Shirley, Goodness and Mercy(24)

Although Greg could offer no excuse for what he’d done to Catherine, he was grateful for Edward’s decision. He did want Edward to know that he was proud to have fathered him, proud of the man he’d become. Greg could claim no credit; Edward owed him nothing. He only hoped that one day his son would be able to forgive him. He’d like a relationship with him, but wouldn’t ask. That, like everything else, was up to Edward.

The drive into the city was becoming almost routine by now. Greg found he was nervous and at the same time excited. He parked where Edward had suggested and followed the directions he’d been given. Not until he was in the elevator did he realize the hospital’s antiseptic smell hadn’t overpowered him. That, he decided, was a good sign.

Edward was waiting when he arrived and personally escorted him into his office. Greg noted with some satisfaction that Edward was as tidy and organized as he was himself. The physician’s desktop held a pen-and-pencil set, a clock and a computer monitor. On the credenza behind him was a small collection of framed photographs. He recognized Catherine in one, beside a tall gray-haired man, obviously her husband.

“Your wife?” Greg asked, looking past him to the gold-framed photograph of a younger woman.

Edward nodded.

“I’ve been married three times,” Greg blurted out, then wanted to kick himself.

His son had the good grace to ignore that comment. “I suppose you’ve guessed why I asked you to stop by the hospital.”

Greg liked the fact that Edward was forthright enough to get to the point immediately. “I have an idea.”

“Good,” he said, and seemed to relax. “That being the case, I’d like to introduce you to someone very special.”

Greg hesitated. “Now?” To his mind, there were several things they should discuss before he met anyone important in Edward’s life, but he was willing to let his son chart their course.

“If you don’t mind, that is?”

“All right.” Greg was simply grateful for this unexpected opportunity. His miserable attempt to see Edward earlier in the week had failed and humiliated him. Thankfully, Edward hadn’t seen fit to remind him of what had happened at their last meeting.

Edward led him to the elevators and together they rode silently up several floors. They stopped at what appeared to be a children’s ward. Greg frowned. Without asking any questions, he followed Edward to a room at the end of the corridor.

“This is Tanner Westley,” Edward whispered, nodding toward the sleeping youngster.

From the tubes and other medical equipment linked to the emaciated body, Greg could tell the boy was gravely ill.

“Should I know him?” Greg asked, also in a whisper.

Edward shook his head. “Let’s return to my office and I’ll explain the procedure.”

Procedure? Greg wasn’t sure he understood, but he accompanied Edward back to his office.

When they entered the room and resumed their seats, Edward said, “I can’t tell you how delighted I was that you proved to be a match for Tanner.”

“Match?”

“Bone-marrow match,” he said, eyeing Greg closely. “I assumed you understood the reason for my call.”

“No. No way.” Before he knew it, Greg was on his feet, emphatically shaking his head. “You want me to be a bone-marrow donor? This is a joke, right? You saw for yourself what happens any time I have blood taken.”

“But you did come into the hospital for the test. Surely you realized—”

“There’s no way in hell you’re going to get me to agree to this!”

“Please, sit down.” Edward motioned calmly to the chair.

He made an effort to fight back his disappointment. This meeting had nothing to do with Edward wanting to know his birth father—it was all about what he could do to help some stranger. Greg continued to shake his head. No amount of talk, even from his son, would convince him to let someone stick another needle in his arm. Or anyplace else, for that matter.

“Before you refuse, let me explain the procedure.”

“You have a snowball’s chance in hell of talking me into this,” Greg felt obliged to tell him. He sat down, crossing his arms defensively.

“Two weeks from now, Tanner will be placed in an aseptic room where all his bone-marrow cells, both the good ones and the bad ones, will be destroyed by high doses of chemicals and radiation. This is the only way we have of completely eradicating the malignant cells.”

“Doc, listen—”

“Let me finish, please, and if you still feel the same way after that, then…well, then we can talk.”

Greg groaned silently and saw that he had no choice but to listen. Once Edward was finished, he would make some excuse and leave by the fastest route possible.