Epilogue
Nate
T wo and a half years later…
I took a deep breath of the fresh morning air as I unlocked the clinic doors. It was barely sunrise, but I liked arriving early to prepare the place for our little patients. I made my way past the cheerful waiting area, adorned with hand-painted murals of woodland creatures, and headed to my office to turn on the computer.
As I walked, I stopped to appreciate the comfortable reading space Susan had arranged in a bright corner. The spacious beanbag chairs were covered with soft teddy bears, and lions peeked out from the bookshelves. Susan had done a fantastic job creating a small haven for the children.
I was in the office, looking over notes for my patients, when I heard the front door open and close. I peered out to see Susan maneuvering the stroller inside, a huge grin lighting up her face. She looked radiant, the early sunlight catching her eyes. Our three-month-old son, Michael, was nestled snugly in his stroller, bundled up in a light blanket covered in Superman logos .
“Well, good morning, my two favorite people!” I said, emerging from my office.
Susan rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, so you’re a morning person now, too? Unbelievable.” But her smile gave away her true feelings.
I leaned down to drop a kiss on her lips. “Only when I get to start the day with you.”
Susan playfully swatted my shoulder. “You’re such a charmer, Dr. Reynolds.”
I grinned and knelt to adjust our son’s blanket. “I see we’ve got a little Superman fan this morning,” I said, giving Susan a knowing look.
She laughed. “Alright, you caught me. I may have intentionally picked that blanket to get a reaction out of you.”
“I knew it!” I said triumphantly. Though I’d never publicly admit how much I loved seeing our boy dressed in superhero clothes. That was just between Susan and me.
Once I had settled the baby, Susan headed over to the reading nook, greeting a few kids who had already gathered on the beanbag chairs. I watched as their little faces lit up when they saw her, crowding in close as she sat down with a storybook in hand.
Susan had a magical way with the kids here. Her voice animatedly rose and fell as she read aloud, using funny voices for the characters. The children were completely enraptured, hanging on her every word and gasping at the exciting parts. Smiling to myself, I realized, not for the first time, how lucky I was to share this dream with an amazing woman like Susan.
After Susan finished reading to the children, I brought her a cup of coffee while she tidied up the reading nook.
“One survival juice, as requested,” I said, handing her the mug.
Susan chuckled. “We’re definitely going to need this today. But at least we can suffer together.”
We clinked our mugs and took long sips, sighing exaggeratedly. The warm brew was perfect on this chilly morning.
I sat beside Susan on one of the beanbag chairs as she pulled out her phone and scrolled through it.
“Oh, I almost forgot to show you - my blog post went viral!” Susan said excitedly. “Look at how many shares it has.”
She passed me her phone. The “Reading Opens Doors: Promoting Early Literacy” post had thousands of likes and comments singing Susan’s praises.
“Wow, look at you, famous blogger!” I said. “I’m so proud of you for getting this message out there and for pushing past your introverted nature to take a risk on setting up this blog.”
Susan blushed. “Thanks. I’m just happy the community is taking an interest in childhood literacy. It means so much to me.”
“You have a real gift,” I said, squeezing her hand. “This clinic is lucky to have you.”
Susan smiled softly. “We make a good team.”
I pulled her in for a quick kiss, breathing in the scent of her peach shampoo.
“That we do,” I murmured.
I was reviewing patient charts at the front desk when a familiar face walked through the door—Mrs. Miller, a patient’s mother whom I’d gotten to know well over the past year. She had her two-year-old toddler, Zachary, propped on her hip.
“Good morning, Dr. Reynolds!” Mrs. Miller said warmly as she approached the desk.
“Good morning!” I replied. “It’s great to see you both today.”
“I just wanted to pop in and say thank you again for everything you’ve done for our family,” she said. “Finding compassionate pediatric care has been such a blessing. Zachary loves coming here.”
Zachary gave me a big grin, waving his little hand. My heart swelled with pride and fulfillment, knowing the clinic made a real difference for families like the Millers.
“Thank you. That means the world to hear,” I said. “We aim to create a welcoming, nurturing environment for every child that comes through our doors.”
Mrs. Miller nodded. “It shows in everything you do here. Anyway, I won’t take up more of your time. Just wanted to express our gratitude.”
“I appreciate you taking the moment. Have a great rest of your day!” I smiled and waved bye to Zachary.
As Mrs. Miller headed out, I took a deep breath, reflecting on how far the clinic had come. All the late nights and early mornings now felt worth it, knowing we were achieving our vision.
I headed over to the reading nook, where Susan sat with the baby on her lap, turning the pages of a colorful board book.
“Mind if I take over baby duty for a bit?” I asked.
“Not at all,” Susan said, carefully transferring the baby into my arms.
I cradled him close, inhaling that sweet baby scent. I loved it when Susan had freshly bathed him, and he smelled like baby lotion. “Who’s my little guy?” I cooed, making exaggerated silly faces.
Michael giggled and grabbed my nose. Susan laughed along with him.
“You’re such a natural, Nate,” she said softly.
