Chapter 4

When I heard the door click open, I looked towards the door excitedly waiting for my dad to walk in. When he did, I smiled widely, standing up to step around the couch.

"Hey Dad"

"Lexy," he pulls his brown coat from his back "how are you doing?"

"Fine Dad. How was work today?"

"Fine," he hung his coat on a nail on the door " but I couldn't stop feeling so guilty. I'm really sorry I wasn't able to come home last night, Lexy"

"Dad it's really okay," I put on my best smile " you're here now. Did you eat yet? I wanted making you soup for dinner but I wanted to wait till you come in first"

"Oh that better be some other day then because, I'm treating you out to dinner"

My smile widened immediately, "really?!"

"Yes, let's go eat at your favorite diner. Why don't you go dressed while I take a quick shower?"

"Yes, dad! I'll get dressed too!"

That said, I hurried back into my room and tore myself from my dress. Then I jumped into the bath cubicle and let the water run through my body. Only for a short time because I was soon hurrying back out and picking out a dress. I decided to wear one of my knee-length fley gowns with a brown leather jacket to go with it. I brushed my hair back and picked up my shoulder bag before walking out.

My dad stood before the door, eyes perched on my door as he waited for me.

"You ready, sweetheart?" He asked, reaching to open the door.

Nodding, I replied "yes dad" 

He leads me out before we got into his other red SUV car which was parked along the lawn. After getting in and putting my seatbelt on, I suddenly remembered Adam bringing his car yesterday.

"Dad, some guy from across brought your car into the garage yesterday," I told him " said his name is Adam Scott"

"Oh yes," he replied, starting the car "good boy"

He pulled back and out into the streets. He drove us to my favorite diner where he always brought me for dinner back in the days. He'd first started bringing me here for treats on my birthdays and soon coming here was a regular based thing since we were mostly eating out when he came from the hospital. He was always away, working his butt off at the hospital and so he always thought treating me out to dinners and spoiling me was a way of showing me how sorry he was.

The owners of the diner, Mr and Mrs Johnson, had gotten so used to us, they needn't ask what we wanted to order unless on special occasions when I wanted something different from the number one on the menu. Mostly on my birthdays.

Dad pulled up in front of the tall diner building. I stepped out and lead us in through the shutter door. We found a table at the side of the window and sat down.

Mrs. Johnson, an African American woman like her husband, in her middle fourties and coffee brown hair she always twisted back into a scattered ponytail hurried towards us, a big welcoming smile on her face.

"Lexy! It's so good to you!" She exclaims, turning to my dad and adding "Greg, you didn't tell me she's back!"

"Sorry, Emilia, I've been so. . . . . . . . "

"Caught up at the hospital, I know!" She cuts him off, turning now to face me "look at you all big now, Lexy? How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Mrs Johnson. I just got back yesterday. Sorry I didn't come to say hi before now"

She waves her hand dismissively at me, "that's alright, my dear. It's just so nice to see you again"

"It's nice to see you too" I smiled back as her words warmed my heart.

"Tell me, did you show that school what stuff you're made of?" She continued, leaning over the table towards me " that your father is doctor Bronte? That. . . . . . . ."

"Jesus, Emilia, I think you girls can have this chat later. If you bring my food any later from now, I'd be sleeping on it before you know" my dad cuts him off.

Giving him a disgusted look, she said to me "your dad has gotten old, hasn't he? He doesn't know talking is really a healthy thing! Tell you what? I just made a new cupcake off an entirely different recipe and I'm gonna let you taste them first"

"Oh that's so nice of you, Mrs Johnson. Thank you so much!"

"I'll be back, Okay?" I nodded and watched her hurry back into her kitchen.

I looked back at my dad to find him smiling widely at me. I smiled back, knowing exactly what he was gonna say.

"Emilia, always so festive" he said.

"Yes. I think I missed her a lot while I was at the uni" I replied, sighting a waiter walking towards us with our food trey.

"Tell me about school, Lexy, how was it?" He asked, just in time for the waiter to arrive with our foods. I helped him put them down before he left.

"Was pretty okay, fun, " I chuckled "and was really tiring sometimes. I'm just glad I'm out of there!"

"I'm glad too, Lexy," he looks seriously into my eyes "it's good to finally have you back"

I smiled back before eating, waiting for the perfect time to tell him what I wanted so badly to tell him. We talked about many things, my friends back in school, his work, his friends, his friends sons, my love life which felt really awkward but he wasn't even bothered about the fact that I didn't have a boyfriend. He only smiled about it.

