Page 49 of Doctor Neighbor

Liesle and I go to the balcony, leaving the girls to their excited chatter in Maddie's room. The sun has shifted to the other side of the building, casting a comfortable shade over us as we settle into the patio chairs. Despite the lingering warmth of the day, a pleasant breeze rustles the potted plants around us.

I hand Liesle a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade, complete with a sprig of mint from my small herb garden. The ice clinks softly as she takes it, and I can't help but feel a small surge of pride at her appreciative smile.

"Oh, Cole," Liesle says, taking a sip. Her eyes widen with delight. "This is delicious! You're so fancy with your fresh mint and everything. My own personal Martha Stewart."

I laugh, shaking my head. "It's hardly fancy. It’s just a little trick I picked up at the cafe. You'd be amazed at how a sprig of herbs can elevate a simple drink."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and the tart sweetness of the lemonade. The faint sounds of the girls playing drift out to us, punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter.

"So," Liesle says, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Are we going to talk about the handsome doctor I saw at Brewed earlier?"

I feel a flush creeping up my neck, and I take a long sip of lemonade to buy myself some time. "Buster? He's the guy I told you about. You know, 'love 'em and leave 'em Buster?'"

Liesle raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. Duh, I know who he is, Einstein. But I want the deets. Obviously, Come on, sis. Spill. Last we talked, you were irritated about running into him. You didn't look irritated in the least today."

I sigh, knowing I can't hide anything from my sister. "It's complicated," I admit. "As you know, we have... history. And now he's moved into the building, and things are... evolving."

"Wait. Back up. He moved into Park Place?”

"Yup."

"Evolving, huh?" Liesle grins. "That sounds promising. So I guess that is why you've been running into him lately."

"I don't know, I don't know if all of our encounters could be chalked up to that, but yes, now I can't avoid him."

"Okay, get back to the evolving park. What's the deal?"

"So, we've slept together. A few times."

"Oh, my God! I knew it! I could read it on your face today when I entered the cafe. I felt it!"

"That's not all…"

Liesle slams her glass down on the small side table dramatically and leans in. "What more could there be?"

I take a deep breath, my heart racing as I consider how to broach this subject with Liesle. The words feel heavy on my tongue, but I know I need to share this burden.

"Liesle," I start, my voice barely above a whisper, "there's something else. Something I've been thinking about lately, and it's... it's freaking me out."

She leans in, concern etched on her face. "What is it, Cole?"

I close my eyes for a moment, steeling myself. "I... I think there's a possibility that Maddie might be Buster's daughter."

The words hang in the air between us, and I can see the shock register on Liesle's face. I rush to explain before she can interrupt.

"I know it sounds crazy. I've always assumed Steele was her father. But lately, spending time with Buster, I've started noticing things. Little mannerisms, how he moves his hands when he talks, the shape of his eyes... they're so similar to Maddie's."

My mind races, recalling all the little details I've observed over the past few days: Buster’s nose crinkles when he laughs, just like Maddie’s; the determined set of his jaw when he's focused, mirroring my daughter's expression when she's coloring.

"And when I did the math," I continue, my voice shaky, "it works. The timing of when Buster and I were together... it lines up perfectly with Maddie's conception."

Liesle's eyes widen, and I can see her processing this information. "But what about Steele? Weren't you with him before and after?"

I nod, running a hand through my hair. "Yes, but that time was so tumultuous. We were breaking up, getting back together, apart, but sleeping together. It's hard to say for sure. It was around that time when Buster and I... well, you know. I never even considered it before because it was just one night, and Steele and I had our last full-on try to make it work after that."

"Oh, God."

"I didn't find out I was pregnant until Steele was living with me, and it had been over a month since I was with Buster. He didn't even enter my mind. And when I told Steele, and he rejected the idea of having her, I was dealing with that and the decisions I had to make about whether or not I wanted to have her by myself."

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