“Hey, sweetheart. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.”
He laughed. “Sounds like the life of a med student. Is it your professors or classes? It’s not your ankle, is it?”
“No, nothing like that. I feel fine. When you were starting med school, did you ever second-guess your choice?”
Silence stretched for a moment. “Are you having second thoughts on becoming a doctor?”
“No, I want to become a doctor. It’s just that I might want something else too.”
He chuckled. “Honey, your mom and I have been together for almost thirty years, and despite that, I still can’t decipher woman-speak. Help your old man out and tell me what the problem is.”
“I miss Virginia.” Pausing, remembering I had my dad on the other end of this call, I gently added, “Collin St. James, to be exact.”
“So when you said you two were just friends…”
“We were, but then something happened, and things changed.”
“Something like you fell in love with him?”
Maybe I should have called my mother, because my cheeks were becoming redder and redder by the second. It didn’t matter that I was an adult. I would always be his baby girl. “Yes, something like that. I’m just so confused.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? Because I’m here in Seattle starting a degree program that I’ve wanted my entire life, and I should be happy, right? A full ride to my first-choice school. Yet I’m not sure what to do.”
“I’m going to tell you something, Charlie. Your relationship—and you don’t need to give your old man any details—with Collin isn’t a surprise. I know your mother feels the same way. Do you think we were oblivious when you were a kid hanging out at Sally’s? We saw the way you looked at him all those years ago.”
“You did?”
“Yes, and I’m going to tell you one more thing that you learn as you get older, and especially in the medical field—one day you won’t have a choice to leave someone or when they leave you. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I thank God for is that my eyes opened to see the woman I love next to me, and that my daughter is living her best life. I know you’ve always wanted Seattle, but I’m pretty sure you’ve always wanted Collin too. There’s no reason you can’t have the career you want and the man you love. Virginia has wonderful schools… if that is what you still want. You have the grades and are a year or two of credits shy of obtaining your doctorate.
“If you’d rather play football, then do that. One life, baby girl. That’s what we’re blessed with. It’s yours. Not mine, your mother’s, or anyone else’s. Just yours.Youneed to be happy. And from what I can tell, you might be in Seattle, but I believe your heart is in Virginia.”
My gloved hand wiped the tears dampening my face. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll let you know what I decide. Love you. Tell mom I love her too.”
“Will do, sweetheart. Let us know when you get back to Virginia. Remember, life isn’t meant to be easy.”
I laughed through a sniffle. “I will.”
I hung up the phone, and on the way back to my apartment, my father’s words popped into my head. Then I remembered about the box Collin had given me. He told me when things were getting tough to open it. Well, they were tough.
As soon as I got home, I hustled into my bedroom. Opening the drawer in my nightstand, where I’d tucked the box away, I pulled it out and stared at the pink ribbon. I tugged the end, watching the loops disappear. Lifting the top, I gasped at the beautiful charm bracelet. The diamond-cut silver loops sparkled. I took it out to look at the three charms, a football, a stethoscope, and a book. A folded piece of paper lay beneath it.
The note trembled in my fingers, and my heart raced at seeing Collin’s handwriting.
Charlie,
I’m not sure when you’re opening this. Hopefully you waited until you needed a boost. If not, that’s okay too. The message still applies. Years ago, I was going through a rough patch. I doubted myself and wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of my funk. Then I got an anonymous note, so I can’t take credit for what I’m about to say. I don’t know who to give the credit to, but sometimes that doesn’t matter, right? What does matter is that I care about you a lot and, to quote my secret cheerleader, Believe in yourself as much as others do, and greatness will be imminent. You’ve got this, Charlie. I’m rooting for you.
All my love,
Collin
Tears flowed freely down my face. He quoted me back to me. Did he still have the note? Knowing what I needed and wanted to do, I called Reese. Once her assistant connected us, I let out a deep breath.
“Hi, Charlie, this is a surprise. What can I do for you?”