A Fiancé for the Holidays - Chapter 6
“I know Lindenwood Diner isn’t one of the posh places you’re used to eating in, but you don’t have to frown about it. Trust me, you will love their food.”
“I’m not frowning. Why would I be? I’m the one who suggested eating here last night before we fell asleep.” Ainsley closed his eyes so he could focus on her voice instead of the anxiety quickly building inside him.
“It’s not the food. I’m sure I’ll enjoy whatever they have.”
She cocked her head to the side, assessing him as only she could.
“What’s wrong, Ainsley? You’ve finally gotten what you came here for. Me. Us. You should be dancing on the ceiling. Why so pensive?”
This was the perfect opportunity for him to come clean. He knew it was. But telling her everything now not only risked their fragile reunion, but the survival of the clinic. Neither of which he was willing to let go of so easily.
“You’re never more afraid of losing something than when you get it back. We have a beautiful future ahead of us, Zaire. But only if we can get past the choppy waters we’re in now.”
He gave her a wary smile and exited his car, walking over to the passenger side to let her out. He could see the lines on her forehead deepening as her mind tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
“I’m not sure what this is about, Ainsley. I can only reiterate what I said last night. I want us to build a future together.”
“I know you do.” To his own ear, he sounded unsure; he must sound like a wreck to her. “Let’s get inside and we can discuss this further.”
Once they were inside, he scanned the room until his eyes fell upon the familiar face he was looking for. He knew the moment Zaire spotted his mother too, because she stiffened slightly before looking up at him, giving him a shaky smile.
“You brought your mom here to celebrate our reunion?”
He remained quiet until they arrived at the booth his mother was sitting in. “My mom being here to celebrate our reunion is a bonus, Zaire, but not the reason she’s here.”
She didn’t speak, simply looked between him and his mother before gathering herself and putting on a welcoming smile for his mother’s benefit. She leaned down and hugged his mother tightly.
“Mama Clay, I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too, baby.” The woman hugged her once more before Zaire slid into the opposite side of the booth.
“Is that why you’re here, because you missed me?”
His mother narrowed her gaze at Ainsley in that disapproving way only a mother had. She’d chastised him many a time with that look, and every time he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole, hiding him from her scrutiny. Today was no different.
His mother didn’t speak to him. She simply turned her attention to Zaire. As he sat down next to Zaire, his mother stretched her hand across the table, covering Zaire’s hand and lovingly stroking it with her thumb. “Partially. But mostly I’m here to do what all mothers strive to do—protect the futures of their children. In this case specifically, to help the daughter I’m gaining through marriage save her very important family legacy of service and care.”
Zaire was quiet, her body stiffening as she waited for Jamila Clay to elaborate.
“I’m here to save your family’s clinic, Zaire.”
***
“You called your mother to bail me out? After I specifically told you not to?”
Ainsley held up his hand to stop her. “To be fair, you didn’t tell me not to call her for help. You told me all the reasons why you didn’t call her.”
“Don’t play the semantics game with me, Ainsley. You won’t like the outcome.”
Zaire could feel the blood rushing in her head, pounding at her temples. She huffed. Catching a glimpse of his mother, she tried her best to tamp down her anger in front of the woman.
“Mama Clay, I appreciate you wanting to help. I really do. But I can’t accept a bailout from you. Half the hospital already believes I only obtained my position because Ainsley and I are together. My professional reputation would never survive this. I told Ainsley all of this. I can’t believe he wasted your time bringing you all the way out here when he knew I wouldn’t accept your very generous offer.”
To the woman’s credit, instead of looking offended, she tossed a sympathetic smile at Zaire.
“I understand, Zaire. I’ve been in similar situations with Ainsley’s father and grandfather. I told my son I wasn’t sure his idea was the best way to handle things. But if there was even a chance I could help you, you know I had to come. My love for you wouldn’t let me do otherwise.”
Goodness, she loved this woman. Everything in her wanted Jamila Clay to be her mother-in-law. But this stunt by Ainsley cracked that dream to pieces like a sledgehammer to a mirror.
She turned to Ainsley, her face hot. She could feel the tears welling up as she fought to hold them back.
“I needed to be your equal, not your charity case, Ainsley. But you just don’t listen to me. I can’t be with a man who wants to manage me. I know you have a good heart, but you expressly ignored my wishes because you thought your idea was more important than my feelings. A partner, Ainsley. That’s what I wanted, not a manipulator who pats me on the head like I’m too precious to understand how the real world works.”
She motioned for him to let her out of the booth. He hesitated for just a moment but then relented and stood aside so she could slide out.
“Mama Clay, I’m really sorry.”
“No need to apologize, dear girl. I completely understand.”
Zaire nodded, then turned to Ainsley. When she saw the remorse in his eyes, everything in her wanted to tell him it was all right and she forgave him. But she knew, like the contours of his body, that if she relented now, she’d spend a lifetime with Ainsley managing her life like a treatment plan for one of his patients. She couldn’t do it. Not now, not ever.
“You’re more than welcome to come to the Kwanzaa celebration tonight, Ainsley. The patients would miss you if you weren’t there. But after that, I’ll thank you to return to California where you belong.”
“And what about you?” His voice was solemn and heavy. “Will you be coming back home too?”
“Brooklyn is my home.” Her words were stronger than she thought she’d be able to manage considering her heart was beating unbelievably fast in her chest. “I’ll return to San Francisco to submit my official notice to give your mother time to either promote my replacement from within or hire someone from the outside. But when I leave UCSF, it will be for good. Goodbye, Ainsley.”
Without looking back, she walked out of the diner and didn’t stop until she was in the parking lot. She couldn’t look back, not even for a second. And as much as the pain tried to pull her under the surface, she couldn’t succumb. She had a clinic to save. There was no time for her to fall apart.