Page 17 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

Not really shoving it down, because that might have given him a different kind of reaction than it had, but taking massive bites and chewing fast.

Their lunch was supposed to be thirty minutes but ended up being twenty. He was used to those things too.

He had a sandwich with him he ate; she had yogurt and another piece of fruit during that time.

One thing he could say was she might have a nasty coffee habit, but the rest of what she put in her system was much better than him.

They grabbed their laptops, locked the office and then left for the hospital again.

“We can store our stuff in the locker room. I forgot to show you that this morning.”

They went to the pediatric ward first, into the locker room and put their laptops in there. She left her purse while she was at it.

When they were in the basement, he saw the cafeteria was nicer than he expected. He had to admit just about everything was.

He hadn’t interviewed on the island. Didn’t know what his new home even looked like.

His parents thought he was crazy. He didn’t care.

He needed this more than he needed to breathe.

And the faint return of his old self, still bruised but alive, told him he was right.

“I think I’m getting a big, fat burger. I need the protein,” she said. “I try to eat as much of it as I can, but it’s hard. If I don’t do that, I want to snack on junk.”

“A burger sounds good if the food is decent. I’ve had some bad hospital food before.”

“It’s good here,” she said. “Much better than in Boston. Do you know, will you have to fill in there at all?”

“No one said anything,” he said. “Does that happen?”

“Maybe they won’t do it with you. Jessie and I have to do it, but I think since I still technically live there and they know it, they find it easier to ask when I’ve got my ten days off.”

They placed their orders and waited while they were cooked. “Do you rent here then? Or live in one of the apartments provided?”

“I stay at my parents’ house. It’s not far. Maybe five minutes with no traffic, and it’s empty most times. I told myself I’d still sleep better in my bed there even with leaving the hospital than if I stayed in one of the rooms for doctors here. Then there is the packing of clothes and eating in the cafeteria for all meals. Nah. Just not worth it.”

“I felt the same but might not have had a choice if I couldn’t find housing. I had a few places lined up in Boston close to the docks and thought for sure I’d be doing what Dr. Raines does. How does she want to be referred to?”

“To her face, Jessie is good. But to patients, she likes Dr. Raines.”

“The kids don’t warm up to her as much, do they?” he asked. He reached for his tray when it was set in front of him. Her tray right next to it. “Thanks.”

They moved down together, her badge out to swipe, he had his credit card in his hand.

He’d have to get his badge activated for that to make it easier. They’d told him it’d just come out of his check anyway.

“I think they like her well enough, but it’s not like she’s in there making them laugh like I do. Some might say I’m a kid myself.”

“I used to be that way,” he said before he could stop himself.

Before he could caution himself that it was best to keep his past the way he’d been doing. Locked away.

But there was something about Gabriela Mills that just screamed to relax and be himself around her rather than only being open to his patients.

“There is no reason you can’t be again,” she said. “Will you be offended if I ask if you’re here alone? Or you moved close by family? And of course, you can tell me you want to keep your life private and I’ll totally adhere to it.”

He was positive she would. “There is a table back there.”