Page 8 of Drake Eternal

“Got everything I wanted wrapped up and decided to come home and pack. My flight leaves at 8:10 PM so I have to pack and get ready. Plus, I want to spend some quality time with my two girls before I go.”

“You’re going to Africa today?” Sophie asked when she took his hand.

“Yes. I’m flying to Africa to see Uncle Michael.”

“Uncle Michael!” Sophie smiled. She loved her “Uncle Michael” and had spent many a happy day at his place when we went there for meals and to spend down time with him while we were in Southampton. “Can we come to the airport, too?” Sophie’s eyes were wide. She was probably thinking of her recent trip to the airport to say goodbye to Liam.

Drake turned to me. “I have to be at the airport 90 minutes early, so that would mean at least 6:15 or so. We could say goodbye, then you and Sophie could stop and get something to eat at her favorite place.”

Her favorite place was of course a hot dog stand near our place.

I turned to Sophie. “How does that sound, Sophie? We go with Daddy to the airport and say goodbye, then go to get a hotdog at the cart?”

Her eyes widened. “And ice cream?”

“Ice cream again?” I replied, giving Drake a knowing grin. “You had ice cream yesterday…”

Sophie only smiled, likely knowing that I’d give in.

“Sounds like a plan,” I said finally, smiling despite myself.

“Good.” Drake opened the front door to the apartment and in we went. He spent the next hour packing and taking care of business on his laptop in his office, while Sophie watched television — Frozen of course — and I made lunch for us.

We sat down together on the sofa, and listened while Drake told us all about the floods in Kenya and how he and Michael would be doing the emergency surgeries and scheduled surgeries until replacement neurosurgeons could arrive.

“Back in Kenya,” I said to Drake after we left Sophie to watch her show and went to the kitchen. I shook my head. “Who would have thought?”

“Life happens,” Drake said and sat on a stool at the kitchen island, exhaling. “I’m just glad I was able to say yes to Michael and help him out.”

He took my hand in his and squeezed. “Come help me pack.”

I followed him upstairs into the bedroom, leaving Sophie in the living room watching television.

“Michael’s lucky to have you and that you were just about to go on vacation for the summer.”

“When I’m done, you and Sophie and I should make a special trip to see my father’s grave. It’s too bad we can’t take Liam, too, but he’ll be in Indonesia.” He went to the closet and removed one of the suitcases, laid it on the bed, and began placing clothes inside from his dresser.

“Maybe next year.”

I knew Drake wanted to make sure Liam grew up knowing as much as possible about his heroic namesake.

I sat on the bed. “Maybe you could contact Maureen and see if they could meet up with us so Liam could go.”

Drake nodded, and removed some socks from his sock drawer and tucked them into the suitcase. “I’ll do that.”

Then, I thought about what else might be in Nairobi.

One person in particular.

Sam.

Samantha Cuttington.

One of Drake’s former lovers, and a very beautiful and talented neurosurgeon.

They had a brief affair while they were both in Nairobi.

Was she still there?

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