(Complete) When Tim Burke meets Julie at a party, she isn't impressed. When they see each other again, Julie decides to give him a chance. As Julie faces burdens and sorrow in her own life, Tim and his family provide the support and love she needs...
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If he could have put off his move a month, he would have. In his effort to win Clare, he put the wheels in motion too soon. Now the love of his life was in California, and he was in Portland without her.
The hospital offered her a job just as she had hoped. Apparently unlike her other interviews, the one with the hospital was more of a conversation about the Stanford program. The Burke name held clout. Michael wondered if she would want to give up her name. He didn't care except his mother and sisters would criticize them if she wasn't a Shaw.
Clare wasn't promised what practice she would work at, but she was happy or would be when she got through her examinations. She complained on the phone. "I'm afraid when I get there I will see you less than I did here."
"It's only temporary. Our life will settle down."
He couldn't wait for their life to begin. First, he needed to settle in. His move was not without hiccups. The moving van arrived two days late, so he had to stay in a hotel. He was never so happy to have money, because moving across country was an expenditure. Clare was glad because his move included all of her belongings except what she needed for her last month.
He bought her business class tickets home, and he hoped she would weather her flight better than he had. On top of the newness of making his way in a new city, he wasn't feeling well. He must have picked up the cold from the recirculated air on the airplane. He wasn't a baby, but it was getting worse not better.
"Go get checked out. You probably have a secondary infection." She even suggested a clinic affiliated with the hospital.
When he arrived, the waiting room was full, and he resigned himself to being there all day. When they finally called his name, a young woman in scrubs escorted him to an exam room. Once he was settled, she checked his blood pressure and asked him questions.
"Do you have a primary care physician?"
"No, I just moved here, but I'm sure my girlfriend has a recommendation." He loved that word girlfriend and was smiling when the doctor entered.
He was definitely a decade older than Michael and smiled a warm smile. "So you have upper respiratory complaints, after you've had a cold for over two weeks. I'll look to see if something is cooking."
Michael nodded and liked his easy manner. "My girlfriend said something about a secondary infection."
"We'll see now I hardly ever work the clinic and keep forgetting to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Burke."
Michael looked at his badge and then at his face. "Tim!"
He nodded. "Have we met?"
Michael shook his head and felt awkward. "Um... my girlfriend who suggested that I come is your sister."
Tim looked from him to the file in front of him. "You're Clare's Michael?" He nodded. "Well, I'd better not screw up this exam or I'll never live it down."
Michael laughed and felt the tension ease from his body.
"You know I rarely cover this clinic. Nick's here today too. I'll get him."
As Tim walked out, he heard another voice. "Need help Burke?"
"I think I can handle acute sinusitis but holler if you need help today, Jim. Right now I'm looking for my brother."
"I thought one Burke was too many."
"There's three. My sister will be home from Stanford in two weeks."
Michael smiled, he didn't know what he liked better Tim bragging about Clare or only two weeks until he could hold her.
Tim returned. "Hopefully he'll finish with his patient."
"I heard you talking to your friend."
Tim laughed. "Friend is being generous. Now Dr. Burke was right. You have an infection. I'll give you a prescription, and you'll feel better in a day or two." There was a knock on the door. "Follow my lead."
Michael knew right away it was Nick. He and Clare had the same eyes, but he also looked similar to Tim.
"Nicky, can you diagnose my patient with no background?"
Nick scowled. "Tim is this a game? Your patient is laughing but his eyes are puffy so..."
He looked up his nose, down his throat and in his ears. "Sinusitis. Not exactly a unique case."
"No, but the patient is. He's the first person to be diagnosed by all three Dr. Burkes."
"How did Dad diagnose him?"
"Not Dad, Nick, Clare!"
"Clare's still in California. Who are you?" He turned his attention to Michael.
"He's the guy we kill if he ever hurts our sister."
Nick blinked. "You're Michael. My God, you're all we ever hear about. Are you really perfect?"
He shook his head. Tim said, "His sinuses aren't." He looked at Michael. "Come to the house tomorrow. Nick, can you come?"
"Nah, I'm here all day."
"Your loss."
Michael had only been in the exam room about fifteen minutes, but it was long enough to realize Clare wasn't exaggerating about her family. He immediately called her.
"So, was I right?"
"Yeah, all three of you were."
"All three what?" She was not following him.
"I met both your brothers." He was smiling as he waited for her response.
"How did that happen?"
He explained. "Tim invited me over. Looks like I'm meeting your family."
He wasn't nervous, because they also had the same goal for Clare to be happy. Clare was frantic. She never expected he would meet her family without her. Truthfully neither had Michael, but he didn't feel as if Tim would take no for an answer. His doctor had even said that the amoxicillin would have kicked in by then.
He programmed his GPS to direct him to Tim's house. He had thought his invitation might have been to the house on the lake, but he was just as glad. He wanted to be with Clare the first time he went to her home.
As he walked towards the door, he felt his nerves act up. A blond woman answered the door. She was shorter than Clare but had a warm smile.
"Come on in, I'm Julie, but Clare must have already told you."
Clare had been telling him about her family, since the day they met in the park. The house was comfortable as one would expect for a family with teenagers. Leave it to him to find a woman with only nieces. Thankfully, she only had two. Clare had to meet his large family when hers was small, although at least he was there to hold her hand.
She led him to a family room. The two teenage girls stared at him for a moment before smiling and whispering to each other. Tim entered the room. "Oh good, Clark's here. Girls didn't I tell you a ringer for Clark Kent?"
They laughed more, as they nodded their heads. He took two wrapped gifts out of the bag he carried. He had put their names on their gifts and was certain he gave them the correct one. They looked exactly as he had expected after being coached by Clare. The girls opened their gifts to find charms for their Pandora bracelets, which Clare had given then for Christmas.
Ava said, "Auntie Clare bought these."
Michael smiled. "I bought them, but I had a little help."
He turned to Julie and presented her with a bottle of California wine from a vineyard he favored. She thanked him and announced she planned to open it as she disappeared into the kitchen.
Tim said, "Mum and Dad will be along. Come on, I'll show you my garage."
