Page 35 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

“Mommy, I’mbored.”

“I know, but just?—”

My phone rang, as if I wasn’t frazzled enough. I ignored it, but Oli stood on tiptoe to check it.

“It’s Dad,” he said. “Mommy? It’s Dad!”

I snatched up the phone. “Dad? You okay?”

Silence down the line. Then, “Did you just call me daddy?”

My brain shorted out, total confusion. Then all the pieces fell into place: Oli meanthisdad. I was talking to Blake.

“Very funny,” I said. “Oli said it was Dad.”

“Yeah? How’s he doing?”

“Good.” I smiled down at him. “I’m making his lunch.”

“How about after that, we go see a movie? There’s a good one for kids, that one with the cat. I was thinking we’d do that, then maybe get?—”

“Mom? Your pot’s bubbling.” Oli tugged on my shirt.

“—ice cream, if you’re okay with that. Or if that’s too much sugar, we could stop by the park.”

“Mom?Mom.Your pot.”

“I see it,” I snapped, right in Blake’s ear. His grunt of surprise was the echo of Oli’s.

“Sorry,” I said, to either. To both. “Look, could you, Oli, could you go wash up?”

Oli grumbled, but this time, he trotted off. I waited till the door slammed, then turned back to Blake.

“You still there?”

“Yes, ma’am. Everything okay?”

I almost laughed. Was everythingokay?If you called four hours’ sleep okay, snapping at Oli, burning my roux right now. I gave it a stir. “What did you want, again?”

“To go seeFat Cat?I thought we’d all go, you, me, and Oli.”

I let out a long breath, trying not to explode. Blake’s cheery tone was working my nerves. What right had he to sound so… well-rested?

“I’m asking first, like you said.”

My vision flashed red. I wanted to scream.Thiswas Blake’s idea of planning ahead? “This isnotwhat I said.”

“What? I don’t?—”

“You’re calling at twelve wanting to go out at, what, one? How is that notice? I can’t— I can’t…” I stirred my roux so hard it slopped on the stove. “Listen, I don’t know what you do in theArmy, but here in the real world, I work crazy hours. Then I come home and I’ve got Oli, and I’m not sure you get what that entails. I’m his chauffeur, his chef. His entertainment. I can’t pick up on a whim and just do whatever.”

“I didn’t think.” Blake’s tone was subdued. “I saw the ad for the movie, and I picked up the phone. But it’s playing tomorrow, or next weekend.”

I stood breathing hard, trying to calm down. “I didn’t mean to bark at you. I— are you kidding me? What…?”

Oli stood in the doorway, grinning ear to ear, his face and hands daubed goblin green.

“I’m Shrek,” he said.

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