Page 20 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
“And brush your teeth,” he added, picking him up and hugging him tight.
The love he had for his son burst through like sun from behind the clouds. Who cared if toast bits lined the floor or that his son had whined about a pair of shoes? He was alive and healthy, and in the end, that was all that mattered.
“I love you,” he said, cupping Danny’s head, feeling the soft hair cradling his skull.
“I love you too, Dad,” he answered, squeezing Andy’s neck.
“Now let’s get ready to blow this joint,” he said, taking the stairs two at a time with his son in his arms. “It’s going to be a great day.”
After seeing Danny off to school, he headed to Dare Valley General. Morning rounds went well. All his patients were improving—a rarity—and their visiting family members were in good spirits. He even discharged Everett Corrigan, who’d been with them over a week with an obstructed bowel. Realizing he’d have time for a lunch break, he texted his brother to see if he wanted to join him for a run. He received Matt’s one-word answer—yes—as he headed back to his office on the seventh floor to do some paperwork.
Patient files lined the metal holder situated on the corner of his desk. In his Denver hospital, he’d been able to type his notes onto a hand-held device. Dare Valley General wasn’t as automated, which was a pain in the butt. He’d brought the innovation up to the hospital board in the hopes they would go for his suggestion. Sometimes it was hard to read his notes, though Joyce Henners, the charge nurse, had become a master at deciphering his handwriting.He completed the charts from his rounds that morning and then sat back in his chair.
Lucy filtered through his mind, and he went online to see if she was on Skype. After talking with her last night about her accident and injuries, he was tempted to call up Dr. Davidson to informally discuss her case out of professional courtesy. Doctors still did that—even with HIPAA. He shook his head, realizing that he was doing precisely what Lucy had asked him not to do.
She had been right to make him promise not to intervene without her blessing. But he couldn’t deny he was worried about her. That worry had kept him up for hours after he’d put Danny to bed. Didn’t she need extra support after all she’d been through? Her stubborn Irish side really ticked him off sometimes.
He reached for his phone to text her, only to realize he didn’t have her number. They always used Skype. She usually picked up a new disposable phone every few weeks since most of the countries she went to had different cellular systems—if only rudimentary ones. Or satellite phones, which were reserved for emergencies—like being injured in a bombing.
He eyed his phone. Should he call her house? Would that be awkward? Ellen O’Brien would love it, as would his mother. Popping open a bottle of water, he concluded he was making too big a deal of it. She was living at her parents’ house for the moment. He wanted to talk to her about getting together. It was as simple as that.
And if he knew Lucy, her mother was going to drive her bat-shit crazy if she didn’t have frequent breaks from the madness. He picked up the phone and dialed the O’Brien residence.
“Hello,” Ellen answered.
“Hi, Ellen,” he said in as even a tone as he could muster. “I wasn’t sure if Lucy had a cell phone she was using, so I figured I’d try your home phone. Could you put her on for me?”
Brief. Factual. Friendly.
He needed to keep Ellen and his mother from spinning fairy tales about them finding happily ever after together after all this time.
“Well, well, well,” Ellen drawled. “Andy Hale. It’s been a while since you called this house asking for Lucy.”
The first burn of embarrassment heated his cheeks. God, when Ellen said it that way, he felt like he was back in high school. “Indeed it has. Is she around?”
“Sure. I’m trying to talk her into going to the salon to get her nails done.”
He knew how well that was likely to go over. Lucy had never been much for girly things, even when it came to summer pool parties or prom.
“Must be a quiet day at the hospital,” Ellen continued, her usual chatty self.
“It’s been pretty normal,” he responded, hoping he wouldn’t have to keep up the small talk much longer. “Are you getting Lucy? I only have a short break.”
“Sure. Lucy! Andy’s on the phone for you.”
That woman could puncture an ear drum.
Lucy answered a couple of moments later. “Hello?”
“Hey,” Andy replied, sitting back in his chair. “You’ve survived the morning, I see. No mention of you on the police scanner yet.”
“It was touch and go there for a while,” she said in a quieter voice. “Give me a moment to get back to my room.”
Yeah, Ellen would listen to every word if she could.
“All clear,” Lucy said in a brighter voice. “How’s it going, Andy Cakes?”
He ignored the endearment. “Fine so far. I realized I didn’t have a way to reach you beyond Skype. Have you bought a cell yet?”
