16:58

Chapter Six

"Andy!" I hear someone calling my name as I walk out of the airport. I look around and then grin when I see two familiar faces.

"What the fuck are you two losers doing here?" I ask as I hug Cross and then Flemings. They were interns at the hospital that my parents worked at. And my buddies. I even lived with them for a few weeks.

"Picking you up," Flemings says.

"Yeah," Cross says. "Your aunt got stuck in a meeting, so she sent us."

I laugh as I put my bags in the car. "But you guys are what? Almost Attendings? She can't boss you around anymore."

Cross grins. "We wanted to come."

"Aw, thanks buddies," I say as I ruffle Cross's hair.

Flemings slides into the driver's seat, Cross takes the passenger seat and I sit in the middle seat of the back row.

"It's good to see you, Andy," Flemings says.

"Yeah, it's been a while." I start laughing. "I still call you guys by your last names, even though you're not interns anymore."

Flemings frowns. "Do even know our first names?"

"Uh...Michael and Conrad?" I ask.

"I'm Malik," Flemings tells me.

"Cooper," Cross says.

I grin bashfully. "Sorry."

Cooper hits Malik's arm, grinning, and says, "I guess we should call her Reed-Collins, now? She's gonna be someone's intern-bitch soon."

I lean forward and punch Malik in the arm and then Cooper in the arm. "You guys are so funny, but my dad still owns your ass," I tell them. "And it's just Reed now."

"Damn," Malik says. "That's cold."

"Yeah," Cooper agrees. "You got rid of your mom's last name?"

I shrug. "She was never a mother to me."

Cooper looks at me. "Were you saving that line for the right time?"

I grin. "Maybe."

"So, how have you been?" Malik asks, looking at me in the mirror.

"Good," I say. "Not great, but good enough. What about you? Oh! What are your specialties?"

"Cardio," Malik says.

"Pediatrics," Cooper says.

"Seems fitting," I tell them. "Malik, you're a douche, but collected. And Cooper, you're still a kid."

"Hey!" Cooper says. Malik and I both laugh. "You guys are mean."

I grin. "Whatever. You got any drama at the hospital?" Malik and Cooper look at each other. "What? You better tell me."

Malik coughs and hits Cooper. "Alright, fine," Cooper says. "Your mom left the hospital as you know, but your dad seems to be seeing someone. We don't know who!" Cooper says defensively when he sees my face, "But your dad snuck some chick into his office. And he's been happier lately."

"Huh," I say. "That's good. Daddy deserves someone. Who do you think she is, though?"

"Doctor Mason?" Malik asks warily.

"Nah. The chick had auburn hair," Cooper says. "What about that new nurse? Maya?"

"Nah. Besides, she's with one of the other nurses."

I frown. "So you guys really don't know?"

"I guess not," Malik says.

"You got any tea?" Cooper asks.