I don’t know why I even do it, but I do know that it’s wrong, I’m just not sure how much that I care. His confirmation of my request is swift. Closing my email, I look at the searched name on my screen.
There is no social media, which is odd for her age. There is nothing except her being listed in her college directory, then I see something. University of Arkansas. I hadn’t seen it on her resume.
From what I can tell, she is only in the directory for two years, her first two years. Frowning, I wonder why she would stay only one year then go home. Her child. She became pregnant, perhaps? Her mother lives in Tulsa, maybe it’s something as simple as she went home so that Helen could help her with the baby?
It all could be just that simple. Girl meets boy, girl gets pregnant, college boy doesn’t want anything to do with the child, girl goes back home to her family. It could be that easy, but I have a feeling that it isn’t.
Judging by the way she spoke of him, which wasn’t until after she was hired. Which wasn’t until she felt that she had to, I have a feeling that it is something more. A few moments later, after not finding a damn thing, I close out the browser and lean back in my chair.
My phone rings and I’m glad that it does, because I’m thinking far too much about my new employee. I’m not surprised to see that it’s Lawrence on my caller ID.
“Lawrence,” I greet.
“How are you doing?”
I smile to myself, wondering how this child is mine. He’s so thoughtful and caring, and it makes me realize that he did the right thing by going into psychiatry, namely child and adolescent psychiatry.
“I’m fine, Lawrence,” I answer with a chuckle.
He’s quiet for a moment, then he clears his throat. “I called and talked to mother,” he announces, his voice dipping low. I don’t respond, unsure of what he is going to say next. “She is going to make this ugly and I just… I wanted to let you know.”
Closing my eyes, I know that I made the right decision by living in misery the past decade. Lawrence would not have been able to handle any of this as a child of seventeen. He was even more sensitive back then.
My lips curve up into a smile and I have to be thankful for the soul that he is, especially in this cruel world. A thought pops into my head. Tennessee has much of the same traits as Lawrence, as far as I can tell. Life can be cruel and yet, she seems so untouched by it.
I know that she isn’t untouched by the hard realities of life, not now that I’ve found out about her child. She has suffered some kind of hardship, though to what depth I’m not sure of, quite yet. No wonder I am drawn to her, it’s just because she reminds me of Lawrence. That must be what it is.
“I know she will. I’m prepared, my attorney is prepared. I’m under no illusion that any of this will be easy, on any of us. Just know that I am here, always. No matter what.”
“I know,” he rasps. “I just… at your age, do you think that you can take such stress?”
I let out a bark of laughter, it is so loud that it bounces off the walls of my office. “So I’m ancient?” I ask.
“Dad, you’re over sixty. Let’s not pretend.”
“My son, the doctor,” I murmur. “I run forty miles a week. I lift weights three days a week, and I box two days a week. I think my old heart can take the stress of divvying up some assets.”
He doesn’t say anything right away, instead he’s quiet, then I hear him clear his throat. “You do all that?”
“I do.”
“How?”
Chuckling, I lean back and look at the ceiling. “I wake up every morning and run. Then I have scheduled trainers for the rest. Usually in the afternoons when I know that I’ll need to blow off some steam.”
“Okay, then,” he grumbles.
“I appreciate your concern, Lawrence. How about we do lunch later this week? I’ll have my assistant schedule it and make reservations.”
“How is Julie?”
I debate not telling him the truth. I debate letting him believe that it’s Julie, but a lie by omission is still a lie in my book.