An Unexpected Love

Now What?

Everyone's jaws dropped.
"I don't believe you. You never had the guts to go on a date with of the men I suggested and now you suddenly go on a date with Dr. Melendez and it leads to something more?" said Kristina.

"So now I tell you something you want to hear and you don't believe it? Are you serious?" Elena said, quite frustrated.

"Okay. Wait. Dr. Melendez, if you are really dating my daughter, our Elena, then where does she live, where did she grow up and where did she study?"

"Really, Dad?" Elena asked.
Dr. Melendez tells her: "It is fine."

"She grew up in Newport Beach and moved to Salinas after studying medicine at Stanford." he said. Elena felt happy to know that he remembered all of that and she only mentioned it once. "She also likes sweets and when going to movies she buys a ton of sweets."
She rolls her eyes.
"Hey! Way to go with the overexaggerating." Elena said, nudging him.
He laughs.

"You really are together." Kristina said.
Silence filled the room.

"Well, Elena. I am so happy!!!"
"Grams, I thought you were going to be upset. You sounded disappointed."
She shook her head.
"I know you will look after her, Dr. Melendez."
"I definitely will." he said, looking at Elena.
"Aww. Look at them, looking at each other." said Nicole to David. David looked sad. He walked outside.
Elena went after him and Neil looked concerned.

He sits on a bench near the parking area.
"Dad? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You can't hide it, you know. Your overprotectiveness."
He smiles.
"Is it that hard?"
She nodded, smiling.
"Dad, he makes me happy. I feel like bursting every time I see him."
He smiles.
"I know that feeling. I felt like that when I met your mom."
"Then you know."
"But Elena, he is a surgeon. He is going to be busy constantly. What if he never has enough time for you? What if he hurts you?"
Elena looks down.
"Honestly, I am scared too, Dad. But, I haven't felt this way about someone in a very long time. On somedays, he works the night shift, so I do not really see him. But when I do, it is like they say: absence makes the heart grow fonder. We work around it."
"Does he make you feel important? Does he make your relationship feel important?"
Elena nods.
David exhales.
"Well, then. I am glad for you."
She hugs her dad.
They haven't had a moment like this in a very long time.
"Let's go back inside." he said. She nodded.

They enter the room and find Kristina and Nicole with Dr. Melendez, while John sits on the side, shaking his head. They ask him questions about the two of them.

"So how many dates have you been on so far?" said Kristina.
David walks in and Nicole gives a look at him. He mouths: "I am okay".
Elena walks in as Dr. Melendez chuckles.
"Umm... Quite a few."
Kristina and Nicole are surprised. David asks: "A few what?"
They both said: "Dates!"
He nods.
Dr. Melendez sees Elena behind him and he gives her a look. "I am fine." she whispered.
"Wait. Then exactly how long have you been dating?"

He looks at Elena. She looks at him.
"A just over a month." he said.
"A month?" Kristina said.
Elena nodded.
Kristina was smiling from ear to ear.

Dr. Melendez looks at his watch.
"Well, I think we're done here. I will see you at your next check up, Kristina."
Kristina nods.
"It was nice to meet your 'friend' at last, Elena."
Elena shakes her head. Dr. Melendez smiles at her.
"Thank you, Doctor." said John as everyone started leaving the room. Nicole and Kristina started talking about Dr. Melendez and Elena and they were excited as they left the room.
Dr. Melendez nodded.
"And, I hope that you two look after each other."
"We will." Dr. Melendez replied.

David left last, before Elena.
"Mr. Castillo." said Dr. Melendez.
He turned around and Dr. Melendez walked towards him.
"I hope you are okay with myself dating your daughter."
He looks at Elena as she looks out the window.
"I was concerned, at first. I thought you might hurt her. But she seems quite happy. And so do you."
He smiles and nods.
"Well, I can assure you that I won't hurt her."
"Good. Well, I will be off. Good bye." David left.
"Good bye."
Elena waited until the two of them were alone.
Dr. Melendez closes the door.

"I am so relieved." Elena said, hugging Neil. She inhales the smell of his cologne as she buries her head into his chest.
"So am I. Your dad was the one I was most worried about."
They pull out of their embrace, holding hands.
"He just doesn't want me to get hurt."
"But I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Not intentionally." He rubs the back of her hands.
"Neither would I." said Elena.
They smiled.

"Well, I have to go." Elena said.
He nodded. "So do I. Are you busy this evening?"
She shaked her head.
"Great. Meet me at the park at 6."
"The park?"
He nods. "Dress casually. Like you are dressed now."
"Okay."
He touches her face and she blushes.
He then leans in and kisses her.
He pulls away slightly.

"I need to go. Got a surgery to get to." he whispered.
She nods.
"Okay."
They stand further away and he lets go of her hand.
The door opens.
"Are you coming?" said Nicole, running back from the car.
"Yeah."
She walked to the door and turned around.
"Good bye." she said.
"Good bye." he said.

They both walked out and went their separate ways.