through her hair. “I went all crazy, and you had to stay.”

“Please don’t blame yourself. My family understands the circumstances of my job.”

“Your family should come first, Dr. Madden,” she states, a truth I know all too well. “Family always comes first no matter what.”

She walks away as the words spin in my mind. I’ve always taken my jobs too seriously. It was the same way with college. I only went home on the holidays, occasionally calling my parents and even Chloe.

Fuck, I regret not putting my family first.

I missed Cater’s birthday parties during my college years. I was studying too hard and was way too damn focused to do anything else. If I had the time, I’d try to FaceTime them when Carter would open presents. It wasn’t the same as actually being there.

Don’t trouble yourself, sweetheart. We understand how busy you are and how much school means to you. Words my mother told me more than once creep into my memory.

That’s the thing, though. No matter how much school meant to me or how involved I was with my studies, my family meant more. The realization hits me: I cannot change any of that.

Now, I’m cursed with limited time to make things right and to spend that lost time with my family. Maybe my mother's death was life's karma being thrown back at me for not putting my family first—a twisted way of life punishing me for not spending precious time with them.

Cracking my neck, I take steps to walk with Ruby again. She is still striding slowly against the wall of greenery, her head angled to the left so she can take in the blooms.

Once I am at her side, she offers me a promise. “I won’t keep my feelings buried deep down anymore. If I’m having issues, I’ll come to you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” I grin at her despite the regret that fills my chest. “It’s better to talk about it rather than hold it in. Once you can’t fit any more emotions wherever you hide them from everyone, they will explode out of you.”

“And result in my beating a girl to a pulp with a lunch tray.” She groans, remorse flashing over her face. “They are going to take away the trays now, aren’t they?”

“Most likely, but they probably shouldn’t have had them in the first place, seeing as they are hard plastic and can be used as a weapon.”

“I’m awful.” She halts, staring down at the white Magnolia before us.

“No, you’re not,” I reassure her. “I’m not condoning what you did. Your behavior was unacceptable, but as humans, I believe we are all a ticking time bomb. It just takes one little instance to set us over the edge—to light that fuse that sparks the explosion.”

“Such a wise man you are.” She smirks but doesn’t look at me. “I’m thankful you’re my doctor because you care. You talk to me as if I’m not a crazy person.”

“I can’t speak for the other doctors and their practices, but my job is to make you feel comfortable and safe. There are a lot of doctors who see their patients as numbers and dollar signs.” I think back to a colleague I had at the office in downtown Seattle who thought exactly that way. He was an ass. “They don’t care about their patient's problems and will pretend to listen and then tell the patients what they want to hear because, at the end of the day, they get paid for that visit. I would do this job for free.”

Ruby studies my face as I focus on the flowers. “That’s what makes you special, Dr. Madden. You are genuine and aren’t afraid to tell us how it really is. Thank you for never sugarcoating anything.” Her eyes slide to the flowers that hold my attention. “I think I’m going to go back inside and take a nap. The medication they used to sedate me is still making me feel tired.”