16:58

Chapter Seven

I grin, shaking my head as I walk to my aunt's office in the hospital. I haven't seen her in a while. I was supposed to see her last night, but she kept getting stuck in meetings.

I knock on her door and open it. "Go away—Andy!" Auntie jumps up from her chair and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Hi, Auntie," I say. She finally lets go of me and I hand her a coffee.

"You're getting so big," she says. She takes a drink of her coffee and nods approvingly.

"But I finished growing," I tell her, smiling. She smiles back as she sits down.

"Whatever, you'll always be a kid to me," she says.

"Speaking of," I say as I sit down in a chair across from her desk, "Have you been seeing anyone lately?"

Auntie rolls her eyes. "Yes, and it's none of your business."

I grin and waggle my eyebrows. "Is he younger than you?"

Auntie tries not to smile. "Yes. And don't say I told you so." Auntie looks at me. "Why are you dressed up?"

"I'm meeting Dad's girlfriend," I tell her. I just wore a black blouse and jeans. "Have you met her?" I ask.

Auntie shakes her head. "No. Chris likes to keep things from me," she says. She rolls her eyes. "Where's your boy?"

I shrug. "He's working," I tell her.

Auntie frowns. "Is he coming for Christmas Eve? It's on Thursday."

"I don't know," I tell her. "Bryce wanted me to stay in New York, but I didn't want to be alone. And we really need to talk."

"That sucks," she says.

I start to play with a ball on her desk. "A little bit."

"Wait," Auntie says. "You said New York, but I thought you were in Boston."

My cheeks redden. "I don't go to Harvard anymore," I explain. "Bryce got a job out of college, and he needed to be in New York and NYU has good scholarships—"

Auntie cuts me off, "Andy, you don't have to explain. I'm so proud of you."

I smile and release a breath. "Thanks."

"No problem, kiddo," she says. "How long are you here for?"

"A week," I tell her. Auntie's phone buzzes and she giggles. "Let me see!" I yell. I stand up and try to look at her phone, but she presses it to her chest.

"I'm not going to show you," she says.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. I'll get Cooper to tell me."

"You should get to that brunch," Auntie says, looking at some paperwork.

"It's not Brandon, is it?" I ask. She frowns. "He was tall, looked like Robert Pattinson."

"Oh," Auntie says. "I don't think he works here anymore."

I frown. "Really?" I look at my watch. I still have time before I'm supposed to meet Dad and his girlfriend. "I'm gonna go hit up Cooper."

Auntie stands up and hugs me. "It was really good to see you," Auntie says. "I'll see you at Christmas, if not before then."

"Bye. Love you."

"Love you too," she says.

I grin as I walk out of her office. I'm guessing Cooper's going to be in surgery, so I check the O.R board. He's in O.R. 4 with Malik. I start walking to the viewing room that oversees the O.R.

"Hey," someone calls. "You're not supposed to be here."

I turn around. "Oh! Hi," I say to Harrison.

"Hi, Andy," he says. Harrison hugs me briefly. I think we're pretty good now. It's still a little bit awkward. I did catch him having sex with my mom.

"How have you been?" I ask.

He smiles. "Good. How's Med-School?"

"Good. I'll see you around," I say.

"See you around," he says. "And I hope you'll think of doing your internship here in a few years."

"I will. Bye, Harrison," I say.

"Bye."He smiles and walks away.

I keep walking to the O. R. room. Once I'm there, I bang on the glass. Cooper and Malik both look up in a startled way. "Hey, buddies," I say as I press the intercom button.

"Uh, hey," Malik says. "We're kind of in the middle of something."

"I know. It'll only take a minute," I say. "What happened to my boy, Brandon?"

"He's in California," Cooper says. "He's with some chick. I think her name's Rose."

"Rose Hopkins?" I ask.

"Yeah," Cooper says. I smile. Rose was Ellie's Mom. And Brandon was one of Ellie's doctors. It's funny but suiting that they're together.

"Did you come here for something else?" Malik asks, looking up at me for a second.

"Yeah," I say. "Cooper, who's my aunt banging?" Cooper starts laughing and Malik seems very focused on what he's doing. "What? What's so funny?"

"Ask Malik," Cooper says.

I frown and look at Malik. "Are you blushing?"

"No," Malik says quickly. "I'm black. I don't blush. And I have a mask on."

"Oh my god! It's you?" I ask incredulously. "You're banging my aunt?"

"It's not just sex, okay?" Malik says. "I like her."

"Why didn't you tell me this when we were spilling tea in the car?" I ask. I look at my watch. "Oh, fuck. I'm late."

"For what?" Cooper asks.

"I'm meeting my dad's girlfriend," I say. "And Malik?"

"Yeah?" he asks.

"I'm happy for you and my aunt," I say. "Bye buddies. I'll drop by again before Christmas."

"Bye, Andy," Cooper says.

"Bye," Malik says.

I can't keep a smile off my face. My aunt and Malik would actually be adorable together. They're kind of unlikely. And Rose and Brandon...it just warms my heart. And my dad is really happy, for once. The only person in a not so great relationship is me.

I'm not going to think about Bryce. We're good...we just need to talk. I walk out to the parking lot and get into my dad's car. He let me borrow it. I start driving to the restaurant and I start wondering my dad never told me his girlfriend's name.

Maybe I know her? And he wanted to surprise me? But who would it be? Malik and Cooper didn't think it was anyone at the hospital. Maybe he went on a dating app! Regardless of who she is, there's no way she can be worse than my mother.

I finally make it to the restaurant and I'm only ten minutes late. I check my reflection in my mirror quickly before I get out. The black blouse makes my blue eyes stand out. And the dark circles are less prominent today. My hair looks nice today too. It's still jet black, but I wear it collarbone length and without bangs.

"It's now or never," I mutter. I'm oddly nervous to meet her. I lock the car and walk into the restaurant. I don't see Dad at first, but then he stands up, smiling ear to ear. I smile back at him and then I see the woman he's with. She looks so familiar, but I can't place her.

And then someone else sitting at their table. My eyes widen as everything clicks:

My dad is dating Colton's mom.