I’d pulled plenty of all-nighters in my career, but today, I was running on less than three hours of decent sleep. A messy combination of newborn duties and an early surgical consult had me chugging coffee just to keep my eyes open.
Typical Monday, I told myself as I headed through the hospital corridors.
At least it was my kind of mess. Better to be exhausted from caring for my daughters and saving lives than…well, any other reason. Still, my shoulders felt stiff from tension. Ella was worried about her job, the girls, and me and Leo. I had my worries, too. Neither of us was good at opening up about what was on our minds. But we’d figure it out.
As I paused near the nurses’ station to grab a file, one of the RNs, Marta, hustled over, breathless. “Dr. Mortoli, quick!”
My pulse spiked. “What is it?”
She looked alarmed, gesturing down the hall. “It’s Dr. Boddington. He’s hurt—again. He’s in the breakroom, bleeding!”
A surge of adrenaline hit me. “Damn it,” I muttered, already picturing the old codger. He was on blood thinners for a heart condition, and the last time he’d tried to pop the tab on a soda, he’d sliced his fingers enough to leave half the breakroom spattered red. “I’m coming.”
I sprinted behind her, ignoring the way my heart thumped. Seriously, that man needs a caretaker just to handle soda cans. It was early—no reason for him to be slicing anything else. Maybe he’d discovered a new method of injuring himself.
The breakroom door loomed, and I shoved it open, calling, “Dr. Boddington, where—”
A roar of voices erupted, nearly stopping me in my tracks. “Surprise!”
Pink confetti rained down, and I almost tripped on the threshold. The entire room was decked in pastel balloons, streamers, and an obnoxious banner that read, “Congratulations on the twins, Dr. Mortoli!”
Seth Bowan stood at the center of it all, beaming like the cat that ate the canary.
I blinked, mind reeling. What the fuck is this?
My adrenaline soared in the wrong direction, half from confusion, half from noticing the array of hospital administrators crammed in the corners, sipping punch and smiling politely.
Ah. That’s why.
Seth clapped his hands loudly, stepping forward. “Dr. Mortoli! So glad you could join us. Heard about your babies—figured we’d celebrate properly.”
My eyes flicked to the cluster of suits near the donut table. They were sipping coffee, observing the goings-on. Noting every glance, every ounce of judgment in their eyes.
My pulse pounded. “Uh,” I said, forcing my best professional grin, “this is…wow. Didn’t see this coming.”
Seth grinned with pure malice in his eyes. “I know.”
Dr. Boddington himself wasn’t bleeding at all—he stood off to the side, guffawing with a soda in hand. Great, so they used him as bait.
Seth clapped a friendly hand on my shoulder, turning me toward the administrators. “We just wanted to show our support, you know? It’s not every day a surgeon juggles newborns and work—especially two of them.”
There is a kind of strain that comes with not sleeping. An all-over muscular tension that leaves you aching by the end of the day. Then there’s the kind of strain that your body undergoes when you’re doing everything in your power not to punch someone’s lights out.
Today, I felt both.
I felt the muscles in my jaw tighten, but I maintained the outward veneer of composure. “Right,” I said, scanning the bright pink and blue decor. Some folks had gathered baby gifts, presumably. A stuffed giraffe perched on a far table laden with pastel presents. The thing was massive, and it stared me down as much as Seth did. “Thanks, Dr. Bowan,” I managed. “This is thoughtful.”
His lips twitched in a smug smile. “Of course. Anything for a colleague. After all, we know you’ll be needing extra time off soon, with…special needs, right? Better to celebrate while you still can.”
My heartbeat hammered, rage flaring at his insinuation. “My daughters are perfectly healthy,” I said evenly, forcing a small laugh. “No special needs, no complications.”
Seth’s eyes flicked to the administrators. “Oh? But newborn premature twins require a lot of care. We understand if you’re, ah, stepping back from certain responsibilities.”
