Page 27 of The Cajun Doctor

“Sort of a nineteenth century bachelor pad,” Aaron elaborated.

“Lots of hanky panky went on in them, I understan’.”

“Sex on the Bayou, for sure,” Aaron commented.

He was going to whack Aaron a good one when they were alone. “That’s where I’ll stay then,” Daniel decided.

“Not on the bottom floor, though. Thass fer yer doctor’s office.”

“Whaaat?”

Tante Lulu walked over to a straggly plant and was examining it. Being a traiteur, she was always picking up new herbs or seeds and putting them in little plastic zipper bags in her gigantic purse.

“Don’t ignore me, old lady.” Daniel put his hands on his hips and glared alternately at Aaron and Tante Lulu. “You think I’m going to treat cancer patients out here in the boonies, when I’m not out rounding up mutts?”

“It won’t jist be dogs. There’ll be dogs, cats, birds, and other things.”

It was the “other things” that worried Daniel. He gritted his teeth and counted to ten in silence.

“As fer cancer patients . . . not ta worry! Yer gonna try yer hand at being a GP. A GP is a general practitioner.” She was still yanking up plants while she spoke. Bending over, she gave them a good view of her tiny little ass. Not a pretty sight.

“I know what a GP is.” He pulled at his own hair with frustration.

“It’ll be a first step back ta yer callin’.” Tante Lulu closed her purse and walked back toward them.

Daniel, hands still on his hips, glared some more. “You have no right to interfere in my life.”

It was Tante Lulu who now put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “Thass what family does, boy.”

“You aren’t my—”

Tante Lulu put up a halting hand. “Doan you dare say that we’re not family. We are. And we care about ya, even though ya make it sore hard sometimes, bless yer Yankee heart.”

Daniel put his face in his hands, then raised his head and said, “Sorry.”

Tante Lulu nodded.

“But I still say I’m not Yankee. I’m from Alaska.”

“Cain’t get any farther north than that.”

“I need to get out of here.” Daniel looked at Aaron, pleadingly.

“You take Samantha out on a date yet?” the old lady inquired of Daniel.

“No, and I don’t intend—”

“Best ya hurry up. I read in Cosmo that men reach their sexual peak at thirty.”

Daniel didn’t know what was more outrageous. That Tante Lulu, who had to be ninety if she was a day, read Cosmo, or that she was discussing his virility, or lack thereof.

But her brain had already veered in another direction. “You can leave, Daniel.”

As if I need her permission!

“Aaron will stay with me.”

Aaron’s face took on an expression of alarm.