do support you. Want the best for you, but you can’t stop me from worrying about you.”
She placed her hand on his arm. “I know and I love you for it.”
For the rest of their time together they talked about their plans for Christmas and what gifts they might like to receive. They were pulling on their coats to go out into the snowy weather when Ellen asked, “Dad, have you ever thought about dating? You’re still a young man.”
Those brows of his rose again. “What brought that on?”
She tugged at his lapel, lifting in around his neck. “I just think that everyone should share their life with someone who cares about them. You’ve concentrated on me long enough. It’s time for you to live.”
“Have you found someone you want to share your life with?”
“I thought I had.”
Her father kissed her forehead and tucked her arm though his. “One thing I’ve learned in this life is that anything can happen.”
Did she dare hope?
She returned to her father’s penthouse to prepare for her shift at the clinic that evening. An envelope lay waiting on the table in the hall with her name on it. Inside was an invitation to a gala event to benefit the Honduras Traveling Clinic.
Would Chance attend? Did she care if he did?
Chance had been in the States a week. There had been meetings at the foundation and a couple of speaking engagements. Ellen constantly called to him. If he went to her would she even speak to him after so much time had passed? She had to be mad. He couldn’t blame her.
He’d kept tabs on how she was doing. Once he had called and spoken to her father. Not known for being easily intimidated, Chance’s conversation with Mr. Cox had been an uneasy one. He was a man who loved his daughter deeply and Chance had put her in danger. It wasn’t something her father was going to forgive quickly. Their discussion had been to the point but Chance had learned what his heart so desperately wanted to know. Ellen was doing well. Had recovered. For that Chance would be forever grateful.
He also checked up on her through Michael. He had seen her at Thanksgiving and Chance was jealous. What he wouldn’t give to just see her for a second. Make sure for himself she was fine.
When Michael had returned he’d had enough compassion for Chance that he hadn’t made him ask about Ellen. Michael had offered right off that he’d had lunch with Ellen.
“She’s back at work at the same inner-city clinic she was at before she came down here.” Michael had spoken to everyone at the dinner table but had given Chance a pointed look. “Says she coming back here or another Central American country as soon as the doctor gives her a complete release. Which should be soon.”
Karen spoke up. “We sure could use her here.”
In more ways than one. Chance ached with the need to touch her, hold her. See her smile.
“You should talk to her when we you go to the States next week, Chance. Get her to consider coming back here,” Pete added.
“Yes, you should speak to her,” Michael stated. “She asked how everyone is doing.”
Michael looked at him again. There was a deeper meaning to his words, he was sure.
Would Ellen really want to see him? He’d done the one thing that could destroy her trust.
Called her father. She’d said she wanted his love. Could he give it? Take a chance on her leaving him? Maybe she had changed her mind. After all, their relationship had been during a fight for life. They’d been emotionally strung out. Had what she’d said about wanting love been in the heat of the moment?
What Ellen had done was make him determined to contact his sister. See if he could repair that bridge. He’d put off seeing her long enough. Gripping the phone with a knot in his throat, he remembered what they’d said to each other at their father’s funeral. She’d invited him to their father’s house for the will reading. Chance had had no interest in ever going there again. He’d told her she could have the house and everything else, that he only wanted the cabin. It was about two hours away and gave him a home base when he was in country.
“But you’ll keep in touch, won’t you? I would like to know how you are doing.”
Chance had just nodded, making no commitment. She’d called him a few times but when he’d not returned them the calls had become fewer then died away. His sister had left him too. Or was it more like he’d pushed her way? Had he done the same with Ellen?
The phone rang almost long enough that Chance thought he had a reprieve. Just as he was preparing to hang up a woman answered.
“May I speak to Abigail? Tell her it’s Chance.”
“Chance?” The sound of disbelief had him regretting so many things he’d left undone and unsaid.
“Abigail?”
“Yes.”
“I’m in town until after the Christmas holidays and I was wondering if you would like to have lunch?”
The pause was so long that he was afraid she might have hung up. Then there was a sniffle on the other end of the line. “Why don’t you come here for dinner? Tomorrow night at six.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.”
Chance drove up the drive to the large Tudor-style home built among the trees in an affluent neighborhood. This was his childhood home. There were few happy memories here for him.
He stood outside the front door for a minute before he knocked. As if she was standing behind it, waiting for him, the door opened and Abigail reached out and took him in her arms. “It’s about time, Chance-man.”
That had been her nickname for him growing up. He forgotten about it.
“It’s about time.” Now she was using that big-sister reprimand voice.
“I know. I should have come before.”
She pulled him into the house and closed the door. Her husband and children waited in the hall. The excitement in her voice couldn’t be denied. “Stan, Chance is here. Wendy and Jonathan.”
Chance was caught up in a whirlwind of hugs and hellos. What had he missed all these years?
Dinner was served in the same room where dinner had been served when his father had come home but this time it wasn’t a meeting of a family that was unsure of each other but of one glad to see each other. Chance hadn’t enjoyed a meal more since Ellen had left.
To his great surprise, his sister knew about his work and the family had numerous questions about the Travelling Clinic and Honduras. The discussion was open and frank, with none of the tension he’d expected.
As
