Page 5 of Coming Innocent

“I love you so much. You’re the best husband ever,” she adds as she kisses him adoringly.

“Alright you two lets finish this tour so you can go do, whatever it is you need to do in private.”

“Fine,” Avery adds solemnly as she retreats from Logan’s hold.

“Don’t worry, boss lady. I have something exciting to show you. It is sort of a surprise I’ve been working on since we came in under budget.”

Her eyes widening in shock she nods gleefully as she urges him onward.

They travel towards the back side of the clinic, nearing the wing extending from the first floor to accommodate the town’s ambulance.

“Here we are,” Brooks exclaims as he swings through the double doors into a small surgical unit.

Avery turns in a circle, taking in her surroundings. “I don’t understand.”

“Well, we came in way under budget since your brother was able to get some grants and donations due to our rural location.” Walking around the perimeter of the room Brooks adds, “As you know, we have a serious need for pediatric emergency surgery. I can perform if necessary, but I was able to hire a top-notch surgeon with pediatric medicine experience, she’s someone I would trust with my own child. We’re lucky that Dr. Long wanted to join us.”

Avery stands in place, completely baffled by the news Brooks presents her, but before she can express herself Brooks walks back out of the double doors and enters a room next door with four incubators centered in the room.

With a gasp, Avery enters the room and her eyes well with unshed tears.

“Oh, Logan. It’s a NICU.”

Speaking up, Brooks adds, “It’s a low-level NICU since we aren’t attached to a hospital, but we can care for preemies and any baby that can be stabilized before sending to Asheville if they require special care and those returning from the hospital that are on the upside of recovery. I have five neonatal nurses that will rotate their shifts and assist in the general practice. Dr. Long has agreed to be their supervisor.”

“This is...this is so much more than I could have ever imagined. It’s perfect Brooks. We will be able to help out so many children.”

“Well, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

She hugs him tightly as her tears fall down her cheeks and she sends prayers of thanks to her deceased fiancé, Declan, for blessing her with the ability to provide this for the town that has opened its arms to her. Logan reaches out and rubs her back as she sobs onto her friend’s chest finally feeling at peace with all that had brought her to this very point.

As she steps out of his grasp Brooks smiles down at her.

“Good surprise?”

“The best,” she responds before she takes in his shirt, now sporting a wet spot from her tears smack dab in the middle of his chest. “I am so sorry,” she points out as her cheeks redden in embarrassment.

He looks down and snorts before removing his white coat, resting it on a nearby chair, then tugging the shirt over his head, leaving his chest exposed and about a foot from her face.

“Oh my,” she whispers before taking a step back and wrapping a hand around Logan’s arm.

“Hey now,” Logan jokes.

“Sorry, it’s just, wow,” Avery admits as she fans her face. “It’s hard not to notice when he’s right at my eye level.”

“Come on, we have a lunch date with your parents,” Logan insists as he shakes his head at his friend as he stands proudly before them, flexing his muscles.

“Don’t worry, I’ll put a shirt on before my lunch date,” Brooks shouts as they leave the room.

Avery can’t be sure, but she could swear she hears him add, “Now if only I could get your sister to notice.”

***

NIKKI REACHES ACROSS THE table, her generous stomach rubbing across the edge as she placed the last centerpiece on the rented buffet table.

Amy, Austin’s mom and Avery’s mother for all intents and purposes, has erected a large tent in her backyard to house the dual baby shower, which she aptly named a Baby-Que.

The tent is decorated in black and white gingham patterns, red oil lanterns on the center of each of the tables with large plumes of baby’s breath jutting from the glass opening, and small galvanized tubs holding utensils and straws sits on either side of the lanterns.