As I looked into my son’s eyes, my heart swelled. All the magic and promise of childhood never got old, and I felt grateful to be a part of nurturing that spark every day.
As lunchtime approached, we put Michael in his stroller and took a break outside in the clinic’s small garden area. I had recently added a bench beneath the oak tree, making it a perfect spot to unwind.
“It’s so nice out here,” Susan said, closing her eyes and tilting her face towards the sunlight. “Peaceful.”
“One of the perks of the job,” I agreed. “A place to catch your breath.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Susan spoke again.
“I had an idea for expanding the clinic’s outreach programs.”
I turned towards her. “Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”
“Well, I was thinking we could start doing more events at the library on weekends and school vacations. We could have story time, arts and crafts, and basic checkups. We could engage with more families who can’t make it here during regular business hours.”
Susan’s passion for community building never ceased to inspire me. “I love that idea. It would be great PR for the clinic, too,” I said.
“Exactly! And I might have some connections there to help get things started,” Susan replied enthusiastically.
“You’re brilliant, you know that?” I said, kissing her temple. “Let’s move forward with it.”
The baby cooed from his stroller as if in agreement. We both laughed.
“Looks like it’s unanimous!” Susan clapped her hands together.
We sat for a while, eating and enjoying the fresh air. Susan had added a small garden, and butterflies fluttered back and forth on the lantana. If we didn't have to work, I could spend hours out here. "Are you ready to head back inside?" Susan nodded, her eyes bright with excitement for our new project.
“Always on the go, aren’t you, Dr. Reynolds?” she teased as we returned to the clinic.
As the afternoon wore on, the clinic was filled with the usual sounds of chatter and laughter from the kids’ reading in Susan’s nook, occasional cries from children getting their vaccines, and the comforting hum of activity.
Emily popped in for a surprise visit, and our son’s face lit up as his auntie scooped him out of his stroller seat.
"Look at you, growing like a little weed!" Emily cooed, tickling the baby's chubby belly. She stopped by a couple of times a week to help out for a few hours. Her nanny company was just a couple of blocks away. Susan enjoyed the break. Emily always joked about her lack of domestic skills, but she was amazing with Michael. It was an ongoing joke that she had opened a nanny placement service but never worked as a nanny.
“Oh, you two!” Emily's eyes bounced between Susan and me. “Making such beautiful babies. I should hire you as my official poster family.”
Susan giggled at that, her cheeks coloring a light red.
Just then, Ethan walked in with his wife, Lizzie, each holding the hand of their three-year-old son, who had a stuffed dinosaur clutched in his tiny grasp. He ran to the reading nook, eager to read his new picture book.
Ethan had decided to join us at the clinic and would be starting next week. He was excited to bring Lizzie in and show her the place.
“It’s wonderful, Nate,” Lizzie said, eyes scanning the bustling clinic. “You and Susan have done such a fantastic job.”
I looked down at Susan as she squeezed my hand, her beaming pride reflected in my heart. I turned to take Lizzie on a tour of the clinic. I couldn't wait for Ethan to start. I knew he would make a great addition to the team and free up some of my time.
Later that evening, Susan and I were tidying up the clinic near closing time. I watched as she efficiently straightened chairs and shelved books in the reading nook. Even after a long day, she had such dedication and care in every task.
As she finished, Susan came over and nudged my shoulder playfully. “So, rock paper scissors for who’s on diaper duty tonight?”
I chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? Feeling brave today, are we?”
“Always,” she said, grinning back. We faced off, hands poised for combat.
“One-two-three!” I said.
Her paper covered my rock before I could even blink. I breathed a deep sigh of faux defeat, stretching out the suspense before admitting, “Alright, alright. You’ve bested me fair and square, my queen.”
“Oh, yes, I have,” she replied with a dramatic air, complete with a regal wave of her hand. I laughed again at her antics, making a mental note to up my game for our next round of rock-paper-scissors. I gave her a mock bow, and she playfully swatted at me before she turned towards the door.
“Susan,” I called, my voice softening. She looked back at me, her vibrant blue eyes questioning. “I love our life. I love you.” My words filled the space between us, carrying the weight of my total adoration for this woman. She smiled, her eyes alight with shared affection.
“Oh, Nate,” she said, crossing back to me. Her small hand found the curve of my jaw and tipped my face down towards hers until our foreheads gently touched. “I love you too. To the moon and back.”
She released her forehead from mine to gently kiss my lips. It was as sweet and electrifying as our first kiss, still giving me that same fluttery sensation in the pit of my stomach. I knew without a doubt that she was the best choice I had ever made.
We gazed at each other for a moment, neither of us speaking. So much of our relationship was built on lighthearted moments like these. I took one last look around the clinic. This place represented the vision Susan and I had worked hard to build together.
I paused in the doorway as Susan finished strapping the baby into his stroller. I considered the challenges we’d faced and the triumphs we’d celebrated on this journey. My heart swelled with gratitude for the life we’d built—a life focused not only on our own happiness but also on sharing our blessings with the community we loved.
“Ready?” Susan asked, snapping me from my reflections.
I smiled and took her hand. “Ready.”
The End