Cloud 69

13:

She nodded her head in response as she checked her watch. "That's good news," she said as she pushed her chair away from the desk, standing up and smoothing her hands over her pants. "Speaking of good news-"

I cut her off, "No, I know that tone. You're up to no good."

She gave a very fake laugh while she slipped on her white coat, which was among the many garments hanging from her coat rack. "Well, you're going to have to ask your father for the good news. I have surgery in twenty minutes."

Considering she set the time of our meeting, I was skeptical of this so-called 'surgery' she had to rush off to. It gave me certainty that this good news was not actually good news. In fact, it had to be bad if she was forcing dad to break it to me.

She gave me a very quick goodbye as she rushed out of the office, shooing me in the direction of my father's office. With all of two steps, I was in the doorway of my dad's office.

He and my mother were very different people, and if I had to guess, I'm sure he was the one to decide they needed offices separate from one another. His trash bin was empty, and his coat rack only held his white coat and the windbreaker he wore to work. The wooden surface of his desk shines like he had polished it this morning, and a neatly organized file rack is placed in the corner of his desk next to a black cup that holds three pens and one pencil. The rest of the surface is bare except for the computer and the neat stack of papers he is currently reading from. The only thing on the wall is our Christmas card from last year. I could pretty much guarantee my mother hung it up without his permission and he hadn't bothered to take it down.

"Hi, Father," I groaned, walking in with very little fanfare. I was sure he heard me leaving my mother, so he didn't need a knock. I went behind a desk and kissed his cheek.

"Madeline," he greeted, not lifting his eyes from the papers he was reading over just yet. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Can we cut the chit-chat and just get to the chase? What's the news?"

My father rolled his eyes, "Is that any way to speak to your father?" His focus drifted from me as he began typing something into his computer. He was clearly stalling, which did not go unnoticed by me.

"Pardon me, sir, may we surpass the tiny chatter so you may elaborate on the recent development the madam has informed me of?" I said in a fake accent, very sarcastically may I add. "Now, stop stalling and just spit it out!" I hopped up on his desk, blocking him from looking at his computer.

He scratched the back of his neck, "Well next weekend, there may be a small gala that you have to attend."

"Dad," I groaned.

He held up his hands, "I'm sorry, honey. The owner's of the hospital in Italy, the one the Daniels' are working at, are having an event to celebrate the joint work of our hospitals. The owners insisted on meeting you and Carson." When he saw the anger on my face, he continued on. "Your mother practically had to take a blood oath that you two would be there in order to appease them. Italians are very persistent."

I whined, "So not only do I have to go, but that loser has to come with us?"

"Madeline," he warned. "Your mother just busted your ass about this, let's not start again."

"But, Dad, I already have plans next weekend. Jason's having this-"

"Family trumps friends, Madeline," He said, cutting me off. "Besides, if you're going to take over the hospital some day, it's important you attend these events now."

I rolled my eyes, "I have like another decade before I'll even be a licensed doctor. I don't see the urgency."

"No, all you see is party, party, party." He sat up in his chair, placing a hand on his hip. He brought his voice up a few pitches as he said, "I'm Maddie, and I like shopping and partying and hanging out with my friends and getting drunk! Life is fun, I want to stay young and stupid forever!"