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Authors: Barbara Ebel
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minute?”
Casey brought the canister over with them and Dakota followed. When they sat, Danny picked up a tennis ball alongside the path, and threw it. Dakota’s eyes tracked it while his body raced across the lawn.
“Good boy,” Casey yelled. “At least you inherited a winner, Danny.”
Danny’s eyes sparkled. “That dog has drilled a spot in my heart.”
Dakota leaped three feet into the air, caught the ball on the fly, and sprang back to Danny for more. “I’m sorry to say if you needed help around here this weekend, I’m out of the loop. I feel bad about it, too. Half the time I think I should be out of my Mom and Dad’s house anyway. Mary has more rights over it than I do. You two…”
Casey cut him off. “We’ve been through that before, so shut up about it. You getting your own place still doesn’t make sense. This place is huge. And plus, we want Dakota here as much as you.”
Danny grimaced. “All right, but after your wedding, we better talk about it again.” Danny threw Dakota the ball again, higher and farther, but the yellow fuzz was getting harder for Danny to see in the fading light.
“Harold not only was admitted today,” Danny said, “but he’s in the unit on a ventilator. I don’t have a clue what’s happened to him. And as you know, Julia was coming this weekend. I had to call Rachel and postpone because I’m going to take Harold’s call.”
Casey stretched his legs forward and leaned back on the palms of his hands. “How’d that go over?”
“She’s a trip. Julia’s worth ten times the mother.”
“Have you told Annabel and Nancy?”
“No, but they love being with you two anyway. Maybe they can come next Saturday, too. I’ve rearranged Julia’s visit for then.”
----------
From the moment she woke after nodding off to sleep after her alarm sounded, Rachel scrambled to make up lost time. Her one freaking day to work and she almost blew it. She threw scrubs on so she wouldn’t have to change into them at the hospital; she did the basic changing with Julia; and she ran every yellow, almost red, traffic light in her CRV’s path. During the drive, she regretted that she hadn’t had enough time to give Julia her morning bottle. When she got to work, she rushed to the OR, ready to pass instruments to her present hospital’s demanding and uninteresting surgeons.
Rachel had left hours ago when Leo cracked open his eyes. The tee-shirt and cotton bottom she wore to sleep were tossed on the bedspread and a skirt and blouse still hung on the doorknob. He figured she’d left in scrubs. He also knew her baby was crying.
After a visit to the bathroom, he went to the kitchen where the bawling baby sounded a lot louder. On the counter, he found an elegantly written note from Rachel.
Leo, I didn’t have time before I left. Would you please make Julia a bottle as soon as you get up? I would really appreciate that.
Hell , he thought. She doesn’t even take care of her own kid. Blood ran faster in his veins while he made coffee. He found a clean bottle near the sink and tapped it on the counter with annoyance, then ripped open a new pack of cigarettes. Julia’s crying picked up, slowed into sobbing while she caught her breath, and then pitched back into a frenzy.
Leo jerked open a cabinet, grabbed a mug, and substituted it under the dripping coffee instead of the pot. It diverted him from going in there and ripping her apart. He gulped down a second cup, which wasn’t hot enough for him, especially since he was hotter than hell. After he lit his first smoke, he tucked the pack between his ripped bare abdomen and jockey short’s waistband. Several puffs later, he downed more coffee. Julia’s distress could be heard by deaf ears through most of the house.
The Columbian blend tasted rich and smooth. He deserved this. A day where he didn’t run off to read unintelligible doctor scrawls all day and count pills like a child. But what the hell was he doing putting up
Casey brought the canister over with them and Dakota followed. When they sat, Danny picked up a tennis ball alongside the path, and threw it. Dakota’s eyes tracked it while his body raced across the lawn.
“Good boy,” Casey yelled. “At least you inherited a winner, Danny.”
Danny’s eyes sparkled. “That dog has drilled a spot in my heart.”
Dakota leaped three feet into the air, caught the ball on the fly, and sprang back to Danny for more. “I’m sorry to say if you needed help around here this weekend, I’m out of the loop. I feel bad about it, too. Half the time I think I should be out of my Mom and Dad’s house anyway. Mary has more rights over it than I do. You two…”
Casey cut him off. “We’ve been through that before, so shut up about it. You getting your own place still doesn’t make sense. This place is huge. And plus, we want Dakota here as much as you.”
Danny grimaced. “All right, but after your wedding, we better talk about it again.” Danny threw Dakota the ball again, higher and farther, but the yellow fuzz was getting harder for Danny to see in the fading light.
“Harold not only was admitted today,” Danny said, “but he’s in the unit on a ventilator. I don’t have a clue what’s happened to him. And as you know, Julia was coming this weekend. I had to call Rachel and postpone because I’m going to take Harold’s call.”
Casey stretched his legs forward and leaned back on the palms of his hands. “How’d that go over?”
“She’s a trip. Julia’s worth ten times the mother.”
“Have you told Annabel and Nancy?”
“No, but they love being with you two anyway. Maybe they can come next Saturday, too. I’ve rearranged Julia’s visit for then.”
----------
From the moment she woke after nodding off to sleep after her alarm sounded, Rachel scrambled to make up lost time. Her one freaking day to work and she almost blew it. She threw scrubs on so she wouldn’t have to change into them at the hospital; she did the basic changing with Julia; and she ran every yellow, almost red, traffic light in her CRV’s path. During the drive, she regretted that she hadn’t had enough time to give Julia her morning bottle. When she got to work, she rushed to the OR, ready to pass instruments to her present hospital’s demanding and uninteresting surgeons.
Rachel had left hours ago when Leo cracked open his eyes. The tee-shirt and cotton bottom she wore to sleep were tossed on the bedspread and a skirt and blouse still hung on the doorknob. He figured she’d left in scrubs. He also knew her baby was crying.
After a visit to the bathroom, he went to the kitchen where the bawling baby sounded a lot louder. On the counter, he found an elegantly written note from Rachel.
Leo, I didn’t have time before I left. Would you please make Julia a bottle as soon as you get up? I would really appreciate that.
Hell , he thought. She doesn’t even take care of her own kid. Blood ran faster in his veins while he made coffee. He found a clean bottle near the sink and tapped it on the counter with annoyance, then ripped open a new pack of cigarettes. Julia’s crying picked up, slowed into sobbing while she caught her breath, and then pitched back into a frenzy.
Leo jerked open a cabinet, grabbed a mug, and substituted it under the dripping coffee instead of the pot. It diverted him from going in there and ripping her apart. He gulped down a second cup, which wasn’t hot enough for him, especially since he was hotter than hell. After he lit his first smoke, he tucked the pack between his ripped bare abdomen and jockey short’s waistband. Several puffs later, he downed more coffee. Julia’s distress could be heard by deaf ears through most of the house.
The Columbian blend tasted rich and smooth. He deserved this. A day where he didn’t run off to read unintelligible doctor scrawls all day and count pills like a child. But what the hell was he doing putting up
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