*****
Bella paged Nick in his office.
“Nick, there’s a Doris Powers from St. Theresa’s on the phone.” “Who’s Doris Powers?” he asked, putting down his work.
“I don’t know, I’m not a mind reader. Want me to say you’re not here? Not in? Dead?”
“Nah, I’ll take it. It might be important.” He picked up the receiver. “Nick Harris here.”
“Hi, Mr. Harris,” the caller said in a slight voice, almost a whisper. “You may not remember me. My name is Doris … and I work with Dr. Shelly White. Have a minute?”
The name Shelly White got his attention. “Sure do, Doris, what’s up?”
“I was your mother’s support partner. I remember meeting you and your family. I am a five-year survivor myself, so I know what your mother was going through, what she was thinking. She was special, Mr. Harris.”
“Thank you for those kind words.”
“Anyway,” Doris continued. “Your mother told me she only wanted one thing and that was for you to find that special person to share your life. She was concerned about you. Evidently, she knew the playboy lifestyle was not her real son. If you don’t mind me asking, are you seeing anybody right now?”
In wonderment, Nick leaned back in his chair. “No, just spending time with my dad and working a lot. Let me guess—you have a candidate for me?”
“I hear you met Dr. White at the Foundation event.”
“Yes, I did. I asked her out, but she told me to pretty much take
a leap.” He chuckled.
“That was just her defenses kicking in. She really thought you
were something.”
“Shelly White said that?”
“Not in so many words.” She hesitated a moment before
proceeding. “Look, you didn’t hear this from me, but Shelly is a very complicated woman. I’ve known her since she was eight. She’s had her share of challenges in life. More than her share.
There’s only one thing Dr. Wall and I would like to see, and that’s