All Chapters of No Seat for You at Thanksgiving: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"My mother was hospitalized," Bastien explained. "Talia was her attending physician. She was incredible. Really thorough, really kind. Mom was in bad shape, and Talia helped find specialists and got her a bed. Mom recovered, and I couldn't thank Talia enough. One thing led to another, and we fell in love.""Was that four years ago? In the fall?" I asked before I could stop myself.His eyes widened. "Yeah. How did you know?"How did I know?Because that fall, four years ago, my mother was in the hospital too.Her heart was failing. The doctors said she needed bypass surgery as soon as possible. I went to Talia, begging her to help me contact a cardiac specialist. Even just one phone call."Wes, I'm busy," she'd said, as though I were inconveniencing her.I was desperate. I argued. I begged. She accused me of being irrational and said I was suffocating her with my demands.That night she never came to the hospital.I filled out forms, searched for doctors, signed consents, and w

Her father, Conrad, set down his teacup. "It's good to have you home. The house is livelier with you here."I smiled at them.Diane guided me to the couch. Then she looked at her daughter."You've been married seven years now. Isn't it time you two started thinking about children?"I glanced at Talia. Her expression changed, and she reached for the fruit platter."Mom, have something to eat first.""I'm talking about something important, not snacks. You're both getting older. You know better than anyone that it doesn't get easier to have children if you keep waiting. You're a doctor, for heaven's sake.""I know," Talia said after a pause.Satisfied, Diane patted my hand."Don't let her walk all over you, Wes. If she doesn't treat you right, tell me. I'll straighten her out."I lowered my eyes. "All right."My phone vibrated.I'm downstairs, Bastien wrote. I'll bring the order up now.Please do, I replied.Diane was still talking."You two have been together since you wer

At home, she had always been her parents' pride.She'd probably never been so humiliated in her life.After a long, painful silence, she finally bowed her head. "I'm sorry," she said, without meeting my eyes.Conrad pointed at her, his hand trembling."I didn't raise a daughter who shirks her responsibilities. Wesley stood by you for ten years. When you had nothing, he went without right alongside you. When you were busy, he cared for this family. When Joanne died, he was barely holding himself together."His voice cracked with fury."And you were out taking care of another man?"Talia went white. Bastien stared at me."Your mother...?" His voice shook.I didn't look at him. Some wounds weren't his to ask about.Diane was crying openly now."Joanne might have survived if they'd found a specialist in time. He begged you to help. You told him you had to avoid a conflict of interest. What conflict? You're a doctor! You could bend over backward for someone else's mother, but for

Then I answered."Wes." Talia sounded hoarse, as though she hadn't slept. "Did you really have to take it this far?"I stood at the curb while the wind stung my eyes."I could ask you the same thing. Why did you have to push me this far?"She was silent for several seconds."The hospital has taken me off the operating schedule. They've put me on temporary leave. Some patients' families have been showing up at the department and making scenes. I can't control any of that.""And? You expect me to feel sorry for you?""I know I was wrong," she said tightly. "But I've saved lives, Wes. You can't destroy my entire career over our private problems.""Did I ruin your career? Bastien posted the statement. You had the affair. People online are the ones attacking you, and the hospital took you off surgery. How do you still think I'm the one hurting you?"Her breath caught."You're always talking about being a doctor," I continued. "Then you know what happens when something diseased is

I gave the albums and message records to Mr. Corcoran.After reviewing them, he looked troubled."This is more than enough. If Dr. Rademacher hopes to end this without public humiliation, I'm afraid that ship has sailed.""Then she doesn't have to save face," I said.Within days, the hospital announced the results of its preliminary review. Talia was suspended pending investigation and temporarily stripped of her departmental management responsibilities. Her recommendation for an associate chief medical officer position, once considered almost certain, was withdrawn.The reputation she'd spent years building collapsed.Some people said she deserved it. Others argued that a surgeon's private life shouldn't matter if she was good at her job.But I knew this wasn't about her private life. It was about a line no decent person crosses.She'd turned away when her husband's mother was dying, then bent every rule to help a man she wanted to impress. Her so-called principles had been fa