Page 65 of WASP

“Turn left and then right by the elementary school,” Annie instructed, rolling the window down, letting the warm July air flow over her hand hanging out the window.

“You’re going to make a great dad, you know that?” She looked fondly at her little brother. For as much of a pain in her ass he had always been when they were younger, he was the one member of their family she never felt like she had to explain herself to.

“You think so?” Austin’s voice cracked nervously, reminding her of all the times he used to climb into bed with her when they were younger, whenever there was a thunderstorm.

“Oh, I know you will be. But I swear to God, Austin, if I find out from Noémie that right after the baby arrives you feel compelled to suddenly develop a hobby that requires you to be gone for large chunks of time, I will fly to whatever corner of the world you reside in and set you straight,” she threatened sternly.

Austin turned on the blinker as they passed the elementary school. “That corner will be France. Lyon more specifically. Noémie and I decided to raise the baby near her family. We’ve both accepted research positions at the university, and when the baby comes, I’m thinking of stepping back to be a stay-at-home dad for a little while.”

Annie’s face contorted in confusion. “But what about your residency? Don’t you kind of need to finish that?”

A grimace spread across Austin’s face. “Yeah. I don’t think that’s going to happen.” He sighed, pulling into the parking lot of the bakery.

“What do you mean?”

“I quit being a doctor.” He shrugged, unbuckling his seatbelt nonchalantly as if he hadn’t dumped a huge piece of news on her.

“Hold on.” She grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, stopping him from ducking out of the car. “Explain,” she demanded.

Austin inhaled deeply, dark blue eyes meeting hers. “I hated it, Annie. I hated every minute of my intern year. I couldn’t figure out why I was there. I never wanted to be a doctor, I did it because I had the grades and it’s what everyone told me I should do. You know how Dad always wanted all of us to become doctors.” He sighed. “I panicked at the end of my intern year thinking about what the rest of my life was going to look like and decided to take that clinic position in Brazil.”

“You needed space to think. I get that, trust me.” She leaned against the leather seat. “You could have talked to me about it. You never said anything to me when we FaceTimed during your intern year.”

“And admit to my cool older sister that I fucked up and had no idea what I was doing?”

“Shut up, you don’t think I’m cool,” she joked, skirting around the familiar thought pattern that was seemingly woven into the Dillinger DNA—an inescapable need to be perfect. Or at least look perfect on the outside.

“I might be starting to think you’re cool.”

They sat in the car, watching a woman juggle opening the door to the bakery, balancing a sheet cake in one hand and a squirming toddler clutched in her other arm.

“Maybe I’m feeling reflective because I’m starting to feel like a dad,” Austin said, a slight laugh in his voice. “But if the last few years have taught me anything, it’s to take the pivot windows when life hands them to you.”

Annie chewed on Austin’s words, unbuckling her seatbelt, the two of them getting out of the car. Blanket acceptance without questioning was challenging for her, but not impossible—look at how she had handled this past almost year since her life plan got thrown out the window.

“I’m done talking about me. Let’s talk about how hot Max is. Excellent pull by the way. Huge upgrade in my opinion.”

Annie grinned, reassured by the return of Austin’s borderline inappropriate teasing. “I think I’ve done pretty well for myself. A big step up all around.”

Austin held the door for her, a bell ringing overhead as she stepped into the chill of the air-conditioned bakery. “I’m proud of you,” he said as they stepped into the line leading to the register. “I know this last year sucked ass, but you nutted up and dealt with it, and I think that’s pretty cool.”

Annie rolled her eyes as they were called forward by the woman working behind the register. Austin immediately turned on his charm as he gave the woman their mom’s name and order.

A girl appeared a few moments later, carrying a stack of boxes. “Dillinger. Four dozen Fourth of July cupcakes in assorted flavors and a half dozen of our vegan gluten-free cupcakes.”

Austin reached for the stack of boxes. “Thank you so much.”

Annie took the smallest box before turning to hold the door for her brother.

“Where to next?” Austin asked once they were back in the car, cupcakes safely tucked away.

“Home probably. The cupcakes are going to melt in this heat. It’s been so swampy this week.”

“Yeah, probably should have picked these up last, huh. I definitely don’t miss the humidity.” Austin flicked on the blinker, making a right hand turn out of the parking lot, heading back toward home.

They drove in silence, Annie still stewing on Austin’s point about pivot moments. When had her little brother, the same little brother who thought farts were the funniest thing known to mankind, gotten so wise?

“Did you and Noémie consider moving back to the States to raise the baby? You know, to be closer to our family?” she asked, feeling like she already knew his answer.