A Date For the Summer

Chapter 4: Claire

I blanked for a moment, not a clue what Joe meant. Then I realized I WAS dating a guy, and actually had dinner plans with him this evening. "Oh, god, Matthew," I put my head in my hands. "I completely forgot about him."

Joe laughed at my expression, setting down the piece of bread and wiping tears from his eyes. "Are you serious? You forgot about a man?"

I sighed and took a long drink of water. "I keep meaning to end things with him. I was lonely, wanted someone to go out with occasionally. But he's just... boring," I groaned. "I can't bring him to the wedding. Jesus H, Joe, I forgot I had dinner plans with this man tonight," I whisper at him, scandalized, as he laughed.

We stopped chatting for a moment as the waitress brought over our lunches. I added some pepper flakes to mine. We sat in silence for a few minutes, eating. Joe put his fork down for a second and looked at me seriously.

"Claire." Joe rarely used my actual name, unless it is something incredibly serious. I looked up from my slice of pizza, a bit confused. "I've seen the paper work on your desk. I know there is a fellowship out there near your uncle that you've been considering. Are you going to try to get an interview while out there?"

Joe and I never talk about the possibility of me returning back to England. And part of me couldn't imagine working in medicine without him by my side. But I also knew I couldn't lie to him about what I was considering, even if it meant putting a clock on our time together. "I don't know. That's a lie. I am considering it, but I don't know if I would want it. I miss my uncle, and it would be good to spend some time in England. But I've only practiced here, and Boston has been more of a home for me than England ever was."

He nodded silently, stabbing a piece of noodle and cheese. Then he looked up at me with a smile. "You should go for it. It is an amazing program, and you would do wonders in it. And then you can come back and teach me everything you learn." I laughed a bit at that.

"Okay, enough sentimental talk. Tell me about the surgery yesterday." Joe laughed and launched right into the surgery, fully detailed. We both ate and laughed as we discussed various surgeries we had talked about numerous times, neither one of us shying away from our food or the gory details.

A few hours later I was settled on our apartment's porch, my feet in fluffy house shoes and propped up on the plastic table. I had a few binders out with medical journal printouts strewn all over the place, things I should be studying, but instead I was staring out into space. Our porch was in the perfect spot. It gets enough sunlight, but not direct enough that we would burn up sitting outside.

My phone jarred me out of whatever daydream I was in. I looked down at the time, realizing it was my uncle calling. I hastily picked up and shouted "Uncle Lamb!" at the screen.

"Hello, hello deary."

"Oh you...you have the camera backwards. Hit the button..." I laughed trying to direct him to turn the camera around.

"Ah yes. I am starting to understand these phones. Now I can see you too. All is well?"

"All is. And you?"

"Everything here is dry. I miss the rain. Who ever thinks that?" he took a long pull from his cigarette. "So you don't usually need to talk outside of our weekly scheduled chat. Everything okay?"

"Oh yes, of course! Did I worry you?" He made a face to imply that I hadn't, but he wasn't fooling anyone. "No, actually, Geillis and I got invited to a wedding in a few months. In June, actually. And well, it's between her classes and my rotations... well, we were wondering if you had some time to host a few uni girls for a month or so."