The Family Doctor by Bobby Hutchinson

open with him about her unusual living situation, her love for Eliza and her problems with her ex. What sort of an absolute fool would force a woman like Kate to divorce him?
    A total idiot, he concluded, reaching for another cookie.
    She could be difficult, though. In his dealings with her he’d recognized an intractable stubborn streak. As he lay there, he thought about the conversation they’d had concerning his accident, and then he fantasized for a while about certain salacious aspects of being married to Kate, but even in his imagination, the idea of bringing her into thehornet’s nest of his family deterred him, so he revised the imaginary relationship into a hot affair. Really hot.
    Cool it, O’Connor. Maybe the aide who delivered his dinner wouldn’t notice his erection. He reminded himself that long ago he’d decided to put his own personal needs on hold until McKensy grew up. Life was complicated enough without adding a lover into the mix.
    But what the hell, there was no law he knew of against fantasizing.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    A LITTLE OVER A WEEK LATER , Leslie shut the door to Kate’s office and sank into the comfortable chair kept for visitors.
    â€œO’Connor’s back at work today, and everybody’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. The word is out that heads will roll at the meeting he’s called this afternoon. Everybody who was involved with his case will be present and trembling in their trainers.”
    Kate nodded, pouring hot water over the tea bags she’d dropped in the mugs. She handed one cup to Leslie and blew on her own to cool it. “I wanted to go over any concerns you have about what happened in the ER that morning. Just so we’re on the same page.”
    â€œYou figure he’ll ream the whole lot of us out?”
    â€œI don’t really know what’s going to happen,” Kate said, shrugging. “He asked for a meeting with the staff involved in his case and I arranged it for him.”
    â€œBut you’ll be there?”
    â€œAbsolutely. He was still pretty angry about everything the last time we spoke, so I don’t have a clue how he plans to handle it.”
    Leslie groaned. “We could all be out of a job by four o’clock. Except the docs, of course. They don’t work for St. Joe’s, anyhow. Lucky them.”
    At Leslie’s morose expression, Kate laughed. “It won’t come to firing, that’s what unions are for. I think he just wants to hear exactly what happened from the people involved.”
    â€œToo bad somebody doesn’t stand up and say, ‘We’re all part of a conspiracy, O’Connor, but something went dreadfully wrong and you survived.’”
    â€œC’mon, Les, he’s not that bad.”
    Leslie shot a look at Kate. “Hey, that’s a new line. Where’s this benevolent attitude coming from? Isn’t this the same O’Connor who tried to get your position canceled not too long ago?”
    Kate flushed and nodded. “The very same. But I’ve gotten to know him a bit better since his accident.”
    â€œAha.” Her friend gave her an appraising look. “And you’d like to get to know him better still, am I right?”
    â€œC’mon, Les, he’s not that good.”
    They giggled at their own nonsense.
    â€œSeriously, though, he’s liable to put comments on our files that won’t be exactly flattering,” Leslie said glumly.
    â€œYou don’t know that for sure. Think positive.”
    Sitting in the boardroom later that afternoon and noting the tense expressions on the faces of the staff who’d been involved in Tony’s care, Kate was having trouble following her own advice. She felt apprehensive about this meeting, and she reminded herself that she didn’t have to fix anyone’s feelings. Feelings just are, she reiterated silently.
    The staff assembled a little early, but Tony had yet to