Page 15 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

“Uh-uh, too salty. Go on now, git. I’ll bet Claire’s got some treats for you, something more healthy.”

Buster danced on his toes, and I sighed and stood up. This was awkward, and no use pretending it wasn’t. No use avoiding what had to come next. I took Buster’s collar and hustled him along.

“That’s it, good boy. Let’s walk you back over.”

Claire took Buster’s collar and snapped his leash on him. She frowned as she did, and my insides felt weak. Most of the time,you build someone up in your head, then you see them again and you can’t guess what the fuss was. But Claire was all I remembered and then some — a little tired-looking, but what doctor wasn’t? Her hair still looked softer than any I’d seen, though I couldn’t see a scenario where she’d let me touch it. She still had those curves that had once filled my dreams. And she looked angry, and I didn’t blame her.

“Thank you,” she said. “C’mon, Buster. Let’s go.”

I got halfway throughwait,just thewuhsound, and Claire was already walking away. And I knew I should let her, if that’s what she wanted. She didn’t owe me anything, not even hello. Still, my chest hurt, and I ached to run after her, to spin her around and straight into my arms. How could four years have passed when it felt like four minutes, when she still scowled the same as the moment she’d dumped me? Didn’t she feel it too, the time dropping away? Didn’t she —

“Mommy!”

I jumped as a little kid charged out of the trees and latched onto Claire’s leg, and reached out for Buster. Claire glanced at me, shook her head, and took the kid’s hand.

“Come on, Oli. Time to go pick up Grandma.”

Oli’s face fell. “But, Mom! We just got here!”

“I know, but we’re late. Come on, shake a leg.”

Oli giggled and balanced himself on one foot. He shook his leg at her, but Claire didn’t smile. She hurried him away from me like she thought I might… what? Get mad she’d moved on? She had every right. I’d dreamed of that life with her, the nice house,the kids, but I hadn’t been there, so she’d found it elsewhere. Unless… unless, no. But, how old was that kid?

“Wait, Claire?—”

If she heard me, she gave no sign. She packed Oli into her dad’s station wagon, buckled him into his little car seat. Then she half-ran to the driver’s side door and jumped in herself, peeling out too fast. And then she was gone, along with… my kid?

My head spun. I dropped to one knee where I stood. No way was that my kid, but what if he was? Had his eyes been gray, or deep brown like Claire’s? His sandy blond hair was a mess like mine when I was a kid, too thick to lie flat, too fine to cut right. Like a pale dandelion gone to seed on his head. But, she’d have told me if he was my kid. Wouldn’t she?Wouldn’tshe?

I hitched a harsh breath. Whatnow?

CHAPTER 7

CLAIRE

I’d seen Blake a thousand times in our first months apart — in line at the store, getting food at the diner. Whizzing by in a taxi, absorbed in his phone. Wherever I looked, he was there, then he wasn’t, my mind playing tricks. Dreaming up happy endings. But that had been years ago, before Oli came. I hadn’t seen him or thought of him since… I couldn’t think when.

“Mom?”

“Almost there. You read your book.”

Oli huffed, sulky, denied his park time. “I already read it.”

“So read it again.”

Oli huffed louder, but he dug out his book. He started to read it slowly, out loud, sounding out every word with exaggerated care. I started to snap at him to read to himself, but he wasn’t the one who deserved my frustration.

“Good job,” I said, when he turned the page. “But it’s ‘enough,’ not ‘enow-guh-huh.’”

Oli giggled. “Yeah. But enow-guh-huh’s funny.”

I smiled, but my lips felt tight. What was Blake thinking? Had he come here on purpose, to the park Oli loved? Would he be there again if we went back? Time was, I’d dreamed of just such an encounter: I’d be out with Oli, on our way the store, and Blake would appear, still in his scrubs. He’d be all scruffy, like he hadn’t slept in days, and when he saw us, he’d drop to his knees.

“I’m so sorry,” he’d say, as I swept by him. I’d keep on walking, but he’d scramble upright. He’d jog to catch up to me. “Please stop. Claire, please. I just got your messages, and I don’t know what to say. I’m here and I’m sorry, andpleasehear me out. I’ll spend my life making it up to you, if that’s what it takes. All I want is to be here for you both.”

Blake had never come, because of course he hadn’t. Except, now hehad, and I couldn’t think why. Curiosity, maybe? Another bad breakup?

“Thow-guh-huh,” said Oli. “Hey, Mom? Thow-guh-huh.”

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