23. Ethan
23
ETHAN
“Doctor Taylor!” one of my nurse friends, Janine, calls. She hands me the report on our fluctuating patient, and I take it. I carefully read over the details, and she stands by my elbow.
“I’ve heard that you have a girlfriend.”
Janine’s words startle me into almost dropping the folder. I snap it closed and turn to her with my piercing eyes, hoping to show her that I don’t appreciate her spreading rumors like this.
“I prefer to keep my personal life personal. I am seeing someone, but it’s not something I wish to discuss here.”
I hurry down the hall to deposit the folder outside the right room. The nurse keeps pace with me. “I just want to make sure you’re happy, Dr. Taylor. You deserve that after everything that happened with… Aurora’s mother.”
I wince at the reminder before I drop the folder into the right place. I snap on a pair of rubber gloves and head into the room to check on the patient. Hopefully, that will be enough of a sign to her that the conversation is over .
“How are you feeling this morning?” I direct my question to the patient.
“I’m all right. My legs are feeling tingly again, though.”
“We’ve switched your antibiotic, which would help clear up the infection that is causing that feeling. If you don’t see a change by evening, please let me know.”
I go through the basics of checking the patient’s vitals and their IV to make sure that things are flowing correctly. “Any concerns other than the tingling legs?”
“I’m just worried that if this infection isn’t cleared up, it could affect me permanently. What percentage of people does the antibiotic not work on?”
While medicine is a science, it’s not a science that I can predict like that. I’m often asked to give patients a prediction on how/where/when they will heal. “It’s difficult to give a number. It’s usually effective though, or we wouldn’t prescribe it.”
I finish checking everything and turn my attention back to the patient’s face. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“I ordered my breakfast thirty minutes ago, and it hasn’t arrived. Can you call them and get them to hurry up?”
I stretch my face into a smile I don’t feel. Sometimes, my patients think I’m this superior doctor who knows everything. Sometimes, they think I’m room service. I motion to Janine who has been observing. She can check on the food.
Then, I snap my gloves off, toss them in the trash, and head down the hall.
The nurse emerges from the room a moment later. “Don’t they realize that the kitchen is flooded with orders at 8:00 a.m.? Her order will be up when it can be.”
“I think sometimes people expect to be treated like royalty when they don’t feel well. The problem is that everyone here is in the same boat. ”
“So, back to my original question.”
I frown at Janine, not sure what she means. “What original question?”
“Who’s this woman you’re dating who’s keeping you so happy?”
“It’s no one you know.”
I think of Madison. I don’t know if I would call what we’re doing dating. Part of me would like to do something to make it official, but I know we can’t. But wouldn’t it be nice for a second to pretend like we have a genuine relationship?
I could pretend that Madison and I really are a couple. Janine is so eager to talk to me about it.
“Her name is Madison, and she’s gorgeous.”
The Janine smiles in her gossipy way. “That’s sweet. How long have you two been together? I’ve been noticing the extra stride in your step for the last few weeks.”
“It’s been about that long. Just a few weeks.”
“I’m happy for you, Dr. Taylor. I wish you and Madison the best.”
“Now, if you don't mind cutting the gossip short. We need to check on our cardiac arrest patient.”
As I drive through town after my shift, my thoughts drift back to Madison. It’s strange how quickly she’s become a constant in my head—like a song I can’t stop humming. I’m not complaining, though. Just thinking about her has a way of making me feel lighter.
And then, it hits me. I want to do something for Madison. We’re not in a relationship, but there are no rules about what gifts we can and cannot give. I’ve been thinking about how Madison wants to open a surf school .
It’s one of her biggest passions. I could tell by the way she lit up when she talked about it. She laughed it off, like it was just some pipe dream, but I saw the way her eyes became all dreamy. That dream’s real to her, even if she doesn’t quite believe in it yet.
I pull into the parking lot of a small surf shop just on the other side of the bridge to Oak Island. The salty breeze hits me as soon as I step out of the car. It’s nearly seven at night, and the breeze is chilling. The smell of it reminds me of summer though.
Inside the shop, I find exactly what I’m looking for. A custom surfboard, Christmas-themed. It’s playful with the red-nosed reindeer on it, and I like its uniqueness. I talk to the shop owner to ask about personalization, and he agrees to paint her name in swirling red paint on the top.
By the time the customization is done, it’s perfect. I add a few other things to the mix—a wetsuit and some gear she could use if she ever decides to go all in on this surf school idea.
It’s not Christmas yet, but I don’t want to wait. I want her to know I believe in her, even if she’s not ready to believe in herself yet.
With everything loaded in the car, I head over to her place. My hands tighten on the steering wheel as I think about how she might react. Madison’s not the type to expect anything from anyone, and that’s exactly why I want to do this for her. She deserves someone in her corner.
I know that money is tight with the dog-sitting business, and I have more than enough to spare. But I’m not trying to flaunt my money. I’m just trying to do something nice for her, and I hope she’ll agree.
When I pull up outside her house, I hesitate for just a moment. What if she thinks this is too much? But no—I push the thought away. This isn’t about me. It’s about showing her that I’m standing behind her dreams for a surf school.