I forced a chuckle that tasted like bile. “Oh, I’m not stepping back at all,” I said lightly. “I’ve got top-notch help at home, and everything’s under control.”
Roxanne Weiss cleared her throat. “Dom, we’re delighted about your new additions, of course. But Seth mentioned you might need extended paternity leave. There’s no harm in ensuring you’re not overextending yourself.”
A bald-faced lie and we all knew it.
I plastered on a polite smile, ignoring the knot of anger in my gut. Well played, Seth.
The man was a snake, orchestrating a “baby shower” to publicly corner me. “I appreciate the concern,” I said smoothly. “But I assure you, I’m handling everything just fine. The twins have a nanny, and their mother is a fantastic partner. I am just as focused on the hospital as I ever was.”
Seth’s grip on my shoulder tightened in a show of camaraderie that felt more like a threat. “Yes, well, we all know you have your hands full— two premature newborns, a busy schedule…just wanted you to know we respect your decision when you decide it’s too much.”
Not if I decide it’s too much. When.
My mind flashed to what Seth would look like with a black eye. Instead, I turned, letting out a measured chuckle for the audience. “And I respect everyone’s kindness,” I replied, picking up one of the pastel cupcakes from a nearby tray. “This is quite the surprise, and I’m happy to see such support from the hospital administration.”
Behind Seth’s veneer, I spotted the flicker of frustration. He wanted me to blow up, or at least confirm I was stepping aside.
Not happening. I took a deliberate bite of the cupcake, ignoring the swirl of tension in the room, and forced a pleasant hum. “That’s delicious,” I lied. It tasted like chalky sugar. “Seth, you really went all out.”
He gave me a shark-like grin. “Anything for a colleague,” he repeated, gazing toward Roxanne and the other suits. “After all, we’re a team here, even if some of us have more leadership capacity than others.”
You want to play that game? Let’s fucking play.
I turned to Roxanne. “Actually, I’ve found fatherhood has sharpened my focus. My time is precious, so I’m more efficient when I’m here these days. When I was a young father, I had more energy, but less direction. Now, my perspective has shifted. I understand better how to utilize my time here and at home. My increase in patient care is evident in my reports.” With a smile, I face off with Seth. “It’s a pity you’ll never get to experience this kind of clarity, Dr. Bowan. Late-in-life fatherhood is better than Adderall for keeping your head straight.”
Because I refused to cave, Seth’s smile turned angry, his words clipped. “Well, then. Congratulations.”
Roxanne nodded, looking somewhat relieved that I wasn’t folding. Another administrator, Dr. Patel, raised a cup of punch. “To Dr. Mortoli, may your daughters thrive, and your career continue to flourish.”
The others toasted me, and I forced a grin, lifting my half-eaten cupcake in solidarity. The entire scene felt surreal—a baby shower turned pithy battleground. My mind flitted to Ella, the twins, and how they’d hate being used this way if they saw it.
They deserve better than Seth’s petty sabotage.
His expression tightened, but he kept up the charade. “Yes, cheers to Dom. And, of course, if you find the demands of fatherhood too taxing, we’ll understand if you bow out gracefully.”
A few uncertain laughs. I locked eyes with him, forcing my voice to remain friendly. “Thank you, but I have no intention of bowing out. My family is the reason I work so hard. They’re not a hindrance, don’t worry.”
Roxanne clapped her hands, stepping forward. “Yes, well, we should let Dr. Mortoli get back to his duties,” she said, apparently sensing the tension. “This was a lovely gesture, Dr. Bowan, but we can’t keep everyone from their rounds.”
Seth gave a nod, feigning disappointment. “Of course, we wouldn’t want to hinder patient care.” His eyes flicked to me, brimming with smug satisfaction. “Dom, truly, congrats on the newborns. We’re all behind you.”
Of course, he’s behind me. Stabbing someone in the back is hard if you’re not behind them.
