Thirty-three

Vancouver dumped rain as Lily and Dax drove to her parents’ house Sunday evening. Lily was tired, but satisfied about how the weekend had gone so far. They’d talked, walked, shared meals, had sex, and talked some more. They’d brainstormed what the future might look like. Although they still hadn’t found that “amazing solution” and Dax hadn’t had a breakthrough on the subject of wanting kids, she was hopeful. In her mind was the fear he’d issue a “kids versus husband” ultimatum, but she tried her best to shove that thought to the far back.

He pulled the car into the cobblestone parking area. “Two family dinners in the space of two weeks,” he said dryly. “This must really prove I love you.”

She squeezed his arm. “Look at it this way. We did Christmas, this is the New Year’s get-together, and then we’re in the clear until Easter. No, wait, there’s Regina’s birthday at the end of February.” That was how her parents did it: meals at their house or at fancy restaurants for the big events, interspersed with weekly phone calls. Neither Lily nor her brother ever initiated get-togethers with their parents.

Aldonza greeted them at the door and they wished each other a happy new year. When she took their coats, she said, “You look pretty, Miss Lily.”

“Thanks. Everyone’s in the sitting room?”

“Yes.”

Dax turned to Lily. “You do look pretty, sweetheart.”

Rather than wear the usual tailored dress or pant suit, she’d chosen black silk evening pants and the butterfly top worn over the blue tank. “You look great, too,” she told Dax. He wore black dress pants and a shirt the color of coffee with cream.

He took her hand and they walked down the hall. Quiet voices came through the open door of the sitting room. A happy squeal that could only be Sophia quickened Lily’s footsteps.

When they entered the room, formally decorated in shades of cream and charcoal, Lily’s parents were in their usual chairs, with Anthony and Regina on a couch, an empty bassinet beside them. Regina held Sophia while Anthony tickled his daughter under the chin, eliciting another squeal.

“Happy new year,” Lily said. As everyone echoed the greeting, she crossed over to Regina. “There’s my gorgeous niece. Can Aunt Lily hold you?”

Regina said, “She’d like that,” and Lily scooped the baby into her arms, warm and sweet-smelling in her footed sleeper dotted with butterflies. Delighted, Lily crooned, “Look at our clothes, precious. We’re both butterfly girls.”

Regina rose to tuck a burp cloth between Sophia’s face and Lily’s shoulder. “Let’s protect that incredible top. Who’s the designer? I’d love to get one, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“A friend. She doesn’t do them commercially.” She made a mental note to see if Kim might be prevailed on to make a top for Regina’s birthday. “She does design umbrellas, though, and she’s launching a new business. I’ll give you her card.”

“Your friend is an umbrella designer?” Lily’s mother sounded disapproving.

Lily turned to her, the baby in her arms. “And very talented.”

“Hmm. Well, come give me a kiss.”

An imp made Lily pass Sophia, along with her burp cloth, to Dax. “Here, you look after your niece for a minute.”

His big arms cradled the child a little awkwardly, but very securely. Sophia looked so tiny compared to him, yet she gazed up at him with a bright smile and a happy gurgle.

Lily went over to air-kiss her mother’s carefully made-up cheek then touch her dad’s shoulder. He wasn’t much for kisses.

He got to his feet. “A martini, Lily? Dax, Scotch neat?”

They both agreed to her father’s suggestions. Dax had told her the best things about her parents’ house were Aldonza’s cooking and her father’s Glenfiddich single-malt Scotch.

“I was surprised,” her father said, “when Lily told us you’d be coming today, Dax. I thought you’d gone back up north.”

“Change of plans,” he said.

Lily retrieved Sophia from his arms. “We’re tired of being apart.” She went to sit on a two-seater sofa.

“What work are you doing now then?” her father asked, handing a glass of Scotch to Dax and starting on Lily’s martini.

“Don’t know yet,” he said laconically.

Lily suppressed a sigh. No, it wasn’t in Dax’s nature to make nice with her parents.