I grab the surfboard first, propping it carefully under my arm, and then pick up the rest of the gear. I feel a little ridiculous walking up to her door with all this stuff, but there’s no turning back now. And I’m not about to try to wrap the surfboard. That is too much work.
I knock, my heart beating a little faster than it should.
After a few moments, the door swings open, and there she is—Madison, looking effortlessly beautiful in that way she does, her hair pulled up in a messy bun. She’s wearing an oversized sweater that hides her curves and very short shorts, so short that I almost don’t see them peeking out from under the sweater. She blinks at me, her eyes darting from my face to the surfboard and back again.
“Ethan? What is all this?” She tilts her head to the side in a way that is adorably cute.
“If you let me in, I’ll show you.”
“Hold on, let me get Tigger in his cage so he doesn’t slip out.” The door is closed on me, and I hear Madison working her magic inside to get everybody in a safe spot.
Then, she opens the door again, and I’m allowed inside. I can feel her admiring the gift as I bring it into the living room. Samson runs up and starts running his nose over everything.
I smile, setting the surfboard down against the couch. “It’s for you. Consider it an early Christmas gift.”
Her eyes widen as she takes in the surfboard with her name written across it in perfect detail. She steps forward and runs her finger over the letters in her name. “What… You got me a surfboard? Ethan, this is—wow.”
She’s speechless, and I’m relieved. I wanted this to hit her right in the heart, to show her that I’m serious about supporting her. I’m not always good at saying the right thing, but I can definitely show my affection through gifts.
Besides, after talking about Madison with Janine today, I realized that while we may not be able to act like a real couple out in the world, we can pretend it in our own private homes.
“There’s more. Wetsuit, leash, wax. Everything you need if you ever decide to start that surf school you were talking about.”
She stares at me for a moment, like she can’t believe what she’s hearing. Then she reaches out, running her fingers over each of my gifts as I lay them on the couch like sacrifices. “Ethan, I… I don’t even know what to say. This is incredible. But you didn’t have to?—”
“I wanted to, because I believe in you, Madison. I know you can do this, and I just wanted you to know that I’ve got your back, no matter what.”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s a vulnerability in them I don’t often see. Madison’s tough and independent. She doesn’t let people take care of her. But right now, she looks at me like maybe, just maybe, she’s letting herself lean on me a little.
“I don’t know how you knew.” She laughs for a second, and I can tell that she’s shutting off her real emotions. She’s scared to show them to me. “Wax is the way to my heart.”
I laugh along with her, but I want to get back to that moment of vulnerability. I want to know Madison more. I want to understand her. “I want you to be able to start the surf school so you don’t have to dog-sit anymore. Or you could only do it if Samson gets too lonely.”
Madison smiles and pats Samson’s head. “He would never get too lonely. I would take him to my surf school every day. He’ll learn to surf on my board, and he’ll be my mascot, right, buddy?”
Samson pants eagerly like he would happily go along with the plan.
Madison steps toward me and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back. Samson runs in a circle around us as I stroke Madison’s hair.
“Thanks for supporting my dream, even though it feels impossible.”
“It’s not impossible, and you don’t have to do it alone. You’ve got me.”
She pulls back from our hug just enough for me to see her lips quirk into a small smile. “You’re something else, Ethan.”
I chuckle softly. “Yeah, well, I try.”
We stand there for a moment, the silence between us comfortable. Then she shakes her head, laughing a little as she looks at the surfboard again. “I can’t believe you did this. You’ve got me all emotional over a piece of fiberglass.”
“It’s more than just a piece of fiberglass. It’s your future. And I’m here to remind you that you’re capable of anything.”
She looks up at me, and for a moment, I can see all the hesitation that she is trying to hide from me. But then she smiles—a real, genuine smile that lights up her whole face. “Thank you, Ethan. Seriously. I don’t know what I did to deserve this but thank you.”
“You don’t have to deserve it. I just want to see you happy.” Geez, I don’t know where that came from. It’s true, but I feel like I have to hide my feelings from Madison.
Her eyes soften, and for a brief second, I think she might cry. But Madison isn’t one to break down in front of people, so she just takes a deep breath and nods. “Well, you definitely succeeded. I’m beyond happy right now.”
I reach out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Good. That’s all I wanted.”
She turns to Samson, grabs his front paws, and does a little dance with him in the living room. This makes the other dogs jealous, and they all start barking crazily from their kennels.
Finally, she glances back at the surfboard and grins. “So, when do we break this thing in?”
I laugh, feeling the tension ease from my chest. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Madison looks at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Do you know how to surf?”
“No, it’s not really a hobby I’ve ever picked up.”
“ You could be my first surfing student. I could try out all my teaching techniques on you like a guinea pig.”
“It’s almost Christmas. There’s no way I’m getting in the ocean.”
Madison picks up the wetsuit. “We just need one of these in your size. Then, we can go no matter how cold it is.”
I don’t know if I believe that, but I’m willing to be Madison’s guinea pig if that’s what makes her happy.