8. Family Dynamics
8
FAMILY DYNAMICS
G arrett took a risk moving over to Justine’s table, but without risk, there was no reward.
She’d almost looked terrified, and if there was one thing he couldn’t turn his back on, it was someone that needed help. Or a soothing word or hand.
That was one of his biggest problems in life.
He soaked up everyone else’s fears into his own body and then never squeezed them out in a healthy manner.
Pieces of him were being eaten alive with the toxins, but he couldn’t seem to stop the pores from expanding to let more in.
“So tell me,” she said. “With this nice weather, what things can I do on the island? Since I’m only here six months, I might as well get out some. I don’t have any desire to go on the ferry back to Boston and my place is being subleased out.”
“Good for you,” he said. “I’m sure you’re in the hospital housing, right?”
“I am,” she said. “I’m going to guess you’ve never stayed in it?”
“I’ve never needed to. Even if my parents were at their house on the island, I’ve got enough cousins I could have crashed with. Though my parents' house is plenty big. I just don’t feel right taking the hospital space from someone else. Hudson’s wife, she came here for a job and it took her eighteen months to find a place that opened up she could afford. She stayed in the hospital housing the whole time, then moved in with him.”
“Is she a nurse or doctor? I know all the Mills on the roster, but she might use her maiden name.”
“She is a coordinator for the patients. Not sure of her title but more like a much-needed liaison between doctors, patients, and community services when they are discharged.”
“So you must utilize her in your department or do you have one solely for your patients? My guess is they need a lot of other services.”
“We had one, but she left and it’s hard to fill. The nurses do some of it and then work with Delaney. That’s Hudson’s wife. It was easier to do this than try to keep filling a position we couldn’t.”
One of those frustrating things on the island for sure, but that wasn’t too much of his problem.
If his patients needed help and there wasn’t someone to give it to them, he’d find a way to do it himself.
Which burned him out, but he was good at his job for a reason.
Not everyone would agree with that, but nothing he could do about it either.
“I’m learning quickly how much different it is here. The short staffing situation. Troy told me that people are paid more to work here, but is it more when you pay so much for living costs?”
“Exactly,” he said. “Over the years, the island has grown a lot. The school is better, but if you want your kids in sports, that is going to be a struggle with commuting on the ferry.”
“Did you grow up in Boston?” she asked.
“I did. I had a lot of cousins in Boston and here. It’s funny, some of the wealthiest in the family lived and went to school here and had no problem with it.”
Her head went back and forth. “I’ve heard about the family dynamics some. I try not to listen to that stuff, but it’s hard.”
“Trust me,” he said. “I know. You said you left because of gossip and drama. This island can be full of it.”
“Yet you’re laughing over it,” she said. “Don’t talk about that legend thing, please.”
He looked at her grin. “You don’t want to know?”
Which sucked because it was swirling in his head now that she brought it up.
They both came here temporarily, met at work, got along, then came into the bar for a solo dinner.
Here they were talking about some deep shit on top of it.
“No,” she said. “I’m not here long enough to care.”
It wasn’t said meanly, but he got the hint loud and clear.
Too bad he would not listen to it.
“You might find you like it here,” he said. “It’s only been a few weeks. Can I ask—did you live in a big city in Indiana?”
“Fort Wayne. Big enough, but only a fraction of the size of Indianapolis. And Boston has twice the population of Indianapolis.”
“Do you like big city living? Me, I’m used to it, but boy, it’s cramped in Boston. My condo there is smaller than my house on the island, costs more, and I don’t have the view or the quiet that I do here. It’s been nice to come on the weekends when I need a break, but living here for a few months, I’m starting to realize why so many of my cousins like the slower life.”
He wasn’t sure he’d ever think that, but it wasn’t so bad.
He had the means and the funds to go to Boston quickly whenever he wanted. He could fly over rather than the ferry. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t get here; it just took some more effort.
His peace of mind was much more important to him than material possessions.
“Honestly, I like the quiet here,” she said. “Growing up, we lived outside busy areas and it was nice. When I moved into my first apartment, I can say it sucked to hear all the noises. Felt like college again.”
He laughed. “I know that feeling. The walls are pretty quiet in my condo, but you just know the action going on around you. I can see it looking out the window. The traffic is the worst. I’m close to the hospital so I end up walking more than driving because parking is just a bitch.”
“I’ve been taking the subway. I tried the buses and found the subway was better and I’ll just walk a block more. Maybe I’ll go back and forth.”
“Yeah, I could hop on the bus for the two blocks, but the truth is, might as well walk it. If the weather is bad when I leave, I get a taxi or Uber. Trust me, it’s one of those annoying things to deal with that it’s nice to not worry about here.”
If he knew the weather was going to be horrible one way in or out, he’d suck it up and drive, then look for a tight spot at the hospital.
Here, it was much more relaxing.
“I found that too. I wish I could walk here, but there aren’t that many sidewalks, even though I’m only a mile away.”
“I’m about two miles,” he said. “I do a lot of running on the roads, but wouldn’t want to walk.”
“You’re a runner?” she asked, her eyes looking him over some.
He’d take that as a good sign.
“I don’t have a gym here I can go to. Actually, most of the gyms are in apartment complexes or hotels. I don’t have the room for one in my house, so yeah, I’m running most days I can.”
“There is a gym at my place,” she said. “At least that I saw. I’m not much of a gym person. I just don’t like people enough.”
“But you came here alone for dinner?” he asked.
“And let me tell you, it was hard,” she said, laughing. “But I don’t want to spend six months sitting in my apartment by myself cooking my meals or getting takeout. I told myself I was going to try this.”
“But I interrupted you,” he said. He moved back when their meals came out.
“In a good way,” she said. “Baby steps. And it’s nice to talk to someone about things other than gossip and work.”
He picked his burger up and took a bite; she did the same with the chicken sandwich she got.
He’d give her a few minutes to process things as she was frowning just now.
“I’m always around,” he said. “Normally alone after hours if you want to do this again. You know, so you don’t have to sit here alone. We can meet.”
He figured throwing that out would make it sound more like a friendship than a date.
She smiled. “Might be nice,” she said.
Might was better than nothing.
“Are you working this Sunday?”
She paused and chewed. “No. I’m working Saturday, but not Sunday.”
“So you’re all alone for the holiday,” he said.
“I am,” she said. “It’s just Easter. Not a big deal.”
“Sure, it is,” he said. “I know how hard the first of the holidays are after you lose someone. You’re alone in a new place.”
She blinked her eyes a few times as if she was nudging back any tears. “It is what it is. I don’t have the time to fly home and my sister, Jordan, is working anyway doing her surgical residency. There is no one else.”
“There’s me,” he said.
“I highly doubt you’ll be alone,” she said, laughing.
“No. I’ll be with my family on the island. My parents and I are going to my aunt and uncle’s. My sister is on call so is staying in Boston. Not sure which of my other cousins will be there, but you’ve met Hudson already. It will give you a chance to meet Carson and Ava, my Uncle Michael too. You know, so you won’t assume they aren’t a doctor if they come down to see you in the pharmacy.”
He was smirking when he added the last part.
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Do something out of your comfort zone since I took this away from you,” he said. “Dare you.”
“Grrrr, that is the wrong thing to say to me,” she said.
He figured he’d rushed and ruined it.
“Sorry,” he said. “Ignore me. I’m used to encouraging people.”
“I can see that. And it wasn’t in a bad way. It’s just that my father used to say that to me and maybe I needed to hear it. Okay. I’ll say yes now, but don’t be surprised if I change my mind before Sunday.”
No way he was letting her.