question when the time is right. Expect a wedding before the end of the year, maybe beside a stream out in the Hill Country at sunset.”
They ran two blocks before Samantha finally spoke. “You kinda took your time on that decision, didn’t you? I mean, you’ve known her this time around for about five years, and as far as I know, you haven’t dated anyone else.”
Luke smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t think either one of us was in a big hurry. Neither of us had had a serious relationship in more than ten years when we met this time. Maybe we just knew we had a good thing going and didn’t want to mess it up. It’s a little hard to explain…” Luke’s voice trailed off.
“That’s okay. I think that’s fantastic. I couldn’t be more happy for both of you, honest. By the way, too bad Josh is younger than me. He’s turning into a hunk. I’ll bet every girl in high school is trying to get her hands on him.”
After a few blocks they settled into a nine-minute pace, a speed where both runners could talk comfortably. “Sam, I need to tell you something.”
Samantha looked at Luke with apprehension in her eyes.
“Don’t worry. It’s good. Every day I have a client tell me what a great daughter I have and compliment me for being able to raise you so well.”
“Thanks, Father.”
“I don’t tell them that we had a few rough spots along the road. By the way, I take a water break at the park up ahead. You can run around the park a couple of times while you wait on your old man if you like.”
“No thanks,” Samantha replied as they reached the water fountain. “I’m ready for a breather.”
Seizing her opportunity, Cocoa ran to the little lake in the middle of the park and leaped in and swam around while she waited for her family. Luke and Samantha both got a drink of water and then sat on a park bench to catch their breath.
“Uh, Father, I’d like to make a request.”
Luke looked over at Samantha.
“Would you let me start taking some courses at Texas State in the spring semester? It starts in a couple of weeks. I’ll still live at home and work in the office.”
Luke nodded his agreement. “I’ll make you a deal, Sam. You make a 3.5 GPA and I’ll let you move to an apartment on campus next fall.”
Samantha jumped to her feet and pulled Luke up into a bear hug. “Thanks, Dad. I want to take a class from Whizmo.”
“Whizmo’s liable to be tough on you.”
“Oh, Dad, you know he’ll be a pushover. I’ll bet you ten dollars I’ll top his class.”
Luke hollered at Cocoa, who climbed out of the lake and, in usual doggie fashion, ran up to them and shook herself, showering the two runners.
“Cocoa,” Samantha said, “where is it in the doggie gene code that says you guys always have to run to the nearest human before you shake yourself dry?”
Cocoa answered by shaking herself one more time.
As they resumed their run, Luke turned to Samantha. “And just when did I regain the title of dad and not father?”
“I’m not sure. Just a combination of things. I suppose now it just feels right. Let’s race back to the house. Loser has to do the breakfast dishes.”
31
Kingsbury leaned back in his executive chair, his hands behind his head. Rudy Kowalski sat across from him. “I need a status report on our clinical trial, Rudy.”
“Yes, sir,” Kowalski replied as he handed his boss a one-page summary.
Kingsbury skimmed it and tossed it on his desk. “Any major problems?”
“A few issues,” Kowalski replied as he tried to downplay his worries about the trial, “but nothing that I would call major. We’ve spot-checked some of the investigation sites. We’ve got some doctors who appear to have been cutting corners and others who have gone way beyond our limit of fifty patients. Seems like the money must be too good. We’ve got that one doc in Louisiana who is guilty of both, but he swears everything is on the up-and-up.”
“What about adverse events?
They ran two blocks before Samantha finally spoke. “You kinda took your time on that decision, didn’t you? I mean, you’ve known her this time around for about five years, and as far as I know, you haven’t dated anyone else.”
Luke smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t think either one of us was in a big hurry. Neither of us had had a serious relationship in more than ten years when we met this time. Maybe we just knew we had a good thing going and didn’t want to mess it up. It’s a little hard to explain…” Luke’s voice trailed off.
“That’s okay. I think that’s fantastic. I couldn’t be more happy for both of you, honest. By the way, too bad Josh is younger than me. He’s turning into a hunk. I’ll bet every girl in high school is trying to get her hands on him.”
After a few blocks they settled into a nine-minute pace, a speed where both runners could talk comfortably. “Sam, I need to tell you something.”
Samantha looked at Luke with apprehension in her eyes.
“Don’t worry. It’s good. Every day I have a client tell me what a great daughter I have and compliment me for being able to raise you so well.”
“Thanks, Father.”
“I don’t tell them that we had a few rough spots along the road. By the way, I take a water break at the park up ahead. You can run around the park a couple of times while you wait on your old man if you like.”
“No thanks,” Samantha replied as they reached the water fountain. “I’m ready for a breather.”
Seizing her opportunity, Cocoa ran to the little lake in the middle of the park and leaped in and swam around while she waited for her family. Luke and Samantha both got a drink of water and then sat on a park bench to catch their breath.
“Uh, Father, I’d like to make a request.”
Luke looked over at Samantha.
“Would you let me start taking some courses at Texas State in the spring semester? It starts in a couple of weeks. I’ll still live at home and work in the office.”
Luke nodded his agreement. “I’ll make you a deal, Sam. You make a 3.5 GPA and I’ll let you move to an apartment on campus next fall.”
Samantha jumped to her feet and pulled Luke up into a bear hug. “Thanks, Dad. I want to take a class from Whizmo.”
“Whizmo’s liable to be tough on you.”
“Oh, Dad, you know he’ll be a pushover. I’ll bet you ten dollars I’ll top his class.”
Luke hollered at Cocoa, who climbed out of the lake and, in usual doggie fashion, ran up to them and shook herself, showering the two runners.
“Cocoa,” Samantha said, “where is it in the doggie gene code that says you guys always have to run to the nearest human before you shake yourself dry?”
Cocoa answered by shaking herself one more time.
As they resumed their run, Luke turned to Samantha. “And just when did I regain the title of dad and not father?”
“I’m not sure. Just a combination of things. I suppose now it just feels right. Let’s race back to the house. Loser has to do the breakfast dishes.”
31
Kingsbury leaned back in his executive chair, his hands behind his head. Rudy Kowalski sat across from him. “I need a status report on our clinical trial, Rudy.”
“Yes, sir,” Kowalski replied as he handed his boss a one-page summary.
Kingsbury skimmed it and tossed it on his desk. “Any major problems?”
“A few issues,” Kowalski replied as he tried to downplay his worries about the trial, “but nothing that I would call major. We’ve spot-checked some of the investigation sites. We’ve got some doctors who appear to have been cutting corners and others who have gone way beyond our limit of fifty patients. Seems like the money must be too good. We’ve got that one doc in Louisiana who is guilty of both, but he swears everything is on the up-and-up.”
“What about adverse events?
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