In the Doctor's Arms

by Carol Ross

  “I know.” Iris gave her a proud grin. “Who knew I could move so quickly and gracefully?”

  “Me,” Hazel said, placing a bouquet-filled hand on her hip. “I did. I knew. I know,” she added, linking her other arm through one of Iris’s, “because you are the unqualified queen of the dodge and weave.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  IRIS AWOKE THE next morning and tried to sort her jumbled feelings. Stinging nettles had taken up residence inside her foot because her mom’s tortoiseshell cat, Micah, was sprawled across it.

  Hazel snored softly in the double bed across from hers in the bedroom they’d shared for eighteen years, before they’d headed off to college. Their mom had updated the space a few years ago. Most of their knickknacks, including the shelf filled with Hazel’s track trophies and Iris’s math and science awards, were boxed away in the attic. Also gone were Hazel’s travel posters and Iris’s giant periodic table. The once bright purple walls were now a light dove gray. Watercolor prints were artfully arranged on the walls and down comforters with matching duvets covered the beds. But sharing a room felt the same and they still gravitated there when they came home to visit.

  Iris flexed her foot. Micah let out a sharp snippet of a meow, conveying his irritation at being so rudely inconvenienced. Contorting her body while simultaneously pulling and shifting the covers and trying to disturb him as little as possible, she slid to the edge of the bed. Golden eyes narrowed disapprovingly before the cat stood, stretched and sauntered to the head of the bed, where he resettled on her pillow. Chuckling softly, Iris rose, donned a pair of sweats and secured her hair in a messy bun.

  After the bouquet toss, the rest of the evening had been a blur, a surprisingly fun blur. Wedding-wise, she didn’t see how it could have gone better. Tag and Ally were elated. With Flynn glued to her side, Ashley and company had faded nicely into the background. He’d even pulled her up next to him while he delivered what was surely the finest man-of-honor speech in the history of speeches. He’d flirted, held her hand and made her feel more beautiful than she ever had in her life.

  In short, he’d put on quite a show. And all for her benefit. But at the same time, she sort of wished he hadn’t done it. She’d been so careful about keeping her feelings stuffed down inside where they belonged. Now they were oozing out all over the place.

  That kiss.

  As fleeting and well-intentioned as it had been, it was still Flynn’s lips on hers. In that short moment, she’d lost her mind. Now that the evening was over, she felt uncomfortable and silly. And smitten. Always that where Flynn was concerned.

  Gripping her T-shirt over her achy heart, she let out a groan of frustration. “What am I going to do?”

  She hadn’t realized she’d been so loud until Hazel rolled over. “About what?” her sister mumbled. “What time is it?”

  “Sorry. It’s only six. You can go back to sleep.”

  “Um, yeah, I think I will. Why are you up already?”

  “Just a lot on my mind. I’ll have coffee ready for you.”

  “Ohhh... I love you...” Hazel drawled sleepily. “Let’s make omelets later and talk about you and Flynn.”

  “I love you, too. That’s a plan, except for the Flynn part.”

  On the nightstand, her phone began to buzz.

  Hazel groaned and buried her head in her pillow. “What is that? Is that a helicopter?”

  “Yes,” Iris said wryly. “Yes, Hazel, there is a tiny helicopter circling in our bedroom.”

  Hazel chucked a pillow at her.

  Iris ducked and picked up the phone as her stomach did the Flynn flip. He was the only person she knew who would call her this early. Despite her misgivings, he was still her friend—and she didn’t want to lose that. Plucking the phone from the charger, she hurried out into the hall.

  Except, when she went to swipe her finger across the screen, Dr. Hottie McBrilliant did not light up the display. A Washington, DC, number stared back at her, one she recognized immediately because that’s what she did—she memorized things. With a trembling hand, she brought the phone up to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Hi...” a tentative voice said. “Is this Iris James?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Hey, Iris, this is Sebastien Frieze from The Frieze Group.”

  “Hello.” Okay, already said that.

