“I’m so sorry, Jason. That must have been horrible for you.”
I lift his hand to my mouth and kiss it.
“It was, and sometimes still is, because you know she died alone, but I think the conversation with my father helped me at least release some of my anger. Based on working within my organization, I know that she probably had been dealing with depression and anxiety for most of her life and that there could have been a variety of reasons why she ended her life that day. It was just easier to blame him.”
“I can understand that, but like you said, Janet’s a sweet child, and she adores you. It isn’t fair to put her in the middle.”
“Right, that’s why I’m going to do better and pick her up more often. Maybe you can help me a little since you like kids.”
“I can do that, and maybe we’d include your dad on some days.”
“Uh, let’s not get crazy, beautiful. He may not be Darth Vader, but he’s still not my favorite person.”
“Which bad guy is Vader again?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t watch Star Wars growing up?”
“I was more of a hospital show kind of girl like Grey’s Anatomy.”
Jason squishes up his face in a weird.
“The one with all the surgeons?”
“Yeah, it’s a great show.”
“Your friend Owen’s a surgeon, right?”
I crook my head to the side and give him a funny look.
“How do you know what kind of doctor Owen is?”
“I just assumed.”
“The natural assumption would be that he’s a pediatrician like me.”
“You know you never told me what made you decide to become a pediatrician?”
“It was because of Kitty.”
“Who’s she?”
“She was a girl from my high school. She was quiet and studious and great at Algebra. We sat at lunch together, sometimes with a group of other students. What I didn’t know for a long while was that she had been battling cancer for two years, which she finally succumbed to during our junior year.”
“Damn.”
“I spent the day with her once in the hospital and watched how her team of doctors diligently came in and out of her room, examining her and talking to her and the family. Then I remember seeing three of those same faces at her funeral. They truly gave a damn about her because I think for some doctors the work seems even much more important when you are saving a young life. A life that hasn’t been lived yet.”
I stare out the window thinking about Kitty when I notice our car is headed toward the City Hall area.
“I know where we’re going.”
“Do you?” He grins mischievously.
“The Brooklyn Bridge.”
For a split second, I remember the feeling I had when little Brad Hines handed me that first bag of fruit chews.
I felt special.
