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“Scotch on the rocks, please.” He could have prepared it himself, but preferred not to reveal his familiarity with Lillian’s home to her son.
“I’ll have a whiskey sour. Here are some appetizers.” Quite flustered but adorable in white pants and an orange blouse, her hair pulled back, Lillian placed small plates of shrimp, fried calamari, and cucumbers on the table.
Greg poured two glasses of scotch and his mother’s cocktail and set them in front of them.
“Wishing you a safe trip and a successful project, dear.” She raised her glass to her son, and Steve followed suit.
“What’s the project about?” Steve asked, sampling the fried calamari.
“Installing and updating the old network at several insurance companies. I’m a computer engineer.”
“A brilliant one.” Pride oozed from his mother’s voice.
They sipped their drinks and nibbled on the appetizers.
“Why are you leaving your clinic, Dr. Winston? Mom often referred to it as a wonderful place to work.”
“Thank you, Lillian.” Steve tossed her a grateful glance. “It’s a great place. I grew up in this clinic, training there as a medical student, did my residency there, and worked as a new attending physician. I’ve never left it for more than a few days.”
“Now you’re bored, fed up, needing an escape, right?” Greg suggested as he gobbled one shrimp after another.
The young man had a lot of insight. Steve didn’t want to say the wrong words and betray his budding relationship with his nurse.
“I need something different before I sink into a passive routine.” He didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to explain his motives to this young man and most importantly to his mother. “As I explained to my staff, after my children left home and created their own families, I felt lonely and abandoned. I need new stimuli, new environment, new friends to regroup and recover my mental energy.”
“I understand.” Greg considered him pensively. “I guess you may be going through this midlife crisis, too, Mom.”
“What midlife crisis?” She shrugged. “I’m satisfied with my life as it is.”
“I doubt it. You never complained when I left. I’m sure it must’ve been hard, but I was a selfish twenty-year-old and only worried about myself.”
She chuckled uncomfortably. “You were a great kid who worked hard at building a career.”
“Now that you don’t have to worry about my future, you should do like Dr. Winston. Try something new.”
Steve couldn’t hide a pleased smile at Greg’s words of wisdom.
Lillian huffed. “Help me bring in dinner.”
Greg jumped up and opened the oven, taking out a scrumptious pan of lasagna he placed on a trivet in the center of the table. Lillian fetched a big bowl of salad from the fridge.
“The lasagna has spinach and ground meat. So it’s all you’ll have for the main course.”
“Plenty enough, Mom.” Greg uncorked the bottle Steve had brought and poured the Merlot. “I’ll make a toast. To your new endeavor, Dr. Winston.”
Lillian smiled and joined in, clicking her glass against his, then served the men generous portions of lasagna and fill their salad bowls.
“So where are you going to work now, Dr. Winston?”
“I’m opening a clinic on St. John Island,” he answered plainly.
“Son of a…” Greg coughed and cleared his throat. “You made me swallow down the wrong hole. You’re going to the Caribbean? No wonder you’re dropping the whole nine yards.” He bobbed his head. “Good move, doc.” He guzzled his wine and narrowed his eyes. “Are you taking any of your staff?”
Considering Lillian had urged him not to reveal his work offer in front of her son, Steve weighed every word. “The place is being refurbished. Hiring the staff will come later.”
“My mother is an excellent nurse and has been one of your most loyal employees. I hope she tops your list of prospective hires.”
“What are you saying, Greg? Are you encouraging me to expatriate myself?”
