Chapter 6 #2
“The autopsy revealed an undiagnosed heart condition.” Mallory took a sip from her drink.
“That was the start of a multiyear downward spiral for me. Ryan had life insurance that paid off our student loans and took care of the essentials, but that was bad in a way, because I had no real reason to go back to work. I had the money to wallow and to buy a lot of vodka.” She forced a smile for his sake.
“After a few years of that nonsense, my mom and Trish intervened and got me into rehab. Once I got my shit together, I discovered I’d lost my desire to be a doctor, but I couldn’t let all that education go to waste.
I did an accelerated program to get my nursing degree and truly found my calling as a nurse and later as a nurse manager.
My career worked out for the better, but my personal life has been a little less successful.
During the drinking years, I married another guy.
That lasted a month before I kicked him to the curb. ”
“I couldn’t be sorrier that you had to go through so much.”
“It was a very long time ago now. Ryan will be gone thirteen years this August.” And that was so hard to believe.
Sometimes, it felt like just yesterday they’d been living together in their tiny apartment in San Francisco.
She’d never been happier in her life than she was during the blissful but busy years with Ryan.
“There are some things the heart never recovers from.”
He couldn’t have said anything more perfect.
Mallory looked down at her plate. “Our lunch is getting cold.”
“You want to take it to go?” he asked.
“No, I’m okay. Go ahead and eat.”
He squirted ketchup on his french fries and then handed the bottle to her before reaching for the vinegar and passing that on to her as well.
Mallory loved that at some point he’d noticed she liked ketchup and vinegar on her fries as much as he did.
She also took her coffee the same way he and Mac did—a dash of cream and two sugars—and adored spicy food, which Linda had told her came right from her father.
Every little discovery was like another piece in the puzzle that made up the missing half of her identity.
They ate quietly, which was rare for him. He always had something to say.
“Has there been anyone else?” he asked after a long silence.
“A few, here and there. One who was more important than the others, but it didn’t stick. I’m lucky to have found true love once. I’m under no illusions that I’ll get lucky twice.”
“Never say never. That’s one of my many mottos.”
“Don’t worry. I haven’t given up quite yet. In fact, I got asked out earlier today.”
He froze with a fry halfway to his mouth. “By who?”
“Dr. Quinn James.”
“He’s the one running that new facility out at the old school, right?”
Nodding, she said, “Do you know him?”
“I know his brother. Seems like a good enough fellow. Richer than Croesus, or so I’ve heard.”
“Yes, he is. Quinn also offered me a job as the director of nursing at the new facility.”
Big Mac’s face lit up with pleasure. “Is that right? You’d be perfect for it.”
“I think you might be biased,” she said, amused by his certainty.
“I’m not at all biased. You’re probably overqualified for that position after all the experience you’ve had running the nursing staff at a big-city ER.”
“Maybe so.”
“Are you interested in the job?”
“I’m not sure. I need to hear more about it and get to know Dr. James a little better before I decide anything.
I had a great rapport with the doctor who ran the emergency department at the hospital, which is critical.
We’ll see. I’m committed to Mason and the rescue for the summer, so I have some time to think about it. ”
“I’ll confess to being totally biased in hoping you’ll decide to stay after the summer.”
“It’s very nice to feel wanted.”
“You are. I hope you know that.”
“I do. You’ve all been very welcoming. I couldn’t believe everyone was there when I arrived at the house yesterday.”
“You’re part of a family now, Mallory. That’s what family does.”
“It’s all new to me, so you’ll have to pardon my amazement.”
“You’ll get used to us. Eventually.”
Mallory laughed. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the McCarthys.”
“Sure you will.” He popped another fry into his mouth. “Tell me some good stories about the crazy crap you’ve seen in the ER.”
“If I do, you’ll lose your appetite.”
“Nothing can make me lose my appetite, sweetheart.”
Mallory took him at his word and regaled him with stories about objects in every orifice, injuries, gunshot wounds, stabbings and the wide variety of non-emergency complaints that made every shift different from the last. He laughed until he cried at some of the crazier stories.
“What I really want to know,” he said, “is what happens to guys who get those four-hour boners.”
“You don’t really want to know that.”
“Yes, I do!”
“Suffice to say, there’re needles involved.”
Big Mac winced, and his complexion went pale.
Mallory howled with laughter. “I told you!”
He insisted on paying for lunch, and as they walked back to the marina, he put his arm around her shoulders. “This was nice.”
“Yes, it was.”
“Thank you for telling me the things you did.”
“I’m glad you know. And it’s okay for you to tell Linda any of it, since you will anyway.”
“I love how you already know me so well,” he said with a chuckle.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, because he was her dad and she could. “I have to tell you something else.”
“What’s that?”
“I spent my whole life wondering about my father. When I was little, I made up a man in my mind and gave him all sorts of wonderful qualities. But in my wildest dreams, I never imagined he’d be as perfect as you are.”
He tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Awww, honey. You’re gonna make me bawl like a baby.”
“It’s true.”
“Thank you. I wish I’d known about you sooner. I’m sorry that you had to grow up without me. If I’d known, that never would’ve happened. Not in a million years.”
“I know that, and I’m still trying to make peace with the fact that my mother kept us from each other for nearly forty years. I have a lot of unresolved feelings about that.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“When I was here in March, Linda suggested I talk to Kevin about it. You wouldn’t care if I did that, would you?”
“Hell no. He’s the best. I’m sure he’d be happy to help you.”
“There’s no undoing the past, but it would be nice to be able to think of the mother who did everything for me without feeling bitter about what she kept from me.”
“I agree. You’ve had a lot of upheaval in the last year. Take your time and figure out your next move, and if that move keeps you right here with us, well, that would make your dear old dad very happy indeed.”
“My dear old dad,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been working up the nerve to call you that.”
Outside the main building at the marina, he dropped his arm from around her shoulders and turned to face her. “Give it a whirl. Let’s see how it sounds.”
She looked up at him, feeling shy all of a sudden. “Dad.”
“Do it again.”
“Dad,” she said, smiling.
“One more time to make sure you’ve really got it down.”
“Dad.”
“See? Was that so hard?”
Mallory stepped into his outstretched arms and sighed as he wrapped those strong arms around her. “Thank you so much for being you and for making this so much easier than it probably should’ve been.”
“A year ago, I thought my family was complete, and then you came strolling down my dock and knocked the legs right out from under me. It was the best kind of shock to find out I had another daughter. I’m only sorry I didn’t know sooner.”
“Me, too.”
“Love you, kid.”
“Love you, too, Dad.” She looked up at him. “Thanks for lunch.”
“It was entirely my pleasure.”