Page 35 of Possessive Doctor

“Is the hotel close to your aunt’s house?”

“It’s a one-horse town, baby. Everything is close to everything.”

“It’s hard to imagine places like that exist anymore.”

“I know, but this one does. The place can’t grow because there isn’t any industry there. People graduate and move away to find work.”

“But you could go back, right? I mean everywhere needs a doctor, right?”

“Yes, everywhere needs a doctor, but not this doctor.”

“Why do you say that? You wouldn’t want our kids to grow up in a small town like you?”

“We already live in the country. Why would we want to move any farther away from the city?”

“I don’t know. I’m just making conversation. I grew up without siblings or cousins to play with. I just wondered what it would be like if our kids had cousin friends.”

“It’s not all that it’s cracked up to be, trust me. Besides, you haven’t even met these people yet. You might hate them all.”

“I don’t think I could hate them. They’re a part of you.”

We make our first stop at a rest area where the landscape has changed from flat and green to the rocky, pine-covered hillside. Amy steps out of the SUV and stretches before climbing into the back to change and feed the girls. I unbuckle Alex’s seatbelt and walk hand in hand with him to the men’s room inside the café.

We return with bags of takeout for lunch and a giant lollipop Alex picked for later. We eat in the car and begin driving again.

All three children have dozed off by the time we reach our second stop.

“I don’t want to wake them. Why don’t we just gas up and keep moving?” Amy suggests.

“Sounds good to me.”

Four and a half hours into the trip, we pull up to our hotel.

“The reunion dinner starts in an hour. That gives us time to check in and get cleaned up.”

“Really? An hour?”

“I told you, princess. Everything is close to everything.”

We unload the kids only to change their clothes, wash their faces, and load them back into the car again. Alex is beside himself. He isn’t one to sit still for long.

“When we get there, you can run in the backyard. I bet there will be fireflies for you to catch,” I tell him.

“Really, Daddy? The fireflies came with us?”

Amy looks at me, and we both laugh.

“No, Alex. These will be different fireflies,” I tell him.

Aunt Rita’s driveway is filled with cars lined two by two, so I make a U-turn and park against the curb. I remember being here as a kid and thinking she had the biggest house in town. Looking at it now, it seems like just an ordinary two-story Victorian.

“This is beautiful,” Amy breathes.

“Yeah. Aunt Rita is very proud of this place.”

We pack the kids onto the porch, and I ring the bell. My cousin James answers and looks bewildered to see me.

“Andrew, is that you?” he asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

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