chill. How much does Leon know? She was caught. How should she answer? “He’s never liked Dr. Jenkins.”
Leon’s eyes bore in on hers. “That’s pretty understandable after what the doctor did, don’t you think?”
She uncrossed her legs. “What are you getting at? What do you know about this?”
“Only that faced with similar hurtful circumstances, I think I’d make the same choice as Wally.”
“Wally told you?” Until this moment, she had never thought her confession would travel outside their marriage. Wally had always been far too proud to admit to something like that. She’d been sure he would take her secret to the grave.
Leon nodded slowly. “Of course. I’m his brother. He was merely trying to sort through his feelings.”
“That was a long time ago. Past history.”
“Wally has a good memory.”
“He’s also very forgiving.”
“But forgiving someone and regaining trust may be two different things.” He held the cigar under his nose and inhaled. “Get Wally to a doctor. If he won’t see Dr. Jenkins, take him to a specialist.”
“I’ve tried that, Leon. But the health plan that your company signed us up for will only allow us to see a specialist if they are referred by a participating family doctor.”
Leon nodded, apparently beginning to grasp Della’s dilemma. “And the only one on the list for Stoney Creek is Dr. Jenkins.”
“And even if I get around that, I’m still not sure Wally would agree to see another doctor. He thinks they’ll just tell him what he already knows: he drinks too much.”
“Which seems to be the essence of the Stoney Creek curse.”
“Perhaps,” she said, standing up. “But I’m sure Elizabeth could enlighten us on that one.” She retreated to the printer in the corner of the room and picked up the payroll checks from the tray. She didn’t like the tone of this conversation. She felt exposed, as if Leon were implying that she was responsible for Wally’s not getting help.
She fumbled with the papers, tapping them gently on top of the printer to straighten them again. She wanted to get back to her desk and forget this conversation.
“I’ll come by, talk to Wally. Maybe he’ll listen to me.” He gently touched the edges of his silver hair. Apparently satisfied that every hair was in place, he smoothed his silk tie against his chest.
“It’s never helped before.”
“Maybe this time will be different.”
She cleared her throat. “Leon,” she asked, her eyes on the floor in front of his desk, “does Elizabeth know why Wally won’t see Dr. Jenkins?”
“Not from me.”
Della felt her stomach knotting. Good answer, Leon. Vague. Gets you off the hook, but leaves me wondering. You should have been an attorney. “That’s not exactly what I asked.” She lifted her eyes, imploring. “Does she know?”
He shrugged. “Wally may have told her.”
That possibility had never occurred to Della, but neither had the thought that Wally would share their deepest marital secrets with Leon. She nodded her head slowly.
“Look, Della,” he said. “I’m sorry if this conversation has made you uncomfortable, but present circumstances being what they are, I thought it was time to get everything out into the open.”
Everything? Not in my lifetime. Not if I have any say in the matter. She lifted the corners of her mouth. It was a polite smile, not a genuine one. “Sure, Leon. You’re interested in helping Wally, I’m sure.” Or is it that you’d like to be sure that all the McCall family money is sifted only through your hands?
She pulled open the large oak door. “I’ll be working on the payroll.”
Claire checked her watch and slowed her pace. She’d covered the last mile in 7:28, fifteen seconds faster than the one before. It was time for a more leisurely stride. There certainly wasn’t any reason to race back to her place just to spend more time alone.
She had chosen a route traversing Foster Park, a wonderful sprawling
Leon’s eyes bore in on hers. “That’s pretty understandable after what the doctor did, don’t you think?”
She uncrossed her legs. “What are you getting at? What do you know about this?”
“Only that faced with similar hurtful circumstances, I think I’d make the same choice as Wally.”
“Wally told you?” Until this moment, she had never thought her confession would travel outside their marriage. Wally had always been far too proud to admit to something like that. She’d been sure he would take her secret to the grave.
Leon nodded slowly. “Of course. I’m his brother. He was merely trying to sort through his feelings.”
“That was a long time ago. Past history.”
“Wally has a good memory.”
“He’s also very forgiving.”
“But forgiving someone and regaining trust may be two different things.” He held the cigar under his nose and inhaled. “Get Wally to a doctor. If he won’t see Dr. Jenkins, take him to a specialist.”
“I’ve tried that, Leon. But the health plan that your company signed us up for will only allow us to see a specialist if they are referred by a participating family doctor.”
Leon nodded, apparently beginning to grasp Della’s dilemma. “And the only one on the list for Stoney Creek is Dr. Jenkins.”
“And even if I get around that, I’m still not sure Wally would agree to see another doctor. He thinks they’ll just tell him what he already knows: he drinks too much.”
“Which seems to be the essence of the Stoney Creek curse.”
“Perhaps,” she said, standing up. “But I’m sure Elizabeth could enlighten us on that one.” She retreated to the printer in the corner of the room and picked up the payroll checks from the tray. She didn’t like the tone of this conversation. She felt exposed, as if Leon were implying that she was responsible for Wally’s not getting help.
She fumbled with the papers, tapping them gently on top of the printer to straighten them again. She wanted to get back to her desk and forget this conversation.
“I’ll come by, talk to Wally. Maybe he’ll listen to me.” He gently touched the edges of his silver hair. Apparently satisfied that every hair was in place, he smoothed his silk tie against his chest.
“It’s never helped before.”
“Maybe this time will be different.”
She cleared her throat. “Leon,” she asked, her eyes on the floor in front of his desk, “does Elizabeth know why Wally won’t see Dr. Jenkins?”
“Not from me.”
Della felt her stomach knotting. Good answer, Leon. Vague. Gets you off the hook, but leaves me wondering. You should have been an attorney. “That’s not exactly what I asked.” She lifted her eyes, imploring. “Does she know?”
He shrugged. “Wally may have told her.”
That possibility had never occurred to Della, but neither had the thought that Wally would share their deepest marital secrets with Leon. She nodded her head slowly.
“Look, Della,” he said. “I’m sorry if this conversation has made you uncomfortable, but present circumstances being what they are, I thought it was time to get everything out into the open.”
Everything? Not in my lifetime. Not if I have any say in the matter. She lifted the corners of her mouth. It was a polite smile, not a genuine one. “Sure, Leon. You’re interested in helping Wally, I’m sure.” Or is it that you’d like to be sure that all the McCall family money is sifted only through your hands?
She pulled open the large oak door. “I’ll be working on the payroll.”
Claire checked her watch and slowed her pace. She’d covered the last mile in 7:28, fifteen seconds faster than the one before. It was time for a more leisurely stride. There certainly wasn’t any reason to race back to her place just to spend more time alone.
She had chosen a route traversing Foster Park, a wonderful sprawling
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