15. Alex
15
Alex
A week has passed since we went out and showed ourselves as a couple. And so far, things are going well, apart from the mishap of Dara losing the top of her finger while preparing my dinner. I had felt more than guilty, but she had joked about it so much I didn’t get chance to feel bad for long.
She really is something else, I’ll give her that.
I’ve even ventured out into Riverdale to buy groceries—Dara’s suggestion to sell our story even more. Besides, she said Mrs. Casey, who runs the store with her husband, would be delighted to see me. She wasn’t wrong. In fact, the lovely woman walked me around the entire store, helping me find everything I was looking for.
I think she has a little crush on me.
Surgeries have been keeping me busy. But unlike before, when I would have stayed over at the apartment after a late surgery, I’m taking the long journey back to Riverdale, knowing that Dara will be there to greet me.
This whole fake relationship seemed to be a good idea at the time, and I’m not knocking what we’ve managed to do so far. But I am finding more and more reasons to spend time with Dara.
I don’t have any surgeries today, and I already have a plan worked out that will give me a chance to spend time with her. This morning, after my run and shower, I put on a t-shirt and shorts, and dig out some of the paint that was left from the contractors.
When Dara arrives, I’m painting the woodwork in the kitchen. It’s a long job, and quite likely, is going to take me the entire day.
How awful for you.
I know, right?
“Don’t you have someone who can do that for you?” she says, as she dumps her gear on the counter. “I know you’re all about altruism and so on, but surely you’re busy enough?”
“I don’t have surgeries today,” I reply, as though that ought to be enough of an explanation.
“Right,” she says, looking a little confused.
I glance over at her. “Don’t you trust me? Do you think because I’m a surgeon that I can’t paint a door?”
“Hey,” she says, raising her hands, “your house, your rules. I will admit, however, having never seen you lift a finger to do any other repairs since my arrival, that it is slightly surprising. What do you want for breakfast?”
“Eggs, bacon, and avocado toast.” I reply. “And there’s probably a few things about me that would surprise you, Dara Gilbert,” I say playfully.
“Oh, yes. Like what?” she says, putting the groceries she’s brought with her away in the fridge. “Come on, blow me away.”
“Okay, well. When I was a child, I used to build model trains.”
She spins to look at me, her eyebrows high on her forehead, which is exactly the reaction I expected. I’m also pretty sure, she’s trying not to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I look at her with my paintbrush poised.
She shrugs. “I don’t know, I just can’t imagine you building trains.”
“Why not?” I smirk back.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs again. “I just can’t see it.”
“Maybe it’s because you have a preconceived idea of who I am,” I challenge, raising my eyebrows knowingly.
“Or maybe it’s because I don’t know you at all,” she counters. “I mean we have only been engaged for five minutes.”
I place the paintbrush in the tray and turn to look at her. She’s now got eggs and bacon ready beside the gas hob, and she’s chopping the avocado.
“What do you want to know?”
She tilts her head and eyes me carefully. “I don’t know. I mean, do you have brothers or sisters? What about your family? Where are your parents? Did you always want to be a surgeon?”
I raise my hands to slow her down.
“Okay, one question at a time. Yes, I have one brother, Mike. He’s younger than me, married to a lovely woman named Cathy, and they have three children. Three crazy, maniac children. My parents still live in Cherryville in the house I where I was raised. And no, when I first started my training as a doctor, I didn’t know I wanted to be a surgeon. That came later.”
“But you always wanted to be a doctor?” she adds.
“From about the age of nine, when my father had to have a leg amputated because of his diabetes.” I say.
Dara’s eyes fly wide in shock. “Oh no.”
I shrug. “He kind of brought it on himself. The doctors told him to cut down on his sugar intake, and he didn’t. So, he paid a price.”
She doesn’t seem to know what to say to that, and I don’t want things to get awkward, so I say, “But he lives a full life. The amputation is from below the knee, and he’s lived with it a long time.”
“That’s so sad,” she says, looking utterly forlorn.
I smile at her. “If my dad were here, you wouldn’t feel that way. Honestly, he’s a barrel of laughs. Maybe I’ll take you to meet them one day.”
Dara is about to say something when my cell rings in my pocket.
“Hold that thought,” I say, digging it out and answering it.
“Oh, hey, Mark,” I say.
Dara stares at me intently at the mention of her brother’s name.
