“Good morning.”
“I’m making some coffee… anyone want some?”
My father groaned, “Heck yeah! I can’t remember the last time I had a decent cup of coffee!”
Doctor Permala stood up . “Mr. Vanderpool, I must insist that you give up coffee.”
My father and I both looked at her in shock.
“You’ve got to be kidding!” I laughed.
She thrust her jaw out stubbornly, staring at me while folding her arms across her chest protectively. “I most certainly am not,” she said, black eyes blazing.
I mimicked her stance and stared back at her with angry eyes. She had no idea how much my father loved his coffee.
Dad looked back and forth between us, alarmed. “It’s okay Marina… I can live without it…” Seeing us lock horns was making him uncomfortable.
Seeing her step in and try to micro-manage every detail of my f ather’s life was irritating me. I ignored her, addressing my father, “Can I make you some toast or something?” I asked.
“Your father has already had his breakfast,” she answered for him.
I wheeled around to comment, but Dad jumped in before I could say anything, “I’m fine, honey… The doctor is taking care of everything.”
Doctor Permala finished redressing the wound in silence. She looked flustered as she excused herself and retreated to her room.
I watched her go. “She’s kinda bossy, isn’t she?”
He shrugged, “Evie says she’s the best.”
“Only the best for Evie,” I said wryly.
I poured two cups of coffee, putting one down on the table set up alongside his hospital bed. “What she doesn’t know, won’t hurt her.”
He took it, looking at me with an appraising eye , “Since when did you get so sneaky?”
I smirked at him, but I had to admit, he was right. I’d always kept things to myself , but now lying and secrecy had become my second nature. Slipping my father a forbidden cup of coffee was a trivial move in light of all of the surreal and unbelievable truths I had bottled up inside of me.
“So what do you have planned for today?” he asked, checking over his shoulder for the doctor as he sipped his coffee.
“I thought I’d hang out here and read.”
He frowned, “I hate for you to miss so much school.”
“I’ll get caught up.” I wandered over to peruse the bookshelf, finally choosing an old favorite and settling in on the couch with it. We sat together quietly for the rest of the morning, and when the doctor passed through I could see her eyes dart over to the cup by my father’s bedside. Her face fell, but she said nothing.
“Psst… Could you please take this away?” Dad nodded to the empty cup when she left. “I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”
When I rose to take it there was a knock on the door, and I opened it to see Evie sweep inside in all of her splendor. She was dressed completely in white and dripping with pearls. We embraced before she rushed to my father’s side.
“Martin dear ,” she cooed, ben ding to kiss both of his cheeks . “How are you feeling? Are you comfortable? Is Doctor Permala taking good care of you?”
“Easy,” he forced a smile, holding up his good hand. He struggled to sit up, “I’m fine, now that I’m home.”
His false cheeriness wasn’t fooling Evie. She fingered the pearls at her neck as she studied him shrewdly . I knew she could see the tight set of his jaw and the pain in his eyes.
“Do you need more medication?”
“Evie, I’m alright… I’m only a little tired, that’s all.”
She turned to face me, “Shall we let your father get some rest? There’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”
“Please do,” Dad said with relief. “She shouldn’t be cooped up in here all day.”
Evie ushered me out, scolding me along the way about my casual outfit, “Honestly dear! Those sneakers are truly hideous… Luckily, I found a fabulous new shop that makes custom riding boots to die for . They have a new man in from Hong Kong, and he should have my order ready by
“I’m making some coffee… anyone want some?”
My father groaned, “Heck yeah! I can’t remember the last time I had a decent cup of coffee!”
Doctor Permala stood up . “Mr. Vanderpool, I must insist that you give up coffee.”
My father and I both looked at her in shock.
“You’ve got to be kidding!” I laughed.
She thrust her jaw out stubbornly, staring at me while folding her arms across her chest protectively. “I most certainly am not,” she said, black eyes blazing.
I mimicked her stance and stared back at her with angry eyes. She had no idea how much my father loved his coffee.
Dad looked back and forth between us, alarmed. “It’s okay Marina… I can live without it…” Seeing us lock horns was making him uncomfortable.
Seeing her step in and try to micro-manage every detail of my f ather’s life was irritating me. I ignored her, addressing my father, “Can I make you some toast or something?” I asked.
“Your father has already had his breakfast,” she answered for him.
I wheeled around to comment, but Dad jumped in before I could say anything, “I’m fine, honey… The doctor is taking care of everything.”
Doctor Permala finished redressing the wound in silence. She looked flustered as she excused herself and retreated to her room.
I watched her go. “She’s kinda bossy, isn’t she?”
He shrugged, “Evie says she’s the best.”
“Only the best for Evie,” I said wryly.
I poured two cups of coffee, putting one down on the table set up alongside his hospital bed. “What she doesn’t know, won’t hurt her.”
He took it, looking at me with an appraising eye , “Since when did you get so sneaky?”
I smirked at him, but I had to admit, he was right. I’d always kept things to myself , but now lying and secrecy had become my second nature. Slipping my father a forbidden cup of coffee was a trivial move in light of all of the surreal and unbelievable truths I had bottled up inside of me.
“So what do you have planned for today?” he asked, checking over his shoulder for the doctor as he sipped his coffee.
“I thought I’d hang out here and read.”
He frowned, “I hate for you to miss so much school.”
“I’ll get caught up.” I wandered over to peruse the bookshelf, finally choosing an old favorite and settling in on the couch with it. We sat together quietly for the rest of the morning, and when the doctor passed through I could see her eyes dart over to the cup by my father’s bedside. Her face fell, but she said nothing.
“Psst… Could you please take this away?” Dad nodded to the empty cup when she left. “I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”
When I rose to take it there was a knock on the door, and I opened it to see Evie sweep inside in all of her splendor. She was dressed completely in white and dripping with pearls. We embraced before she rushed to my father’s side.
“Martin dear ,” she cooed, ben ding to kiss both of his cheeks . “How are you feeling? Are you comfortable? Is Doctor Permala taking good care of you?”
“Easy,” he forced a smile, holding up his good hand. He struggled to sit up, “I’m fine, now that I’m home.”
His false cheeriness wasn’t fooling Evie. She fingered the pearls at her neck as she studied him shrewdly . I knew she could see the tight set of his jaw and the pain in his eyes.
“Do you need more medication?”
“Evie, I’m alright… I’m only a little tired, that’s all.”
She turned to face me, “Shall we let your father get some rest? There’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”
“Please do,” Dad said with relief. “She shouldn’t be cooped up in here all day.”
Evie ushered me out, scolding me along the way about my casual outfit, “Honestly dear! Those sneakers are truly hideous… Luckily, I found a fabulous new shop that makes custom riding boots to die for . They have a new man in from Hong Kong, and he should have my order ready by
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