Chapter 12
Chapter twelve: Unleashed Potential
“I’m joining the family tradition, daddy,” Evelyn said softly. “I think it’s time I finally came home.”
Her parents turned and looked at each other, shocked expressions on their faces. Her father smiled broadly and turned to Evelyn. He pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, laughing heartily and patting her back hard.
“My daughter has come back to her senses!” He exclaimed, his deep voice booming through the house.
Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh, tears filling her eyes as she hugged her father back tightly, exhaling deeply.
“I’m home… Daddy, I’m finally home,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks and staining his shoulder.
“Oh my darling…” Her mother joined the embrace. “Welcome home, my darling.”
Evelyn didn’t know how long they stayed in the embrace, but by the time she pulled away, she felt a certain calmness wash over her. And with the calm came tiredness. She struggled to keep her eyes open, rubbing sleep out of them.
“Come, I’ll show you your room,” her mother said. “It’s just the same as you left it.”
Evelyn smiled tiredly. “Thank you, mama.”
“And we start your training tomorrow morning!” Her father said, excitement in his tone.
“Yes, daddy,” Evelyn said with a small bow. “Please forgive me, I’m very exhausted and I must rest.”
He patted her shoulder, love and tenderness in his eyes, making her feel warm. He didn’t judge her, instead, he made her know that she made a few questionable choices.
*Get some rest, child,” he said.
Her mother led her to her old room, decorated in pink, her favorite color when she was younger. Evelyn collapsed on the bed before she even had the chance to take off her clothes.
Without wasting any time, her father made arrangements for her to go to medical school. Already having a pre–med degree from Harvard University, she was easily accepted.
Even though it had been five years since she abandoned her dreams of being a surgeon for her marriage, it was easy for her to immerse herself back into her studies. She was reminded that she actually enjoyed studying medicine. And for a moment she thought it was stupid to abandon her dreams for so long while he continued to chase his.
A few weeks after she began her studies again, Evelyn noticed some changes in her body. At first, she attributed it to the stress of being thrust into medical life again. But as time went by, it became more and more serious. She would be tired all the time, and she always felt sick. The sight of her favorite food made her throw up. Fed up with the symptoms, she ran a test on herself one day after classes.
To her surprise, she was pregnant.
Evelyn had so many thoughts running through her mind. She remembered the last intimate session she had with Caleb, that must have been when she took in. She recalled not taking the pill.
“Should I tell him?” She pondered to herself. But she quickly remembered how he told her to take the pill, a clear indicator that he didn’t want a child. “I won’t do that. I’m raising this baby myself.”
She broke the news to her parents. While they were shocked, they accepted her decision to raise her children herself.
“Maybe they’ll even grow up and follow the family tradition,” her father said.
“It’s too early to decide that, daddy,” Evelyn said, touching her stomach.
“Anything you and the kids ever need,” her father said. “We will provide it. I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandpa.”
Evelyn continued her studies till her pregnancy could no longer let her. The months flew by quickly and before she knew it, she was in labor. She gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, Lance and Milena.
Four years later….
Evelyn walked into the hospital, a cup of coffee in one hand and her phone in the other. She spotted her father waiting for her and pushed the phone into her lab coat pocket.
“Good morning, Mr. Director,” she said with a soft smile, opting to call him by his position.
His face looked grave, and he didn’t smile back. “We have an emergency,” he said, his tone heavy.
Evelyn stopped smiling. “Let’s go,” she said and hurried off.
“Not here, Doctor,” her father said, making her pause and turn to face him. “Let’s go to my office.”
Evelyn nodded and followed him as he walked briskly.
It had been four long years. Evelyn finally achieved her dream of being a doctor while also being a mother to her children. Her father employed her in one of his hospitals in their hometown where she was doing her residency as a neurosurgeon.
They got to his office, and he closed the door and shut the blinds, facing her gravely.
“I don’t know how you’ll take this,” he said softly. “But you need to leave town for a while.”
Evelyn frowned. “What’s the matter? Talk to me, daddy.”
“Caleb’s father needs surgery urgently, and the doctors in the city hospital are unavailable. There’s no one free for miles, they reached out to us as a last resort. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat. Caleb’s father? Sick? And she was the one going to be his doctor? Evelyn didn’t like how her heart dipped. She had done everything in her power to push Caleb to the back of her mind and not think about him for these
past years.
“What do you want me to do?” She asked, her voice firm.
“You’ll have to operate on him.”
“That would mean going back….” Evelyn said, memories suddenly filling her mind.
“Yes, unfortunately,” her father said, “I’m really sorry, my dear, to put you into this situation. But we are doctors, saving lives comes first always. What do you say?”
Evelyn chewed her inner cheek. She didn’t know what to say, her emotions raging inside her. Eventually, she came to a decision.
“Well, I…”