“Hey, man,” Mark says. “How’s things?”
“Great,” I reply, trying to sound as neutral as possible. “What about you? How are things out there?”
“Oh, I’m not over there anymore. I flew back last night.”
“You flew back last night?” I repeat, watching Dara’s eyes widen. “I thought you were out there for a few months.”
I put the phone on speaker so Dara can hear both sides of the conversation.
“I was meant to be,” Mark replies. “I’ve contracted some kind of stomach bug, and Mom and Dad wanted me to come back. Even with all that they’re doing, it’s not the most sanitary of places. Besides, I can get better medical attention here.”
“Definitely a smart move,” I say. “Have you seen a doctor yet?”
“No. Dr. Gibbs is coming out to see me this afternoon. For now, I’m just keeping my fluids up.”
“Good. You need to stay hydrated,” I say. “What can I do?”
“Not a lot, man. But thanks. I’m sure I’ll see you sooner or later now I’m back.”
The conversation goes on for a few minutes longer, and then Mark eventually ended the call.
A silence hangs in the air as I gaze at Dara and she gazes back. This was not part of the plan. I wouldn’t have asked Dara to do this if Mark wasn’t supposed to be out of town for the time we needed this fake relationship to last. His early return threw a huge wrench in the works, and I have to wonder if all we have accomplished so far is for nought.
“What are we going to do?” Dara asks eventually, her face a picture of worry. “We can convince the people of this town, but how are we supposed to convince Mark?”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Dara. Maybe we should call this quits.”
“If you think you can keep what we’ve already done from him, you’re crazy. It’s”—she glances at the clock, “eight thirty in the morning. I can promise you, by the time this day is out, Mark will have heard the news from several people.”
“Right,” I say, clearly forgetting for a moment that we live in a small town where people have nothing better to do but talk about each other’s business.
“We’re just going to have to tell him what we’ve told everyone else,” she says, as if it’s that simple. “I mean, he might be a bit surprised but—”
“Oh, it’s much worse than that,” I counter.
Her frown deepens. “What do you mean?”
I don’t speak for a minute while I try and figure out how I’m going to tell her this without hurting her. After all she’s done for me, it’s really the last thing I want to do. But under the circumstances, I can hardly keep it from her.
“Tell me what you mean, Alex,” she presses.
I sigh and then begin. “Some time ago, I went through a messy divorce.”
“I know that. Mark told me.”
“But what he didn’t tell you is more important. The thing is, Dara, I was supposed to stay away from you.”
“What?”
I nod. “It’s true. I had met you in the city and mentioned our meeting to Mark on a call. He had made it crystal clear that you were out of bounds.”
Dara’s expression jumps between surprise and offense. “He had no right to do that.”
“You know how protective he is of you. He’s just trying to look out for you. And he isn’t wrong. He wants you to be happy, not stuck with someone with a load of heavy emotional baggage.”
Even as I say those words, I don’t really mean them. At the time Mark had told me to stay away, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to do anything else. But a lot has changed in a few weeks.
“My life is still my own to lead,” she says defensively.
“Okay,” I say, gesturing for us to remain calm. “Let’s just concentrate on the problem at hand. He’s home, and we now have to decide what to do.”
“We have to tell him,” Dara says adamantly. “We have no choice. The whole town thinks we’re engaged, and like I said, it won’t be long before he hears it from someone.”
“Then we need to go and see him today,” I say, feeling a sense of loyalty to my friend. “I’d much prefer he hears it from us than anyone else. I owe him that much.”
Dara tilts her head and gives me a look. “Can’t we just tell him what we’re really doing? He is your best friend and my brother. If we can’t trust him, who can we trust?”
I shake my head. “It’s not about trusting him. I actually think he’ll be angrier if he thinks it’s not real. Like I’ve used you to get what I want.”
“But you haven’t used me.”
“He won’t see it like that. “No, it’s best he believes it’s real. If he’s angry at me, then I’ll just have to take it on the chin.”
“But that’s not fair. I agreed to do this. You didn’t put my arm up by back.”
I love that she’s defending me, but I’m not going to change my mind. We need to stick to the plan. Mark will hear what everyone else has been told, and nothing more. I know my best friend, and if he thinks for one second that I’ve used his sister, stomach bug or not, he’ll tear me limb from limb.