Chapter Six

AN: A short little epilogue

"You're what?" Glassman said.

Neil tried not to laugh at the man's reaction since he was potentially in enough hot water. Claire did her best to appear as calm and as neutral as she could.

"Married, Aaron. We're married. Have been for months.

"Well, this changes things." Glassman leaned back in his chair and frowned. He'd offered Neil the interim Chief of Surgery position the day before after approving Dr. Lim's sabbatical. Andrews wasn't interested, more focused on his family and not excited about a placeholder position.

Neil frowned. "Why? We've already talked to HR this morning, and they're satisfied. We barely work together anymore being on different rotations and Claire reports to Dr. Singh anyway. The question of undue influence is about as mitigated as it can get."

"HR said that?" Glassman asked. Neil nodded. After a few moments pause when it seemed he might relent, Claire and Neil shared a quick, hopeful glance between them. Glassman sighed and considered the two doctors in front of him. "Alright," he replied, smiling a little. "It must be serious. And you're lucky I like the two of you. It turns out Dr. Lim is going to be out longer than anticipated anyway."

Concerned, Neil flashed a questioning glance at Glassman. "Something wrong?"

"Wrong? No. She'll be taking her sabbatical as planned. We're still working out the start date and then another six months of maternity leave."

"Maternity leave!" Claire and Neil repeated.

Glassman grinned at their obvious surprise. "You're not the only one who knows how to keep a secret apparently.

"That's …" Neil's gaze met Claire's and they both laughed. Glassman stared at them, confused by the reaction.

"There's one more thing," Claire said.

Quick to pick up on the subtext, Glassman practically exploded out of his chair. "You're kidding!"

"Not kidding," Neil said, sharing a loving look with his wife.

"Very much pregnant, too," Claire confirmed.

Glassman walked around his desk to perch himself in front of them. He fixed his stoic glare at one and then the other. Neil squirmed a bit in his seat while Claire cleared her throat and glanced nervously at Neil. Finally, Glassman stood and gestured Neil to follow him. But instead of leading him out of his office, he embraced him, offering his congratulations and a genuine beaming smile. He followed suit with Claire giving her a fatherly peck at the top of her head.

"I'm so happy for you two. I don't know how you've kept all of this under wraps for so long but you've both had a lot of practice, I guess. Now get out of here. I've got some board members to call to let them know things are handled over here."

Neil and Claire smiled at Glassman and then each other as they left his office, a little dazed, but so relieved to have this huge thing off their chests. Claire realized Neil was close to bursting if he couldn't freely boast about all of the good things he had in his life right now.

She'd been softer about it, more nervous, strangely. But she looked forward to sharing her life more openly too. To celebrate her husband and best friend and watch him glow from finally having the chance to be a father.

As they left the president's office and went back to work, they stopped where they'd split off to continue their day - Neil down the hall to his office and Claire to the elevator to reach hers.

"Did you bring it?" Claire asked. Neil nodded.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring he'd bought for her that weekend in Vegas six months ago during their impromptu vacation. Neil produced a matching one from the pocket of his blazer. They slid each on simultaneously, remembering the little chapel where they'd exchanged rings and vows. When they returned home, his mother had been so mad she hadn't been there, so they'd promised her a proper church wedding when everything was finally out in the open. She'd probably be the first call Neil made.

Neil took her hand, running his thumb across the ring before bringing it up to his lips for a quick kiss.

"I'll see you later, Mrs. Melendez." He laughed at her reaction: a roll of the eyes with a matching grin pulling at the corner of her mouth.

"That's Doctor Melendez. Browne-Melendez to avoid confusion. And not at work," she chastised. "Too confusing."

"Yes, Dear." Claire groaned and walked away.

"You're terrible," she responded.

"That's why you love me," he called back, now unafraid of who might hear.

Claire stopped and turned back to him. "Maybe," she said and then disappeared toward the elevators, a warmth spreading in reaction to the adorable grin on Neil's face.

She'd finally gotten everything she'd wanted. They both had.

THE END