My Christmas Doctor

Jane sighed. "She's just a big believer in the whole men should take care of women, and women should want to get married and have babies and to have a man take care of their every need. They shouldn't be out in the workforce, taking good jobs from men who need them." Jane rolled her eyes. "My parents were older when they had me, and Mom was brought up in that kind of a household. You know the type, deeply religious with her dad as a pastor, and her mom was subservient to her dad. My Gran never had a job. She was a housewife and mother, and Mom only had one as church secretary in her father's church until she met and married my dad."

"So, she's got old fashioned ideals, nothing wrong with that, if she believes that, but she shouldn't be pushing those same ideas on to you."

"She's loosened up a bit, I mean, yes, I grew up in a strict household, but once I finished college and all, she didn't object to me getting a job. It's just she thinks I should come back to Akron away from the sin in the big city, as she puts it."

I chuckled as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "She's just worried about you I bet."

"Yeah, I guess so." She blew out an exasperated breath. "I bet you don't have to deal with anything like that though."

"Huh," I chuckled, "You'd be surprised. My mother called to harass me today too. She thinks that the only people worth knowing are the ones in the Hamptons. She keeps pushing for me and Belle to get back together."

Jane frowned. "Why did you two break up in the first place?"

"Because she's crazy." I gritted my teeth, thinking about Belle drove me nuts.

"You realize that men who call their ex's crazy are usually waving a big red flag against relationships…" she pursed her lips and stared at me.

"In this case, I'm not exaggerating. Belle, much like your ex, cheated on me. We were never really good together from the start because we wanted different things. Belle wanted to be a doctor's wife, but she didn't understand what that meant. She thought I would be able to be home, we'd go on trips and go to fabulous parties and meet celebrities… when she realized that wasn't going to happen, she started looking for a doctor who could provide that. She got her boobs done, and then a face lift — not that she needed either one of those things — then she'd go back for lip plumping and Botox… or so she said. Took me a while to realize she was only telling me that was why she was going to his office. She was going to see him all right, but it was because they were having an affair. She thought Dr. Drake Clifford could provide her with a better life. So, I divorced her."

"If she's seeing this other guy, this other doctor, why is your mom pushing for you two to get back together?"

"Because the game was over the moment that she was single. Drake isn't going to leave his wife. Belle realized her mistake and has been trying to get me back ever since Drake dropped her, but I'm tired of her cheating and lies. Drake was only the last in an extensive list of the men she cheated on me with. I'd always taken her back before, but I was tired of the cycle and wanted out."

She put her hand on mine and stared up into my eyes. "I'm sorry she did that to you."

"Me too, but being here with you, I'm really glad I decided to break that cycle and get out." I stroked her cheek and ran my thumb over her lips. "I'm very glad I met you, Jane." Leaning down, I kissed her, softly pressing my lips to hers.

"Me too, Brian." She wrapped her arms around my neck, and we spent the rest of the evening cuddled on the sofa and making out like a couple of teenagers.Chapter 15JaneSeptemberBrian and I had been seeing each other for a couple of months now and I was over the moon. He was such a patient and loving man; I couldn't believe my luck. He treated me very well and we could spend hours just talking, usually about books and medicine and anything else that struck our interests.

Tonight, he was taking me out for dinner and to see a show, so I'd stopped writing early. The book was coming along nicely, I was getting close to writing the end, another three chapters and I would be ready to start editing, the bane of my existence. Self-editing was always hard. But tonight, tonight was all about the romantic evening Brian had planned and I wanted to look my best for it.