Page 102 of Clinically Bewitched
“Had wine on her face,” I said. “I threw at her when he mentioned the company valuation.”
“You WHAT?” they all shouted.
“It was involuntary.”
“It isperfect,” Fitz said, wiping his eyes.
“Wait,” Gabriel said. “What about your mother-in-law? Please tell me she’s also secretly impressive.”
“Three doctorates.”
Silence.
“Three,” Hayden repeated.
“Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Cambridge.”
“Threedoctorates,” Nathan said faintly.
“Molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology.”
“Oh my God.”
“Fifteen years as a research physician. Forty-three published papers.”
“Forty-three—”
“Over two thousand citations on her neuropharmacology work.”
“Twothousand—”
“I looked her up last night. Fascinating research on neurotransmitter regulation. She’s doing groundbreaking work on GABA receptor modulation.”
Fitz was staring at me. “Your mother-in-law is one of the most accomplished medical researchers of her generation?”
“It would appear so.”
“Your parents,” Gabriel said, starting to laugh, “must have beendestroyed.”
“My mother had wine on her face,” I said. “As previously mentioned.”
“Because you threw it at her,” Nathan said gleefully.
“Involuntarily.”
“But enthusiastically?”
“Perhaps.”
“I would have paid money to see that,” Fitz said. “Actual money. More than the two hundred I just lost to Quinton.”
“It was quite satisfying,” I admitted.
“So,” Hayden said, his eyes twinkling, “after your parents were thoroughly humiliated by discovering your in-laws aremore accomplished than they could ever dream of being... what happened?”
I considered this. Considered that I’d gone home with Athena and surrendered completely. Considered that I’d spent the entire night making love to my wife. Considered that I’d woken up this morning feeling more at peace than I’d ever felt in my entire life.
“Things progressed,” I said carefully.
