Page 25 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

“Do you still keep a chocolate stash locked in your glove compartment?”

Oli laughed. “Yeah.”

Claire’s gentle smile faded, and she set down her spoon. “Oli doesn’t like chocolate unless it’s ice cream. He doesn’t like the texture. Says it sticks to his mouth.”

“I guess it does.” I sipped more of my float. I couldn’t stop glancing at us in the window, our Norman Rockwell reflections eating ice cream. We looked like any family out for a treat, Mom and Dad, Oli. His eyes were brown like Claire’s. He had my hair, though, and my build, and my nose, and the sticky-out ears I’d had at his age. Claire looked up, and our eyes met in the glass.

“How’s work going?” I said.

She turned back to Oli. “We’re settling in, aren’t we? Our new routine. Oli gets lots of outside time with Gramps, and Grandma’s been helping him with his reading. Oli, why don’t you tell Moose about your new book?”

Oli wiped his mouth on his sleeve, then he grabbed a napkin. He wiped again, though his sleeve had done fine. “It’s about two dogs,” he said. “And they’re friends. They get lost. They have to ask all the animals how to get home, but the animals don’t know, and it’s really funny.”

I smiled. “Sounds hilarious. I read a lot, too.” I wanted to ask Claire more about work, about how her life had been since I shipped out. But I could see why she kept steering me back to Oli. I’d come here to meet him, not catch up with her. She might want to some other time, but then again, she might not. I was Oli’s father, no doubt about that, but our Norman Rockwell reflection might never be real. We weren’t a family, or not in that sense.

Oli stirred his root beer. “What books do you like?”

I relaxed, on familiar ground: something in common. “I’ll read about anything, but I love a good mystery. Or books about people who, uh—” I’d been about to saygrew up with big families, but the last thing I needed was Oli asking about mine. “I had a teacher when I was a bit bigger than you, gave me a copy ofMy Family and Other Animals. I loved all the animals, and the things they got up to.”

“Other animals,” said Oli. He bit his lip. “I asked Mom for another dog to be friends with Buster, but she said I’m his friend.”

Claire shot me a warning look, and I got the message. I flashed him a grin.

“I’ll bet you’re his best friend.”

“But can’t he have more? Adam’s my friend, but so’s Mike and Billy.”

“And they live in their own houses, and Buster’s friends are the same. They play at the park, just like you, Mike, and Billy.” Claire set down her spoon. “We should head out.”

I panicked. “No, wait.” This couldn’t be over. I fumbled for some way to make this day last. “We could go and see my place. I’ll cook you guys dinner.”

Claire stood. “I’d like that, but I’ve got work. I need to get Oli settled before I head out.”

I slumped back, defeated. They had their routine. I guessed it’d be too soon to offer to watch Oli, or take him for dinner and then drive him home. But I couldn’t just let him walk out of my life. Not without knowing I’d see him again.

“When do you think we could do this again?”

Claire paused and looked down at Oli’s bright face. She looked sad for a moment, then she smiled a tight smile.

“Maybe this weekend, if my schedule works out. Oli? You ready?”

Oli zipped up his jacket and he stood up. He reached for Claire’s hand, then glanced at me.

“Moose?”

“Yeah, sport?”

He strode up to me, solemn, and stuck out his hand. I stuck mine out too, and Oli shook it.

“Thanks for your service. Gramps said to say that.”

I laughed without meaning to, and squeezed his hand, touched. “Well, son, you’re welcome. And your grandpa is, too.”

“Could I call you Dad next time, instead of Moose?”

Claire gave a quick nod, and I smiled. “Sure, you can.”

“Good, because you don’t really look like a moose.”

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