Chapter 103: Hermosa Beach
Wednesday, January 4th, Morning
The early morning California Sun was held back by the haze that clung to the streets. It will be warm later, but now as she walked out on to the roof deck, she wore sweatpants and a baggy Duke University sweatshirt. Walking over to the railing, she leaned down on it and looked across The Strand to Hermosa Beach Proper. It's still early and the beach wasn't too popular, yet.
She felt the light wind blow against the back of her next and swished her ponytail. She pulled up her sweatshirt sleeve and checked the time, after a bit of mental math, she knew it was okay to make a phone call.
Pulling out her smartphone, she scrolled through her contacts to find who she was looking for. After a deep breath and a ten count, something she always did before asking for a favor, she pressed the button. Listening she heard the connection be made and the ringing as she waited for the person on the other end to pick-up.
The phone connected and the first thing she heard was, "Hey Candi, how's California treating you?"
"It's treating me good, Uncle Nate," Dr. Candace "Candi" Scott said, to her only uncle, Nathan Scott.
"How's the weather out there?" Nathan asked.
"Chilly right now, should warm up later, how about you still cold?" Candi asked.
"Yeah, and it's playing hell on my knee," Nathan said.
"They still want to do a knee replacement?" Candi asked.
"Yeah, they do, it probably needs it too," Nathan said, "Damn thing is swollen more than it's not."
"Are you going to do it there, because I know some good people out here," Candi said.
"Here, I have the grandkids and I couldn't leave your Aunt alone with them and LK," Nathan said.
"I get it," Candi said.
"So, what's up? Why'd you call?" Nathan asked.
"How has my Dad be doing?" Candi asked.
"Well, it's New Years, pretty typical for the last few years. Why?" Nathan said.
"Sawyer called me, yesterday," Candi said.
"Do she want to talk about the weather?" Nathan asked.
"No she asked if my Dad got in contact with me, and when I said no, she got mad and hung up. What's that about?" Candi said.
"Hmm," Nathan said, "I don't know, I could ask."
"Thanks Uncle Nate, you're my favorite uncle," he said.
"Only uncle," Nathan said, "Is that all?"
"Can't your favorite niece just call to talk?" Candi asked.
"You are my favorite niece," Nathan said.
"Well if only because I went to Duke," Candi said, laughing.
"You did go to Duke, that's right," Nathan said.
"Still a Duke girl at heart," Candi said.
"That you are," Nathan said, "So, enough with the buttering me up, what else do you want, Candi?"
"Uncle Nate, you wound me," Candi said.
"Of all your Dad's children you're the worst actor," Nathan said.
Candi sighed, "Fine, Uncle Nate, and you know I won't ask for a favor unless I really need it," she said.
Nathan sighed, Candi swore she could hear his eyes rolling, "Just ask, already," he said.
"There's this teenage boy at the hospital that's facing open-heart surgery," Candi said.
"Wow! How bad?" Nathan said.
"It's serious enough," Candi said.
"So, go on," Nathan said.
"He was playing basketball when everything happened and war brought to the ER. What he has is genetic, but it's fixable. We started talking and I told him I played basketball in college, and James is my cousin. He told me you were his favorite player," Candi said.
"That sucks, how old is he?" Nathan asked.
"He's fifteen, Uncle Nate," Candi said.
"How would you like me to help?" Nathan asked.
"He's been down in the dumps since he was told he needed the surgery, so I thought if you could manage it maybe you could visit him," Candi said.
Candi heard Nathan sigh, again, "It's too short of notice, and I wouldn't want to leave Aunt Haley alone with the grandkids and LK alone. As you know," Nathan said.
"Uncle Nate, it would mean the world to him," Candi said.
"I know and I want to help," Nathan said, "I may not be able to get out there but let me think about it, and I'll do what I can to help this young man."
Candi nodded, "Thanks Uncle Nate," she said.
"Well, I'll be in touch soon with what I come up with," Nathan said.
"Okay Uncle Nate," Candi said.
"Goodbye, Candi," Nathan said.
"Bye, Uncle Nate," Candi said, the phone disconnected, and she lowered it. With a shrug, Candi looked over the beach. The wind blew a stray brown strand of hair across her face. She was once blonde, and she went brunette for a while, the grew it back to her natural dirty blonde hair. By the end of med school, it was no longer blonde, or at least to her, as it turned brown. So, she stopped referring to herself as a blonde.
She brought her smartphone back up and scrolled through her contacts. Finding who she was looking for, she clicked on it to call them. Bringing it up to her ear she listened to the phone rang until it finally connected.
"What do I owe the pleasure of hearing from Doctor Scott?" James Scott asked on the other end.
"I should be honored, my NBA All-Star cousin picked up his phone," Candi said.
"Candi, you do more for people in one day than I do. I'm paid to put the rock in the hole," James said.
"But you have more notoriety than I'll ever have," Candi said.
James chuckled, "You'll have the tickets, remember I asked you if you wanted them," he said.
"Not that," Candi said.
"Then what?" James asked.
"Can you still strong-arm your dad?" Candi asked.
"What?" James asked, "Are you planning something, Candi?"
"I have a fifteen-year-old kid that loves basketball that needs heart surgery, and his favorite player is your dad," Candi said.
"Let me guess, you wanted to fly out to meet the young man," James said.
"Yeah, to cheer him up before the surgery," Candi said.
"Yeah, getting him out of North Carolina will take an act of congress," James said.
"Maybe, I should have called Izzy instead of you," Candi said.
James laughed, "You could try that too," he said.
"Could you work on him?" Candi asked.
"Well, I could try," James said.
"Thanks, James," Candi said.
"You're welcome," James said, "I'll see you Friday."
"Yes, you will with a few of my friends," Candi said.
"Do you want to get drinks after the game?" James asked.
"I'll ask the girls," Candi said.
"Okay," James said.
"Thanks, James," Candi said.
"You're welcome," James said.
The phone disconnected, and Candi put her smartphone down on the railing post. Candi nodded and looked across the beach. The haze has lifted a bit, but there wasn't great visibility offshore. Maybe she should break out her kayak today. Candi shrugged picked up her smartphone and turned to head inside. Hopefully, Uncle Nate can help was all she thought.