Unexpected

Chapter 10 - Surprise

Seeing Sara with the bastard disturbed Nick. He hoped she didn't fall prey to his womanizing charms. It made him shudder to think woman trusted him as a gynecologist and to deliver their babies. His own wife trusted him, but they were friends. As a Family Medicine physician, Nick provided routine pelvic examinations but was already finding many of his female patients preferred to see Sara. Before they hired Sara, they didn't have a choice, except for him or Tim. If women preferred a female over him, how could they possibly choose Tardiff? They did because the OB practice was busy, and Clare wasn't seeing all their patients.

Mel was adamant that if he moved them to the boonies, then his friend would have to handle her pregnancies, because she didn't want his sister. She liked him as her doctor, but she never had an appointment without Nick with her. He definitely was an involved expectant father, both times.

Nick and Miles Tardiff had been in the same class in medical school. They were friends then, but lost touch during residency. When they started working in the same building, they spent time together. He and Mel would meet him and his date du jour for an occasional drink or dinner. Mel liked to give Miles feedback on his women. She had categories, 'keeper' was the best and 'skank' was the worst. She was fun, but crude. Initially Miles' playboy attitude didn't bother Nick.

Miles had even helped mend things during his and Mel's last break up. When Mel had decided she wanted space and kicked him out of their apartment, Nick had flopped on Miles' couch, until Miles convinced Mel to take him back. He never knew exactly what he said to her, but Mel respected Miles a little more afterward. Nick was grateful for his intervention, because he loved Mel and wanted to be with her. Making up didn't inspire him to propose. He finally did a few months later, because she was pregnant and became Miles' patient.

Now Miles was friendly with his employee, and it bothered him. He wasn't dangerous in the accident's sense, because it really wasn't his fault. He was just an unscrupulous womanizer often dating more than one woman at a time or women who were involved with other men. On good days, Nick knew Mel and Miles were good friends, who both enjoyed the symphony. On bad days, he convinced himself there was something unseemly between them. He also knew the bastard would deny it and never tell the truth. The unknown was the part that was slowly killing him. If Miles had a date the night of the accident, why wouldn't he just tell Nick who it was? Instead, he refused and didn't have any remorse.

Nick's mother-in-law, Louise came to stay for his weekend on-call. He worked in the office for sick visits in the morning and at the hospital for rounds. He also handled the emergency calls. Most often he either recommended the patient go to the emergency room or wait until morning to come to the office. Most Family Medicine doctors didn't provide maternity care because of the astronomical cost of malpractice insurance. Only specialists like his sister were out delivering babies in the middle of the night.

When he finished his appointments on Saturday, they took a ride to the orchard. The idea had come to him the week before and he wanted to live a little by going on an outing. It was only a few towns away, but it allowed them to enjoy the crisp autumn day. He wasn't about to pick their own apples, because even Bridget was too little. He would end up paying for ones from the ground. Instead, they ate sweet donuts sprinkled with cinnamon. The treats were still warm and melted in his mouth. The only thing sweeter was the first bite into the freshly picked, crisp and juicy McIntosh. Bridget spent some time climbing on an old tractor, similar to the one he and Clare had played on years ago. Louise snapped a photo of the three of them in the pumpkin patch. Nick smiled, but thought about their last family picture with Santa.