Balancing Protective Love

BBQ Party

When Alex arrived to pick up Linda from work, she was pleasantly surprised. He greeted her with a smile as she climbed into his car.

"Hey, thanks for picking me up," Linda said, settling into the seat.

"Of course," Alex replied, giving her a warm smile. "I thought it'd be nice to bring you to a BBQ party my friends are hosting. It'll be a fun way to unwind."

Linda raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh, that sounds great! I didn't realize you had such a big circle of friends."

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, they're all pretty close. You'll get to meet everyone tonight."

During the drive, Linda couldn't help but ask, "So, what do your friends do? I'm curious about them."

Alex grinned. "Most of them are in the medical field. You've already met Dr. Smith, Dr. Johnson, and a there's few others with their partner. But no worries, they are all friendly", he gives her a little wink.

At the BBQ party, Linda was introduced to several of Alex's friends. As she mingled and chatted, she found herself speaking with Marco Carter first. He was friendly and engaging, discussing his work in investment banking.

"So, Marco, what do you do for work?" Linda asked, trying to get to know him better.

Marco smiled, "I'm an investment banker. It's a lot of numbers and strategy."

Linda nodded, impressed. "Sounds interesting. But I've noticed that many of Alex's friends seem to be in the medical field. Is that a coincidence?"

Marco chuckled, "Actually, no. It's not. Most of Alex's close friends are doctors."

Linda's eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute. So, Dr. Smith and Dr. Johnson are both doctors. What about the others?"

Marco nodded, confirming her suspicion. "Yep, they're all in the medical field. Dr. Leo Torres is an orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Daniel Kim is a cardiologist. They all work in different specialties, but they're close friends."

Marco grinned. "Yeah, it's a bit of a unique circle of friends. But they're all great people."

"But how did you get to know Alex then?", she asks interested.

As Linda continued mingling, she started to feel a bit tense. The realization that most of Alex's friends were doctors made her feel somewhat self-conscious. She was still processing the fact that she was surrounded by professionals in a field that she wasn't particularly familiar with.

After chatting with Marco, she found herself standing near a small group that included Dr. David Smith, Dr. Michael Johnson, and Dr. Leo Torres. They were discussing medical topics, and Linda felt a bit out of place.

Dr. David Smith approached Linda with a warm smile. "Hi, Linda. How are you doing? Alex mentioned you had a chipped tooth recently. Did you get that sorted out?"

Linda nodded, feeling a little nervous with his concern. "Yes, I did. It was a bit of a hassle, but it's better now."

Dr. Michael Johnson, who had joined them, added, "You've been very brave dealing with that. It's never fun to have dental issues. I'm glad to hear you're doing better."

Linda forces a little smile and looks around for Alex, "Thank you. It's been a bit stressful, but I am definitely feeling better."

Dr. Smith noticed her unease and tried to make her feel more comfortable. "Linda, how are you finding the party? Are you enjoying yourself?"

Linda managed a smile, though she felt a bit nervous. "Yes, it's been great. I'm just trying to get used to the idea that so many of Alex's friends are doctors. It's a bit overwhelming."

Dr. Johnson, sensing her discomfort, chimed in to lighten the mood. "I understand. It can be a lot to take in. But don't worry, we're all just regular people too."

Dr. Leo Torres added with a warm smile, "Absolutely. We're here to have a good time and get to know each other. If you have any questions or need anything, just let us know."

Linda appreciated their attempts to make her feel more at ease. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Dr. Smith reassured her. "That's perfectly okay. We're here to have a good time and enjoy each other's company. And if you ever want to talk about anything specific, I'm sure any of us would be happy to help."

As the conversation shifted to lighter topics and she felt the friendly support from the group, Linda began to relax a bit more, feeling reassured that she was in good company.

But she couldn't find Alex...