Honestly, the sooner that kid starts to realize she’s not the absolute center of the universe, the easier things will be on all of us. How’s she going to feel if she only has fifteen or twenty family members in the audience? If her uncle’s boyfriend doesn’t show up? I’m pretty sure she’ll survive. It’s going to be adorable, but you’re too busy helping some racist asshole to see her. Saachi’s singing a song about snowmen-there are costumes and a little dance, too. Putting my life on hold? That’s a bit dramatic, isn’t it? I mean, as much as I love elementary school Christmas concerts, I think I’ll be okay if I miss this one. He thinks he’s going to catch something if you touch him with your bare brown skin, and you’re putting your life on hold for him?' But really, Paul should have kept his mouth shut because any time he bitched about work it was another opportunity for Bobby to tell him how he was wasting his talents and his family connections on an emotionally draining job that paid peanuts.

Breach of patient confidentiality? Yeah, technically, although Paul hadn’t used any names, and it wasn’t like racist was a rare enough quality to count as an identifying detail.

You think he’d make a white guy wear gloves before touching him?' He’d love it if someone else took over for you. They still enjoyed each other’s company, and Bobby wanted to spend more time with Paul. They’d been together for almost four years and they weren’t tired of each other. Bobby wanted to spend time with him: that was a good thing. Paul resisted the urge to pull the phone away from his ear to make faces at it. You’re sure you can’t duck out a bit early? Bobby asked. Paul Gill pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to pretend his head was throbbing because of the sunlight glaring off the snow outside the office window.

Of Dark and Bright by Kate Sherwood