FULL CIRCLE
Chapter 55
"Well?" John McCabe asked as soon as Miles came back downstairs.
"She's sound asleep," Miles replied, hands in his pockets.
"Your turn, John," Rachelle said, looking from father to son. "I'll finish up here."
John McCabe led the way to his study and waved Miles to take a seat. "Care for something to drink?" he asked.
"No, thank you," the younger man politely declined. He wasn't about to run the risk of spending another night like the previous one. That had been bad enough."
Miles' father poured himself a glass of whiskey and and sat down at his desk. He regarded Miles for a moment before speaking. "I know Ishould have told you about Rachelle sooner and I hope you understand why I didn't."
"Go ahead. I'm listening," Miles told him. He sat with arms crossed against his chest and looking anything but relaxed.
The elder McCabe set aside his drink and began, "Miles, the first thing that I need you to understand that I loved your mother very much. And it broke my heart when she died. Just as I saw how it broke yours."
"Did you know Rachelle before Mom died? Because if you did--," he left the last of the sentence unfinished.
"I met Rachelle six months after your mother died. We were at a seminar on drunk driving. Somehow we hit it off and three months later we were married. I didn't tell you then because I knew youprobably wouldn't accept her. It was too soon after your mother," John McCabe answered.
"Why didn't you tell me later?" Miles wanted to know.
His father sighed and said, "I had fully attended to bring her with me when I attended your Medical School graduation. But by then we had Kayla and she was too young to travel across country. I willapologize for acting as though I didn't care to be there. I was and
am proud of you, Miles. I was disappointed at first when you didn't join me in the family business. But I didn't realize that you had your own plans for your life."
"Well, I've done pretty well with my plans," Miles told him.
"I can see you have. I kept on planning to tell you but the time just never seemed right. We rarely speak to each other and you are always so busy anymore."
"That's what it means being a doctor. And as I recall there were a lot of times that you were too busy to bother with me and Mom," Miles pointed out.
"Okay. I will admit that I deserved that," his father admitted. With Rachelle and Kayla, work just doesn't seem so important anymore."
"Now, that is a surprise," Miles commented, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Now, I didn't deserve that. I told you that I met Rachelle at that seminar. It was for the survivors of drunk driving victims. Rachelle is no stranger to tragedy herself. She lost her husband
and infant son as well as nearly her own life," John McCabe continued.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Miles said quietly.
"Miles, she doesn't want to be your mother. But she'd like to be your friend. Can you at least give her that chance?"
"I'll try. I'm still trying to get used to all this," the younger man answered.
"I guess that's all I can ask of you. So, tell me about what's been going on in your life," Mr. McCabe said.
Miles was looking more relaxed as he leaned forward in his seat and said in one word, "Busy."