2. Chapter Two
“Feel better soon, buddy,” I say to the four-year-old boy I just diagnosed with influenza. His mother mouths the word sorry to me, glancing at the new addition to my scrubs.
I offer her a curt nod. It’s not her fault her son threw up on me.
Once I get back to my office, I head to the attached bathroom. I do my best to wash my top in the sink and dry it off with the hand dryer, but it doesn’t do much—the brownish stain is still visible on the light blue fabric.
I slip it back on, cringing at the dampness of the material against my skin. I always keep an extra pair of scrubs at the office for this very reason, but this was my extra pair.
That’s right, I had two kids get sick on me today. I already stripped off my dark blue scrubs this morning after the first incident, so I’ll have to make do with these for the rest of the workday.
Flu season is an unwanted welcome to cooler weather. I love the reprieve from the warmer months but could do without seeing so many children suffering from illnesses.
I throw on my white doctor’s coat for the remainder of my appointments, attempting to hide the stain, but the smell sticks with me all day. Luckily, five o’clock hits without making it a trifecta.
As I pass the welcome desk, my receptionist, Nadine, gives me a pitying smile, further accentuating the wrinkles around her mouth.
“Rough day, Doc?”
I lift up the plastic bag holding my other pair of soiled scrubs like a prized trophy. “Just the yearly rite of passage as a pediatrician.”
“I guess you need to start keeping two extra outfits in your office during flu season.” She laughs, running a hand through her graying curls.
“You might be right.”
“Go get cleaned up and have some fun tonight.” She wiggles her eyebrows, lacking all subtlety. “You know, my granddaughter is still single.”
I shake my head, laughing under my breath. “Goodnight, Nadine.”
Since my receptionist is also my great-aunt’s best friend, I’m surprised Nadine doesn’t know that I typically stop by a flower shop and deliver a fresh bouquet to my great-aunt on Thursdays. I’m not sure that’s the kind of fun Thursday night she was referencing. However, I think I’m going to have to skip that part of my routine today. I don’t think Aunt D would appreciate the vomit stain on my scrubs and the smell accompanying it.
“I’ll get you to go on a date one day,” she declares.
“Good luck with that,” I call back over my shoulder at the relentless woman. If she wasn’t such a good receptionist, I’d fire her for her continuous attempts at matchmaking. But she’s become like another grandmother to me. Plus, Aunt D would tan my hide, so I’d never actually follow through.
I step out onto the curb. Before the door closes behind me, I hear Nadine tutting. “Such a waste of a perfectly handsome face.”
If enjoying peaceful evenings at home means I’m wasting my perfectly handsome face —her words, not mine—then so be it.
I do want to get married one day. Honestly, I thought I would be married by the time I was thirty. I even came close in my last serious relationship. Yet, now I’m thirty and have been single for a few years, but I don’t plan on resorting to set-ups anytime soon.
When I reach my SUV, my phone buzzes in my pocket with an incoming call. I pull it out and see my sister Tess on the screen with a picture of her mid-sneeze that I refuse to delete. Everyone needs blackmail photos of their older sister to embarrass her. It’s pretty much guaranteed that she has worse pictures of me, anyway.
I usually prefer to sit in silence on my car rides home, decompressing from the workday, but I know I should answer. I haven’t had a chance to call her back after she reached out yesterday, and if she’s calling again, it’s probably important.
The incoming call continues to ring over Bluetooth as I start the engine. I press the answer button on my steering wheel. “Hello?”
“He lives,” Tess practically screams.
I grimace and turn down the volume as I turn onto the road. “Is it impossible for you to start a conversation at a normal human decibel?”
“How else would I make sure you’re actually listening?”
“You could give me a pop quiz after…or just trust that if I answer the phone, I’m giving you my undivided attention.”
“Undivided attention, huh?” I can practically hear the gears in her head turning. “So, you’re focused solely on me and not on the road then?”
I make a right turn, heading toward my house. Busted. “I could drive home with my eyes closed.”
“Ugh, please don’t do that. I need you alive for the teeny-tiny favor I’m about to ask you, oh favorite brother of mine.”
I’m her only brother.
“Why do I have a feeling it’s not going to be a small favor?” I groan as I pull up to a stop sign, scanning both directions before rolling forward.
I can nearly see the eye roll she perfected as a pre-teen. “I need you to watch Evie for a little bit.”
Maybe it wasn’t that big of a favor after all. “You know I’m happy to hang out with her.”
I’ve always looked out for my sister, but I’ve tried to help as much as possible over the past four years after her scumbag of an ex-husband cheated on her and gave up all parental rights to move to Berlin with his assistant.
Evie needs a male figure in her life to look up to, and I’m happy to fill that role.
“Just remember those happy thoughts when I tell you the rest.”
The rest? The rest of what? My fingers grip the steering wheel. What did I just get myself into?
