Page 126 of The Cajun Doctor

He wanted Samantha, that’s all he knew. And not just for a one-night stand. Did he want to marry her? Hmmm. He hadn’t thought that far.

Enough thinking for tonight. He went over to the garconniére to check on the kittens. Amazingly, they seemed to have doubled in size since their birth a few days ago, especially the little white one. If all went well, Edgar had permission to take Molly out of the hospital for a few hours on Sunday. The one thing she was determined to do was see her kitty, Snowball.

While he was at the apartment, he noticed a UPS package addressed to him, sitting by the door. It had an Alaska postmark on it, but not one he recognized. Aaron must have forgotten to give it to him.

Opening it, he was surprised to see a pile of old superhero comic books. Superman. Spiderman. Captain America. Batman. And there was a letter.

Dear Dr. LeDeux:

Remember me? Jamie Lee Watson, Deke’s dad. Bet you’re surprised to hear from me. Thanks to you, I’ve been clean for two years now, and Bethany and me just had a little girl, which we named Danielle.

But that’s not why I’m writing. We were cleaning Deke’s old room to make a nursery for the new baby when we found a silly little “Last Will and Testment” he’d written before he went into hospice. In it, he willed you his comic book collection. Don’t know what you’re going to do with it, but, hey, I got his goldfish, which have long since gone to the Great Goldfish Beyond. Deke really liked you, Dr. LeDeux, and not just as his doctor.

I just wanted you to know that you made a difference in a little boy’s life, and in mine and Bethany’s, too.

Fondly,

Jamie Lee Watson

Daniel had tears in his eyes when he finished the letter. Maybe this was the closure he’d needed after all these years. Maybe this would be the impetus for his return to medicine.

After watching a little TV, he went back to the mansion, took a long shower, and went to bed. He was sure that tonight he’d be able to sleep.

On the other hand, maybe he would have one of those hot fantasy Samantha dreams. He fell asleep smiling.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The things a girl will do for love! . . .

Samantha arrived at Bayou Rose about ten p.m., later than she had planned. Emily had been acting particularly depressed, missing her best bud, Daniel, no doubt, almost as much as Samantha did. It had taken Samantha an hour and several piggie treats before the animal would settle down.

Plus, Samantha had driven very carefully on the way here. How would she have explained to a state trooper why she was dressed like a harem girl/belly dancer, with removable nipple rings, no less? He would probably have thought she was a call girl on the way to meet a John. Or something equally distasteful.

The lights were out in the mansion, except for the outdoor security lamp, which meant Daniel was probably already in bed, maybe even asleep. That would be good. She wanted to surprise him.

She got out of her car and pulled a tote bag with her, a tote bag filled with the tools of her trade. And didn’t that say something about how far gone she was? She was careful to not slam the door, and she crept slowly up the steps, not wanting her tiny ankle bells to jingle. Yet.

The key was in its usual place under an urn by the front door. Once inside, she closed and locked the door. Standing still for a moment, she listened. Silence. So far, so good.

Once she got to the second floor, she set her bag down in the hall and pulled out one of those disposable lighters. She was hoping the candles were still around the room that she’d set there earlier in the week, the night of her one-night stand. Well, now she was hoping to go for a two-night stand, and maybe more than that.

Daniel was asleep and he didn’t awaken while she crept around the room, lighting candles. He didn’t even awaken when she dragged her tote bag into the bedroom and closed the door.

He did awaken when she forgot to walk carefully and her bells tinkled softly, but still, in the silence of the room, they sounded like gongs.

Propping himself on both elbows, he blinked several times, then went wide-eyed. “Holy shit! Am I dreaming?”

“No, you’re not dreaming. It’s me. In the flesh. Ta da!” She gave a little pose to show off her outfit. Tante Lulu’s belly dance costume fit her better than it ever did the old lady. Her breasts filled the cups of the upper sheer blouse, and the bottom pants hung low on her hips, showcasing her new (glued on) belly button ring. She was bare-footed, and there wasn’t much of her body that wasn’t exposed.

“Turn around,” he said. When she did, he asked, “Are you jingling?”

“Like a bell choir.” She lifted an ankle to show him the little bells sewn onto the bottom hem of the pants.

“Why are you doing this, Samantha? You wanna get laid, just ask.”

She cringed. “Does there have to be a reason?”

“It’s not like you.”