“Thanks, Seth,” I said flatly, stepping away from him. My fists clenched behind my back, nails digging into my palms. I scanned the parting crowd, giving quick nods and thanks, ignoring the swirl of whispers I could practically feel behind me.
I had kept my cool, but the damage was done.
As soon as it was polite to do so, I slipped out, heading down the hall at a brisk pace. The breakroom door closed behind me, the clamor of forced celebration fading. I turned a corner, leaning against the cool tile wall to catch my breath. My heart hammered, blood roaring in my ears.
I let out a slow exhale, fighting the urge to punch something. Administrators were a fickle bunch, always reading into every detail. Seeing me blindsided by a baby shower and hearing Seth’s insinuations about fatherhood might be enough to plant seeds of doubt.
Exactly what he intended.
A quiet cough from behind startled me. I glanced back to see Roxanne approaching, expression soft. “Dom, I just wanted you to know, we’re not idiots. We know what he was doing with the party, and we’re not jumping to conclusions about your ability to handle administration.”
My spine stiffened, forcing a smile. “I appreciate that.”
She hesitated, glancing around. “I know Seth can be intense. He pitched this idea as a morale booster, but I worried it’d devolve into that side show in there.” She folded her arms and her face tightened. “I’m not supposed to say anything, but you still have my vote, as things stand currently.”
I wasn’t sure it was safe to relax yet. “Oh?”
“Even if I didn’t prefer you to him before this debacle, I do not want this kind of backbiting, high school bullshit within the administration. We have too much to do for the hospital without someone who plays these sorts of games, and I’m going to say as much as soon as we reconvene.”
Relief flickered, though I remained cautious. “Thank you. I won’t let fatherhood compromise my commitment to this hospital.”
She offered a small nod, stepping back. “Then show us that. Keep doing your work, keep the department running smoothly. I’m counting on you to be successful, Dom. I do not want that asshole for my colleague.”
With that, she left, leaving me with a kernel of hope. Maybe not all is lost. But I still felt tainted by Seth’s stunt, uneasy at how easy it had been for him to spin my new fatherhood as a liability.
My thoughts darted to Ella, how she’d react if she knew about this fiasco. Probably outraged, maybe guilty, definitely worried. She had enough on her plate—no need to pile more stress. Yet the thought of keeping her in the dark weighed on me. We’d agreed to share our burdens, but I wasn’t sure if telling her about Seth’s baby shower ambush would just feed her insecurities.
I sighed, pushing off the wall. Later. Right now, I had to finish my rounds, then dive into the next meeting. My phone buzzed in my pocket—a text from Gina. Hey Dad, you busy?
My heart twisted. Gina reaching out was a small silver lining, but I’d take it. I’d text her back soon, maybe tell her how a breakroom party blindsided her dear father.
At least I’d held my composure. Even if Seth had dealt me a blow, I’d parried. Forced smiles, polite claps, subtle barbs—that was how we survived in this environment. But as I ducked into the next exam room, I couldn’t shake the pang of worry that the damage to my admin bid might be deeper than Roxanne let on.
Seth’s sly. He didn’t go to all this trouble if he didn’t expect results.
Frustration flared, but I let it go. I couldn’t fix the optics right now. My mind drifted to Ella, longing to hold her again—this time not in a haze of desperation, but with real conversation about everything. We’d left so much unspoken.
She’s part of me now, along with the twins. I won’t let Seth or anyone twist that into a weakness.
Swallowing my anger, I forced myself to focus on the patient chart in my hand. Saving lives always came first, then I’d worry about saving my promotion. That was the plan, and if Seth wanted to push, I’d push back. Because no fake baby shower or sly insinuations would keep me from climbing to the top. Not when Ella and our daughters were counting on me.
At the end of the day, fatherhood truly wasn’t a liability—it was my driving force. And no matter how many balloons and confetti Seth threw at me, I wasn’t fucking backing down.
