Page 10 of A Change Of Heart
Chapter Three
Charlie saw Jason and woofed, then shuffled over.Jason dropped down to give him a good pet and the golden lab rolled over, exposing his belly.
"Hey, Charlie.How are you, old boy?"
The dog's tail wagged, and Jason got a sloppy lick to his hand.
"Stop fussing over the dog.What are you doing here?"Henry walked forward with his head in the air, a sour expression on his face."You've met my new hire, I see."
His uncle was well aware that Jason had become his cousin’s advocate and he didn’t like it."We're old friends, Uncle Henry.Dated one summer before I entered residency.Best summer I've ever had."
"Ya.Your dad bragged about you and your fancy school, becoming a doctor.Never thought you had it in you."
Jason ignored that part."Well, I came home to visit and ended up tutoring this beautiful lady in math and science.That's why she's so smart now."
He earned a punch in the arm from Stephanie for that.
"This Stephanie is that Stephanie?”Henry tugged the collar of his shirt.“I had no idea.Small world.”
His uncle turned his attention to Charlie, not wanting to hear what his nephew had to say.After a few minutes where Jason just waited quietly, Henry snapped, “So out with it!”
Jason cleared his throat."Well, besides trying to locate Stephanie I came to...”
Henry raised a gnarled hand.“If you’re here to talk about Nicole, save your breath.She didn't even come to her own mother's funeral."
From the corner of his eye, he saw Stephanie’s mouth drop and hurried to explain."She couldn't.Nicole was hospitalized with kidney failure.She loved her mom very much.You too, you stubborn old goat."
"Don't you come in here and call me names."Henry scratched his bristly chin."So, you said your piece.You can leave, unless it's this pretty girl here that you came to see."
"Come on, Uncle Henry.Nicole is very ill, and it's high time you two patched things up.It’s urgent."
"Not interested."Henry turned to Stephanie."I'm going out for a bit.Want anything?"
"No, I'm fine, thanks."Steph gave her boss a gentle smile."But Henry, please listen to what Jason has to say.It’s your daughter..."
"I've heard it all before."Henry shook his head, his shoulders hunched."Reached out to her plenty of times but got burned every dang time.Girl made her own bed and now she can damn well lie in it."He stomped to the door."Charlie, let’s go for a walk!"
The lab flapped his tail and his ears perked as he trotted to his master.Henry clipped the leash onto his collar, then stood up to face Stephanie."My daughter, messing with drugs.She stole from us, probably to get high on who knows what."
"She's been clean for years," Jason muttered with exasperation.
"We gave her everything and this is how she treated us...becoming a junkie."
Jason heaved a sigh.Nicole needed her father in more ways than one.
After Henry slammed the door behind him, Jason stepped closer to Stephanie."Maybe you can convince him to listen to reason.He ignores me."
"I wouldn't count on it.I don’t really know your cousin, and it seems as if his mind is made up."Steph couldn't believe that a father wouldn't do everything possible to save his daughter."So awful, I can't imagine."
Jason scowled out the front window, but his uncle had disappeared into the crowd of holiday shoppers."Nicole has a Welsh husband, named Heulyn, and a three-year-old.Henry's never met them, and it's unlikely that Nicole will get to see her boy grow up."He dropped his hands and back stepped."Kid could use a loving grandpa, and the heartless old grump would benefit too."
"That poor family,” Steph said with compassion.“Surely if they met he'd reconsider.What decent man could turn away from his only grandson?"
"He's as stubborn as Nicole.They wasted so many years being angry at each other—and they don't have many left.”Nicole was losing the battle but fighting hard.“If at all."
A little like him and Stephanie, come to think of it.Wasted years.Well, he’d had three miracles already this week.Why not try for another?He held her gaze.“I’d really love your help.”
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