Dylan continued on. “This is my final week. I’ll be getting my things in order and clearing out my office. It’ll be hard to leave because I’ve dedicated so many decades to this clinic, and a piece of my heart will always be here. I’m proud of everything we’ve done—everything you’ve done. You’re all very special to me.”
“We’re going to miss you, Dylan,” Anthony said. “Won’t be the same without you.”
“It won’t,” Shelly said in agreement. “But we’re excited for you. This next chapter in your life will be wonderful.”
“You can always stop by while you’re in the city,” I said. “We’d be happy to see you.”
Dylan nodded. “Thank you. And I know you’ll be in good hands with my replacement. He’s the smartest man I’ve ever met.”
Anthony. A twinge of disappointment hit me, but then it disappeared just as quickly. The selection was well-deserved because he was a brilliant diagnostician who truly cared about his patients.
I looked at Anthony, and we shared a smile.
Dylan continued. “You’ll meet him next week.”
My head snapped back in Dylan’s direction when I heard what he said. Whoa, what?
Meet him next week?
As in, he’s not in this office right now?
What the cock-balls is this shit?
My colleagues looked just as bewildered, exchanging subtle looks of confusion with one another.
“He’s quite the young man,” Dylan said. “Brilliant. Innovative. Successful. He wears quite a few different hats, so he has a broad understanding of medicine, from patient care to research and development, education…the list goes on and on. I think you’re all going to really like him.”
Yeah…I don’t think so.
Dylan lifted his sleeve and looked at the time. “It’s getting late, and I know you guys have lives to live. See you tomorrow.”
“Mom, I’m pissed.” I stormed into the Trinity Building, the place where I grew up, and marched to her desk. “I’m fucking pissed, and I need to talk some shit right now. Otherwise, my head is going to explode.”
She sat behind her desk, her reading glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. “Oh no. What happened?”
“Girl, I’ll tell you what happened.” I pulled out one of the chairs to her desk and plopped down. “So, Dylan picked a replacement. Spoiler alert—it’s not me.”
She took off her glasses and swiveled in her chair, empathy shining in her eyes because she was always on my side for any story I told. “I’m sorry to hear that, honey. It’s hard to watch someone take a position you believe you deserve, but you need to be supportive of your colleague who deserved it as much as you.”
I burst into maniacal laughter—because she was so far off course.
Her eyebrow rose, watching me laugh at her desk.
“Oh, Mom…you’re cute.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That’s not what happened. One of my colleagues didn’t get promoted.”
Now, she looked utterly bewildered. “Then who did Dylan hire?”
I raised my arms in the air in an exaggerated pose. “No idea. Total stranger. Some guy off the street.”
“It was an outside hire.”
“Yep.”
“Oh…” She inhaled a slow breath, studying me like she didn’t know what to say.
“We all bust our asses day in and day out, get there early, stay late, work on the weekends, but yeah…let’s hire someone who hasn’t worked there a day in his life. It’s fucking bullshit. He said he was the smartest man he’d ever met while Anthony was sitting right there. Insulting. Is Dylan senile now?” I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my legs, so furious that I couldn’t contain it.
“I don’t know what to say…”
“You don’t have to say anything, Mom. I’m not looking for solutions—just some good ol’-fashioned shit-talking.”
“Well, you know I’m your girl.”
“Yep. My ride-or-die bitch.”
She chuckled and grabbed her purse. “You want to go out for a drink?”
I snapped my fingers and pointed at her. “See? That’s why you’re my ride-or-die bitch.”
We left the office and walked through the building to the front doors.
Dad walked in at that moment, in his typical hoodie and jeans, his computer bag over his shoulder. The first person he looked at was Mom—like he hadn’t seen her for days rather than hours. Then his eyes shifted to me, joy entering his gaze instantly. “Hey, sweetheart. Where are you guys off to?”
“Mom is taking me out for drinks because I’m pissed with a capital P.”
Dad turned back to Mom, quizzical.
“It’s a long story.” She grabbed his arm and leaned in to give him a quick kiss.
“It’s actually not that long,” I said. “My boss decided to use an outside hire to replace him. Boom, done.” I stormed out the revolving doors and onto the sidewalk.
It took a moment for my mom to join me, probably because Dad had a couple questions. He always had questions. “Alright, where should we go?”
“I’m thinking dive bar, tequila shots, the whole nine yards.”
She chuckled as she walked beside me, rocking her heels and little skirt like she was still in her twenties. “I’m too old to keep up with you, but I’ll try.”