Never Grow Up

glad that was behind her. Even still, she would have to tell Elliot that the hospital Career Day was a bust. They didn’t get to perform surgery and they didn’t see a single patient. She did, though, have a nice conversation with a cook named Lenny from Fort Lauderdale.
If she had to work at a hospital she would probably be the cook. Like Lenny.
After lunch they toured the emergency room, and Ashley and her sisters got to wait in their dad’s office. He was almost finished for the day. When they were alone in the small room, Ashley saw the most beautiful sight.
Behind Dad’s desk was a painting of an enormous boat sailing a stormy sea. It reminded Ashley of the pirate ship in Peter Pan! “Can you see me there?” She stood and walked to the painting.
Brooke and Kari stared at her. “In the painting?” Kari joined her near the piece of art. She squinted at the painted ship.
“Yes!” Ashley pointed to a window on the ship’s lower half. “I’m in there.” She held up her arms and let them fall to her sides. “Can’t you see it? Wendy Darling.” She tapped the canvas. “That’s the ship Peter Pan took from Captain Hook, and I’m behind that window!”
Kari turned and stared at her. For a long time. Finally she shook her head. “You’re one in a million, Ashley. That’s for sure.”
Just then the door swung open and Dad stepped inside. “Hey, girls!” He smiled. “Here I am!” He sat at his desk. He wore a white coat like the people in the cafeteria. “How was the day?”
Brooke was beaming. Even her cheeks were all lit up. “I know for sure I want to be a doctor, Dad.” She ran to him and hugged his neck. “This was the best day all year!”
Kari came next. She admitted that working at a hospital wasn’t for her. “It doesn’t smell good.”
Dad laughed. “You get used to it. But I understand, Kari. Being a doctor isn’t for everyone.”
“It’s not for me, either.” Ashley put her hand on her father’s shoulder. “But I did meet a nice cook named Lenny from Fort Lauderdale.”
Dad, Kari and Brooke all looked at her. Like they were trying to figure her out.
Finally their dad chuckled. “Maybe you’ll be a cook, Ashley.”
“No.” She pointed to the artwork behind the desk. “I’m going to make paintings like this one.”
Everyone agreed and Dad hugged her close. “You’ll be the best artist in all the world!”
His words stayed with Ashley the rest of the day and even as her family sat down to dinner that night. “Dad says it’s okay if I don’t work at a hospital.” Ashley grinned at him. “Because I’ll be the best artist in the world.”
Their mother nodded. “He’s right, Ash. If you work hard and keep drawing, there really are no limits!”
Ashley liked that. No limits. It was the way she’d felt about her paper airplane until Miss Brandy took it. “One question.” Ashley turned to Dad. “That whole ivy thing. Why do the patients need ivy?” She looked around at Mom and her siblings. “Ivy makes me itch.”
A happy laugh came from their father. “Honey, we give them an IV. It’s a tube we put in the veins of many patients. That tube helps us give them medicine.”
“Wow! I had no idea.” Ashley gave him a thumbs-up. “I will say, Dad, that’s very impressive. Whoever thought of it.”
Next, Luke talked about helping Mom at the shelter downtown. But the whole time Ashley studied her dad. He looked happy. Even though he’d been dealing all day with bloody cuts and broken bones, beeping noises and very sick patients. He barely had time to visit with Ashley and her sisters, or eat lunch today. Still he came home happy.
Every day Dad helped Mom in the kitchen and he helped Ashley and the rest with their homework. If his work made him tired or sad, he never brought that home.
He knew how to carry the heavy.
Which was a gift. Like a superpower.
Kari took a bite of her meat loaf. “Well, all I know is the best part was when we left the hospital and went outside.” She jabbed her fork in their father’s direction. “We played tag with Dad.”
“Hey, that almost rhymes!” Luke hit the table a few times. “We played tag, uh-uh-uh… with our Dad, uh-uh-uh!”
Ashley joined in, pounding the table till the glasses rattled. Kari stood and danced around the table with Erin, and Brooke dinged her glass with the fork. “We played tag, uh-uh-uh… with our Dad, uh-uh-uh!”
Mom and Dad watched in sheer delight. At least it seemed that way. And when the moment was over, the kids took their seats again. Ashley slid her chair close to the table. “You’re welcome.” She smiled and nodded. “For that performance.”
“Yes, thank you! Wow!” Mom laughed and looked at Dad. “I mean, John. We could have our own show.”
“At Dollywood, maybe! Or Branson, Missouri.” Dad gestured like he was reading off a billboard. “The Five Baxters perform their wondrous talents for the world!”
“I like it.” Brooke giggled. “It would be fun!” She was out of breath from the dancing and drumming.
The family kept singing through dishes and homework. Kari practiced her “Under the Sea” dance and Ashley ran through her Wendy lines with Luke.
Before bed, Ashley walked to her parents’ room to say good night and she overheard Brooke talking to Mom about going to medical school. Ashley listened long enough to be nervous.
Was Brooke going to move out for college? Even before high school? Why was she in such a hurry to grow up? Peter Pan would be disappointed. Which gave Ashley an idea.
Maybe she should make a pledge for all the Baxter kids. They could agree that no matter what… there would be no college or medical school or finding a career. They would live here forever, doing dinnertime dances and hanging out at their rock and taking adventures in their backyard. Each of them could