Dear Doc ( MC No limits Book 4)

Chapter 5

Doc

The front porch became like a second home for me as I spent every free minute on it to have a view of the safe house. Forcing Emily to talk to me was not an option, and her decision to seek treatment from Evelyn instead of me was a clear statement.
However, the whole thing didn't give me peace of mind so I tried to at least see her to make sure she was okay.
Evelyn came to me and got things for treatment, including painkillers, but she didn't say much. The only thing I knew was that Emily wanted to keep her distance, which was really difficult for me.
It wasn't until Wednesday came that I saw her briefly as she walked into the bar accompanied by King. She didn't look like Dr. Owen who came to me for therapy...she looked like a young woman plagued with anxiety. Her long hair was tied back in a braid, and she was wearing a shirt and ripped jeans. Her gaze fell sternly before her steps, and she didn't look up as King opened the door to the bar, and she walked in quickly. I watched King disappear behind the door and let out a deep breath.

"Doc, do you have time?" I heard Duke's voice breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Since we're not allowed to take part in the conversation...I have more than enough. You know that I work from midday on Wednesdays. What do you want?" I asked him annoyed.
"Can you take care of her...I have to be there with them?" Duke asked, to which I looked at him questioningly.
He held Piper's hand, and she looked from him to me, clearly overwhelmed by Duke's big steps as he came towards me. Before I could answer, he let go of her hand and ran towards the bar, both of us watching after him and then looking at each other.
"Drew and her mom aren't here," she said quietly, to which I nodded knowingly.
Drew had to go to school, and Alice probably drove her.
"Pancakes?" I asked her, to which she nodded with a smile.
"Let's go, kiddo," I said to her as I gave her my hand, which she immediately took.

Nora looked up when I entered her restaurant with Piper, and her face lit up when she saw the little girl. Ace sat with her at the counter and looked at me.
"You're not invited either?" He asked, to which I shook my head.
"We're hungry," I said, and Nora's smile only got bigger.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Piper...Come take a seat," Nora replied as she pointed to the counter, to which Piper looked at me.
I placed her on the High Seat and looked down at her as she looked at me questioningly.
"What?" I asked her, whereupon her gaze fell from me to the chair next to her, inviting me to sit next to her. "You don't talk much, huh?" I asked her as I sat down.
Her little smile was probably enough of an answer when I looked at her.
"She's shy," I heard Nora say as she walked through the kitchen.
"Is that so?" Ace asked Piper, to which she just nodded, looking sheepishly at her small hands.
"It doesn't matter, then I'll speak for both of us," I answered him, which made her little smile grow a little bigger.

I didn't have to talk much when I noticed her curiosity about the old jukebox and gave her a coin. "You have to put the coin in and then you can choose a song," I explained to her, to which she nodded.
Her little fingers picked up the shiny coin, and she ran to the jukebox.
"I can read to you what you have available," I said, to which she shook her head.
"I can read, Doc," she answered me briefly, to which I glared at Ace with interest.
Her eyes scanned the list before she grinned. I followed her finger that pointed to a song and looked at her.
"Mom likes that," she said, causing my eyebrows to shoot up.
"Aerosmith?" I asked confused.
"That's her favorite song...she always sang it to me. Sometimes she still sings it to me when I'm sad," Piper answered me as she let it play.
"I don't want to miss a thing" started playing, and I heard Nora singing in the kitchen, to which Ace sang along, and Piper grinned proudly.
"I didn't know Dr. Owen would be listening to things like that," Ace said as he looked at me.
"Me neither," I replied.
"I can play it on the grand piano," Piper said quietly, to which Ace looked at her enthusiastically. "Oh say less...Evelyn has a piano! Do you want to go there with us later? Then you could play something?" He asked, and she looked at me.
"If you want," I replied to which she nodded.
"But first let's eat!" Nora called from the kitchen, whereupon Piper clapped her small hands.