Page 98 of Nanny for the Doctor

“I did it!”

Mae is quickly up and out of her seat, standing next to us as we cheer, and I grab Henry around the shoulder with one arm, giving him a tight hug.

“You did! Your first one!”

“I’m so proud of you, Henry.” Mae puts a hand over her mouth. “Oof, okay, sorry, that’s grossing me out.”

Henry and I laugh as Mae backs away, and I help him get the fish off the hook and back into the water. This is all catch and release, which I’m sure makes Mae happy because bringing home a load of smelly fish in the car wouldnotgo over well.

“Dad! That was amazing! Did you see how hard it fought?” My son practically jumps up and down as he speaks.

“I did!” I pat him on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t you want to fight it if you had a hook in your lip?”

He laughs, and I playfully pretend to hook him, pulling him along after me before mock-throwing him in the lake.

“No! Don’t!” He can barely speak through the laughter.

“We should celebrate! What would you like for dinner, kiddo?”

Mae still stands a few feet away, and I shake my head with a smile. We won’t be able to disguise her nausea as a virus for much longer.

“Pizza!” Henry claps his hands loudly into a prayer position beneath his chin.

“Pizza it is.” I smile. “Let’s pack up, and we’ll head over to Pizza Luche’s.”

After driving to our favorite pizza place, our usual server, Dani, finds us a big booth in the back, and we order one large meat supreme, holding the onions on Mae’s side.

It’s beyond amazing, memories and pepperoni all mixed into the perfect creation, and Mae’s actually able to get a slice or two down before her stomach protests.

Poor thing. I really hope her nausea goes away soon. And thank God I’m not the one who has to be pregnant. It doesnotlook fun.

I take a swig of my beer and notice Mae eyeing it as she drinks the same thing as Henry—a kid’s mocktail.

Leaning forward, I whisper so Henry doesn’t hear. “Missing it?”

“Yes. So much. I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not much of a sweet drink girl, and Sprite with maraschino cherries is literally just sugar with more sugar.”

I laugh, but Mae just rolls her eyes.

“It’s not forever. How about I promise to have a beer waiting for you after delivery?"

“Can you do that?”

I shrug. “I’ll have to sneak it in, but I got you.”

“Oh, yes. Please.”

“Deal.”

She sits back with a smile, and I look over at Henry, who is trying to see if he can fit half the pizza slice in his mouth at once.

“Dude. Buddy. Slow down. I’m not supposed to go to the hospital today, remember?”

Henry looks up at me, a hilarious look of pseudo-guilt on his face. “Okay.”

At least, that’s what I think he says because it’s very muffled by all the pizza.

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