Between You and Me(65)

"You said you had really big news, so yeah . . . I might've made one of your very favorites."

Nick inhaled deeply, trying to figure out what she'd made by what he  smelled. A slow smile spread on his face. "Ahhh. You made carne frita  con cebolla for me, didn't you?"

"You got it." Maria smiled and it lit up her pretty face. "Anyway, it'd been a while since I made it, so why not?"

He was six feet tall, and she was a petite five-foot-two, so he bent to kiss her cheek. "You're too good to me."

"Don't you forget it." She was clearly pleased that she'd pleased him.  "So c'mon in. Your dad's out in the yard and your sisters are in their  rooms. I'll get them out."

"Actually . . ." Nick rubbed the back of his neck. "You know what? Maybe  it'd be good to just talk to you and Dad first. Part of the news is  great, but part is . . . a little . . . well, they might not fully  understand. So maybe you'll help me figure out a way to tell them that  won't . . . upset them. I dunno."

Maria stilled at that, scrutinizing her son for a few seconds before saying, "I'll get your father."

Five minutes later, Maria and Lew sat together on the couch as Nick  pulled over the armchair to sit directly opposite them. He took a deep  breath, then ran his hands through his thick hair and over his scruffy  jaw before starting.

"The best news first," he said, unable to keep from smiling. "I got the promotion. I'm going to be an investigator."

Lew let out a loud whoop and jumped to his feet. Maria's eyes shone with  tears of pride. Nick laughed as his father pulled him up for a tight  hug. Lew clapped him on the back, grasped him by the shoulders, then  pulled back to look into Nick's eyes as he said, "Goddamn, I'm so proud  of you, son. I mean, I wanted this for you, but I know you wanted this  for you. You worked hard, showed your mettle. You've been a damn good  officer, but you're just too smart not to . . . Well, this is the right  thing for you." He clapped his son's arms again, beaming with pride.  "Good for you, Nick. Well done. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Dad." Nick's throat felt thick, and he swallowed down the lump  that had risen there. He'd known his dad would be proud, but this felt  incredible.                       
       
           



       

"Mijo . . ." Maria stood and lifted her hands to cradle his face. "I'm so, so proud."

"Thanks, Ma." Nick knew she was happy, but also a little scared for him.  That she knew being an investigator still meant dangerous work. That  being the wife of a cop, and now the mother of a cop, meant she didn't  sleep well every night. But he knew she was proud of him, and would  continue to be. When her arms wrapped around his waist and squeezed  tight, he hugged her back until she was the one to let go.

"When do you start?" Lew asked.

Nick took another deep breath as he released his mother. "Well . . .  that's the other thing. Sit down. There's more. But it's totally  different, not about work."

All three of them sat, and as soon as they did, Nick launched into it.  "A few years ago, I wanna say three years ago? They had a bone-marrow  donor drive at the station. Because Jim Connelly's nephew needed a  donor."

Lew nodded. "Sure, I've heard of those. I've done one. It's easy as pie, just a swab in your cheek."

"Right," Nick said. "So I did it, and truthfully, I never thought about  it again. But I guess they keep your name on the national and  international bone marrow registry after that, because, well . . . I got  a call two weeks ago. It seems I'm a match for a kid who needs a bone  marrow transplant. He's got non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twelve years old."

Maria's eyes flew wide as Lew's brows furrowed.

"Really," Lew said.

"That's amazing," Maria murmured.

"Yeah. So . . ." Nick blew out a breath. "How do I nutshell this . . .  First the registry contacted me to tell me the news. I agreed to being  tested further, went in, gave blood and all that. Earlier this week,  they called to tell me that yes, I'm a strong, viable match. I agreed to  go through with it right then." He saw the worry creeping into his  mother's face as he talked. "Ma, I went in, talked for a while with a  rep from the registry. I learned a lot. It's barely going to hurt, it's  outpatient surgery. So please stop looking so worried, okay?"

"You're my son," she said. "And you're talking about a major medical procedure. I'm going to worry no matter what you say."

"That's your right," he said, tossing her a wink to try to lighten her  up. "So here's where it gets a little unusual. Apparently, most donors  and patients never meet or have contact, confidentiality rights and all.  But the day after I confirmed I'd do it, the registry rep called me  again. Said the father of the kid really wanted to talk to me, if I'd  allow it. I figured sure, why not? I mean, I was going to do it no  matter what. As soon as I heard I could help someone, there was no  question in my mind I'd go through with it."

"Of course," Maria said. "That's who you are."

"So did you talk to the father?" Lew asked.

"Yeah. On Friday morning." Nick shifted in his seat, stretching out his  legs to roll one ankle, then the other. "The guy couldn't be nicer, and I  could hear the worry there and it really moved me. His son's just a  kid. They're desperate, I get that. And long story short, I'm going."

"Where are you going?" Lew and Maria said at the same time, then looked  at each other with a quick laugh at having said the same thing.

"New York. Turns out the kid's father is some mega-rich businessman-I'm  talking billionaire, like crazy money. He wanted to talk to me to . . .  well, offer incentive, I guess. He wanted me to understand that  insurance should pay for everything that's medical, but beyond that, he  wants to pay. He doesn't want me to spend a dime. He offered to pay for  my flights, my hotel stay, rental car, everything I eat, do, touch. Even  offered to cover whatever pay I lose at work for taking time off.  Bottom line is, he didn't want me to be worried about the expenses if it  would make me decide not to go there and do it. I assured him that I'm  going to do it. And yeah, maybe take him up on the hotel part. Because  if I have to go back and forth to New York a few times, or stay there?  Might add up, I don't know."                       
       
           



       

"Nick . . ." Maria's voice sounded breathless all of a sudden. "You're going to New York?"

"Yeah, Ma. I leave the day after tomorrow." Nick watched her as he  spoke; she seemed off. He hated for her to worry about him. "On Friday,  when I got the promotion, it was amazing, but terrible timing. I'd just  talked to the father that morning! So, at work, I explained what  happened, and that I feel I need to do this. They were great about it.  Better than I thought they'd be, actually." He ran his hands absently  over his knees. "I'm taking an unpaid leave for two weeks. If I have to  go a few more times, they're fine with it. And the time I need off for  the surgery and recovery will be paid leave. They were fully supportive.  After it's all done, and I'm back to one hundred percent, I'll start  the new job."

"New York," Maria repeated. "Billionaires, you said?"

"Uh-huh. Why?" Nick stared harder now. She looked upset. No, it was  different than that. She looked . . . spooked. "Ma, you used to live in  New York, you know I'm not going to, like, a war zone or the middle of  nowhere."

"Are they from Long Island?" she asked.

Lew flinched, his head swiveling to look at his wife as his eyes flew wide.

Nick's gut started humming and clenched, like right before something bad  went down on the street. "What's going on?" he asked, looking from one  to the other. "You're both acting weird."

"The boy," she said. "The billionaire father. What's his name, do you know?"

"Yeah, of course I know. I told you, I talked to him," Nick said. "The  kid's name is Myles, his father's name is Charles." Trying to joke to  break the sudden heavy vibe in the room, he added in a mock snooty  voice, "Get this for big money pretentious: His full name is Charles  Roger Harrison the third, thank you very much."

Maria gasped sharply, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted, slumping against her husband.