“She sure is.”
“I know you’re talking about me,” Marly called out.
“Only good things, you know that,” he answered with a smile.
“How’s Ash? Tell him I miss my donut.”
He laughed at the memory. When Drew had first opened the Audrey and Maxwell Home Away From Home clinic, one of the ways Ash had shown his soft spot was by sneaking snacks every day to her and the other kids who worked there. “I will, for sure.” He hefted the messenger bag on his shoulder. “The others in yet?”
“Yes, Jordan came in a few minutes ago, and Mike’s in the back with Rachel. She’s going to drop Max off at your grandmother’s.” Her eyes grew soft. “He’s such a cutie-pie.”
“He’s a tiny destructive force but a cute one, I will agree.” His four-year-old nephew had once pulled out every paper towel from the dispensers in the examination rooms and after that, Rachel promised to bring him to their grandmother’s. Tina, Ash’s foster mother and their adopted second grandmother, lived with Esther, and along with Esther’s live-in aide, Louisa, Max had three doting babysitters to keep him occupied. “I’ll see you all later.”
The rear of the clinic was separated into various examination rooms, where he, as the plastic surgeon, would stitch up cuts and treat abrasions and bruises, along with any other problems resulting from fights that the kids who came to see them had to deal with. As the clinic’s orthopedist, Jordan had an X-ray room and an outpatient operating room in case he needed to set simple breaks. He treated sprains and injuries from muscle and ligament damage as well. Mike, their dentist, had a whole dental clinic dealing with the fallout of broken teeth from fights.
Their work was challenging, tough, and often heartbreaking, but Drew and his friends knew they were helping people in this underserved part of the borough. And with success stories like Marly, and Stevie, who was finishing up college with a degree in computer technology, the success made every tear shed worth it.
Drew tossed his bag onto the desk and went in search of coffee and his friends. Jordan’s blond head peered out from the break room.
“I thought I heard you. How’s it going?” He sipped from his mug.
“Going great. I have everything set for Esther’s party, and once I have that second cup of coffee, I’ll be able to face the board.”
Jordan made a face. “Better you than me, is all I have to say. Luke and I are looking forward to seeing Esther. Last time we visited Tina, she was out shopping for a new dress.”
Esther might be going on ninety-five, but she had the heart and stamina of a person half her age. Drew woke up every morning grateful for another day with her.
“She wouldn’t be caught in the same dress she wore before. I asked her why not just wear what she wore to one of our weddings, and she looked at me like I was crazy. I’ll never understand women.”
“Guess that’s why you ended up with a man. Though how it was Ash Davis is, all these years later, still something I don’t understand.” He snickered, blue eyes twinkling.
Drew winked. “He has his good qualities.”
Jordan shuddered. “Don’t make my mind go there.”
“Oh, shut up. You know you love him.”
“I love that he’s made you happy. And as long as you are, I am too.”
“Then we’re all one big happy family. How’s Luke?” He sipped more of his coffee.
“Great. Working too hard, but he thrives on it. He’s taking two weeks off at the end of the month and going to the lake house. I’ll be heading up there with Brandon and Tash on the weekends. You guys should come too.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll tell Ash.” He paused. “That is, if you think you can handle living with him for the weekend.”
“No worries.” Jordan rinsed out his mug and put it in the dish drain. “The lake has a pier. I can always push him off. It’s nice and deep too.”
“Ha ha. You do remember he was brought up in the country. I doubt you can sneak up on Ash without him hearing you first.”
“It might be fun to try. See ya.” Laughing, Jordan gave him a wave and left.
Drew finished his coffee and caught Rachel with Max in her arms and Mike at her side, walking down the hall to leave.
“Hey, my favorite sister.”
“D, how are you?” she gave him a kiss and he smooched up the baby who gave him giggles and demanded a hug.
“I’ve got to go prepare for the board meeting. While it’s nice listening to their pie-in-the-sky ideas, it all needs endless money, which we obviously don’t have.”
