Chapter 63 : U-Turn

Morgan and Alex looked at Neil with big eyes. He was so serious. Why was he about to ask them? "Neil, are you two alright? You scare us." Alex asked, a little panicked.

Neil was embarrassed to ask to his friends about this. He didn't want them to feel obliged to agree with his request. He took his courage with both hands and took a big sigh before starting to explain.

"Claire and I talked a lot about this… We wanted to take Gabbie with us, Claire warned me it would be difficult. But I've kept hope and she was right. Mrs. Kays confirmed me that people with ID have a lot of troubles to handle with change and that it's better to let them keep a very precise routine."

Alex and Morgan looked at Neil with attention, nodding at every of his words.

"So we had another idea… In case Mrs. Kays confirmed it was not possible… And this idea involves the two of you."

Morgan and Alex shared an inquiring look. Neil scared them.

"So… I don't know how to tell this… So I'll be quick and direct. Claire and I would like to know if you agree to have rights over Gabbie. Like being tutors to her, but legally. She has no one in San Jose now Claire and I are gone in Raleigh. And we would love to know she has people she can count on here while we are not here. Just in case something happens and a decision needs to be taken quickly as we live at the other end of the country…"

Neil looked at his two friends who were surprised by his request.

"I know it's a lot to ask but I trust you – as Claire does too - and I know Gabbie loves you. I'm reassured when I know she's with you. We would just like to make things official but if you refuse, we completely understand because it's a lot and we don't want to impose such a charge to both of you. "

Silence surrounded them for a few minutes. A big deal for Morgan who overtalked everything all the time. Neil was stressed about their answer. He would be pleased if they accepted but he would understand if they declined as it was a huge responsibility.

Morgan and Alex shared a conniving look. "Where do we sign?" Alex asked with a mischievous look.

"Really?! You accept to be Gabbie's legal tutors?"

"You really think we were gonna refuse this when we spend as much time as we can with her. Really, Neil?"

He stood up and hugged them. "I can't never thank you enough for this."

"It's us who can't thank you enough to have let us meet Gabbie! Where do we sign?"

He handed them the documents. "From now on, we will be officially in charge of anything that happens to Gabbie if neither I nor Claire can be there for her or if it's very urgent… Are you sure to be ok with this?"

As only answer, they took the pen on the table and signed the document. "And it's done! Anything else?" Morgan raised her head with a large smile.

"We could call Claire to tell her the good news?"

Morgan grabbed her phone and dialed her number. She put the speaker on and placed the phone on the table.

"Hey Claire!"

"Hey Morgan, everything is ok?"

"More than Ok, Claire." She heard Neil's voice. "They signed all the documents. Alex and Morgan signed all the documents. They are officially Gabbie's legal guardians." Neil's voice was shaking as he announced this to his wife.

"Really, you did?"

"You doubted of us?" Alex asked, faking being shocked.

"No, of course. But it's so huge… I could have understood if you have refused…"

"Claire, Morgan and I are honored that you asked us to be Gabbie's legal guardians here in San José. It means a lot."

Morgan nodded, tears coming to her eyes but trying to restrain them. "You know that we love her a lot." She just completed, for the others not to notice her confusion. Morgan and Alex were moved by Claire and Neil's request. It was a proof of their trust, their friendship.

"Thanks again, guys. Neil and I will be reassured to have trusting people to look after her if anything happens. Time we come, we know she will be with you. That means a lot, really."

Neil nodded at each word his wife was telling. He was glad and appeased to know Gabbie had from now officially people she could rely on in the same city as she was.

"I'll go and drop the papers tomorrow to Mr. Novak at the same time as the papers for the clinic. It should be official within the next few weeks!"

They kept talking for several hours. Claire was the first to hang up. She was tired and tomorrow she had to be early at the hospital because she had a big surgery scheduled.

"Call you tomorrow when I'll be with Greta! Have Sweet dreams, love you C."

Neil, Morgan and Alex enjoyed the rest of the evening drinking a good bottle of wine. Tomorrow night Neil will be sleeping at Greta's home. Like the next three days. From there, he will have time to handle some legal files with Mr. Novak. And then, he will be back home. Back to Raleigh. Back to Claire he was missing tremendously. Despite her bad temper and her love for messiness.

"Think I'm gonna go to bed, too." Morgan announced. "My first patient is at 9AM tomorrow morning and I don't want to be late."

"Good night, Morgan!"

"Good night, babe. Will be there in a few minutes. I met Audrey tomorrow morning to talk to her about one of my new residents who is a real catastrophe. At first, I thought he was anxious but after three months, it's not anxiety, it's called mediocrity. But you know his dad has given a lot of money to Bonaventure so he's kind of protected… Hope he'll change of specialty after I talk to the direction… Something less dangerous… Maybe… No, listen, he needs to give up medicine… I'm sure he paid people to take the exams to his place."

"Good luck, Audrey can be a pain in the ass when it's question of money and sponsors… Just hope she'll think about the legal problems she could have once he'll make a mistake… Which is a matter of time apparently."

"Even weeks I think! I don't allow him in my OR since last time he made fall scissors, picked them from the ground and gave them to me afterwards!"

