The Heart Surgeon's Secret Son

Something about his tone made her wonder if he knew she’d cared for her mother those last few years. But how could he? He hadn’t even known she had a son and being a mother was who she was all about. If he’d ever checked on her he’d have known about Ryan.

He hadn’t.

“The nurse went over discharge care and a home-health nurse will visit him in the morning. He’ll do fine.”

She nodded and they began discussing another patient. Eventually the conversation led to the Clark family.

“Dr. Bourne couldn’t sing your praises enough on how you handled Aaron Clark.”

“He’s not out of the woods yet.” Daniel sounded tired.

“No, but just the fact he’s holding his own is a miracle. A miracle you gave that family.”

“I’m no miracle-giver.”

She smiled softly. “I’d argue that. I’ve seen how you interact with your patients. Each time you’re in contact with them is a blessing. It’s on their faces, in what they say to you, in how they respond.”

“That’s just doing my job, Kimberly. Not working miracles. My guess is you did the same when you worked as a floor nurse.”

She’d like to think she’d made a difference in her patients’ lives, in their families’ lives, but did one ever really know what impact they’d had on another?

“You’re very good at what you do,” she praised.

“I’m one of the lucky few. I’ve always known I wanted to be a heart surgeon. I got to grow up and do the job I wanted. Not many people get to do that.”

“No,” she agreed. They didn’t. If she hadn’t had Ryan, what would she have done after high school? She’d told Daniel she wanted to go into acting and a serious relationship would hinder that pursuit. Pretending her heart wasn’t shattering had embodied all the acting she’d ever done. She’d once thought of going into forensics, but that had just been the silly ponderings of a young girl who hadn’t had a clue about life and the real world.

She’d chosen nursing because of the flexible work hours and the decent pay. A single mother had to consider those things when making career decisions.

Fortunately, she loved her profession.

“I worked hard, but I was also lucky that life gave me the opportunity to go after my dreams,” Daniel continued, his hands loosely gripping the steering wheel.

Should she tell him now what she’d sacrificed for his dream? What he’d unknowingly sacrificed?

She stared at him. Although he watched the traffic and drove carefully, he looked relaxed. More relaxed than she’d seen him look since she’d met him again.

She couldn’t bring herself to mention Ryan. Not yet.

Was it wrong that she wanted more time with him like this, before changing the world he knew?

She’d wait until later tonight, after they’d eaten, then she’d tell him.

Throughout dinner, they laughed, talked about Cardico, reminisced over old times, talking about things Kimberly had forgotten, times she grieved about for the sole reason that Daniel had loved her then.

Daniel drank a single glass of wine and, although Kimberly rarely drank, she had one, too.

“Why haven’t you married, Daniel?”

“Never met anyone I thought I could spend the rest of my life with.”

“But you might someday marry and have children?”

He shrugged. “Maybe, if I met the right person. But I don’t feel any need to marry just for the sake of not being alone, and the world will go on even if I never have kids.”

For a brief moment telling him he already had a kid played on the tip of her tongue, but she made a general remark instead.

When the waiter took their emptied plates, Daniel leaned back in his chair and smiled. “This has been nice, Kimberly.”