2. Prescription For Love

“Long case?” her father asked, buttering a flaky biscuit. “I thought you just had a hernia repair this afternoon.”

“Fractured wrist came in about five.” Flann filled a glass with fresh milk. Her father always seemed to know what she and Harper, and most other docs at the Rivers, had going on. “Jimmy Hawkins.”

“Damn,” Harper said. “I just saw him last week in the office for a work physical. He got that summer job lifeguarding at the lake. I hope he doesn’t lose it.”

“Trying to keep the cast on him is going to be a major challenge.” Flann grinned. “But if he follows orders, he’ll only miss the first week of the season.” “Was his mama there?” Ida asked.

“Yep.”

“Then he’ll mind.”

“I was out of the hospital most of the day,” Edward said. “I didn’t get a chance to meet the new ER chief.” He looked pointedly at Flann. “I heard you did, though.”

Flann turned slicing and buttering her baked potato into a work of art while she considered her answer. Parsing her words at the family table was something new, but Harper was sitting right next to her, and now, by extension, Presley was too. She guessed Harper and Presley would share everything, the way her mother and father did. The family, the concept of their unity that had been with her all her life, seemed blurry now. When Carson had married Bill, they’d welcomed him into the family, but he’d been deployed for a large part of their marriage. Now that he was home, and Harper and Presley were getting married, the core of the family would be changing. Something else she needed to get used to.

“Abigail handled things well. She looks to be well-trained,” Flann finally said.

Edward regarded her silently.

Her mother passed her a bowl of green beans. “Vegetables.”

“You know I don’t really like—” At a sharp look from her mother, Flann let that battle go and took some of the steamed beans.

Ida said, “I think we can assume that anyone Presley hired would be well-qualified. How did the two of you get on?”

Flann gritted her teeth. Of course her mother would get to the point. She always did. “We got along fine. Dealing with her is the same as with any other consultant.”

“Mmm,” Ida said. “Except, in this case, you are the consultant.”

Flann put her knife and fork down. “That’s true.”

“And you’re used to being at the top of the food chain,” Ida remarked casually.

Edward coughed on a laugh. “Those of us in medicine wouldn’t necessarily agree with that, my dear.”

“Nor do I, necessarily,” Ida said with a hint of Southern sweetness. “But I wager that’s not the way

Flannery looks at it.”

“There’s not going to be a problem,” Flann said, more for Harper’s benefit than anyone else’s. She was tired of the subject already and wanted to put it to rest. Hoping to divert the attention from her feelings about Abigail, she tried for a change in topics. “Presley tells me she has a teenager.” “Oh hey,” Margie said, looking up from the eReader, “I met him today. At the library. Blake.” “Did you invite him to supper?” Ida asked.

“No, but I offered to show him around town. He seems kinda shy. You know, he’s a city kid, so I guess everything here seems weird.”

“All the more reason to invite him and his parents to dinner so they’ll feel welcome.”

“Okay, the next time I see him, I will.” Margie went back to her reading, instantly absorbed.

“There’s just Abby and Blake,” Harper said. “Presley invited them over to her place on Saturday.” “As she should,” Ida said, “but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t also.” “I’ll see to it,” Harper said, and Ida nodded.

Edward said, “How are things coming along with the purchase of the White place?”

“Good,” Harper said. “The grandsons have been wanting to sell that place since old Mrs. White died. It’s the right size, got the right amount of land, and Presley already feels comfortable there.” “So, Carrie’s going to move into your place,” Flann said.

“Seems like a good solution,” Harper said. “The caretaker’s place is move-in ready and I’m leaving most of the furniture. She won’t have much to do and she’ll be close by all of us.”

Flann considered the possibility of spending the night with Carrie at the old caretaker’s house on her parents’ homestead—if they got further than one date. Assuming Carrie called her. She supposed she could put her Jeep in the barn if she didn’t want to advertise her personal comings and goings.

She could work it out if and when the time came.

“It’s a pretty big place,” Ida said casually. “What’s it got—four, five bedrooms?”

Harper grinned. “Four besides the master, which we figure will be about right. I guess it’s a good time to let you know we’re thinking about adopting as soon as we can.” Everyone at the table stopped eating and stared at her.

“Well,” Ida said finally. “That’s welcome news. The sooner the better, because you can never have enough grandchildren.”

Flann looked away before Harper got a look at the shock in her eyes. Harper married with kids.