Page 4 of Doctor Daddy

I held out my arms, palms up, and looked down at myself. I had lace from my wrists to my shoulders. It was Dad’s genetics that gave me the boobs. If she had a problem with those, she needed to take it up with my paternal grandmother.

“Mom, no one here thinks I’m naked under the lace.”

“Everyone here knows you’re naked under the lace,” Dad chuckled.

“Peyton!”

“Dad!”

We yelled at him at the same time.

“You are in a room full of medical professionals. We all are aware that everyone is naked under their clothes. I see Dr. Peterson; I need to go speak to him. Go find Mark, he should be around here somewhere.”

With that, Dad left us.

“So, you don’t like the lace? Or what is it that you don’t exactly like, Mom?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You’re right, but you did. So, let’s have it. You don’t like my dress, or you don’t like me in this dress?”

“I simply think you could have picked something less revealing. You could have borrowed something from my closet.”

I barked with laughter. It was a complete non-feminine like move, but Mom was being a real comedian.

“Brooke!”

“You’re hilarious,” I said. “We are not the same size, not even close.”

“I know that. Maybe if you paid a little more attention to how you ate.”

“Mom.”

I was starting to figure it out. By revealing she didn’t mean showing off too much skin, she meant showing off too much me.

She plucked at the fabric on my shoulder.

“Men want a little mystery from their women.”

“Why are you all of a sudden talking about what men want? I don’t really care.”

“I worry, you aren’t dating. And then you dress like this, and…” she let out a heavy sigh. “You have such a pretty face. I just think better fitting clothes and a healthier diet.”

“Good evening, ladies,” Doctor Mark said as he stepped up to us. “How were your holidays, Brooke?” he gave me a little nod before turning his attention back to Mom.

“Oh, they were so much quieter without Rhys around.”

“Sorry I wasn’t noisy enough for you.” I shifted my weight and crossed my arms. I was in for a long conversation about how difficult it was for Mom to have her children gone. From the way she talked, she sounded like some geriatric person who never saw her family.

“I’m going to go find the canapes,” I said pointing off in the distance.

Mom grabbed my wrist. “No dear, remember what we were talking about. Dinner will be served soon enough.”

“Hey Mark, good to see you.” Dad was back and extending his hand out to Doctor Mark as if he hadn’t just had lunch with him at least twice this past week.

“Peyton.”

“Karen, would you join me? Dr. Peterson would like to make introductions with his wife.”

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