  A brief hesitation followed and then he let out a little groan. “Ugh. You know what? I just realized how early it is up there. I apologize. My assistant left me a note, but I’m only reading that part right now. Should I call back later?”

  “No, Dr. Frieze, that’s not necessary. I’m up. Early riser.”

  “Really? Oh, cool. Me, too. I love to watch the sunrise.”

  “My favorite time of day,” she said, surprised at how normal she sounded. Because this could not be a normal phone call. This had to be good news. Sebastien Frieze would not say “Oh, cool” and chat about sunrises if it wasn’t.

  “So, great, Iris, I’m glad I caught you then. I apologize for the delay in reviewing your résumé. I had a bit of a...family emergency.”

  “No problem,” she said smoothly. “I understand family obligations. I hope everything is okay?”

  “Thank you. It is, or it will be... Hopefully, someday.” He paused like he wanted to say more, but got to the point instead. “Your résumé is quite impressive and I’m hoping you haven’t accepted a position elsewhere by now?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Fantastic, that’s a relief. Is there any way you can come in for an interview?”

  An interview. Two words. Two glorious, life-affirming words it felt as if she’d been waiting her whole life to hear.

  “Yes, of course I can. I’d love to.”

  “Great! I can’t wait to show you around.” He went on to reveal that the interview was just a formality, as much an opportunity for her to get to know him as it was for him to get to know her. If all went well, the job was hers.

  Iris assured him she’d be there as soon as was convenient. She knew for a fact Cricket was flying to Anchorage that afternoon. From there she could catch a flight to Washington, DC, the next morning, which would put her there Friday evening. They settled on a Saturday lunch date.

  They chatted for another ten minutes about interest rates, asset turnover ratio, sushi and cats. He had three cats. Of course Sebastien Frieze liked cats. All smart men liked cats. Flynn adored cats. Michah, Sandy and Quartz, her mom’s cats, loved him.

  Flynn.

  A boulder formed right in the center of her chest, threatening to smother the bubble of happiness forming there. She absolutely could not let anything spoil this moment for her. This was the best thing to happen to her since... Uninvited, last night’s kiss flashed through her brain. Ridiculous, Iris. That was fake. This is real. This is the best thing to happen to you, ever.

  Sharing the news would help. Turning around, Iris headed back to the bedroom.

  “Hazel.” Iris sat on the edge of Hazel’s bed. Pulling the pillow from her sister’s face, she added, “Change of plans. Can you wake up now?”

  “Maybe.” Hazel opened one eye and trained it suspiciously on her. “What would be my motivation? Did you somehow conjure up an omelet already?”

  “No, but I have good news.”

  Her other eye popped open.

  “That phone call was from Washington, DC.”

  That did it—she bolted upright. “Oh, my gosh, Iris! You got a job? The job, right?” She threw her arms around Iris and squealed.

  Iris laughed. It felt good to share this news with her sister. “Almost.” She explained, and then said, “Let’s go tell Mom and Dad. Then we’ll make omelets for everyone.”

  * * *

  IRIS TOOK A MOMENT, as she chopped the ham, to enjoy the excitement her parents had shown at her news. Despite her entir
e family’s emphasis on physical prowess and athletics, her parents had always been proud of Iris’s academic success. They were upstairs getting dressed.

  Hazel stood beside her at the sink rinsing grapes in a colander. “So, with all the congratulations nicely settled, let’s talk about the other major news story in your life—you and Flynn kissing on the dance floor.”

  “That absolutely was not what it looked like.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “He was sort of pretending to be my boyfriend.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “To be nice. Ashley and Faith and their cronies were there. He knew I was nervous and he promised to stay close and...help me through it. He just got a little carried away.”

  “Wow. ‘Fake boyfriend to the rescue’ isn’t even on my list.”

  “It’s Flynn. You know how over-the-top he can be.”

  “Only where you’re concerned.”

  “That’s not true. Look at what he did for Ally and the wedding.”

