“So,we just need you to ask that girl out,” Sarah added snidely, nudging my armwith her knuckles.
“So,what do you think?” Mama asked, a hopeful glint lighting her eyes. “I mean,you’re single,she’ssingle …”
Ishrugged and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. “What if I’vealreadyasked her out?” I don’t know why I chose that moment to make my littleannouncement. Maybe I wanted help in planning Molly’s birthday. Maybe I justwanted someone else to know.
Mama’smouth fell open and Sarah lunged forward, gripping my forearm in both hands. “What?” they both gushed simultaneously,and I chuckled.
“Oh,Jesus,” I muttered, rubbing a hand over my jaw. “Yeah. I, uh, kind of told herI’m takin’ her out for her birthday.”
“Asa date, though?” Sarah demanded to know. Mama just pressed a hand over herheart, tipped her head back, and mouthed a ‘thank you’ to the Lord.
“Yes,”I clarified. “As a date.”
“So,this is for real. Youlikemy baby.Like, as more than just a friend. Like, you’d marry her and let her have yourbabies.” Sarah’s features had instantly hardened with a seriousness that damnnear terrified me. I had never seen this side of her before, and still, I foundmyself nodding solemnly. Admitting for the first time that, yes, I couldpicture myself in this for the long haul. I hoped Molly could, too. Sarahtucked her lips between her teeth and nodded. “Well, okay.”
Tearfuland sniffling, Mama dabbed at her eyes with the corner of the tablecloth.“Well, you’regonnaneed our help, right? I mean, youcan’t just take her to those burrito places or wherever it isy’allgo.”
“Well,we’ll see. But whatever insighty’allwannagive, I’m open tohearin’it.” Lord knows I could use it. I’d dated a woman for eight years and couldn’tget her to commit to me. I didn’t want the same thing to happen with Molly.
Sarahinhaled and exhaled deeply; determination plastered to her face. “Well, we’vegot a week to think about this. We’regonnahave tomake it good.”
Then,she pointed a finger at me, her face hardened and deadly. “And Chad Wilcox, Iswear on all that is Holy. If you ever, and I meanever, break my babygirl’s heart, I will cut off your dick and break every bone in your body. Idon’t care that I love you as if you were my own. I will not hesitate. Do youunderstand me?” Sarah Dyer had moved on from the abandonment of Molly’s father,but some cuts are too deep to heal fully. And right then, for the first time inmy life, I saw the residual hurt in her eyes.
“Sarah.Come on,” Mama muttered, shaking her head. “Chad, don’t answer her.”
ButI met Sarah’s gaze and held it with my own dose of sincerity. “AndIswear, on all that is Holy, if I ever,and I meanever, break her heart, I give you permission to emasculate mein any way you see fit. But I’mgonnatryreally fuckin’ hard to never give you a reason to.”
Hereyes watered but she wouldn’t let herself cry. She simply lifted her glass oficed tea and raised it to me. “Well. Let’s just hope your ‘roidrage is over before you take her out. That’d be a good place to start.”
***
Thegastroenterologist I started seeing, Dr. Philip Lambert, was a guitarenthusiast and knew of me before I knew of him. During our first meeting, he’d keptit professional as he took samples and went over my charts with a critical eye.But a week later, at my second appointment, he admitted how cool it was that Iwas, well, me.
“It’sgottabe a cool job,” he commented, looking over mychart. “You enjoy it?”
Inodded. “Only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Hehummed thoughtfully as he flipped my file shut. “I’ve always been interested inlearnin’, but my parents sent me to medical schoolinstead. Job security and all that.”
“Lookslike it’sworkin’ out forya.”I swept my gaze around the exam room and grinned.
“Yeah,I guess so,” he chuckled. “Still,playin’ guitar fora living seems a lot more enjoyable thandealin’ withguts, you know? But, then again, there’s that wholemakin’people feel better thing. That’s pretty rewarding.”
Hesat down on a rolling stool and clasped his hands together before continuing,“Andspeakin’ offeelin’better, everything’slookin’ pretty good. How do youfeel you’redoin’?”
Inodded. “Um, aside from gaining a stupid amount of weight in such a shortperiod of time,” I chuckled awkwardly, “I’mdoin’better than I have been in a while.”
“You’vebeen exercising still, though?”
“Yeah.I’ve gotten back into running, some weightlifting, and my g—” I stopped myself.Why the hell was I about to call Molly my girlfriend? I shook my head and triedagain. “My best friend got me intodoin’ some yoga.”
Dr.Lambert nodded. “That’s good. You’ve probably helped to counteract some of theweight gain by staying healthy in other areas.”
“Stillcan’t curb the eating, though.”
“Betyou have a ton of energy, too, huh?” He smiled with too much sympathy for mytastes.
Inodded. “Sleeping’s been a pain in the ass, that’s for damn sure.”