"Dad. . . . . . . . I wanna discuss something with you" I said finally.

"Sure, anything"

"I. . . . . . . . . I wanna intern at your hospital, dad," I told him "and maybe I can start working there too"

I noticed the way his face changed but only for a split second before he replied, "you mean you wanna come live your life in this remote city?" He chuckled "I thought you'd wanna work and live in the big cities"

"I do, Dad but I wanna work with you. I wanna be with you"

He watches me for a while and I watched him too, waiting for his response. Then he sighed and said, "Lexy my darling, are you sure you wanna do this? I mean, there's so much out there for you"

"I know dad but. . . . . . I just wanna work with you. Maybe for now and. . . . . . I've just been away from you for so many times, Dad and I thought you'd be happy if I told you this. . . . . ."

"I am happy, Lexy," he cuts me off "I just thought you'd wanna live up more than what happens in LA. . . . . . thought you'd wanna be in the big cities, work at the biggest hospitals there. I'm sorry if I said too much"

"No dad, you didn't," I gave him a smile "maybe I'd do all that someday but right now, I just wanna work by your side"

A smile sprouts to his lips and he nodded "okay" he replied.

"Thank you dad!" I exclaimed joyously.

"I will try to bring you in tomorrow or would you rather start next week?"

"Tomorrow, totally!"

"Now can we eat our food now, your lady?" He said jokingly.

Laughing back, I replied "yes, my Lord"

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The following morning I was up as early as I could, getting ready to go to the hospital where I'm gonna be interning. I got dressed in a skinny jeans and a white corset top, brushed my hair backwards and pulled on my black pump shoes. I applied a little make up of maskaras and a lipgloss.

I walked out and saw my dad putting his black coat on. He turns his head to see me.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Yep!"

"You learnt to ride a car yet?"

"Yes?" I stopped in front of him.

He nodded before turning around to pick a car key from beside the table and pointing it out to me "here," he said "you can have it now"

"Dad?"

"I'm gonna get your own brand new car if that's why you're hesitating to take this" he joked.

I smiled and reached out to take it from him "but why are you giving me this now?"

"Many nights I may not be able to come home early or come home at all so it'd be best you have your own car so you can go and leave as you please"

"Thanks Dad" I leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"Come on now, I'll take you today" he said, winking curtly at me before walking out. I followed him and got into his other car, the one Adam had brought into the garage the other day.

He drove us to his hospital where we both got off and walking in together.

The instant I walked in, I saw Melissa on her desk. She beams a smile at me which I returned before proceeding towards the next hall way with my dad. We came across another desk with three women seated behind it. The first one was an African American woman, who looked much older than the other two. She was a mother figure, probably old enough to have someone like me as a daughter.

My dad stopped before their table and the African American woman was the first to acknowledge us with the big smile on her face.

"Good morning doctor Bronte! Is this your daughter?" She squeaked.

"Yes, Helen" my dad replied.

She steps out from behind the desk to me, her smile unchanged as she stopped in front of me.

"Hello my dear, how are you?!"

"I'm fine, mrs. Helen" I replied with a smile "I'm Lexy"

"You are a beauty, aren't you? Now you can just call me Helen okay?" She said excitedly before pointing to the other ladies at the desk and adding "these are Elena and Becca"

They nodded their heads in acknowledgement and I returned it.

"We're the nurses here," Helen continued, taking my hand "I'm the head nurse. Come, I'll show you around"

"Looks like I got my work cut out for me then" my dad said from behind us "I'll be in my office incase I'm needed. Have fun sweetie" he plants a kiss on my cheek before walking away, towards his office.

"What's your major, dear?" Helen asked as she walked me towards a door.

"It's cardiology"

"That's really nice" 

Stepping into the room, I saw a wide room filled with two guys and a young lady who looks a couple of years older than me. The room is well packed with many decorative like flowers on pots littering the shutter windows, books piled up high on stationary tables, fish aquarium on one side. This was an office no doubt.

There's a demarcation with tables and chairs that split the room into four. Each table carrying its own books and other office necessities.

I noticed that one of the table seat was empty and I knew immediately that I was going to be filling that space.

The three seemed to be busy and didn't see us walk in until Helen clapped her hands and they all snapped their heads towards us, my eyes catching sight of the first guy closest to the empty desk.