thought you’d said on Valentine’s they were a family of doctors and you were a disappointment.”
I rub my hand on the back of my neck. “You remember that, huh?”
“I do.” She bites her lower lip. “It’s how I felt in my house growing up.”
I want to follow the thread, but know it’s smart to be open with her to get the answers I desire. “My mom is a neurosurgeon, my dad and oldest brother are heart surgeons, and my youngest brother is an orthopedic surgeon resident.” I smile. “And then there’s me.”
“Does it bother you?”
I answer honestly. “I try not to let it, but sometimes it does. I have their same work ethic and drive, but coding software doesn’t quite live up to saving lives.”
Her expression softens. “It does if saving lives doesn’t make you happy.”
“Good point. Growing up I thought being a doctor was the only profession available. I had no idea people did other things.” I laugh, as I continue the story, remembering. “I used to sneak off into my room and take computers apart as stress relief. When I went to college I tried, I majored in premed, like I was supposed to. I hated it, but kept trying to ignore how much I hated it. On break my mom decided it would be fun to let me watch a surgery, hoping to inspire me to follow in her footsteps.”
I shake my head, thinking back to the embarrassment.
Ruby’s eyes are wide. “What happened?”
I blow out a breath, prepared to humiliate myself for her benefit. “I fainted.”
Ruby bursts out laughing and covers her mouth. “I’m sorry.”
I squeeze her foot and she tenses under me. I grin. “Brat.”
“Then what happened?” She’s still giggling and it makes me happy. Makes it worth it.
“My mom figured out this probably wasn’t a good sign for my medical career. She sat me down and I confessed my dirty little secret: that I hated all things medicine, couldn’t stand the sight of blood, and I was miserable.” I drink down the rest of my wine, picking up the bottle and pouring the rest into our glasses. “She broke the news to my dad and I changed my major to computer science after the break. He’s forgiven me, and tries not to be too disappointed that he doesn’t have the trifecta of surgeon sons.” I have a decent relationship with my dad but he doesn’t quite understand me. My mom is the nucleolus of our family and everything revolves around her. “I tend not to have a lot to contribute at family dinners.”
“I can relate to that,” Ruby says, her voice soft.
“Tell me.” I keep the demand out of my voice.
She takes in a deep breath and blows it out. “I’m a minister’s daughter.”
And another piece of the Ruby puzzle falls into place.
Ruby
Surprise flashes across Chad’s features before the light of understanding dawns in his eyes. As though everything about me suddenly makes sense. And I suppose that’s not far from the truth. I normally don’t talk about my family, especially with guys, but Chad makes me want to tell him things.
I don’t know why, maybe because he’s so forthcoming, but I want to tell him all the things that makes me, me. All the things I keep hidden. I feel safe, because there’s no coyness about Chad, he has no artistic sensibilities that make the guys I’m usually with so invested in being tortured.
I blow out a long breath. “They’re great people and I had a normal, loving childhood. They’re not fire-and-brimstone types, preaching hell and damnation. They are just deeply religious and conservative. My dad is the minister in our small town. My mom’s a stay-at-home wife. We went to the Christian school, church on Sunday, choir on Mondays, bible study on Wednesdays, and church socials on Friday.”
He wraps his long fingers around my ankle and I jump a little, repressing my desire to jerk away. It’s not that I don’t want his hands on me, because the truth is, I’ve thought of little else since he kissed me in the foyer.
I rub my hand on the back of my neck. “You remember that, huh?”
“I do.” She bites her lower lip. “It’s how I felt in my house growing up.”
I want to follow the thread, but know it’s smart to be open with her to get the answers I desire. “My mom is a neurosurgeon, my dad and oldest brother are heart surgeons, and my youngest brother is an orthopedic surgeon resident.” I smile. “And then there’s me.”
“Does it bother you?”
I answer honestly. “I try not to let it, but sometimes it does. I have their same work ethic and drive, but coding software doesn’t quite live up to saving lives.”
Her expression softens. “It does if saving lives doesn’t make you happy.”
“Good point. Growing up I thought being a doctor was the only profession available. I had no idea people did other things.” I laugh, as I continue the story, remembering. “I used to sneak off into my room and take computers apart as stress relief. When I went to college I tried, I majored in premed, like I was supposed to. I hated it, but kept trying to ignore how much I hated it. On break my mom decided it would be fun to let me watch a surgery, hoping to inspire me to follow in her footsteps.”
I shake my head, thinking back to the embarrassment.
Ruby’s eyes are wide. “What happened?”
I blow out a breath, prepared to humiliate myself for her benefit. “I fainted.”
Ruby bursts out laughing and covers her mouth. “I’m sorry.”
I squeeze her foot and she tenses under me. I grin. “Brat.”
“Then what happened?” She’s still giggling and it makes me happy. Makes it worth it.
“My mom figured out this probably wasn’t a good sign for my medical career. She sat me down and I confessed my dirty little secret: that I hated all things medicine, couldn’t stand the sight of blood, and I was miserable.” I drink down the rest of my wine, picking up the bottle and pouring the rest into our glasses. “She broke the news to my dad and I changed my major to computer science after the break. He’s forgiven me, and tries not to be too disappointed that he doesn’t have the trifecta of surgeon sons.” I have a decent relationship with my dad but he doesn’t quite understand me. My mom is the nucleolus of our family and everything revolves around her. “I tend not to have a lot to contribute at family dinners.”
“I can relate to that,” Ruby says, her voice soft.
“Tell me.” I keep the demand out of my voice.
She takes in a deep breath and blows it out. “I’m a minister’s daughter.”
And another piece of the Ruby puzzle falls into place.
Ruby
Surprise flashes across Chad’s features before the light of understanding dawns in his eyes. As though everything about me suddenly makes sense. And I suppose that’s not far from the truth. I normally don’t talk about my family, especially with guys, but Chad makes me want to tell him things.
I don’t know why, maybe because he’s so forthcoming, but I want to tell him all the things that makes me, me. All the things I keep hidden. I feel safe, because there’s no coyness about Chad, he has no artistic sensibilities that make the guys I’m usually with so invested in being tortured.
I blow out a long breath. “They’re great people and I had a normal, loving childhood. They’re not fire-and-brimstone types, preaching hell and damnation. They are just deeply religious and conservative. My dad is the minister in our small town. My mom’s a stay-at-home wife. We went to the Christian school, church on Sunday, choir on Mondays, bible study on Wednesdays, and church socials on Friday.”
He wraps his long fingers around my ankle and I jump a little, repressing my desire to jerk away. It’s not that I don’t want his hands on me, because the truth is, I’ve thought of little else since he kissed me in the foyer.
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