Free Off Duty (Off #7) by Sawyer Bennett Page A

through.
    Sobering a bit, I
ask her hesitantly, “Are you going to talk to your dad?”
    “Yeah,”
she says with no hesitation. “It needs to be done. I need to
thank him at least, and I don’t know… maybe talk to
him.”
    “Want to go
over there tomorrow when I get off duty?”
    She shakes her head.
“No, I only have one more day here and I don’t want to
spend it with anyone other than you. But I do have an idea of how I
want this to go down.”
    I look at her in
question, but she doesn’t give me anything else. Instead, she
steps back into my arms and hugs me with a sigh of contentment.
    My life just got
very fucking good.

 

Epilogue
     
    The Grande Ballroom
of the Plaza Hotel is overflowing with people, flowers, and
champagne. It’s an auspicious occasion, where New York’s
medical finest are lauded for their groundbreaking work.
    My father, of
course, was the main honoree, being the recipient of the Franklin R.
Murray award, which is voted on by his peers. I had to look it up,
not being overly familiar with how things are done in New York
anymore, but I saw on the website that the award goes to a physician
who best uses his or her talents and skills to improve the lives of
his or her patients through actual practice, teaching, and charitable
works.
    The award is really
quite impressive and when my father took the stage to accept it, I
found myself clapping with actual respect for him. Tim, decked out in
the most gorgeous tuxedo I’ve ever seen, was clapping right
alongside me.
    We make our way
through the throng of people. Now that dinner has been concluded, the
band is playing and people are taking to the dance floor. My father
knows I’m here, as I got word through my mother that I would
attend. What he doesn’t know is that Tim will be with me.
    I’m not sure
if I’m doing this for the shock factor, or if… once
again… I just want to rip the Band-Aid off.
    I moved to New York
this past weekend. Tim and I are still looking for a house we can buy
together, but for now, I’m staying in his small apartment. I
start work next week, and I’m terribly excited because I’ll
be doing work on the pediatric trauma services.
    I haven’t seen
my mother or father yet, and it’s been difficult to put off
their invitations to get together. But I didn’t want to succumb
to the possibility of something more with them until I could show
them just what they’d be getting if they wanted me back in
their lives.
    I needed to show
them that Tim is a part of my life.
    The biggest part of
my life, actually.
    Spotting my father
and mother ahead, Tim takes the hand he had on my waist and laces his
fingers with mine. With a reassuring squeeze, we make our way toward
them and the group of doctors they’re talking to.
    As we approach, my
mom spots us first, and she tugs gently on the coat of my dad’s
tux. He looks down at her, and she nods our way. His head swivels and
he looks at me, a warm smile curving his face. His eyes flick to Tim,
causing me to step in just a little closer to him in solidarity, and
oddly… the smile on my father’s face doesn’t dim
in the slightest.
    His head inclines
toward the other men in his group, and I can tell he’s excusing
himself from their presence. Then he and my mom are walking toward
us.
    “Easy, baby,”
Tim breathes out beside me. He can feel the tension in the grip of my
hand.
    My father reaches
us, beaming down at me. My mom gives Tim a warm smile, and then gives
me an equally bright beam. “You made it.”
    “I made it,”
I agree, and then immediately rip the Band-Aid off. “Mom…
Dad… you remember Tim Davis, right?”
    Both of my parents
turn to Tim, and then in a move so astounding that my jaw hits the
floor, my father sticks his hand out to Tim. “Tim… I’ve
been waiting ten years to see you again. Didn’t think it would
be tonight, but I’m glad it is.”
    Tim politely takes
my father’s hand and shakes it. I’m still completely
stunned by this turn