Page 12 of Doctor Knows Best


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They rushed to an empty machine, and he had her sit down, breaking open the quarters, and for the next forty minutes, she pushed buttons and screamed with delight when she increased his ten dollars ten times. Handing over the bucket full of one hundred dollars’ worth of quarters, Lily was beaming.

“I’m sure I’d be in trouble if I lived here,” she said. “I love to gamble!”

Dinner was next on their list, and now that they were rich, he chose a little nicer restaurant than he’d originally planned.

“This is so romantic,” Lisa whispered, taking his hand as they followed the maître d’ to their table.

She didn’t notice the admiring glances they got from diners, the beautiful young couple so obviously in love to everyone around them. After a delicious dinner, they left for the Christmas ball.

Incredulous, they first won the dance contest and then the judging for the best dressed couple. Luck and adrenalin had them both on the proverbial cloud nine. In a crush of well-wishers, suddenly they were confronted by a television camera and a microphone, congratulations and applause surrounding the flabbergasted couple.

The reporter asked Jason what he did for a living, and he didn’t mention medical school.

“I work at John’s Towing,” he said proudly. “Seven fifty-six Outer Drive.”

Giddy and exhausted, they left the casino at midnight, taking a rain check for the restaurant voucher they were given as the grand prize.

“Oh my god, I am so happy we only have to cross the street,” she cried.

“Well, not really. I have to get you home.”

“Can I please sleep on your couch?” she asked.

“I just have a weird feeling tonight you need to be home in your own bed. It’s a guy thing,” he said. “Plus, it will be easier for me because I really want you. And I know we need to slow it down.”

“Ugh,” she said, and they burst out laughing. “Oh, okay. Take me home. This sucks.”

But at seven the next morning, in her own bed, her phone rang and not her cell. Fumbling around on the bedside table, she groaned, “Hello.”

“Thank god you came home,” Suzette said. “Your father saw an article online about you and Jason Karas at the casino. He’s having a cow. We’re coming home as soon as we can get a flight out.”

Lily sat up in bed. “Mother, what are you talking about? What did he see?”

“He was looking online, and he said you won a dance contest with the Karas boy.”

“So what? Mother, he’s a decent man. I was ready to spend the night there last night because we’ve had another freakin foot of snow, but he insisted on bringing me home.”

Wondering if Jason was a little clairvoyant, Lily breathed a sigh of relief that she was there to answer her mother’s call. “Mom, put Daddy on. This is ridiculous.”

“He’s in the shower, trying to cool off. It’s better if you don’t say anything to him anyway.” Suzette looked down the hall to ensure that Herbert wasn’t on his way down. “Lily, are you serious about this boy?”

What was her mother asking? How could she be serious about someone she had ostensibly just met? Deciding to word it carefully so there were no misunderstandings later, Lily was going to be honest.

“I got stuck in a snowbank, and he was helping his father out at the garage. He dug my car out, and we chatted for a while. Then he asked me to go for coffee. Mom, we hit it off right away. We knew each other from high school, so there was none of that weirdness of making small talk. Then he remembered the Christmas ball at the casino. He wore his tux from the prom, and I wore the dress from Barbie Park’s wedding.”

“Well, thank heaven you got some use out of that monstrosity.”

“Ha! It wasn’t that bad, and we won the dress-up prize, too.”

“I’ll go look while your father is busy. So expect us tonight.”

“I’ll be out,” Lily said. “Date with the doctor.”

“Lily, please,” Suzette begged. “Be home.”

“Mother, I’m twenty-five years old. Up until one minute ago, I have done everything exactly as you and Daddy have suggested. I even wear my hair the way you like it. I’m sorry, but there’s a good chance I won’t be home. You’re the one who changed your plans. If I had my way about it, I wouldn’t be home at all, but I know Jason is going to want to formally meet you. I’m sure he’s already gotten an earful about Dad.”

Suzette was despondent, knowing her daughter’s seemingly rebellious behavior was going to incite Herbert, who would then take it out on his wife. But that was her problem. She couldn’t burden Lily with that guilt. It had been Suzette’s choice to stay with Herbert. And his tyranny had driven their daughter to do everything exactly as he wanted, from the way she dressed to the people she socialized with, even her career choice. All Herbert’s decisions.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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