Another long day I think will never end. Patients run over again, and Dr. Shannon refuses to close the doors until almost 8:30. I hate breaking plans with Cohen, but there is no way he will be able to go to dinner with me now. I fight the urge to punch a hole in the wall and continue my path to the bathroom, stripping the day’s scrubs off on the way.
My mind wanders to the man who came in with Izzy’s little boy today. He seemed like such a natural with Nate that it is obvious he has been around kids before, but Iz has never mentioned him. I had been lucky to strike up a friendship with Izzy West over the last ten months. When I first met her, I was on the other side of Dr. Shannon’s door and coming in with Cohen instead of working. We struck up a friendship, and at the time, it was what I needed.
I remind myself to not to think about the events that led up to me becoming friends with Izzy. My sister would kick my ass if I shed one tear over her. No way. I’ve had my big girl panties on for over a year now and there is no damn way I would let memories pull me down.
Shaking off the pain that only comes when I look at Cohen’s face, or think about my sister is the only reality I know right now. But I am damn good at it. I’ve dealt with losing my sister, but it doesn’t make the pain vanish.
After my shower and nightly routine, I settle down on my worn couch and pick up the phone. It’s time to check in with mom and face the music of missing out on another date with Cohen.
“Meli-Kate! You are in trouble my love. I had to explain, again, to Cohen that we cannot use the kitchen table as a launching pad for his assault against the imaginary ninjas in the house! Do you know how long it takes to calm him down when there are imaginary ninjas attacking his Nana’s house?”
I can’t help the uncontrollable laughter that bubbles up at the thought of Cohen in attack mode. I know this will make for a lecture from my mother but damn, she is asking for it.
“Seriously mom! You make him sound like a terror! He isn’t that bad!” I laugh at her. In reality, he really is that bad. We take care of Cohen, and have since my sister passed away almost two years ago. I miss her, but having him in our lives takes some of the sting away. It doesn’t hurt that he keeps us on our toes so much that we don’t have time to miss her as much.
“Meli,” she sighs. “Please tell me there is a reason you missed your dinner with him again? You know how much he waits for these days.” She sounds so broken, and I hate that I can’t be there more for her and him.
“I know. Trust me, I do. Dr. Shannon did it again. They just kept coming, and there wasn’t one damn thing I could do about it.”
“Tomorrow. You’re off, aren’t you? Come over and get him tomorrow.” She would have been able to play off the slight wobble in her voice if she hadn’t cracked at the end, making my heart break. I know Cohen doesn’t make things easy, but with me being the only one with a job, it is the only way we can make things work right now. Maybe one day I will have full custody of him, but with my sister’s mother-in-law raising a stink about him, and fighting my sister’s will, this was the way to play things right now.
“I can come early in the morning. I won’t be able to keep him long though; I have the bachelorette party for one of my girlfriends tomorrow night. Remember? I told you I couldn’t keep him this weekend?”
“Oh, that’s right dear. It’s okay, really. Janie down the street can always come and take him over to the park, and maybe fire some of that little boy energy right out of his ass.” She snickers like always when a ‘dirty word’ leaves her mouth. My mother is the perfect example of a Southern Baptist woman. Growing up, all my friends said I was lucky as hell to have Paula Deen as my mom. It really is freaky how much she looks and sounds like that woman.
“I’ll call you in the morning, okay? Just in case you change your mind. Love you mama.”
“Love you too sweet child”
I hang up and the only thing I can think of is how lovely my twin bed will feel when I crash into it.
The next morning, the first thing I do is call my mom to see if she needs me to come take Cohen for a few hours. When I call though, Janie answers and says they are busy building forts in the living room and having popcorn wars. Sounds like the perfect day for me to be absent.
Since I’m not meeting up with Izzy and her friends until dinnertime, I spend the rest of the day cleaning my small one room apartment. Lucky for me, my apartment is so small it only takes me a few hours to have it perfectly spotless. Now, it’s time to call Izzy.
“Hello?” The deep voice answering her phone throws me off for a second. I move the phone away from my ear to make sure I have the right number.
“Um, is Izzy available?”
“She sure is, but no way in hell is she able to talk right now.” I hear Izzy protesting before she snatches the phone out of the man’s hands and breathlessly speaks, “Hello?”
“Oh my God, Izzy! Please tell me I did not just interrupt you!”