“But they all die!”
“They do not all die. What century are you living in? They’ve made amazing strides in cancer therapies and Drew loves helping patients. Besides, it’s his career, not yours.”
“Well, I don’t see why he can’t be a doctor that does happy things.”
“Mom, he is a doctor that does happy things. How do you think the families of his patients feel when he cures them? I don’t think they feel sad, do you?”
“No, but that doesn’t happen all the time.”
“All doctors have to treat life threatening illnesses, not just oncologists. And I think we need to drop this subject because it’s not our choice anyway.” I need to shut her down or this will go on and on for hours. She’ll beat a dead horse into the ground it you let her.
My dad finally sticks his two cents in and says, “Well, I’m just glad to have a doctor in the house.” And I’m sure he is. Poor Drew.
By Christmas Eve, I’m ready to dive head first into the bottle of vodka and swim my way to oblivion. Drew only laughs at my complaints because when he visits, my parents, other than my dad and his unusual medical questions, are on their best behavior. I did have to pull my dad aside yesterday and warn him about getting into a discussion with Drew about his hemorrhoids. He kept bringing them up at breakfast, the perfect time to talk about them. So I told him if he even dared mention them, I would leave and never return home. He clamped his mouth shut and that was that. Thank god, he hasn’t mentioned them to Drew yet. Or at least I don’t think he has.
“So has Dad hit you up on all his ailments?”
A rumble of laughter shakes Drew. “Only a few.”
“What? What has he asked you? I warned him.” My scowl is fierce.
“Calm down there, oh feisty one. It’s okay. I don’t mind and I’m not sharing what we discussed.”
“Why not?”
“It’s private, that’s why. Now let’s talk about you.” He traps me against his chest and soon I’m lost in one of his kisses. But then I remember we’re at my parents’ house, and I start to push him away. “What’s wrong?”
“We can’t do this here,” I hiss.
“I’m only kissing you.”
“I know, but we don’t do public displays of affection in the Forbes family.”
“Is that a fact? Well, guess what?”
“What?”
He runs a finger under my chin and whispers against my lips, “That’s about to change, sweet Cate.” Then he captures my mouth in another kiss and I give up the fight. I really don’t care anymore. I’m in love with this man so why should I? He’s respectable and has nothing but good intentions toward me and we’re both adults. To hell with it. I feel him chuckling.
Pulling back, I look at him with narrowed eyes. “What’s so funny?”
“Not a thing. I’m just happy you see things my way.” As I get ready to plant another kiss on him, Shannon busts in the room, all giddy because Drew is here. She’s a different person around him.
“Hi Drew. Are you staying for dinner?”
“No, actually Cate is coming to my place for dinner with my family.”
“Ugh. Why can’t you eat with us?” she pouts.
“Shannon, Drew’s family has their big Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve. So I’m going there with him to celebrate.”
She has the nerve to flash me a nasty look, like I’m a piece of dirt not worthy of her time. Drew catches it and is not happy. What happens next is a shining moment for me.
“Hey kiddo. Do you have a problem with me or with your sister coming over to my house?”
She shakes her head.
“Then maybe you should apologize to her.”
Shannon wilts like a flower in the middle of the August heat. She looks at Drew with her big puppy eyes and says, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me. It’s Cate who deserves the apology.”
Then to my absolute shock, Shannon turns to me and says, “I’m sorry, Cate. I didn’t really mean it.”
I want to say, “Yes you did, you little brat.” But I don’t. I nod and smile instead. Shannon flashes me her perfect little grin that she uses on Mom and Dad all the time and turns it on Drew.
In a voice dipped in sugar, she asks, “So, Drew, will we get to see you tomorrow then?”
“Yeah, I’ll be here for dinner.”
“You will? Can I sit next to you?”
Oh, god. Not only do I have to worry about my hypochondriac dad, I now have my sister crushing after him, too.
“I think you need to check with your mom on that.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll do that right now,” she says, as she skips out of the room.
Shaking my head, I say, “And the drama never ends in the Forbes household.”
“She is a bit much, isn’t she?”