Page 56 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

And for the first time since she’d brought it up, the tension didn’t feel dangerous. It didn’t feel as if he had to be careful.

It felt promising.

18

ON MY SIDE

“There you are,” her mother said on Thanksgiving Day. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming this early or not.”

“I live here,” she said. “Where would I go now that my rounds are done this morning? I stopped down in the ER, but it was quiet. No kids and nothing for me to do. They know to call if they need me.”

“Well, normally your office hours start at nine, it’s ten. Maybe I thought you’d stay longer.”

“Selena,” her father said. “You know how it goes. I told you that. She’ll come when she can.”

“There are four kids there in the hospital. All are doing well, but I had to run some more blood work on one. That’s difficult on kids, so I stayed and kept her company. Then her parents came in and I waited to see if any of the results came back yet.”

“Did they?”

“Not what I need and figured as much being the holiday. There aren’t as many in the lab. Should be back in a few hours and definitely when I return later. I’ll be monitoring updates while I’m home the same as if I were in the office. It’s the firstholiday I’ve had that I was supposed to work and the office is closed.”

“We get holidays off,” her father said. “Just doesn’t always mean we can take them when we want.”

“I know,” she said. “I haven’t taken any vacation yet either since I’ve been here. There hasn’t seemed to be a reason for it when I have ten days off. Geez, once I take a week off, it’s going to be like having almost a month off. That’s nuts.”

“That’s how they get people on the island. My guess is your five days off is more like two weeks of actual vacation time used, right?”

She pursed her lips. “Yeah, that makes more sense since I’m working eighty hours in a rotation. Otherwise it’d be like I got eight weeks off a year rather than four.”

“And no more work talk,” her mother said. “Do you want something to eat? You left before I was up this morning. I’ve got snacks, but I made some muffins.”

“I’ll take a muffin,” she said. She walked over to get it, put it on a plate and then made another cup of coffee.

It was the third day of her rotation and she was already feeling the tiredness, but it’d be nice to relax today around family.

“Justine and Garrett will be here within the hour. I plan on eating at one.”

“It smells great. And we’ll have lots of leftovers. When are you and Dad going back to Boston?”

“We’re catching a flight back tomorrow morning,” her mother said. “Why, do you want us gone? Anywhere you need to be or someone want to see?”

She rolled her eyes. They were always busting her butt when she asked when they were leaving.

“Nope. I’m working, so it doesn’t make a difference to me. It’s not like we are in each other’s space or anything.”

“Are you going to the hospital fundraiser on the fifth?” her mother asked. “You’re off, right?”

“I am off and am going. I wouldn’t miss it. I’ve missed it before and it’s expected. More like I was asked several times if I was going since I’m on the island now. I think they want me to talk about how great it is here and the way they have the schedule.”

Her father laughed. “It’s always been that way. You know how hard it is to get people over, but they are trying to make it as easy as possible now.”

“Do you know if Luca is going?” her mother asked.

“He is. We are going together.”

Her parents eyed each other like she knew they would. The questions were going to follow too.

“Come on and be honest. It’s not really just friends, is it?” her mother asked.