Page 17 of Drake Eternal

I remembered our promise to each other to never be separated again, and sighed.

Life had a way of intervening.

I couldn’t blame Drake for going, nor could I in good faith, just up and go with him, seeing as I had to get my final paper in to my advisor before the end of the month and it required a trip to the gallery once more before I was done.

I would finish my article and go out to the beach house on Friday. Then, Sophie and I could fly to Nairobi, and I could enjoy my freedom.

With that plan in mind, I switched off the light on the bedside table and lay down, one arm sliding across to the other pillow where Drake would usually be.

That’s what I would do — I’d work like a demon over the next few days and then Sophie and I would arrive three weeks early and spend the rest of Drake’s time at the hospital with him.

I closed my eyes, smiling into the darkness and waited to fall asleep, but as usual, my mind started working feverishly, thinking of how I could finish the article edits as quickly as possible. I had initially planned on taking a week or two, but that was just because I had an extended deadline.

Nothing was impossible — or at least, almost impossible if you really put your mind to it. I’d speak with my editor the next morning and I’d send Sophie to her daycare center and would go every day to my office at the paper so I could get in my editing done as soon as possible.

Then, the three of us would be reunited in Nairobi and would be enjoying the view outside Drake’s hotel.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny, as usual.

I heard Sophie talking to herself — or her toys — in her bedroom. I rolled over and glanced at the bed where Drake would usually be sleeping. He’d be lying there on his stomach, a pillow over his head, his very sexy body naked under a single sheet. Most of the time, he was up first, having a shower and getting dressed so he could get to the hospital early, but on weekends, he slept in a bit, and I got to enjoy the sight of him lying beside me.

I rolled out of bed, went to the washroom for a quick shower, and then after I dressed in a sundress and did my minimal makeup, I went to Sophie’s bedroom to see her sitting up, coloring something in her latest Frozen coloring book.

“Morning, sweetheart,” I said after popping my head inside her room. “Feel like some breakfast? What would you like?” I raised my eyebrows. “Oh, should we go out for breakfast instead? Pancakes and whipped cream at Moxie’s?”

“Moxie’s! Moxie’s!” Sophie replied, eye face lighting up. Moxie’s Diner was one of our favorite places for breakfast. We went there on the weekends whenever possible.

“Moxies it is. Get up and get dressed. We can take the limo there and then walk along the boardwalk after.” I messaged our driver and asked him to be waiting outside the building in fifteen minutes.

For the next quarter of an hour, we got ready, getting Sophie dressed, her teeth brushed and were out the door as quickly as possible and down the stairs to the main floor. Then, we went to the limo, which was parked at the curb outside the door. The streets were busy with both vehicle traffic and pedestrians, so it took longer than usual to get to Moxies, but we enjoyed the drive regardless. Soon, I saw the characteristic storefront that belonged to the venerable old restaurant where we went for brunch, and we stopped and got out.

“Thanks,” I said to the driver. “We’ll be at least an hour.”

He nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”

Then, we went to the front door and gave the hostess our name for a seat on the patio. Luckily, we arrived just as someone was leaving so we were next in line to get a table. We stood in the waiting area, while a busboy cleaned the table of dishes, and then we went to take our seat at the table by a fence, overlooking the street. There was already a set of crayons and a special paper placemat with an image for children to color to keep them busy.

I sighed as we got seated and glanced around, wishing Drake was there and Liam so the four of us could enjoy our ritual brunch together.

That would be for the fall, when Liam was back with us, and life could return to normal. Until then, Sophie and I would have to make do.

“What’s Daddy doing right now?” Sophie asked as she started coloring on the placemat.

“It’s seven hours ahead of us, so right now, it’s four o’clock and Daddy is probably at the hospital doing work.”

“Can we Skype with him?”

“He’ll call us when he can Skype. He might be in the operating room with a patient, so we’ll wait for him.”

She nodded and continued coloring, being used to the idea that her father was at the hospital doing important surgery. She’d been taken to the hospital many times and visited his office, and he delighted in taking her around and showing her his usual haunts.

“I wish he didn’t go,” she said, her expression sad.

“I know, Sweetie,” I said and took her hand and squeezed. “We’ll see him soon. And later, we’ll Skype with him to say goodnight.”

She nodded and went back to her coloring, the expression of concern vanishing from her face as she considered the page.

It would be hard for her to be without both Liam and Drake at the same time. While she had known Liam would be leaving for quite a while, Drake’s sudden departure would be difficult to accept.

---