Page 20 of Crash: Love in Scrubs
The way he said my name, made me forget what I was going to say next.
“You still there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. I was just thinking. You know you got my friend in my business.”
“You mean our business. “
“Ok, that’s three strikes. You calling me your lady, checking my baby daddy, and making personal calls after hours. What do you want from me Dr. Holloway?”
There was a pause, and when he spoke again, his voice dropped to that tone that made my knees weak.
“It’s Malik, chill.”
“Dr. Holloway, what do you want from me?” That was a weak attempt to pull us back to the professional side. He groaned and I smiled again. I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
“What do I want? I want to take you out. I want to sit across from you at dinner and watch you smile while you talk about all the things that make you happy. I want to see what Sametra looks like when she’s not in mama bear mode or lieutenant mode.”
My lips curled into a smile. I was blushing again.
“But right now, I’m your son’s doctor. So, I’m gonna be patient. I’m gonna keep it professional during his treatment. And when that’s done?” His voice got lower. “When I’m no longer Dr. Holloway to your family and I’m just Malik? That’s when I’m coming to you on a personal level to ask for your time.”
“And what makes you think I’ll say yes?”
“Because every time I’m near you, you forget to breathe for about three seconds. Because you called me back in under five minutes. And because right now, you’re standing with your back to your girls so they can’t see your face. That baby blushing.”
I automatically turned around to look at them, and sure enough, both Halo and Winnie were craning their necks trying to read my expression.
“So yeah, I’m gonna wait. But I’m also gonna keep checking on you and making sure you know exactly where my head is at. Can you handle that?”
“I...yeah. I can handle that.”
“Good. Now go back to your girls before they come and snatch the phone. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Ok, thanks for calling and checking on us.”
“Answer when I call. Sweet dreams.”
He hung up, leaving me standing there holding my phone, probably grinning like an idiot. He was bossy and confident, but he had every right to be. This was going to get interesting.
I walked back over to the girls and plopped down while we all started to laugh. There was no need to push or pry, they knew who it was and they knew I’d share when I was ready.
“Don't,” I said before either of them could speak.
“We didn't say anything,” Halo said innocently.
“Your face said plenty,” Winnie added with a grin.
I settled back into my chair, fighting the urge to replay the entire conversation in my head. I appreciated the space. I just wanted to keep him to myself for a little while. Process without the opinions of others. I needed to figure out if I was ready for whatever this was becoming, because it was becoming something. For now, this feeling was mine and I’d hold on to it.
Two weeks had passed since I started working with Samaj, and I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Sametra. We’d only texted about appointments and progress updates, never veering too far off the professional track. But even in those dry-ass messages, I’d catch myself staring too long at her name, rereading the way she said ‘thank you.’ Like I was trying to find something between the lines. I didn’t know the rules because I’d never even imagined crossing this line before. But she made me want to say fuck the rules and do my big one.
“Come on Maj, take a break,” I said, checking the time on my watch. We’d been going at this for forty-five minutes straight, and even though the kid was tough as hell, I could see the fatigue setting in.
“Five more minutes, Dr. Holloway. I feel like I’m getting somewhere,” Samaj said, gripping the parallel bars with determination. It was a good sign. He needed to understandwhat it meant to work for something. The way I was training his mind through recovery, MiMi would never have another attitude problem from him. He’d understand what she’d sacrificed.
“Nah, we’re done for today. You pushed hard, and I’m proud of you, but overdoing it ain’t gonna help nothing.” I moved to spot him as he settled back into his wheelchair. “Your body needs time to recover between sessions.”
“Man, you sound just like my mom.”
