Page 23 of Stat: Love In Scrubs

M y energy is renewed. I took a little over a week to be in my feelings, but I had so many things to get done.

Darby decided she would be at my side for the entire day, especially since we hadn’t hung out lately.

I’d been with Desmond at his house half of the time I took to get my head back on straight and my parents on the other. Not that I was trying to neglect her.

I needed the time with them, and Desmond was a bonus. His stays came with earth-shattering orgasms and fun times with Esa. Kids had a way of improving your day when you’re sad or conflicted.

My first order of business was to meet with contractors, since my insurance company approved the cost of construction to rebuild the other half of the building.

I wanted to establish timeframes and dates before speaking with my staff.

After everything had taken place. I had to email the parents and the staff, alerting them that the Academy would be temporarily closed.

We also offered them the option of a refund of the tuition they had paid, so they could obtain temporary care for their children.

However, the majority, if not all, denied it, suggesting that I pay it to the teachers so they wouldn’t have to find another job while the remodel was underway.

In moments where you think you’ve lost everything, you figure out who your real family is, and he is going to step up.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head, and we haven’t even made it to the school,” Darby says.

“Yeah, just a lot on my mind. Not bad though, I’m just appreciative of all the things.”

“The things?” Darby asked with a lift of her brow.

“The things. You know, the many blessings I have received, the way you, Daddy, Maria, Desmond, and all the parents from the school have supported me. When I saw the side of the building burned down like that, it felt like my dream had died. That I had failed my mom, and I hated to feel like that.”

I paused briefly to get my thoughts together.

“You, you didn’t fail your mom, right?” Darby asked.

I glanced up at her.

“I’m starting to. I realized that sitting around pouting about things falling apart wasn’t going to make much of a change. Which is why you’re with me today, handling business.”

“Mhm, I’m assuming Desmond was busy, which is why you wanted my company?”

I rolled my eyes and nudged her shoulder while staying focused on the road.

“I couldn’t miss you?” I asked.

“Not likely. Especially since my friend is getting dick on the regular, I suppose I am going to give you my time while you handle boring shit. Enlighten me with the good stuff!”

I burst into laughter. I swear it was truly something wrong with this woman.

“It’s not much to tell. We’re having a good time and things are going good.

But I will tell you this. Lately, I’ve felt like he has become a distraction for me.

If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in him, I would have noticed something was going on with the Academy.

Maybe the fire wouldn’t have happened?—”

Darby shook her head, then interrupted me.

“Nope. I asked for the good shit, not the things you’re making up in your head as a barrier. Didn’t you just say this man was a blessing? What we won’t do is go throwing around blame. How the hell would you have noticed a problem with the electricity? You aren’t a damn electrician.”

I opened my mouth to speak, and she leveled me with a glare, then continued.

“I’m going to tell you this because I love you and I care about you. Not to mention, this is the happiest I’ve seen you in a long time. Be honest with me. Do you see a future with this man? I only want a yes or no. No list of doubts and buts or could happen.”

I released a sigh as I pulled into the parking lot of Little Angels Academy. Then parked. I sat silently for a moment, but I didn’t need to think long. I already knew the answer as soon as she asked me.

“But, what if?—”

“Uh, huh. Yes or no?” she interrupted me again.

I released a breath, then ran my hands down my face.

“Yes,” I whispered.

Darby cupped her ear, then leaned on the armrest.

“I don’t think I heard you clearly. Repeat that and add a little more sauce to it.”

I laughed and shook my head. Darby’s ass really got on my nerves sometimes.

“Yes, bitch!” I shouted.

Darby laughed. “Exactly. Now cut the mess and allow that man to love on you while you deal with your shit. He doesn’t seem flaky to me.”

She shrugged and leaned back in her seat. I couldn’t even laugh with her because I was really conflicted. But I heard her loud and clear.

“I hear you.”

“Good, because you aren’t going to ruin me being the maid of honor at your wedding.”

I leaned back in my seat and turned to face with a lift of my brow.

“My what?” I asked.

