"You just have to see him, darling, it'd be rude not to!"

Valerie ran a hand over her face. Her mother had been squealing about Brian getting back in touch for almost an hour now. She was sitting on her maroon couch, occasionally taking a sip from the cup of tea that was sitting on the mahogany coffee table. Pepita was sitting by her feet, taking a nap. Markus had outright refused to take the dog, so Valerie had happily adopted her. She needed some company around her apartment, anyway.

"Mom, Brian and I broke up for a reason, remember?"

"Didn't he say you were putting your work over him? Just tell him that you're already where you want to be in your career and that he's always been more important than working at Caduceus. Men love to hear that they're more important than your career (not that surgery isn't important, darling)."

"But I'm not at where I want to be in my career, Mom," Valerie said, suppressing a groan. "There are still so many things for me to achieve."

"Your ambition is admirable, sweetie, it really is, but you should also think about starting a family. I'm not getting any younger."

"Mom, I don't really think Brian is the kind of person I'd want fathering my children."

"You're right," her mother said suddenly. "If I had to choose between him and Markus – there would literally be no competition."

Here it comes, Valerie thought. Markus had just had to charm the pants off her mother during Caduceus's spring benefit last year. Ms. Blaylock was absolutely infatuated with him.

"How does somebody as handsome as he is have time to be a successful surgeon?" Valerie hadn't even been listening to her mother's chatter. "I wonder if he's dating. Do you know if he's dating, Valerie?"

"Mom, Markus and I are professionals. We maintain a professional relationship."

Ms. Blaylock sighed heavily into the phone. "The only way I could maintain any sort of relationship with Dr. Vaughn would be if that relationship involved him wearing nothing but a – "

"OKAY, Mom," Valerie interrupted. "Look, it's getting a little late, and I should get some sleep. I have a ton of surgeries lined up for tomorrow and…"

"Well, alright, sweetie. But promise me you'll at least have dinner with Brian. Maybe he's matured a little."

"Sure, Mom, whatever," Valerie said, sighing. "Say hello to Dad for me."

"Okay, sweetie! Have sweet dreams – I know I will. How do you work in such close contact with such a prime member of the male species? I would just accidentally take out a kidney instead of a spleen."

"Mom, please," Valerie begged.

"Good night, honey."

Valerie hung up and flopped face down onto her couch. Pepita yawned and turned over. Valerie looked at her clock. It was only eight 'o clock. Maybe it was worth giving Brian a call.

Just as she was reaching for her phone, a sharp knock echoed through her apartment.

"What in the world…"

She stepped over Pepita, who had rolled off the couch in order to investigate. She sniffed at the crack under the door and then wagged her tail happily.

"Somebody you know, Pepita?" Valerie asked, pulling the door open.

It was Markus.

"Markus?"

"Hey, don't raise your eyebrows at me. It's only eight 'o clock. Totally respectable – unlike you with your early morning excursions."

"I just…what are you doing here? I thought you said that you…well, had nothing to do."

"Exactly," Markus said. "I just thought I'd drop by to see Pepita."

Pepita rolled around on the floor.

"You…came over to see the dog," Valerie said flatly.

Markus shrugged. "I was in the neighborhood."

"No, you weren't."

"No, I wasn't."

A sudden silence came upon the apartment. Markus bent down to pat Pepita's belly and Valerie just stood there with the door still open.

Markus looked up at her. "Val? Hey, I can leave if you want. I just figured that you probably had nothing to do, either, so I thought I'd drop by. You know, keep you company."

"I thought you said you were here for Pepita," Valerie said dryly.

Markus smiled at her. "I'm here for both my girls."

Valerie raised her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest. "Are you drunk?"

"Maybe a little," Markus admitted.

"Markus!"

"I'm kidding," Markus said, getting up and dusting his jeans off. "Geez, can't a guy just drop in on his partner?"

Valerie let out a long sigh. "Do you like tea?"