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27
“Dereck, have dinner with me.”
Dereck was finishing up with his scheduled patients for the day when his sister called. He was hoping to head over to Alina’s place. She had run off after hearing about his possible migration and he needed to explain the situation and beg her for forgiveness. “Dina, today is not good. I have something to do on my break.”
“Oh, come on. I’m going back to Connecticut tonight and I would like to spend time with my brother before I leave. We barely spend time alone together while I was here, even though I extended my stay twice. You’re always at that hospital.” Dina was laying it on thick. Dereck had been too busy for her and she was going to use that to get what she wanted.
He sighed. Dina was only in New York for a couple more hours, whereas Alina lived in the city. He could have dinner with Dina first and go to see Alina afterward. “Ok. Where do we meet?”
Dina rattled out the name of a restaurant, then hung up the phone. Dereck went straight there, but Dina hadn’t arrived yet. She came in long after with another woman at her side. “Dr. Crawford?”
“Amanda is a friend of mine,” she said, and the women took their seats at the table. “Didn’t I tell you she’ll be joining us?”
Dereck ground his teeth and sighed. He distinctively remembered Dina asking for some time alone with him. “No Dina,” he said flatly. “You didn’t.”
“My bad,” she said, calling over the server. “Well, we’re all here now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I didn’t know you two knew each other,” Dereck said, feeling somewhat ambushed.
“Amanda and I went to college together,” Dina said. “She had the second-highest grades in our class.”
Amanda laughed. “I think you’re mixing us up, darling. It was you who had the second-highest grades. I had the first.”
“That’s not how I remember it.” Dina took her champagne and sipped it.
“Your memory has always been terrible, dear. That’s why you’re the businesswoman and I’m the doctor.”
Dereck remained silent during the women’s playful banter. “Were you two always this close?”
“We lost touch after college, but Dina called me up when she came to New York and we hung out a couple of times.” Amanda was wearing a sexy short-fitted dress with large gold hoops and flashy makeup.
“It’s funny.” Dina put a finger in the air. “That both of you are doctors in the same department, yet Amanda found time for me in her busy schedule.”
Dereck wasn’t up for being scolded by yet another woman today. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“With much resistance.” Dina drank again but eyed her brother from over the rim of the glass. “Dereck, did you know that Amanda’s father is a senator and her mother is a judge?”
“No, I did not know that.” Could Dina be any less obvious?
“Come on Dina. Dereck and I don’t have that kind of relationship. He has eyes only for the artist.” Amanda’s words were neutral, but there was a bitterness in her smile.
“Oh yes, the artist,” Dina’s lips curled into a smile as she spoke about Alina’s exhibition. “I’m sure you saw that monstrosity in the middle of the room.” Then she turned to Amanda. “The woman did the most horrid portrait of him.”
“That horrid portrait…,” Dereck stressed on his words. “… is hanging in my bedroom. Listen, Dina.” Dereck rose from his seat. “I didn’t come here to listen to you bash Alina. If you don’t have anything pleasant to say, I will be taking my leave.”
Dina caught his hand. “Fine. No more talking about your super-talented girlfriend. Let’s just have a pleasant meal, okay?” It was clear that her compliment about Alina’s talent wasn’t sincere.
Dereck sat back down then and tried his best to be civil. The dinner continued with cheerful laughter and thrilling stories. Amanda had visited several third-world countries as a doctor before joining the hospital. Dereck had also wanted to lend his skills to the less fortunate, but the hospital had given him an offer he just couldn’t refuse. Hearing Amanda’s stories made him wonder if he did the right thing.
When Amanda left for the washroom, Dina asked, “Are you mad at me?”
“I don’t understand,” Dereck leaned back in his chair. “I thought you were getting along with Alina.”
“I am,” Dina said, but Dereck wasn’t sure he could trust her words. “Alina is a nice woman, but nice is not enough to fit into lives like ours. I’m merely looking out for you both.”
Dereck’s voice was a little raised as he spoke. “We do not need you to look out for us. We can handle our relationship on our own, and we certainly don’t need you trying to set me up.”
Dina went into a defensive tone. “I wasn’t setting you up.”
