Balancing Protective Love

Coffee after braces

After they left the clinic, Alex suggested grabbing some coffee to relax. Linda, still feeling a bit off from the earlier procedure, agreed, and they invited Dr. William Harper along. They found a cozy café nearby, the kind with warm lighting and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

Once inside, Alex ordered a black Americano, while Harper went for a strong espresso. Linda, in need of some comfort after the stressful morning, chose a sweet caramel latte, hoping the sugar would lift her spirits. They sat by the window, the warm afternoon sun filtering through the glass.

Linda sipped her drink slowly, still feeling a bit flustered from earlier. The awkwardness in her expression must have been evident, because after a few moments, she spoke up. "I'm really sorry for being so dramatic back there," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "I didn't mean to make things more difficult."

Dr. Harper was the first to respond, his tone light and reassuring. "Oh, don't worry about it, Linda. We see that kind of reaction all the time. Trust me, it's not a big deal."

Alex nodded, looking at her with that calm, comforting presence he always had. "Yeah, there's no need to apologize. You handled it way better than most people would've. And it's totally normal to feel uncomfortable during those kinds of things."

Linda gave a small smile, though her fingers still fidgeted with the edge of her cup. "Thanks... I just felt like I was making a fuss over something small."

"You weren't at all," Alex reassured her, giving her a warm look. "We're just happy we could get it fixed for you."

A comfortable silence settled over the table for a moment before Linda, wanting to steer the conversation away from herself, looked at Harper. "So you're best friends...how did you two meet?" she asked, her curiosity piqued by their easy camaraderie.

Harper smirked and shot a quick glance at Alex before replying. "Oh, that's a fun story. Alex and I met back in dental school. We were in the same class, and let's just say it wasn't always friendly competition at first."

Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, we definitely butted heads early on. Harper was the orthodontics guy, and I was more into general dentistry. But we ended up working together during our residency and realized we made a pretty good team."

Linda's interest was piqued further, and she grinned at their playful banter. "That's really cool. So you've known each other for a while, huh?"

Harper nodded, sipping his espresso. "Yeah, years now. We've got a good system down at the clinic. And when it comes to tough cases, I know I can always count on Alex."

Linda smiled at their friendship. "It must be nice to work with friends."

"It is," Alex agreed, reaching for his Americano. "It helps when you have people you trust."

Then Linda remembered the other doctors she had met at the clinic during previous visits. "Hey, where are Dr. Eric Liu and Dr. Michael Johnson today? I thought you all usually worked together."

"Oh, Eric's out of town for a conference," Harper replied, setting down his cup. "And Michael's catching up on paperwork this morning. You know how it is, balancing patient care with the administrative stuff."

"Yeah, that's why we can sneak out for coffee," Alex added with a smirk. "They're stuck doing the less fun work."

Linda laughed lightly. "Well, lucky me, I get the best doctors and coffee afterward."

Harper grinned. "We try to take care of our favorites."

The conversation flowed easily from there, and Linda began to relax more, the earlier tension slowly dissipating with every warm sip of her caramel latte.