Page 35 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“Is that an official diagnosis, Doc?” Red asked.

“If you make me another peachy keen, Red, I’ll let JD off paying the fee.”

“Coming right up then,” Red said.

JD hadn’t been to the doctor yet in Lyntacky, but he knew the locals respected the woman before him very much. Short, round, and always wearing a knitted cardigan and plaid skirt in varying colors, the woman had opinions on everything.

“You still on for that tattoo on Friday? I’m thinking a stethoscope.”

“All booked in, Doc,” JD said.

“Tattoo?” Sawyer asked. “Where are you getting that, Dr. Hannah?”

She gave him a sly smile. “I don’t want to scare off my customers, so I thought my left butt cheek.”

Dan choked on air, and Sawyer grinned. JD felt mildly queasy at the prospect of tattooing her ass.

“Look at it this way,” Sawyer said when she’d left after ordering a round of drinks. “If you ever have a personal issue you take to her, you’ll be even.”

That made Red and Dan laugh. JD just scowled.

“So back to you and Henry,” Sawyer said

“It’s just family shit.”

“As it happens, we excel at family shit,” Dan said.

“What he said.” Sawyer pointed his bottle at his little brother.

“My dad’s an asshole,” JD said.

“So, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree then,” Sawyer added.

“Ha-ha, but seriously, a real asshole. I didn’t think he was, and then I found out shit and realized I was wrong.”

“That had to be hard,” Dan said.

“And then some.”

“So, you left home after you realized. What about your mom and brother?” Sawyer asked.

JD hadn’t thought there was any guilt about leaving them until that moment, but maybe he’d been wrong there considering the reaction he’d had to Henry’s call.

“I did, yes.”

“Was Henry calling for a specific reason?” Sawyer asked.

“Yes.”

“Well, what was it?” Dan said.

“I don’t really want to get into this now.”

“Tomorrow?” Dan asked.

“Not then either.”

“How about Saturday?”

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