  “Ally doesn’t count. She’s like his family.”

  That was true. Flynn and Ally were special.

  “So that public display of affection was part of some weird playacting thing?” Hazel asked skeptically.

  “It was barely a kiss.”

  “I saw it, Iris. It might have been G-rated but I came up to you guys right after, remember? And I thought the tension was thick on the ride to Jasper Lake. That was child’s play compared to that chemical reaction I interrupted on the dance floor.”

  “It didn’t mean anything.”

  “All I know is that a couple of mornings ago, he violated like ten rules in one fell swoop, and last night he kissed you in front of practically the entire town. And then you two spent the rest of the evening cozied up and acting a whole lot like a couple.”

  “Ten is an exaggeration.”

  Hazel popped a grape into her mouth and then tilted her head like she was calculating. Which, Iris soon learned, she was.

  “Possibly,” she said. “But only slightly.” She began ticking off “infringements” on her fingertips. “Bringing you flowers, and not just any old bouquet but your favorite flowers, which means he’s paying attention. And there is something between the two of you about ducks.”

  Iris felt her lips twitch. That had been thoughtful. She shrugged because it was pointless to deny.

  Hazel was only getting started. “Bringing Mom flowers, bringing me a gift, bringing Seth and our teenaged cousins gifts—all of them extraordinarily thoughtful. Taking a drink from your mug, sharing a donut. And the fact that he tied those flies for Reagan and Seth? A thoughtful, handcrafted gift gets bonus points and tips him over the edge.”

  “Bonus points for a handcrafted gift? I’ve never heard that one.”

  Hazel gave her a palms-up shrug. “Well, Iris, the list is fluid. Men are crafty in their pursuits. They’re always inventing new ways to hypnotize you.”

  “Hypnotize me?” she said wryly. Unfortunately, her sister’s logic didn’t seem as ridiculous as it should have. But that didn’t mean it applied to Flynn. “You realize how paradoxical a distinction this is, right? The winner of the most intimacy violations perpetrated at one time. According to your rules, I should never speak to Flynn again.”

  “No, according to my rules I wouldn’t, but you...”

  “Me what?”

  Hazel moved on to the already-rinsed strawberries, which she began piling in the middle of the fruit tray. “You could acknowledge that what’s happening between you is a little more than friendship.”

  Iris frowned, hating the way those words made her wish and ache at the same time. And she was pretty sure the memory of that kiss would torture her forever.

  “He’s just being Flynn.”

  Hazel scoffed. “Right. He probably buys flowers every day and then drops them off to random women all over town. And then kisses them, too, because oh, I don’t know—he’s Flynn.”

  Panic gnawed at her logic. These were good points. But she couldn’t allow them inside. It would hurt too much if she was wrong. “Hazel, we’re talking about Flynn Ramsey. He’s a doctor now and even nicer than he was in high school.”

  “So?” Hazel scowled at her. “I’m standing here looking at Iris James, who is also a doctor. What is your point?”

  “Of economics.”

  Hazel threw a grape and hit her right between the eyes.

  “Hey!” Iris cried.

  “Listen to me, weaving and dodging is one thing. But do not diminish your accomplishments. Not to me. Not when I know how hard you’ve worked. And we both know you could have gotten that doctorate in any discipline of your choosing.”

  “He’s... I’m—” She stopped as a surprising flood of tears burned her eyes. She couldn’t quite get them blinked away. Swiping at them with a paper towel, she said, “That is so sweet.”

  Hazel dropped the fruit and grabbed Iris’s hands. Voice pitched low and edged with determination, she said, “He’s just a guy, Iris. Despite how we build things up in our...young minds. Remember that. He would be lottery-lucky to have you. Even luckier now than he would have been in high school because, even though you can’t see it, you’re better now, too. In fact, I’m not sure that he deserves you. Although, he is trying very, very hard and gets my respect for sheer effort alone.”

