Page 15 of Doctor’s Orders

ME: He invited us, as in me and my children, over this morning for breakfast.

ME: He made pancakes with chocolate chips in them! I’m in so much trouble.

ME: And did I tell you about his Christmas tree at the office?

ANNABELLE: Uh, no.

ME: Cuteness overload! All of the ornaments are ones that patients have made him over the years. So they’re all these adorable hand-made reindeer and snowmen and snowflakes and gah, he’s amazing.

ANNABELLE: Damn, that is cute!

ANNABELLE: Are you still there? At his house?

ME: Yep.

ME: Right now, he and Lydia are throwing blueberries at each other and trying to catch them in their mouths.

ANNABELLE:

ANNABELLE: You are so screwed.

ME: I know! What am I supposed to do?

ANNABELLE: Maybe take him up on that affair and see what happens?

ME: I can’t.

ME: He doesn’t want to get married. Ever.

ME: I can’t do that to my kids.

ME: I can’t do that to myself.

ANNABELLE: Maybe he just needs some time to figure things out. Men are often slow.

ANNABELLE: Oh, Greyson just informed me that I was the slow one in our relationship and that some men know exactly what they want.

ANNABELLE: He also said that as long as he’s known Doc, he’s never seen him with any woman. And the fact that he invited you and your kids to his house and he cooked means he feels more for you than just lust.

ME: Thank him for me, but also tell him I don’t ever want to hear him talk about lust.

“You have all of the hundred acre woods on your skin. Did you draw it?” Lydia asks. “Mama won’t let me draw on my skin.”

I look up to see my daughter tracing her fingers over the ink on Graham’s arm. How had I not realized he had Winnie the Pooh tattooed on his skin that first night? Probably because I’d been too mesmerized by his dick.

“No, honey,” he says to my little girl. “This is a tattoo, and it’s inked into my skin. So it won’t wash off like markers.”

Lydia gasps. “It’ll be there forever?”

“Yep.”

“Wow. That’s longer than Sharpies!”

Graham chuckles. “Which one of these guys is your favorite? I’ve always liked Tigger the best.”

“I love Winnie the Pooh himself because he’s so sweet, but I think Eeyore is pretty special. Mama says that it’s okay to be sad sometimes.”

He looks up at me across the table, and our eyes meet. I know he can see the wetness welling in mine, but I quickly blink it away.