Three Converts

Part 47

The next day I went back to the medical center. This time Bruno smiled brightly at me. "Good news! Finn Dougall is looking to cut back on his hours. He's ancient and getting more and more grouchy. The patients call him FiDo because of his name, and because he can be mean as a dog if you catch him on the wrong day. Nobody wants their baby delivered by a dog. The boss man said you could take ten of his hours to start. You might not see a lot of births at first, with those short hours, but-"

"Yes! Ohmygosh, yes! I'll take it. I'll do it! When do I start?"

"Report back Monday. You'll do a five-hour shift Monday and one on Tuesday. If the moms like you, you'll have more hours in no time." I launched across Bruno's desk and hugged him.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

Bruno laughed. "See? If you had this kind of enthusiasm about the commune, we'd both be living up there right now!"

"Ha!" I snorted, "I think we both dodged a bullet, then." After another quick hug, I ran home to tell Griffin my good news.

I ran into the house, hollering, "Griff! You're not going to believe this!" I rounded the corner a little too fast and stubbed my toe. "Owwwww!" I grabbed my foot and jumped up and down before I noticed Griffin was at the kitchen table with another man.

"You okay?" Griff asked.

I put my foot down, gingerly. "Yes. Hi. Sorry about that." The young man's face remained solemn, but his eyes laughed at me. Kindly, but still. How embarrassing. I looked at Griff, then at the man again and smiled, despite my throbbing toe. "Gordo?"

"How'd you guess?" The brothers laughed. They were practically twins. Gordo's smile was wider, his face scruffier, and his hair longer, but their build was the same and their voices were identical. Griffin motioned to me. "This is Lucy. Lucy, my brother, Gordo."

"I gathered that!" I shook Gordo's hand. "So nice to meet you."

"The infamous Lucy. Between Dobson and Griffin, I feel like I know you already."

I didn't know what to say to that. "Thank you for coming home," I offered. "I'm sorry about your dad..."

Gordo's face darkened. "Don't be. He's a mean old drunk. Had it coming." I immediately sensed Griffin's tension. Even if it was true, he didn't like to hear it. "Let's be honest. The real loss here is Griff's workshop." I couldn't argue with that. "How can I help?" Gordo asked his brother. I was relieved to see the darkness fade, and the resemblance to Griffin return. "Money? Material? Whatever you need, I can get."

Griffin grasped his brother's shoulder. "No offense, Gordo, but I don't need the kind of help you're offering."

Gordo didn't seem even a little offended. He put his hands up innocently, "I hear you! I hear you!" "My brother likes to live clean," he explained to me as though I didn't already know that. He said it like Griff was a kitten who refused to catch mice. "It's cute," he said ruffling Griff's hair. Griffin slapped his hand away, but the action was affectionate. "I'm trying to stay out of trouble too these days. But I'd be willing to take a break from being good if it would help you out." He smiled innocently. It was impossible not to smile along with him.

"How about you?" Gordo turned to me. "Dobson said you're a force to be reckoned with. Do you share Griff's clean-living philosophy?"

I cocked my head, surprised at the question. Of course I wanted to live a crime-free life! Unless we were talking about commune crimes like kissing or wearing real clothes. Griff chuckled at my hesitation. "I only want to follow the laws I agree with, I guess."

Gordo punched Griffin's arm. "Hear that? No wonder Dobson was taken with her. Sounds like they have a lot in common!" Griffin rolled his eyes. I was relieved that he didn't look threatened by the mention of Dobson. That was still a sensitive subject. "Alright. I'll stick around for a while to see how I can help."

"Just don't give me details," Griffin sighed.

"Don't worry, bro! I'll keep it as legal as possible."

"Let me move Misty and Rocco's things out of your room. I'm afraid we've really made ourselves at home," I said.

"Ugh, no. I'm not staying here. This place has too much of dad around. You guys knock yourselves out. I've got places I can go."

"Don't ask!" Griffin warned me when I opened my mouth to ask where.

"Okay," I smiled at him again. "But come over any time. All the time! And thanks again for coming back."

"Miss the chance to see the old man laid up in the hospital? No way. And seeing you guys is good too. Always happy to help my little bro out." Griffin ducked before Gordo could ruffle his hair again. The older brother threw some food and drinks in a bag and slipped out the door.

"So that was Gordo?"

"Yup, that was Gordo." Griff and I stared at the door, as if he might bust back in. "How's that little toe?" Griff gestured toward my foot. The toe was swollen and turning as blue, but it reminded me of my exciting news.

"Guess what. I got a job at the medical center! Delivering babies!"

"What?! You're kidding me!" Griffin tipped me back and kissed me. "How did this happen?" he asked when we were upright again. I told him about Bruno and how I loved helping Eliana and that I'd only be working ten hours a week. "Don't worry, I'll still look for another job for the other days. I know we need all the money we can get."

Griff waved me off. "Money schmoney. You'regoing to deliver babies! I'm so proud of you." I could feel myself blush. I waspretty proud of me too.