Between Octobers

October 8th

October 8th

The keys to the file room in Dr. Pataki’s office were devoured by the couch monster. I performed a random cavity search when Lily called earlier in the morning. I had to drop them by her office, on my way to take the boys to school, before the days’ patients started showing up. 

While the car warmed up, the boys were getting loaded inside.  I made sure Caleb was settled, then tried to text Lily to let her know we were leaving, but my cell battery’s was nearly dead. I flipped the phone shut and rolled down the driveway. “Noah, text your Aunt—let her know we’re on our way.”

The parking garage beneath the office building wasn’t open to the public yet, but Lily called the guard and told him I was coming. I drove in, looking for a spot near the central bank of elevators—the set closest to her office on the third floor, which was two floors beneath Dr. Lena’s office. I’d never met with her at her professional office. We always met over on the other side of town, at my church.

After hopping out of the car, I called to Noah, but he continued bobbing his head to the beat of whatever song he was listening to. I waved my arms, hoping the movement would grab his attention. It did; he looked my way and took out an ear bud.

“I am going to give Aunt Lily her keys. I will be right back.” I shook them in my hand for him to see. Glancing in the backseat; I saw Caleb had fallen back to sleep. “Please wake up your brother and tell him to eat his breakfast. Help him open his juice, too, please. I don’t want him squirting it all over the car.” He nodded. “A verbal response would be nice.”

“Okay, I will.” His tone whispered irritation. “Happy?”

 “Yes, thank you.” My eyes shrunk as I turned away. I could not wait until he has his own kids. Wait, yes I could.

The elevator opened immediately; I walked inside. Right before the doors closed, I noticed a man with a beard sitting inside a black SUV in the parking garage. He leaned his head against the seats’ headrest, like he was trying to catch up on sleep. Briefly, I wondered why he was there. Probably for the same reason my boys were—waiting on someone inside. 

The doors opened to the third floor. Lily’s office was two left turns away. I pulled out my phone and checked the time, pleasantly surprised. Maybe the kids wouldn’t be late for school. 

Reaching the glass doors to her office suite, I knocked lightly. Lily’s head, with her hair twisted back into a loose bun, bobbed up from behind the partition. She jumped up once she saw it was me, holding her keys to the file room.

 “Where are the boys?” She asked, surprised.

“In the car.”

“Why?” She was digging into the pocket of her gray scrub top.

“Caleb was sleeping—what are you doing?” My eyes grew wide as she dumped a fist full of Halloween candy into my purse.

“Give this to them, from me.”

“They’ll love you forever.” I tucked my phone into my pocket to play with my belt loops.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m breathing.” I responded without thinking, and realized how it sounded. “I’m fine. The kids are going to be late if I don’t get out of here, though.” 

“Quick question: how would you feel about buying Noah a car for his birthday?”

“What?”

“He’s going to be sixteen—”

“No way.” 

“But he’ll have his license when he’s done with that class and I want—”