Chapter 59

“What?” John said.

“John,” I said, “it’s going to be a few years before you can be convincingly stern with your patients.”

“Why?”

“Because no guy with a face like yours can pull it off,” I said, reaching over and pinching his cheek lightly.

Joe chimed in, “He is cute, isn’t he?”

Philip said, “Stop it, guys, you’re making him blush.”

At that moment, Gran, ever the politician, entered the conversation and deftly moved it in a different direction. After a few minutes, Philip stood up and said, “If you folks will excuse me, I’ve got to go up and make some telephone calls.” He turned to Joe and added, “When’s the first physical therapy session?”

Joe said, “I’ve got an early class about an hour from now. After that I have a two-hour window before my next class, so I plan to take care of it then.”

“Good,” Philip said. He excused himself again and left us.