Page 59 of A Very Miller-Cooper Life

“Since we’re reminiscing, you know what we should do next?” Charlie asked.

Honestly, I had no idea. “What?”

“You’ll see.” Charlie smirked as she led me down the street and back to our hotel. She gave the valet our car information, but wouldn’t tell me why we needed the car.

It was only a few minutes into our drive when it finally hit me. “Are we going to see our first apartment?”

Charlie’s smile grew even bigger. “We sure are.”

She parked in the parking lot of her old practice, which was now apparently owned by someone different than the person she sold it to (at least, that’s how it appeared given the name change and makeover it had undergone).

I pointed to the building. “They’re open. We should go in.”

Charlie scrunched up her nose. “Really? Isn’t that a little strange?‘Hey you don’t know me, but I actually used to own this place.’”

I shrugged. “I don’t think it’s strange at all. In fact, I’m going to go in either way.”

Charlie turned off the car and followed me to the entrance. As soon as we walked inside, we were greeted by the receptionist. “Hi! How can I help you? Do you have an appointment?”

Much to my surprise, Charlie stepped up to the front desk. “No. I actually used to own this practice many, many years ago. Is Dr. Griffith still here?”

The receptionist shook her head. “I’m afraid not. He sold the practice a year ago.” The receptionist’s face lit up. “Wait! You’re the doctor that was here before Dr. Griffith? When I got a job here, your manager was still working here, and she had nothing but good things to say about you. I feel like I’m meeting a celebrity with how much she talked about you.” She walked outfrom behind the desk and waved us on as she led us down the hallway that held so many memories for us. “Doctor Manning is about to go on her lunch break. You need to meet her.”

She practically ran right into the young woman as she walked into the hallway from her exam room. “Oh, Dr. Manning. You’ll never believe who is here. This is…” She turned toward us and put her hand on her head. “I'm sorry. I never asked your names.”

Charlie held out her hand. “I’m Charlie and this is my wife, Reagan. I actually owned the practice before Dr. Griffith.”

“No way! You have to let me show you around.”

I thought it was strange when there was a storage area where I could have sworn the break room had been, but I figured I must have been remembering it wrong.

“Where is the break room now?” Charlie asked as if she had read my mind.

Dr. Manning pointed up toward the ceiling. “You know that small little apartment up there? That’s the break room now.”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “That small little apartment housed us and our three kids at one point.”

Dr. Manning’s eyes went wide. “No way! I’m shocked there was enough space for all of you.”

“There really wasn’t,” Charlie said. “Hence the move.”

Dr. Manning nodded. “That makes sense! We should definitely go up there. I’m sure it looks much different now, but are you guys interested in seeing it?”

“Hell yeah,” I said before Charlie could answer.

Dr. Manning led us out of the building and up the stairs I had taken more times than I could count. As soon as she opened the door, the memories came flooding back. Walking in for the first time. Patch eating all of our wedding invitations. Bringingour kids home from the hospital. Watching our kids take their first steps.

Just as the tears started to sting my eyes, I felt a hand slip into mine. “So many great memories here, huh?” Charlie whispered.

I nodded as I continued to take in the apartment. “This is where our family began. Some of my favorite memories are here.”

“All of my best memories have something in common.” Charlie turned toward me and booped my nose. “You’re part of every single one.”

***

With all the good memories there’s bound to be a few that you wish you could forget. After the three graduations fell on different days, we were pretty sure we were the luckiest people on the planet. In fact, I was thinking I was so lucky that I was highly considering playing the lottery. I mean, what are the chances that none of the graduations would fall on the same day?

Plus, our kids were doing great. Olivia had decided to stay in the city after graduation. She wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do with her marketing degree yet, but she knew New York was where she was meant to do it. She and Jax were still best friends after all these years so they were staying in the apartment they already lived in together.

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