Page 3 of The Doctor

“Am I in trouble?” I knew I wasn’t but it was good to make sure.

My mom ran her fingers through her long dark hair and put it back in its hair tie. We had different color skins because I was adopted when I was baby. My mom said a couple who were far too young to have children wanted me to have a better life. I believed her because I had the best life. Except, I missed my dad.

My mom took my hands in hers. I was only eleven but my hands were nearly the same size as hers. “No, sweetie, you are not in trouble. But I do need to talk to you about something serious.”

I pushed my shoulders back and planted my feet firmly on the floor.

“Okay.” I nodded. “Hit me.”

My Mom smiled as her gaze wavered to Bill. And then back to me. “Bill and I are going to get married.”

That was not what I was expecting. Not that I expected anything. But if I was, that would not be it.

“What? Why?” That made no sense. My Mom had a husband. She didn’t need another one. Sure, she wanted friends. That made sense. But she had a job so the money part was sorted. And I was around to take care of her otherwise. There was no reason to bring another man into our house. I got off the chair, wanting to storm off. “We don’t need another man in the house.”

“Dominic Henry Bayers, sit down.”

My Mom only used my middle name when she meant business. Slowly I slid on to the chair. Only half my butt was actually on the chair and my feet were still on the floor. I glared at Bill and then looked back at my mom. “People live together when they get married. Is he moving in here? Or are we going to move into his small apartment? Because he only has one room, we can’t all fit.”

I had only been there once when he invited my mom and me for dinner. He didn’t really cook. Apparently, he got his mother to make the food and bring it to his apartment since he wasn’t actually working. I guess that meant he couldn’t buy groceries.

“Dom, mind your tone. I have more to tell you.” She looked at me with wide eyes and thin lips. “But if you can’t act responsibly, all you’re doing is proving you can’t handle all the news I have to tell you.”

I frowned at my mom. “There’s more? Are you pregnant?”

My mom’s cheeks turned red. My dad used to say he loved it when she went all rosy. “Actually, yes.”

“I thought you couldn’t have kids and you were happy with just me.”

“I am happy with you, sweetie. You are the most important person in my life.” She pulled me out of the chair and onto her lap. “Your dad couldn’t have children. The cancer robbed him of that blessing. And you were always enough for your dad and me.” She let out a little chuckle. “More than enough, actually.”

I turned to Bill. “Am I not enough for you?”

My Mom turned my face to look at her once more. “That’s not how it works, sweetie. We didn’t plan for me to fall pregnant. At least not right away. But here we are. And you’re going to be the best big brother. Isn’t it great?”

“I suppose.” I looked at the floor. I was still on my mom’s lap and I was trying hard not to cry. “When will the baby be here?”

My mom smiled at me, and I knew I couldn’t cry. She was happy and I didn’t want to take that away, “If my calculations are correct. Your little brother or sister will be here in about seven months.”

I counted the months in my head. My eyes widened. “I’ll be a whole twelve years older. That’s not normal.”

“Oh, sweetie. Families don’t look one way. All families are different.”

“Okay.” I turned to face my mom once more as something occurred to me. “Will I share my trust fund with my new brother or sister?”

“What?” My mom lifted a brow

“Grandma said I have a trust full of money that I will get when I am a man. Will I share it with him or her?”

“Sweetie. That’s money your dad left for you. No one can touch that until you are much, much older.”

I nodded. I didn’t know what a trust was, but I hoped it was like a bank. It made more sense for Dad to leave money in a bank account. I hope the trust thing wasn’t a treasure chest. Though that would be so cool. But it didn’t make any sense. I decided my mom knew better than me about the trust and not question it further. “Mom, can I go to my room? I want to finish my homework. And then I want to read. I got another Alex Rider book out of the library.”

“Sure, sweetie.” She lifted me off her lap and turned me to face her. “You are my best boy. And if the next baby is a boy. I’ll have two best boys. You never have to worry about that.”

I wasn’t worried. At least not about the baby. But Bill, yeah, I didn’t like him. I gave my mom a kiss and walked out. Before I even reached the stairs, I heard my mom and Bill talking. They were whispering but it was loud. Like they were scolding one another but they didn’t want me to hear. My Mom and Dad used to do that sometimes.

I crept back to the wall next to the dining room.

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