Bonus Kisses - Freya Barker Page 0,39

the patients are elderly. I’ll have to tuck the dreads out of the way until they get to know me better.

“No. It’s not really part of the uniform. It simply keeps my hair from flying in my face when I’m working.”

“Oh.” Apparently satisfied with my answer, he turns his attention on Stitch, who is pulling on his pant leg. “Can I give him a Cheerio?”

“No. Your dad says people food is not good for them.”

“That’s right,” Rafe’s voice sounds behind me as he walks into the kitchen. “Eat up your own food. At this rate we’ll be running for the bus again.”

“Running is fun,” Spencer says, grinning.

“Is not,” Sofie, who is not nearly as chatty as her brother, counters.

“All right, guys, let’s go,” their father orders firmly, nipping any bickering in the bud. Spencer gets up and starts walking away from the table.

“Hey, kid,” I call him back. “Bowl in the sink. Do I look like your cleaning lady?”

He puts on the brakes and turns back to the table. After he completes his task, he stops in front of me, looking up. “You actually kinda do.”

Before I have a chance to respond, Rafe herds him into the hallway to get on his shoes.

“You could always cut your hair.”

I swing around at the sound of Sofie’s voice. She adds her bowl to her brother’s in the sink while looking at me from under her lashes. I’m still contemplating how to respond to that when Rafe calls her from the hallway.

“Sofie, the bus!”

My niece’s comment has stuck with me all day. It’s still playing through my mind when Nathan pulls up to the small single-story house where our last patient for the day lives.

The seventy-two-year-old woman was a last-minute addition to our schedule. With Type 1 diabetes, she apparently has a wound on her leg that won’t heal. Not that uncommon, but definitely something that—if not properly cared for—could result in amputation or even death.

There’s a single deep bark from inside the house when Nathan knocks. We can hear shuffling and then the slide of a lock, before the door is pulled open and a familiar face pokes out.

I remember Mrs. Myers. Not particularly fondly, though. She’s been a member of my parents’ church for as long as I can remember, and one of the town’s worst busybodies. I’d noticed her at Nicky’s funeral as well, sitting front and center so as not to miss a thing.

I don’t think she ever liked me, even growing up. Once when I was maybe twelve, I’d climbed on her fence to snatch a few peaches off her tree and she caught me. You’d think I held her up at gunpoint, the way she was carrying on. Called the police and everything. She never let me live that down.

That’s what I mean about Eminence, it’s impossible to move past your worst moment.

“Mrs. Myers? We spoke on the phone earlier. Good to see you’re moving around a little.” Nathan smiles at the sour-looking woman as he gently backs her inside. “We’re here to have a look at your leg. This is Natasha, and she’ll be one of the nurses looking after you.”

“Hi, Mrs. Myers.” I try for a smile, even though I’d rather stick a fork in my eye. The thought of having to deal with her three days a week is almost more than I can handle. The only saving grace is the overweight beagle who seems to have taken a shine to me. Or maybe it’s just he smells the puppies. Either way, I’m glad at least the dog is happy to see me.

“Natasha.” She nods, saying nothing more than my name.

I’m grateful for Nathan’s presence, he cranks up the charm the moment he notices the tension, effectively distracting the older woman. He keeps her chatting as I quickly tend to her wound.

It’s not until we’re ready to leave she addresses me directly. “How is your poor mother doing?”

“She’s coping, Mrs. Myers. We all are.”

“Still,” the woman persists, “she was such a treasure, your sister. I’m sure her passing has left a hole her family will never recover from.”

Her family?

I don’t want to react—for anyone listening it sounds like she’s being sympathetic—but something must’ve betrayed the jab I heard loud and clear, because Nathan jumps to the rescue.

“We should really get going. Janet will be here tomorrow, Mrs. Myers. She’ll help you with your bath as well.” Without waiting for a response, he ushers me out the door, closing it behind us.

“It’s not that hard