  “Wait...” Iris clutched her hands, shock and gratitude giving her pause. “You knew?” Iris had never revealed her high-school feelings for Flynn to anyone. Ever.

  “Seriously, Iris? I knew. Just like Seth said—we are each other’s thirds. Even though he and I had more in common as kids, it didn’t, and doesn’t, mean we love you or care about you any less. We’re like a hand with three fingers...wait, that’s kind of weird. We’re like a tree with three branches or a three-piece puzzle or...something. You know what I mean.”

  A surge of love constricted Iris’s lungs so fiercely she could barely ask the question. “Why didn’t you say anything back then?”

  “You would have been mortified if you knew that we knew.”

  “Wait, Seth knows, too?”

  Hazel rolled her eyes. “Of course. Wasn’t I just saying that? He knew, like we knew that Seth had a thing for that vicious monster Ashley Eller. And it wouldn’t have mattered back then. Flynn was different. He was...”

  “More like Derrick?” Iris said the words she knew Hazel was thinking. But at the look of pain on her sister’s face, she instantly regretted bringing him up. Derrick was Ashley’s cousin and the ex-boyfriend who had shattered Hazel’s heart. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

  “No, it’s fine. The point is that I’m not comparing Flynn now to Derrick then.”

  “I get it. But since we’re on this subject, imagine if your feelings for Derrick had been unrequited back then? Would you believe that you are so much different now that his feelings would instantly change?”

  Hazel pondered that for a second. “But I think Flynn sees you now, Iris.”

  “That’s it exactly, Hazel! That’s the problem. What does he see? Because I’m not different! Not inside, anyway. If he didn’t really see me then, how can I be sure he sees me now?”

  “I see what you mean. All I can say is that time has a unique way of changing things, opinions and perspectives. It can smooth a lot of the rough edges of our emotions.”

  Iris thought about that, how much easier it had been to face Ashley and Faith with the passage of years. Not easy, by any means, but easier, for sure. But that was due more to her than them. They hadn’t changed, and neither had her feelings toward them. Except they had a little.

  “Iris, if you think there’s even a chance that Flynn can make you happy, don’t let this opportunity slip away. You should give it a try.”

  “I appreciate your advice, I honestly do. But I’m going to take this job
in Washington, DC, be wildly successful and live happily-ever-after. That’s all I want.”

  “Really?” Hazel eyed her skeptically.

  “Yes, really.”

  “I know you say you don’t want to be in a relationship, but do you truly believe this job, any job, is going to make you happy?”

  Iris poured the eggs into the pan. “Yes, Hazel, I do. I’m counting on it, in fact. Finally, I will be...someone.”

  “You already are someone!”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I do, and I don’t.” Hazel sighed. “What I do know is that you’ve always placed so much importance on things that you think will make other people see you in a certain way. Why do you do that?”

  Iris tilted the pan to spread the eggs, thought about evading, and then, because something seemed to have shifted, strengthened, in their relationship, she changed her mind. “Because I have to, Hazel. I’m not like you or Hannah, or the rest of our siblings, or Bering or Cricket—or Flynn, for that matter. I can’t just do anything I want like you guys can. What I can do is think and reason and intuit. And I have to do that, and be good at it, because I won’t ever have anything else.”

  Hazel cocked her head, clearly trying to process it all. “What do you mean you won’t have anything else?”

  “I mean, I don’t want a f-f-f—”

  “You don’t want what?” she asked impatiently. “Flynn?”

  A family, she finished silently. She didn’t want kids and that was something else she didn’t think her own family would understand. Yet another thing to set her apart. But she couldn’t bring herself to say that, not even to Hazel.

  * * *

  ROUNDS COMPLETED, FLYNN walked down the hospital corridor and tried to decide how best to proceed with Iris. He didn’t want to rush things, but at the same time he knew what he wanted. Should he ask her out on a date and focus on “wooing,” like Doc and Caleb recommended? That had worked to a degree and, combined with last night’s kiss, the groundwork seemed firmly laid.