Irene sat in the living room, going through her exam notes as sunlight streamed through the huge windows. Sure, she tried to stay focused on the medical stuff, but her mind kept drifting back to what she'd found during the exam. After all these years of treating "hopeless" cases, she knew better than to get too excited - but those nerve responses? They definitely got her attention.
Her three little troublemakers were being suspiciously good, perched on the fancy sofa nearby. Their matching eyes kept bouncing between her and the bedroom door like they were watching a tennis match, practically buzzing with excitement they were trying so hard to contain.
Thomas came out of the bedroom, quietly pulling the door shut behind him. "Dr. Sterling," he started, keeping his voice low, "What about next move..."
"He needs to rest for about an hour," Irene jumped in, saving him from his awkward attempt. "First exam's always rough on the nerves. We'll check again after he's had a break."
Before Thomas could even finish nodding, three little voices chimed in like they'd rehearsed it:
"Can we stay?" Lily turned those impossible-to-resist puppy eyes on full blast. "Please, Mom? We'll be super quiet!"
"Promise!" Lucas added, trying his best to look responsible. "You won't even know we're here!"
Alex just nodded, but Irene caught that calculating look in his eyes that always spelled trouble. "We just want to help."
She studied their eager faces, weighing her doctor brain against their obvious determination. "Fine," she finally said. "But absolute quiet, okay? Mr. Haven needs to rest."
Their faces lit up like Christmas morning, though they tried so hard to act mature about it.
Back in the bedroom, Lily made a beeline for Adam's bedside. Seeing her tiny figure next to his imposing presence was kind of adorable, really.
"Uncle Adam," she whispered in that weirdly wise way only little kids can pull off, "don't be scared. My mommy's the best doctor ever. She's gonna make you all better!"
Then, before anyone could stop her, she reached out and patted his arm super gently. "Let me help," she announced, all business-like. "No more hurting, Lily will blow the pain away~"
She leaned in close, her dark curls falling forward as she puffed out her cheeks and blew softly on his arm. Even Thomas had to turn away to hide his smile - it was just too cute.
Lucas, never one to let his sister steal the show, puffed up his chest like a tiny businessman. "Yup! Mom never fails - her record's perfect!" He nodded like a miniature expert, then added, "And don't worry about the money, Uncle Adam. You're totally getting your money's worth!"
Adam's face did this funny thing - like he couldn't decide between being confused or touched. These kids were throwing him completely off his game with their honest concern. Probably the first time anyone had cared about him without wanting something in return.
Meanwhile, Alex was playing detective near the headboard, those sharp eyes of his taking in everything. While his siblings did their distraction thing, he was mentally mapping out all possible DNA sources. *That water glass looks perfect*, he thought, eyeing the bedside table. *And I bet there's a hairbrush in the bathroom...*
When everything turned out too clean to work with, he didn't even stress. *We're neighbors now*, he reminded himself with a little smirk. *Plenty of time to get what we need.*
Irene watched her little ones fussing over Adam, their faces full of concern, and couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. Seriously? They'd only met this guy a few times, and now they were acting like he was their favorite person ever!
"Give Mr. Haven some space," she reminded them gently but firmly. "And Mr. Haven, let me know right away if anything feels off."
"Got it, Dr. Sterling," Adam replied, and wow - his voice actually sounded human for once. His eyes followed Lily as she kept up her self-appointed healing mission, something almost soft crossing his face.
"It actually does feel better," he admitted, sounding surprised at his own words.
The kids absolutely glowed at that, beaming like they'd just won Olympic gold. They backed up to the foot of the bed like they'd promised, but kept up their little guard duty. Three tiny protectors in designer clothes, whispering among themselves and shooting encouraging smiles at Adam.
As everything quieted down, Adam found himself noticing the weirdest things - like how Irene's jasmine perfume mixed with that sweet baby shampoo smell from the kids. Something about that combination nagged at him, like a dream he couldn't quite remember.
He closed his eyes, pretending to rest but really just trying to figure out this weird warm feeling in his chest. These kids were systematically destroying every wall he'd built up over the years with their honest affection and genuine concern. And their mother...
His mind wandered back to her examination earlier - how different her touch felt compared to all the other doctors who'd poked and prodded at him before. Something about the way her fingers moved spoke of real understanding, real possibility.
The room got quiet except for the kids' soft whispers and the sound of Irene's pen scratching against paper as she worked on her notes. It should have felt intrusive, having these strangers in his private space. Instead, the atmosphere felt almost... right.
While waiting, Irene was busy analyzing Adam's condition. Between the examination results and her thorough check-up, she could almost certainly conclude that partial nerve death was the main reason he couldn't stand.
This meant he must have suffered some serious trauma in the past.
She fell into deep thought, her fingers absently brushing her chin as her mind raced through all the information. According to conventional medicine, nerve regeneration was impossible. Surgery alone wouldn't be enough to get Adam back on his feet.
But...
Her eyes lit up slightly as she remembered some groundbreaking research she'd been working on. There might be a way - an experimental treatment that could change everything. For now, she needed to do another check-up.