Going into Adele's room, AJ said, "It's just Tom come to pay a visit, would you like to see him."
"I guess so, now that I am awake. Is that coffee I smell?" she asked bleary-eyed.
"Yes, sis would you like some?" he asked, as Tom walked into the room.
"Yes, please. Hello, Tom, long time no see!" Adele greeted him, and held out her hand, silently asking him to come closer to the bed. She had always been attracted to this friend of her brother's, but had never been able to tell him that. Now it was too late! She sighed. "What must you think of me? Greeting you in my nightgown and in bed?" she asked, and then blushed like a schoolgirl.
"I think you're as lovely as you always were, Adele," Tom said sadly, noticing how the disease had ravaged her.
"Liar, but thank you for the gesture," she blushed again.
"What did the old sea dog lie about this time?" said AJ.
"That I am still lovely," she sighed.
"That's no lie, Darlin', that's the plain and simple truth," replied AJ glaring at Tom.
"My mirror is not broken, AJ. Why don't you go to bed and leave Tom and me to talk a bit?" She didn't know what they were fighting about when she woke, but she knew she would be able to get it out of Tom easier than she would from AJ.
"All right, sis," he said leaning over to kiss her goodnight. "Tom the couch is made for you, if you need anything else let me know." AJ left the room.
"Will you sit near me, Tom?" Adele asked patting the bed next to her.
Sitting down next to her Tom said, "You don't have to jump me too, Adele, I know I screwed up."
"I wasn't going to jump you, Thomas Boone! I was only going to ask how much AJ had told you about Julianna? I have known her for years and he has only just met her. I THOUGHT you might like to know some things about her. But if not..."
"No! Please, I want to learn all about Julian...my daughter," Tom smiled. A daughter, he had a daughter, after all these years of being childless, there was now someone to lavish his love upon.
"Julianna, she was named with AJ's initials backwards because Grace thought that was your name. She is a lovely girl, Tom, but she's blind, has been since birth. Will that stop you from caring for her?" she asked, staring into his eyes to find the truth.
"No, why should it, Adele?" he asked perplexed.
"Some people are uncomfortable around the handicapped, or the dying..."
"I'm not some people, Adele. Have you forgotten I served during wartime and am familiar with handicapped people? I can't wait to meet her. AJ said she was coming over to dinner tomorrow night," replied Tom. "What's going on between AJ and Julianna, Adele?"
"I think he is falling in love with her. Tom, you know AJ, he is a good man..."
"Now wait just a minute here, Adele! The man is old enough to be her father! I want something better for my daughter," stormed Tom. "AJ is a fine friend and I would hate to lose him a such, but he is not going to be dating my daughter any longer."
"Tom, she is a grown woman. You have not been in her life. Do you think that she will listen if you go into this with guns blazing? I'm not sure that they would be good together either, but I do know one thing, AJ will be good to her and when it comes down to it, Julianna is the one to make that decision!"
"But I've just found her, Adele, and don't want to loose her now!" Tom exclaimed.
Taking his hand in hers, she held it tight, "Tom, the surest way to lose her is to be as heavy handed as you are sounding now! Meet her before you make any snap judgments."
"Is she angry for what I did all those years ago, Adele?" he asked worried. "Do you think she can ever forgive me?"
To be continued…