Page 143 of Dr. Aster
“Holy shit,” I said in awe.
The crisp ocean breeze washed over me, blowing my hair out of my face and allowing me to take in the sparkling vast ocean below the hillside this home was built on. Seeing how the sea sparkled beneath the sun was refreshing to my tired soul. The water moved easily, glistening and dazzling all the way out to where the horizon met it.
“Wow, just wow,” I said softly.
“There’s a reason my wife insisted this home be the place to rehabilitate patients with post-traumatic disorders,” I heard Collin say.
I turned to greet him. “Hey there, Dr. Brooks,” I extended my hand to shake his. “This place is stunning.”
“Shaking my hand and calling me Dr. Brooks? Did we break up, too?” he questioned with a friendly smile. “Bring it in for a hug, sis.”
He pulled me in, wrapping his strong, friendly arms around me while I laughed.
I liked Collin. He was the wildest of his group of friends, the most sarcastic, and had no filter. It was easy to see why he and Jake were so close, and if John’s sorry ass had stuck around, I could see him becoming closer with them as I had unexpectedly done with their wives.
“Sorry,” I said, pulling back and catching my hair that the wind was blowing from behind me. “All the formalities are coming from being at work all day.”
“How’s Doc Harold working out for you?” he questioned with a knowing grin.
“I see the gossip about the poor guy reached the lower floors of the hospital?” I said, biting my lip and trying not to laugh. “He really is the sweetest man.”
“Hey, I do not doubt that,” he threw his hands up, turning to guide me toward the house. “But when someone sharts, I know about it.”
“Sharts?” I questioned the term.
“Yeah, shits their pants after trying to let an easy fart loose?”
I covered my mouth. “I’m not laughing at this. It could happen to anyone,” I said firmly.
“Hell yeah, it could happen to anyone. It happened to me once, but thank God I was in the privacy of my home. It sucks, too, because you think you’re just going to blow off some steam, relieve the gut a little, then the next thing you know, you’ve unleashed a shit-flavored, chocolate soft serve in your pants.”
I shook my head and started laughing. “A shit-flavored chocolate soft serve? Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?”
He smirked. “Oh, I’ve got tons of amazing material. You should’ve chosen neuroscience as your profession and spent a couple of years of your residency program with me.”
“Right, so I’d be doing brain surgery while you’re cracking jokes like that? Surely, I wouldn’t do any damage at all, right?”
“What the hell are you two doing?” I heard Jake say with fake frustration. “Ash is waiting for you.”
“Me?” I questioned, confused. “I didn’t realize I was late?”
Jake smiled. “You’re the doctor of the hour,” he said, and then, unexpectedly, I was in his arms for a hug next. “Today,” he started, stepping back, “was a beautiful day to get a clean bill of health for my lady. I swear to God if I lost her?—”
“Huh-uh,” I said, wagging my finger at him, “we don’t talk like that. Ashley will kick your butt for it, and you know it.”
“Facts,” Collin said. “Let’s lead the way to the party barn and get this celebratory event rolling.”
Jake and Collin had struck up a conversation about this estate and plans to develop it more, so I remained quiet as we walked under strings of party lights strung throughout the trees, swinging gently in the constant soft breeze that filtered through this area.
It was dusk, but the last of the brilliance of the sun was still hanging in the atmosphere, making luminous sparkles dance on the ocean before we walked through clusters of cypress trees. I looked over and saw neatly framed riding arenas throughout the area where Elena worked with her patients.
What a way to make a dream come true. Elena had always had a passion for horses and neuropsychology, so she combined them, and this place was the result. It was inspiring, to say the least.
We walked into the massive barn lit by candles and strings of globe party lights crisscrossing throughout the entire ceiling area, and I would like to say I was astounded by that, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.
What shocked me most was the two-tier cake on a table in the front of the barn area and my parents and sister standing on each side.
“Happy Birthday!” the group cheered in unison.