“You heard me. You know I’ve never been to a wedding. After Mr. Sinclair cheated me out of being a flower girl at their wedding because they went to the justice of the peace, I’ve been hurt. So now you’re going to make up for that. You might as well get used to the sound of Yara?—”

She paused and put a single finger to her chin as if she was thinking really hard. Then she turned to face me with a serious expression.

“What’s your doctor’s last name again?” she asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Wilder.”

“Okay, like I was saying, you might as well get used to being called Yara Wilder because it’s coming. Oh, and the baby too, I’m ready for God-mom duty. Y’all been wrapping it up?” she asked.

I was still trying to block out the rest of the mess she was spewing for my life.

“Huh?” I asked.

“You heard me, hoe. So, I’m going to take that as a no. Baby probably gone be here before the damn wedding, and you know Mr. Sinclair will not be feeling that.” She told me.

“You get on my nerves real bad,” I told her, then laughed.

“I’m just stating the facts. All of this has sped up my dating calendar. I’m going to need to have a date for the wedding. Lawwwd… I need to be back in the library this week.”

I rolled my eyes and smacked my lips. “First, stop going to the library. You aren’t going to meet no damn body in there. You do realize it’s a place to read and be quiet, right?” I asked.

“Of course, I realize that. I actually met two nice men there last week. I just haven’t called them yet.”

Before I could respond to her long laundry list of nonsense, the contractor pulled up. But before we got out of the car, I gave Darby the ground rules.

“Before we get out, don’t harass this damn man.”

“Girl, please, I’m grown, I’m about to get out.” She reached for the door handle to pull it up, but the door wouldn’t budge.

She turned back to face me with wide eyes, her mouth dropped open. “Hoe, did you put the child lock on my door?” she asked.

I quickly slipped from the car with a laugh. I glanced over my shoulder to see that she was climbing over the armrest to get out on my side. I was still laughing as I walked a little faster to meet the contractor in front of the building.

A FEW HOURS LATER…

After Darby and I handled things with the contractor. I scheduled the meeting with Desmond’s boss. Then went to buy more groceries for my house since I hadn’t been home in a while. Darby helped me clean my house and then cook dinner.

It was funny how much Desmond had been on my mind all day.

He was at work, but he made it his mission to keep in contact with me.

It showed me yet another reason why I had been tripping earlier.

Darby was a lot of things, and crazy being at the top of that list, but she always had my best interest at heart and was always there to reel me back from the edge.

Darby leaned across the island, eating her portion of baked chicken, diced sweet potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, with a side of green beans.

I texted Desmond to see if he had eaten, and he let me know he would just eat something from the cafeteria.

So, I packed up a lunch and left Darby to watch my house since we planned to watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

“Don’t take too long, or I'll take that as my cue to head home.” She said as she walked toward the front door with the food and my keys.

“I hear you. I’ll be right back, I’m just dropping food off and coming back.”

“Mhhm,” she hummed as I closed the door behind me.

The hospital wasn’t too far from me, so I listened to music the entire way. Then, I parked in the parking garage. I released a breath, hoping that he wouldn’t be busy or mad that I came up to his job. I wanted to surprise him and do something for him, for once.

I made it up to the seventh floor and walked over to the check-in desk, hoping they didn’t give me any problems.

“Hi, what’s your name?” the woman said with a bright smile.

“Hi, I’m Yara. I don’t know if this is the way to do this or not. So, I hope I don’t get him in trouble. I’m here for Dr. Wilder. I brought him dinner,” I told her, lifting the lunch bag to show her.

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled before picking up the phone and speaking.

“Dr. Wilder to the front desk, Dr. Wilder to the front desk,” she repeated over the loudspeaker.

I felt like every eye in here was on me, and I was trying my hardest to appear confident, but I really wanted to turn my ass around, head back home, and leave the food with the nurse. She smiled and told me he would be there any moment now.

A few moments later, Desmond was walking from the back with a confused expression until his eyes fell upon me. The way they lit up gave me a bit of a boost that I was doing the right thing. He grabbed some hand sanitizer from the wall, rubbed his hands together, then walked over to me.

The way he walked toward me had Morris Chestnut in The Best Man beat—but Desmond? He was finer. And the way his eyes lit up when he saw me made me forget why I ever thought about staying home. Yeah, I was blessed, and I knew it.