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"How did the dinner out with Natalie go, Charles?" Larry asked me on Monday, as I did some equations on the blackboard in my office. He and Amita sat nearby.
"The owner of one of her patients thought dad was her father, and that Don and I were her brothers" I said with a smirk.
"The age thing really bothers your doesn't it?" Amita said with raised eyebrows, as she looked through some notes that she had in her hands. The light, fuzzy sweater looked great on her.
"I found her to be a very intelligent, charming woman" Larry commented . "I can certainly see what your father finds attractive..
" It's very obvious that she loves animals," Amita added.
"It's not just the age thing..." I began. "Dad acts differently around her"
"Oh?" Larry asked.
"During the dinner, Don and I were horsing around, ya know...and Dad told us to stop it! He usually doesn't do that!" I insisted.
"She was a guest, and your father is of that generation that believes that you should control your behavior when there are guests around"
"And, I don't see him as often!" I complained.
"Relationships take time and effort" Amita said.
"I know...but..." I stopped writing. "She's not right for him!"
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At Alan's urging, I went to see Don at his office, bearing a sandwich on Wednesday. After getting it from a very good deli, I drove to the Federal Building, where he worked. Then, I went up the elevator. In my haste, I had forgotten to take off my white coat and I.D.. Soon, I was at some bullpen, with two bags in my hand.
"Hey Natalie!" David greeted me.
"Is Don here? I thought he might like lunch?" I said.
"He's having a meeting with the assistant directer. Why don't you sit? It will be over soon" He suggested. The place looked like any other office, except that there were wanted posters, and the people wore guns.
"Sounds like a plan." I said. Soon, he excused himself, As I waited, a young agent tentatively came up to me.
"Are you waiting for someone?"
"Agent Eppes. I'm a family friend" I said. "He's at a meeting."
"Would you mind giving some medical advice. It's about my dog." he said. "Could we go to my cubicle to discuss the case?" I guess the guy had seen the ID hanging from my white coat.
I left the food where I had been sitting.
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"Where'd she go?" I asked David. All I saw were the two bags of food. I had groaned inwardly when I had first found out that she had come, but knew that at least for Dad's sake, she had to get the royal treatment.
"She didn't seem to be in a hurry" David shrugged.
"Maybe she just got an emergency call" I suggested, as I opened the bag. Rich, delicious smells rewarded me.
Just then, she came back.
"Sorry I was gone, but another agent needed some medical advice about his dog." she told us.
"Franks?" I asked. He was the only one on my team with a dog.
"Yeah." she nodded.
"Was it serious?" David asked.
She got into a long winded explanation about it. The only part I really understood was where Franks had to take his dog for a detailed exam, and that she prescribed something.
"Let's go eat in the break room." I suggested.
"Okay."
Soon, we were both eating.
"This sandwhich is delicious!" I told her.
"It's a deli that's near my clinic." she explained. "Actually, the owner of that place has two bassett hounds. They're regulars and real sweethearts."
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The break room looked like the one in the clinic, with a fridge, a microwave, a sink, and a few cabinets. Weirdly enough, Don ate his sandwhich the same way Alan did
"Any exciting cases?" I asked.
"Racketeering." he told me.
"Sounds interesting." I told him.
"What about you? Anything new at work?" He sipped his can of coke.
I talked about a couple of interesting cases that I had.
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Natalie sure loves her work! When talking about it or her patients, I could see the same passion that Charlie showed when he talked about math. I started to wonder if poor dad had to get an earful about her patients often.Did those two even have anything in common?What the hell did they talk about?And, if you ask me, I think she's better with animals than with people.
Soon, Megan, with some takeout, joined us. She listened to Natalie intently, and asked questions at the right times.
Time passed, and she had to go because of an appointment with a dachshund, who had worm problems.
"Sorry, Don!" she apologized. "I hope you enjoyed your lunch!" Soon, to my gladness, she was gone.
"She loves her work" Megan observed. "And you, were bored like hell, but you made an effort for your father."
"Let's get back to work" I said, wanting to change the subject.
"Charlie's not very fond of her" She commented, then asked.. "How do you feel about this relationship?"
"Dad's happy, that's what matters" I told Megan. I didn't want to discuss my issues about the whole thing with her. With that I went to my desk.
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In the evening, it was just me and Don, again. As we ate delivered pizza, he told me about Natalie's visit.
"That doesn't sound like a good time" Iremarked when he finished relating the story.
"Tell me about it" He finished up the slice in his hand and got another one. "But it confirmed my suspicions that the relationship is not gonna last long"
"I hope so." I really wanted Don to be right.
"Soon, Dad and Natalie will breakup and he will go out with a woman his age" Don opened another beer and sipped it.
"Maybe she'll have a son or daughter who likes math" I said hopefully.
"Or sports" Don added.
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I could feel the dirty looks of a couple of woman my age as Natalie and I were lead by the Maitre'd to our table. I just ignored them, and focused my attention on Natalie. She looked radiant in the blue dress that she had on. I had managed to get a reservation because a client of mine knew the owner. Soon, we were seated. Softly, a pianist played "The Way you look Tonight" and the only lighting was the candles that every white cloth covered table had. After we were given the wine list, a man about Natalie's age, came to our table.
"Nat! How ya doin?" The gave each other a quick hug.
"Alan, this is Brian, a friend from Vet school" she introduced us.
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Brian had practiced in Riverside until the death of his wife seven years ago. He then moved himself to some small desert town near the Nevada border.
"How's the clinic?"
"We're doing great!" I told him then asked, "How's your practice?"
"It's steady, and I seem to have more Alpacas as patients" he told me.
"Really?" I was surprised.
"A few people have been getting small herds of them." he shrugged. It was weird seeing him in a suit. I was used to seeing him dress casually, or with a white coat.
"What brings you to L.A?"
"I'm having dinner with my brother and his wife." He told me. "They worry about me. Anyway, how is Carl?"
"He's getting an article published in JAVMA" I told him, refering to the Journal of the American Vetinarian Association. "It should be in the next issue"
"I look forward to reading it!" He said. "Well, I need to rejoin my party. I'll come visit ya sometime at the clinic."
"Sounds great! You can give me advice about Alpacas!" I teased.
He chuckled, said goodbye to Alan, and left.
"Alpacas?" Alan laughed slightly. "You know, I've seen commercials that make claims about how profitable they supposedly are. Guess more people are falling for it than I thought"
"Looks like it". Soon, we ordered our wine, and it came within minutes. As I sipped it, I noticed that one of my married regulars was holding hands with another man at a nearby table.
TBC