Page 105 of Dr. Single Dad

“Let’s head in,” Dad says. “Don’t want all these babies cold and wet. I’m talking about my sons of course.” He laughs to himself. I catch myself smiling, too.

As we head back to the house, Jacob, Eddie, Eira and I find ourselves in a group at the back.

“So what’s next for you, Eddie?” Jacob asks.

“That’s the question of the day,” Eddie says. She’s been talking about nothing else since graduation. What to do until shehas access to her inheritance and she can fund the startup she has an idea for.

“Can I make a suggestion?” Jacob says.

“Please! I just want someone to tell me what to do!”

Jacob laughs. “Just go and do life for a bit. Have some fun and create some memories. I have the best memories from when I was your age. That time I went to Paris and had to sleep on a bench and ended up in prison…”

“That doesn’t sound ideal,” Eira says.

“What about the time you poisoned everyone at the Michelin-starred restaurant where you worked as a bus boy?” I say. “Fun times.”

Eira has a look of horror on her face.

“So, what? Go to Paris?” Eddie asks. “I don’t want to stay in London and waitress. I want to do something exciting.”

“Go backpacking around Europe. Go to Mexico and feed dolphins or turtles or whatever you feed there.”

“I like the idea of an adventure,” Eddie says. “But what? I don’t just want to go backpacking. I need a plan.”

“You could do a ski season?” Eira suggests.

“Yeah, except I hate skiing and the cold. Apart from that, great idea.”

“What about being a tour rep?” Jacob suggests.

“What are we talking about?” Nathan asks. He’s broken off from the group in front of us.

“Eddie is trying to think of something to do before she gets her inheritance.”

“First-world problems, right?” Eddie says. “I know I sound like a brat, but it feels like I have a window to have some fun.”

“My previous PR director, Gretel, now runs an upscale hotel in New York,” Nathan says. “It’s meant to be a wellness retreat in the city or something. She’s always looking for staff. You could go and work for her.”

“New York?” Eddie asks. “That sounds fun. What kind of staff does she want? I’m not a yoga teacher or anything.”

“They always need waitstaff, housekeeping, that kind of thing,” Nathan replies.

Eddie and Eira share a glance. They seem to know what each other is thinking without talking, but I’m sure Eira likes this idea. She’ll hate that Eddie is so far away, but she’ll live with it if it’s in her sister’s best interests.

“I’ve got waitressing experience,” Eddie says. “And I like the idea of being in New York.”

“Isn’t that the place where no one talks?” Jacob says.

“Yeah, they run silent retreat days,” Nathan says. “But not every day is like that.”

“How do they keep children quiet?” Eira asks, probably already mentally planning our multiple trips to the resort to visit Eddie.

“Can you introduce me to your friend?” Eddie asks.

As we all line up at the door, Eira glances at me and I squeeze her hand. She smiles in the same way I do every time I’m reminded she’s right by my side.

“I think I’m ready for the ring,” she says.

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