Andrew could feel his mother’s stare. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Jeni’s wide grin.
Thankfully, Valerie spoke up from the other side of his chair. “Of course she doesn’t like you. Few women do.”
Andrew snorted. Those toddlers of hers were fogging his sister’s brain.
“Sure, you’re nice to look at,” Valerie went on. “But then you open your mouth.” She shook her head sadly, and next to her Rhonda nodded in solemn agreement.
“I’ve been told I’m exceptionally charming,” Andrew argued.
“By whom?”
He paused. “Mom.” He swiveled around to look at the woman in question.
She smiled at him lovingly. “Of course you are, honey.”
Andrew shot Valerie a triumphant look and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “See? Charming.”
Jeni rolled her eyes in a manner that would put any thirteen-year-old girl to shame. “That doesn’t count. Not only does she have to say you’re charming because you’re her only son, but you have cancer and are about to get your first chemo treatment. She’d tell you you’re next in line as the King of England if you asked her to.”
His mother leaned forward to meet his eye. “Don’t listen to them. You could be a king if you wanted to. You can be anything you want to be.”
“That’s completely untrue,” Jeni said. “Unless you marry a princess, you’ll never be king. Does anyone know a princess who’s single we could introduce Andrew to? No?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “You’ll be a mediocre attorney. But that’s what you want to be, right? So, it works out.”
Andrew stiffened. “Why will I be mediocre?”
“The great ones are workaholics, who leave time for nothing else. You care too much about your family to be one of those guys.”
His posture relaxed. Even though it was an odd kind of compliment, he’d take it, because it was true.
“Or maybe it’s because you were never good at winning arguments,” Valerie countered. “You usually just give up and walk away.”
“Arguing with you isn’t worth it,” he muttered, and rubbed a hand across his face.
Lauren stood two feet away with both hands tucked into the pockets of her white coat, her expression bewildered and amused.
“Is there a limit to how many family members can be back here with me?” he asked, pleading with his eyes. “Tell me someone forgot to mention it and I need to ask at least two to leave.”
Her eyes twinkled, and the corner of her mouth twitched. “Sorry. The only rule is no visitors under twelve.”
Andrew turned his attention to Jeni. “Sorry, little one. You gotta go.”
Jeni put her hand up to her face and rubbed the side of her nose with her middle finger, turning in such a way their mom couldn’t see the gesture.
“Worth a shot,” he said under his breath.
“Well, I’d better get going.” Lauren cleared her throat as her eyes traveled up the IV pole. “Any questions or issues before things get started? Did you get the pills I sent to your pharmacy?”
“We have them,” Valerie said before Andrew could. She patted her purse.
“Great. I hope you won’t need them, but I want you to have them just in case.” Lauren brought her eyes back to his. “You’ll call Dr. Patel’s office if they don’t work, right?”
“You act like I’m not good at following orders,” Andrew said, feigning offense. “Why is that? You don’t even know me.”
“She’s a smart woman,” Jeni said.
Lauren grinned at Jeni, then darted her gaze back to him. “I know male patients, and generally, as a group, you don’t like taking medication.”
“We also don’t like to kneel at the porcelain throne.”