"Mom, help," Brandon yelled.
Liz grabbed one of the paper bags he held
and reached for the other. "Where's your brother?"
He shrugged. "Around."
"Justin. Come help unload the
trunk." She carried the bags toward the house. Brandon followed with his backpack and her
overnight case. "Take them upstairs."
As she passed the living room to enter the
hall beside the stairs, her father-in-law sat up. "I can help you with
those."
"You could track Justin down."
"Impossible. He's so like Derek was.
Never could find that boy when there was work to be done."
She wished he would stop comparing Justin
to his father. That seemed to give Justin license to behave erratically. The
constant comparison also hurt Brandon.
Still, she was fortunate to have Pop's help with the boys. Working would have
been nearly impossible if he hadn't moved in and taken over the child care.
Liz put the bags on the counter and
unpacked the tea kettle and a canister of sugar. After putting water to heat,
she checked the refrigerator. Milk, butter, and eggs stood on the shelves. In
the freezer, the ice bin was full, and two bags of ice lay on the lower shelf.
Thanks, Laurel,
she thought.
She looked around the room and admired the
efficient use of space and the features she hadn't found in an apartment
kitchen. The counters were marble with streaks of green that were echoed in the
painted walls and the curtains. The stove had double ovens and a rotisserie. A
microwave hung beneath one of the green cabinets. The large window above the
sink overlooked the backyard.
Justin emerged from the basement.
"Mom, there's a big freezer down there with food and ice cream. Can I have
some?"
She handed him an orange. "Here . . .
. It's good for you."
"Ice cream tastes better. One for
Bran." She tossed him a second, and he ran off.
By the time she had two pitchers of
lemonade and two of iced tea cooling in the refrigerator, the first of her
guests arrived. Laurel
strode into the kitchen. Her long brown braid slapped against her back.
"Left Johnny with your boys. Did you find the stuff in the freezer?"
"Justin did." Liz hugged her
friend. "You're looking good. Marriage must agree."
"Sure does." Laurel stepped back. "Like the curls.Reminds me of Megan's."
"Unlike hers, mine are induced.
Decided a new job deserved a new style." She reached for two glasses.
"About the food. You didn't have to. I plan to shop tomorrow."
"Welcoming present."
"Sorry I missed the wedding."
"So am I, but I didn't want to give
Alex a chance to change his mind. Was a small simple ceremony. Sue Lee came.
She won Johnny's heart."
Liz raised an eyebrow. "She the next
recruit?"
Laurel laughed. "Why not? Eastlake
needs a good nurse manager for Peds."
"Will she come? Isn't she working
toward becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner?"
"Shouldn't keep her from being nurse
manager. I've enrolled for my Master's, and Jen's nearly done."
"The Grantley gang rules."
"Where else can you find the best
nurses? Our clinical group took top honors."
"Liz, where are you?" Megan
called.
"In the kitchen."
Moments later, Megan rushed in and nearly
knocked Liz down. "It's good to see you again."
Liz laughed. "Hasn't been that
long." Her friend's blonde curls always made her think of dandelions.
"Saw the boys. They've grown. Eric and
Alex are organizing the unloading."
"Where's Jenessa?" Liz asked.
"Where else but outside trying to take
charge?" Megan said.
Liz groaned. "Let's go before she
accuses us of slacking off." She headed down the hall, and the others
followed.
"Glad to see you've decided to
work." Jenessa stood with her hands on her hips. "Welcome. Eric and
Alex are in the truck."
"Then let's begin," Liz said.
With laughter and teasing, the truck was
soon unloaded, and the boxes and few pieces of furniture were delivered to the
rooms where they belonged. "Let's have a competition," Jenessa said.
"Laurel and Alex can have the kitchen. Eric and I will take the living and
dining rooms. Megan, you and Liz can work in the study. The first group to
empty their boxes gets a prize."
Justin bolted up the stairs. "Bran,
Johnny, let's do our room and the bathroom stuff. What's the prize?"
"I'll think of something. Eric,
help."
He laughed. "Was your idea."
Megan joined Liz in the study. She looked
at the boxes. "These all books? I suppose you want them in alphabetical
order."
"Why? On the shelves is fine. This is
a competition, remember."
Megan ripped open a box. "Mysteries,
science fiction, fantasy, romance. When do you find the time?"
"Little or no social life. The job and
the boys take most of my time. These represent my escape."
"What about yourself? Love . . .
romance?"
"No time."
Megan grinned. "Invited my dad to come
and help. He turned me down."
A chill rolled along Liz's spine. Did Megan
suspect the infatuation? Did her friend have matchmaking in mind? An impossible
mission. Liz recalled the day of her interview and Laurel's housewarming. Jeff Carter had been
completely uninterested. "A wise choice on his part." She emptied a
box of nursing texts and opened a second.
"Probably a good thing for us. He was
in a foul mood."
Liz frowned. "Why?"
"A med error on one of his
patients." Megan shoved books on a shelf. "Your new unit is a mess.
Four nurse managers in three years. There’s been some resistance to having
computers. Your unit is the last one. Hope you're not going to throw up your
hands."
"Does it look like I plan to leave in
a hurry? As for the computers I’ll push for them to arrive." She placed
two thick medical texts on the oak desk that had been her father's. She was
glad Dr. Carter had opted out. Monday would be soon enough to face him.
My Places
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
