Page 105 of Clinically Bewitched
“Define ‘very good.’”
“No.”
“Come on.”
“I’m not discussing the details of my sex life with my colleagues.”
“But you’re admitting thereisa sex life to discuss,” Fitz said triumphantly.
“I’m admitting nothing.”
“You just admitted it!”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
“This conversation is over.”
“It’s really not,” Nathan said.
“We’re moving on to patient load distribution.”
“We’re really not,” Gabriel agreed.
“I’m the senior partner,” I said. “I decide when we move on.”
“You’re also seventeen minutes late,” Hayden pointed out. “So your authority is somewhat diminished.”
“My authority is not—”
“He’s right,” Fitz said. “You lost authority the moment you walked in wearingNew Balance.”
“The shoes have nothing to do with—”
“Everything,” Nathan interrupted. “The shoes have everything to do with everything.”
I closed my eyes.
Took a deep breath and reminded myself that these people were my friends. That they cared about me. That they were genuinely happy, I was happy. Even if they were being absolutely insufferable about it. “Fine,” I said, opening my eyes. “Yes. Things with Athena are excellent. We’re very happy together. The dinner with our parents was a disaster that turned into a triumph. My in-laws are secretly brilliant and accomplished. My parents were humiliated. I went home and had sex with my wife. Multiple times. It was—” I paused. “Transformative. And now I’m here, late, wearing comfortable shoes, and I don’t care what any of you think about it.”
Silence.
Complete, absolute silence.
Then Quinton started laughing.
Not his usual quiet chuckle.
Full, genuine laughter.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said, still laughing. “It’s just”—he pulled out his phone—“I believe you all owe me money.”
“Oh no,” Nathan said.
“Oh yes,” Quinton said, grinning.