"But this guy is a threat!"

"A real one and I don't want to be involved with him anymore, no matter what Audrey says tomorrow, he's not my resident anymore! And I want him to be fired from Bonaventure, from medicine in general. And for this, I need strength. Have a good night, Neil. See you tomorrow morning."

Alex disappeared as he entered the bedroom. He was already concerned about his meeting with Audrey tomorrow. Neil remained some more moments in the sofa alone, enjoying the view from his friends's apartment. He poured another glass of wine, and looked at the San Francisco Bay just in front of him. He liked this view, he had liked it for years. But as far as he liked it he knew his future was not here anymore.

[…]

"Hey, had a good night?" Alex was already in the kitchen, all dressed and drinking coffee. "You want some coffee?"

"With pleasure!" Neil came sit next to him. "Ready for today?"

"Oh yes. I can't let this man wander in the hospital corridors anymore!"

The two men shared some words before Morgan got out of the bathroom, hurried as usual. "You're not late, M. Just relax."

"Alex, don't tell me what Iam or not. What about the traffic? What if the car doesn't work? What if…"

"What if you sit a few minutes and drink a good coffee?" He proposed to her. She was always so stressed in the morning. She came and sat to drink her cup of coffee. Also time to say goodbye to Neil who was leaving them to go and see Greta today.

They separated at the entrance of the building. Each one joined their car after hugging for a while.

"See you soon. Say hi to Greta!" Morgan ran to her car and left in a hurry.

"See you soon, bro. Wish me luck!"

"You're gonna kill it! Keep me posted!"

"Will do! See you soon!"

Neil remained all alone in the street with his suitcase. It was time to go to his car and to meet Mr. Novak for the day. A long day of accounting and legal mentions was waiting for him! He took his suitcase and walked till his car parked in the next street. He put the suitcase in the trunk and started the engine.

When he arrived at Mr. Novak's office, he was not there yet. A problem with his dog his secretary told him. "But you can wait him in his office. May I serve you something? Some coffee?"

"Coffee will be perfect!"

She brought him to Mr. Novak's office and opened the door. "You can come in. Please sit, I come back with your cup of coffee."

Neil sat and took from his bags the big files he had prepared with Cassie and Morgan on the previous days. Mr. Novak was back a few minutes later with a cup of hot coffee and some biscuits.

"This is for you. Mr. Novak will be there in less than one hour, just time for him to drop his dog to the vet."

"It's OK. I understand."

"In the meantime, if you need anything, I'll be at my office, please come and ask me. I'll be happy to help you." She left the room, letting Neil alone. He took his phone and called Greta to tell her he will be late tonight because his lawyer had a personal problem and his meeting with him had been postponed from at last one hour. "But I promise I'll be there for dinner!"

"Better be there! Or I'll be angry at you. And you don't want an angry Greta after you."

"Promise! Just a matter of time to check on some files and solve some legal issues. And tomorrow, we spend the day together!"

He kept talking with Greta for some times before hanging up. She had so many ideas for them tomorrow, their day will be more than busy.

"Sorry to be late, Mr. Melendez."

Neil jumped when he heard this voice coming from behind his back. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!"

Mr. Novak blushed. "Oh don't worry! It's just I didn't see you coming. Was lost in my thoughts. How are you, Mr. Novak? And you dog? Your secretary told me you had to go urgently to the vet. Hope he's doing ok."

"The poor thing climbed in the tree and couldn't go down. I couldn't reach him so he had to jump. But it didn't end well. The vet thinks one of his legs is broken."

"Damn… Poor little thing."

"Yeah… Anyway, he's in good hands now. Time to take care of your files! Let's talk about your clinic which is doing very well from what I saw."

Neil showed him the files he had prepared on the table. Big amount of paper filled with numbers and boards and indicators. Morgan and Cassie had classified everything with a color code to ease his work with Mr. Novak. The numbers were very good. He confirmed it to Neil and told him he will be able very soon to hire a new doctor as Dr. Reznick required.

They ordered food to gain time and kept working during lunch time. In the middle of the afternoon, every file related to the clinic was closed. "See you next year for the same thing! And now let's talk about your personal files!"

Neil rummaged in his bag, took out a large envelop and handed it to Mr. Novak. "Here are all the documents. Signed and initialed as you asked. I let you check everything."

Mr. Novak opened the envelop and read every piece of paper. After a while, he raised his head and nodded. "Everything is in order. I'll take care of all of this tomorrow and will register so it could be official in the next two weeks. Just need you to sign these documents" He handed Neil two thin files. "And then it'll be over."

Neil took, opened them and read slowly. He gave a faint smile to Mr. Novak and signed all of them. They kept talking for another two hours before saying goodbye. Neil got out of the office and got to his car. Twenty minutes later, he was already at Greta's. He got his suitcase out of the car and knocked to Greta's door.

"Darling! You're here!"

"Told you, I'll be there for dinner!"

"Good for you!" She hugged him hard. "I'm so glad you come at my house for a few days. Come in and tell me everything about you and Claire, and Raleigh!"

And before he could tell anything, Greta had closed the door.