Dear Doc ( MC No limits Book 4)

Chapter 12

Emily

I rolled my eyes and looked out the plane window, annoyed by Duke's chewing noises as he ate the third pack of peanuts.
"Really, Duke?" I asked him, and he looked at me questioningly.
"I eat when I'm nervous," he answered me with his mouth full.
"For someone who doesn't like flying, you're the wrong person to accompany us," I said, laughing.
"Don't like...I fucking hate it," he said as he turned to look at Piper and cursed.
Piper was sleeping, leaning on Duke's shoulder. He exhaled deeply as he looked at me again.
"I know...no swearing," he said before I could say anything.
"You still don't want to tell me where we're going," I asked him, to which he shook his head.
"You're flying first class on a private plane...so no matter where I take you, you have no choice...although you had it just like coward Doc," he said, annoyed.
"I've had enough stress with Piper, so don't talk like that..." I said to him as I let out a deep breath.
"Yeah...she took it hard...I know," he replied as he looked at her again.

Piper was crying terribly as we drove off. Before we got in the car, I had to calm her down and explain to her that we were going on vacation, like Duke said.
I just hoped that she would like our new home and then quickly forget about the No Limits community.
I'll never be able to... forget that.
I bottled up so many emotions inside me to be strong for Piper that I didn't have time to process my father's death or our leaving.
I'll have time... when she's okay. Until then, I'll avoid thinking about it, or at least try to.
"What are you looking for, Doc?" Duke asked as I searched my purse again for my diary.
I was sure I threw it in there, but it could also have ended up in the suitcase.
"Just my book, Duke," I replied, searching further.
"The big one you wrote in?" he asked me, and I kept humming, searching.
"You won't find that there," he said as he reached into the peanut packet again with a grin.
"I packed it in my suitcase, didn't I?" I asked as I groaned.
"No... I left it on the living room table," he said, to which I looked at him in shock with my eyes wide open.
"What?" I asked him.
"I thought it was a book from the Safe House... it was on the floor next to your bag," he said, still grinning.
"Duke! The book has... it's... it was very important to me," I said to which he nodded.
"Sure, you can buy a new one," he said as he looked at me.
"No, Duke, I can't... Oh God, what should I do?" I asked myself more than him.
He slowed his chewing and still looked at me.
"What's the problem, Doc?" He asked me calmly as I almost panicked.
"This isn't just a book... Duke," I said in a whisper, almost screaming.
"I know," he said to me, unimpressed by my statement. "It must be a really good book if you're that upset," he added.

I put my head in my hands and breathed deeply in and out, counting.
"Panic attack?" he asked me as he looked behind the stewardess.
Just as I was about to answer him angrily, the stewardess came back and leaned over to Duke. He shamelessly looked down her blouse and grinned at her as her breasts stared at him.
"Sir... we'll be landing soon," she said smiling, whereupon he put the bag away and nodded.
"Would you mind showing me where the toilet is?" he asked her, to which she smiled at him and asked him to follow her.
He stared at her ass as she led the way and turned to me as I called after him.
"What, Doc... I need my fun too. You probably had that yesterday," he said laughing, whereupon I closed my mouth and looked after him.

The thought of last night with doc immediately haunts me at his words. He will have found out by now that we are gone. I closed my eyes and held back my tears. He will think I took advantage of him.
I think I have that too in a way... but if I hadn't, I would regret it now.
Not that I don't regret it now... it will haunt me for the rest of my life. He will always be my nothing... when you ask me why I'm sad and I answer like this. He will always be my everything... that I never will have again.

"Mom?" I heard Piper ask as I looked at her and wiped my tears.
"I'm here, honey," I replied as I sat down next to her.
"Where's Duke?" she asked, whereupon I looked at the toilet where dull bangs were coming from.
"Jesus Christ... 'He's fixing the toilet,'" I said without thinking.
After some time, Duke came out of the toilet and rubbed his hands, smiling.
"Did you fix it?" Piper asked, and he looked from her to me.
"The toilet!" I said to him, to which he raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, sure I did... I repaired it so well that you can't even imagine," he replied as I rolled my eyes.
We soon landed and got out of the plane following Duke.

