Unexpected Inheritance

2

In the midst of the bustling grand opening, Miranda found herself momentarily standing alone near the edge of the crowd. The noise, the chatter, the constant flow of people—while it was all exhilarating, it also felt like a lot. That's when she spotted Callie weaving through the guests, a wide grin on her face as she made her way over.

"Well, look at you" Callie said, her voice rising above the noise. "I can't believe it. My friend, Dr. Bailey, is now in private practice. No more ORs for you, huh?"

Miranda chuckled, leaning against the porch railing to catch her breath. "No more ORs, no more crazy hospital hours. I never thought I'd say this, but... it feels right."

"Right, huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Being a surgeon was always at my core, you know? But more than that, being someone who helps—that's what motivates me. These people need me, and I think... maybe I need them too. To be here, not just in a hospital, but part of this community."

Callie nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I get it. You've always had that nurturing side, even when you didn't want to admit it. You're doing good here. And I'm proud of you."

Miranda gave a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Callie. It's a big change, but I think it's the right one."

"And, uh, Eleanor sure thought you needed a Ben too. How's that going?"

Miranda couldn't help but laugh at that. She glanced over at Ben, who was talking with a few of the local patients near the edge of the yard, his easy smile never faltering. "I can see why she thought that. He's been a huge help around here."

Callie leaned in a little, dropping her voice to a teasing whisper. "I'm just saying, I saw the way you two looked at each other during that ribbon cutting. Are sparks flying, or am I imagining things?"

Miranda's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly turned her gaze back to the crowd, her expression unreadable. "I... don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice cool but betraying a hint of hesitation. She didn't respond right away, her mind racing as she tried to push away the thoughts of Ben—the way he'd always been there for her, how comfortable she'd gotten with him, how it sometimes felt like he knew her better than anyone else.

"You don't have to answer. I just know you've been through a lot, and it's good to see you happy. Whatever happens, just don't shut it down before it has a chance to grow."

Miranda met Callie's gaze, her expression softening. "I'm not shutting anything down, Callie. I'm just... figuring it out. One thing at a time."

Callie gave her a knowing smile. "Take your time, Miranda. I'm just glad to see you taking chances again."

Miranda nodded, her thoughts still swirling around Ben and the unexpected way he'd become such an integral part of her life. She couldn't deny the way she felt when he was around. But for now, she wasn't ready to address any of it. She needed this time to focus on her practice, on her son, on the fresh start she'd worked so hard to build.

As Miranda and Callie stood chatting, Ben walked up, his hands in his pockets and a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He nodded toward the bustling crowd, his gaze landing on Miranda.

"Well, Dr. Bailey," he said, his Southern drawl easy and warm, "we did a mighty fine job here today, if I do say so myself."

"We did, didn't we? I have to admit, it's come together better than I expected."

"Better than you expected? I'm gonna choose to take that as a compliment."

She chuckled softly. "Are you planning on sticking around the practice now that it's up and running?"