EPILOGUE

A METHYST

I wiped my mouth with a hand towel and stared at my reflection for a few seconds while I got my mind straight for my day. I had back-to-back patients scheduled until almost five o'clock today, and considering there were always at least three walk-ins, that meant I would be here until at least six - and Tama'i and I had dinner plans at six-thirty.

There was a tap on the door, and I was shaken from my thoughts. I turned and opened the door to find True standing there with a grin.

"How ya doing?"

"Shut up."

"Let the games begin! We've already got a walk-in, and I know you're gonna want to see him first."

"Betty White!"

"That's a new non-cuss word."

"Well, she was a comedy goddess, and I think that's better than blasphemy," I explained.

"I like that. Anyway, your walk-in is in exam three, and your first scheduled well-check of the day is getting his diaper changed in exam five."

"On it," I said as I turned back to the sink to wash my hands. Apparently, my day was going to start off with a bang. I needed to get my thoughts together, although that had been harder to do for the last few weeks with everything happening so quickly. Between the holidays and planning for the wedding, I'd been busy almost every waking hour. It was starting to take a toll on me.

However, we had a trip to Vegas scheduled soon, so if I could just hold out until then, I'd be nursing one of those seafood buffet food bellies poolside with the girls soon.

The thought of shrimp this early in my morning routine made my stomach flip, but I knew I'd enjoy it when we had our vacation along with plenty of time to sleep and relax. In the last few weeks, the thought of that had been like a beacon in the distance, drawing me closer and giving me hope for the future.

I tapped on the door of Exam Three and opened it to find one of my favorite patients and his mom.

"Archer!"

He smiled at me even though his cheeks were wet with tears and said, "Doctor Amy, I hurt my hand."

"Oh, no," I said as I walked closer to where he was perched on his mom's knee. I pulled some gloves out of the box on the wall and smiled as I pulled them on and asked, "What happened, Mom?"

I sat on the stool and rolled closer as I reached out to take the bandaged hand he was clutching close to his chest.

Archer's mom burst into tears and wailed, "It's all my fault."

Archer, seeing his mom's distress, started crying, too, as he sputtered, "I fell down, and Mom started crying."

"He was running across the yard to get to the car and he tripped, which shouldn't have been that bad, but he started screaming, and when I got over to him, I realized he was bleeding."

"Was there glass or . . ."

"It was the water park!"

"You were at the water park?"

"No, there's a broken sprinkler head in our front yard," Archer's mom said before she sniffed and took in a shuddering breath. "I should have fixed it last week when I realized it was broken, but when I went to the store, they didn't have it, and I didn't have time to go to another one, and then it just slipped my mind, and now . . . and now . . . now he's bleeding!" she wailed.

"I know it's early, but I think it's time," I said as I stood up and cocked my hip toward Archer. "Reach into my pocket, buddy. I think we all need a little pick-me-up."

Archer reached into my pocket, and his tears instantly stopped when he realized what he held in his hand. He pulled out a sucker and then, at my instruction, pulled out two more. By the time he was clutching them in his hand, his mom had managed to pull herself together and unwrap them as I looked at his injury.

To take his mind off of what I was doing, I asked, "What's new in your life, Archer? Has anything exciting happened this week?"

"My dad is getting married!"

I glanced up at Archer's mom, and she smiled before she explained, "Archer's father and kindergarten teacher are in love and planning to get married next year."

I let out an exaggerated breath and laughed before I said, "That's really good news."

"Isn't it, though?" she asked, understanding my relief.

"Is my hand broken?" Archer asked.

"No, but it looks like you're going to need some stitches, honey."

"Stitches? Do I get a shot? I don't want a shot!"

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," I said under my breath before I smiled at my patient. "Lucky for you, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to make this a little easier."

"What are you going to do?" Archer asked.

"Well, every patient is different," I choked out, thinking of how I got my future husband to take his shots every three months. "But I've got some cherry-flavored medicine that will help."

"And no shot?"

"You'll get a shot, but the cherry stuff will make everything go a little bit easier."

"Can I have some?" Archer's mom asked.

"I'd put it in a squirt bottle and give everyone who walks through the door a swig, if I could."

"Would you take some?" Archer asked.

"I can't right now, but maybe the next time you're here," I lied.

"You're my friend, aren't you, Doctor Amy?"

"I am, Archer," I said as I pulled my gloves off to prepare for his stitches. "You can always count on me."

◆◆◆

"What else can I do to help?" my mom asked as she put the last plate on the table.

"Will you go see how Tama'i is doing at the grill? I need to know how long before he's finished with the steaks."

"I can do that," Mom said cheerfully. She winked at me and then turned toward the door as she said, "I'll be back in just a second."

"Are you feeling okay, afa'fine?"

"I'm doing much better than I was the last time you saw me."

"I was worried about you," Tutu said sadly. "Your light was dim, but it's bright again now."

"I was going through a rough patch," I admitted. "But as soon as the morning sickness started to wane, I was back to my old self."

Tutu stopped stirring the pot on the stove and slowly turned her head to look at me. "What did you say?"

Tama'i who had been standing in the doorway, ready to watch the show, walked up behind his Tutu and said, "Tomorrow is Valentine's day, and I managed to do what you asked so you don't stop feeding me."

"But in about six months, you'll have another mouth to feed," I warned.

"You're having a baby?" Tutu asked. When I nodded, she dropped the spoon and swept me into a hug. When she started crying loudly, Tama'i wrapped his arms around both of us, enveloping us in his warmth and the strength that we both admired so much.

"Don't cry, Tutu. You know how that upsets me even if they are happy tears," Tama'i said, trying to console her.

Tutu sniffed and lifted her head off my shoulder. I could see the twinkle in her eyes when she said, "I'm not crying happy tears, Tama'i. I'm crying tears of terror at the thought of another wild boy like you running around and making me crazy."

"You know you're gonna love it."

"Maybe," Tutu hedged as she leaned into his chest.

Tama'i winked at me and mouthed "I love you." over his grandmother's head.

"Now I get to go out on the patio and tell my Gigi and Pop that I'm having a baby."

"Is that why you wanted all of us to get together tonight?"

"Partially, but I really wanted all of us to come together for dinner because I love the fact that my family is your family now and vice versa."

"That's the way it should be, afa'fine."

Tama'i leaned over and gave me a kiss before he said, "And that's the way it always will be."

THE END