I try to remain calm while I wait for her to explain her teeny-tiny favor and what the rest of it entails.
“I have a great opportunity at work that I can’t pass up. They picked me to travel with our team to Africa to open a medical center. Isn’t that crazy? Who would’ve thought we’d have two people in our family working in the medical field?”
I press my lips together, keeping myself from saying something stupid about how I went through four years of undergrad, four years of medical school, and three years of a pediatric residency to get to where I am in my career. She works for a nonprofit organization. It’s noble work, and I’m proud of her. But saying we both work in the medical field is like saying apples and oranges are the same thing.
I feel like I’m walking into a trap, but I trudge forward anyway. “You know I don’t mind helping out when it comes to Evie.”
“That’s a relief because I already registered you as the person who will pick her up from school for the next three months.” Tess’s words come out so quickly that it takes me a minute to piece together everything she just said.
“Three months ?” I bellow, rubbing my temple. “I can’t pick her up from school, Tess. I have work.”
“Yes, yes,” she drones. “I already know you’re a fancy doctor.”
“Hey, you’re the one who’s going to help open a medical center.”
She scoffs. “I’m trying to make a difference in the world.”
“And I’m helping kids, one virus and ear infection at a time.” I clear my throat. “We’re getting off track. What’s this about three months?”
“I was hoping you would forget that part,” Tess muttered. After a long moment, she continues talking. “My assignment in Africa is for three months. I know you work full-time, but you’re my only option. Maybe Nadine can watch her after school at the reception desk? If it was summer, I would send Evie with Mom and Dad on their travels, but she’s already started kindergarten and needs stability. And with Julian out of the picture—”
The second she mentions her ex, my protective mode kicks in. “I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to worry about Evie. Focus on your job, and I’ll figure everything out.”
Her sigh of relief travels through the phone. “You’re the best.”
“It’s not a big deal. Are you okay with leaving Evie for that long? I don’t think you’ve left her for more than a week.”
The phone sounds muffled, as if Tess is trying to hide her emotion. “It’s because of Evie that I’m willing to leave her for so long. My company is giving me a huge bonus for going at the last minute. It’s the kind of money I need to set us up for the future, to feel a little more secure since Julian left.”
“You know you never have to worry about money.” I worked throughout my years of schooling and got every scholarship I could so that I’d be set up well when I started my career. But I’d give my sister and Evie every last penny in my bank account if it meant she didn’t have to worry. “I can help—”
“You can stop right there.” She cuts me off like she always does when I offer to help her financially. “I have to do this for myself. To prove to myself that I can take care of us.” She sounds resolute, so I decide not to push the issue.
I wish I could do more for my sister, but I can worry about that later. “Evie and I will have a great time.”
“I owe you big time. She’ll be so excited. I’ll pack all her favorite clothes and things, and we’ll be there Sunday.”
“Sunday?” I choke. “Like three days from now?”
“Did I forget to mention that?” She hums. “You’re the best brother ever. Thank you, love you, byeee.”
The call clicks. I sit in silence as I park in the spot in front of my house.
I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s springing this massive favor on me at the last minute. Tess knows I’d do anything for her. That doesn’t mean I’m not freaking out, though. Thankfully, I know how to care for a five-year-old girl. I’m a pediatrician, after all. Plus, I’ve watched her for a weekend before, but I have a feeling three months will be a whole different ball game.
When I get out of the car, I’m relieved to see that my neighbor Kelsey’s vehicle is gone. Normally, I can match Kelsey’s obstinate personality and take her on in a battle of wits and words, but I’m not sure I can manage a run-in with her right now.
I have much bigger issues at hand than her dogs deciding to use my yard as their personal bathroom.
The second I get inside, I strip off my scrubs and throw both of today’s soiled pairs in the washing machine, getting the load going with hot water and a decent amount of detergent. I go to my room and pull on a pair of athletic shorts before heading to my workout room. I usually just exercise in the morning, but I need another session today to rid my body of my pent-up stress from my phone call with Tess.
After putting on headphones and turning on my workout playlist, I start by lifting weights and then go for a jog on my treadmill. But no matter what I seem to do, anxious thoughts cloud my mind.
Now that our parents are retired and traveling the world, I know I’m Tess’s only option. Besides, family helps family, so of course I said yes. But I just haven’t figured out how I’m going to be my five-year-old niece’s guardian for three months with exactly zero notice when I work at Little Louisville Pediatrics every weekday from eight to five.
Who’s supposed to pick Evie up from school and take care of her while I’m at work? And what foods does she like? I mostly eat a protein-based diet. Do kids nowadays even eat protein besides dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets?
I groan as I power off the treadmill. I need more time to research and prepare, decorate my guest room with girly things, and go grocery shopping.
But first, I need to find a nanny for Evie.