“You gave up a job without having another lined up?” her mother said. “That’s hardly responsible.”

All right, that was going too far. Lily jumped to his defense. “Dax is always responsible. And he has a number of options.” And, really, why should they lay them out for her parents? None would win approval, because Dax would never be the medical specialist they wanted for a son-in-law. If her parents had been different people, she could have told them about the people he rescued, the lives he saved, and they’d have been proud and happy that she married such a fine man. She smiled at Dax as he collected her martini from her father and came to sit beside her.

Then she took a breath. Might as well get all the criticism over with at once. “Speaking of options, I’m making some changes at the Well Family Clinic.”

“What changes?” Her father resumed his chair. “And why?”

“I want to work fewer hours and spend most of those hours with patients. I want to give the other doctors and the staff more options as well, and more voice. I’m hiring a manager and once that person’s in place we’ll do some brainstorming and analyze various models. I’ll get Dax’s input too. He has some great ideas.”

As she spoke, Dax caught the slipping burp cloth on her shoulder and straightened it.

Sophia’s tiny hand reached for his finger. When he let her capture it, she popped it into her mouth and sucked on it. Not the most sanitary practice, but of the various things a baby might stick in her mouth, Dax’s finger had to be one of the least harmful.

“It’s your clinic,” Lily’s father said disapprovingly. “You don’t want other people telling you how to run it.”

“It is her clinic,” Dax said evenly. “She’s the one to decide how she wants to run it.” It was almost exactly what her dad had said, but phrased this way it pointed out that he was butting in.

“If you work fewer hours,” her mother said, “you’d have time for research or a clinical trial.”

The warm weight of Sophia in her arms helped Lily stay calm. “I’m not interested in doing that, though I’ll probably continue to do volunteer work at the clinic in the Downtown Eastside. But mostly, I want a more balanced life and lots more time with my husband.”

Glancing at Dax, she saw that Sophia’s rosebud mouth had released his finger. The baby’s head had tilted, curving into his big palm, and she appeared to be asleep. Holding his hand at that angle couldn’t be comfortable, but Dax didn’t move it. Did he see how wonderful this was? How could he not?

“With your brain and discipline, you could do so much more,” her mother complained. “Family practice . . . Well, anyone can do that.”

Lily sighed. She did believe her parents loved her, but their brand of love was tough to take.

“Can just anyone do it with Lily’s degree of skill and commitment?” Dax said. “Besides, it’s what she enjoys and she should be happy in her work.” He leaned close to Lily and, with mischief sparking his gray eyes, murmured so only she could hear, “Probably not a wise move to mention your gran, right?”

She stifled a snort of laughter.

“It makes sense to me,” Anthony said, surprising her with his support. “Lily was the kid who stuck bandages all over her dolls. She’s a healer and a good one.”

Regina nodded. “We trust her with Sophia’s care. We wouldn’t give our daughter’s medical care to just anyone.” Her crisp lawyer voice put a slight emphasis on the last word.

“You’re thirty-two, Lily,” her mother said. “This is the time to build a career, not cut back on it.”

She’d disappointed her parents again and they’d disappointed her too. Same old, same old. “Mom, Dad, I’m a grown woman. Trust me to decide what’s best for me. Practicing family medicine makes me happy, and so does spending time with Dax.” The imp poked her again, and she added, “I know you love me, so I hope you’ll be happy for me.”

Dax’s eyes twinkled as he gave her an approving smile. “And that would appear to close the subject,” he said. “Those are our New Year’s resolutions. Make some changes in our work, spend more time together, and be happier. How about the rest of you?”

“I think we’ll adopt your resolutions,” Regina said, reaching out to clasp Anthony’s hand.

“Well,” Lily’s mother said, “if Dax lives in Vancouver and you reduce your work hours, Lily, then it’s time for something else.” She nodded pointedly to the baby in Lily’s arms, dozing against Dax’s big hand.

“And that would be Dax’s and my business. Now, isn’t it time for dinner?” Still, it might be the only time she’d ever agreed with her mom.