He left me and Piper waiting as he walked up to a man and gave him a friendly hug.
The two talked for a bit, and I felt Piper shiver as the cold surprised us.
I don't know where we are, but it's damn cold.
He handed us two jackets before getting out and practically grinned at me when I looked at him, confused.
"Duke," I called as he held out his hand to the man and turned to me and walked away from him.
"Where are we?" I asked as I looked around.
"Buckle  up Emily," he said and laughed.

We followed him and the man who didn't say a single word to us and got into his car.
The plane took off again and flew home... I would love to go home, but that's no longer possible.
"Thank you for taking us there," Duke said as he sat next to the man on the passenger side.
He looked like he had Native American ancestors with a stern look, and he didn't say a single word during the hour-long drive.
"Good luck," is all I heard the man say as we got out, and he drove away.
When I turned around, we were standing in front of a wooden house in the middle of nowhere, and I stared at Duke.
"Home sweet home," he said, laughing as he walked towards the door, and Piper happily ran after him.
"Snow, mom... look snow!" she called out excitedly as Duke opened the door and turned to me.
"Look, Maaaa...snow," he said with a laugh as I almost started to cry.
Of all the places he could take me and Piper, he took me... where the hell are we.
"Duke... where are we?" I asked as I walked into the house where he was taking off his jacket.
"Welcome to Alaska, Doc," he said as I stared at him.
"Alaska?" I asked him.
"Alaska!" Piper said excitedly.
"This is the best thing I could find in such a short time... If you had waited, it might have been Hawaii, but you wanted to leave earlier. So..." he explained as he handed me my suitcase.
"Your rooms are upstairs... I'll stay in the living room," he explained as he warmed up in front of the fireplace.

Piper excitedly ran up the stairs and excited about the house, which was very cozy and warm, she ran from room to room.
"Best vacation ever," she said to Duke from upstairs as she looked down at him.
"Best vacation ever!" he repeated, laughing as he looked at me.
I just took a deep breath and went up the stairs. Piper was excitedly talking to Duke about the snow as I went into a room and closed the door.

I leaned against the door and could hardly breathe. It wasn't because of Alaska, nor because of the cold. The realization that I could never have my old life again hit me hard. I let myself slide to the floor, crying and muffling my sobs with my hands as my emotions overwhelmed me mercilessly.
The memories of my father squeezed my chest so hard I thought I would break in two. His smiling face that gave me so much courage in life came back to my memories. My sobs only got louder as I remembered Dad and realized he was dead. Now, for the first time, I really thought about what Dominik took from me.
And Doc... how am I supposed to start over again if I'll never come to terms with what I've lost.
The knock on the door after a while seemed to take me out of my thoughts, and I got up to open the door.
Duke stood in front of the door and looked at me worriedly.

"Listen, Doc... I'm going out with Piper. I have to get your car and go shopping... you won't be alone for that long. I found you a girlfriend. She's downstairs waiting to meet you," he said to me as he looked over my face.
"Girlfriend?" I asked him, confused.
"Yeah... you should have some before I go," he said in his mind.
I didn't want new friends... I missed the ones I had newly discovered. When I heard a car, Duke turned around and looked out the window in the hallway.
"This is our ride... so," he said as he looked from me to the basement.
"I would be much happier if you tried," he said to me, to which I nodded.
When I heard her drive away, I took a deep breath and went downstairs.

A young woman with strawberry blonde hair was sitting on the couch scrolling through her phone. She heard me come in and looked up at me, smiling, and I stopped and looked at her in shock.
The big dark green eyes that looked at me kindly reminded me so much of Ivy's, and her smile was the same. I swear she reminded me so much of Ivy that it was frightening.
"Hi... I'm Lilly. It's nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind, I've already made us some coffee," she said in a very loving and friendly way.
Her movements were very feminine and ladylike, and her voice was sweet and low... yeah, she's definitely not Ivy.
"I'm sorry... you just remind me of someone a lot," I said, justifying my surprised behavior.
"Oh... really?" she said, confused as she looked at me.
"Yeah... they say everyone has a doppelganger... I never got around to talking to her about family... maybe she's adopted and you're her sister," I said, to which she blinked at me while I smiled.
"She would wish she was adopted," she said with a laugh as I sat down next to her.