The Doctor's Wife

by Mildred Riley

  “Of course.” Curtis glanced at his watch. “It’s probably a good time, six-thirty.”

  He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll get him for you.”

  He dialed the number, gave the cell phone to Bob.

  “Dr. Matthews, Bob Sato here. The news came today. I am Jay’s father.”

  Responding to Don’s congratulations, Bob said, “Thank you very much. And I surely appreciate any help you can give me. Yes, sir, I’ll be in touch. Thanks again for everything.”

  Bob looked over at Curtis. “Your father congratulated me but said there were some legal issues I will have to consider. He said I will need legal counsel to guide me in claiming Jay as my son. He is going to help me. I don’t suppose my standing as a first-year law student will have any effect.”

  “You never know,” Curtis replied, trying to sound encouraging.

  * * *

  Don met with Frank Jones and told him that the DNA test proved that Bob Sato was Jay’s biological father.

  “And does he want to adopt him?”

  “Yes, Frank, he does. What kinds of legal problems will he have to face?”

  “He should, of course, have a lawyer, and a family court will expect the lawyer to look after what’s best for the minor child.”

  “That makes sense to me. And Frank, Bob told me that he called his parents in California and they were thrilled.”

  Frank nodded.

  “That is good to hear, and I do believe that with the DNA results, Bob should be in a position to adopt. Should not be a problem.”

  “Good. I do care about Jay and want the best for him. Bob seems to be well-grounded, and I think he will no doubt become a fine lawyer. Any judge will see that as a professional, he will be able to support his son. And it is good that he has his family’s support.”

  “Agreed. Now Don, as far as your divorce is concerned, progress is being made. Documents I have received from Alisha’s lawyer indicate that she is not contesting the divorce, seeks no alimony, and is agreeable to the child’s adoption and doesn’t want shared custody. And Don, I see no reason to tell her that the child’s biological father has been found, because per rules of the sperm bank, donors are not identified unless they sign a document that they wish to be known.”

  “That should bode well for Bob. He does not need any extra problems. He has already asked me and Leanne to be godparents.”

  “Really? How does your ex-wife feel about that?”

  “Frank, she’s pleased. When she was Jay’s babysitter when I went to Philly, she really bonded with him. Man, I have to tell you that I have hopes that someday, somehow, I may get my family back. Am I being foolish or premature thinking such a thing may happen? I’m almost afraid…”

  “Listen, my friend, there should always be hope. Stranger things have happened. Both of you are good people, and I, for one, believe that things will work out for you.”

  * * *

  “Leanne, this is Don. How are you?”

  “I’m just fine, Don. What’s up?”

  “I had to call to let you know how much I appreciate what you did.”

  “What did I do?”

  “You brought us together on Thanksgiving. Who knew what was going to happen that day? What were the chances that…that Jay’s real father would be revealed?”

  His response was sober and clearly deeply felt, and it struck Leanne as completely genuine.

  “I, for one, have learned a whole lot about myself. As a physician I am used to making considered decisions. I cannot recall a time when I gave a patient casual or questionable advice. But on a personal level, I had no inkling that I could be as weak and as vulnerable as the next man. I never thought that I was capable of behavior that would be so disastrous, causing so much pain and disruption in our lives. Fact is, I wasn’t thinking, certainly not with my full faculties. Can you…will you…forgive me?”

  “Oh, Don, as I told you, the past is just that, past, and we can’t change what has already happened. And as for forgiveness, consider it done. Remember, the fault was not all yours. It takes two to keep a marriage healthy.”

  “You are a saint.”

  “No, I’m not! I have many imperfections, you know that.”

  “Stay well, Leanne.”

  “You do the same, Don.”

  As she hung up the telephone, Leanne felt a surge of hope.

  God willing, I might get my family back.

  CHAPTER 37

  Bob was elated with the news that he was a father, and his smiling face told it all.

  He told Curtis, “Even though it wasn’t something I had ever given thought to when I was donating, somehow knowing that a human being is alive in this world because of me, and that I’ve actually met him, is an awesome feeling.”

  “Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

  “You’re telling me! Man, I want to tell you it was one lucky day for me when we met! Who knew my life would change so much. And your mother, without knowing it, she brought me and my son together. It’s almost as if the stars were aligned. Like it was meant to be.”

  “And your parents? What did they say?”

  “Can’t wait! I’m so glad they will be coming east to visit. My brothers are glad, too. It will be great to have my family together again.” Then he stopped speaking, his face red. “Oh, man, I shouldn’t have said that, knowing your family…”

  “It’s all right, Bob. I’ve always loved my dad, and I do want him back in my life. My mother talked to me about my relationship with him. She told me that if I couldn’t forgive him…” Curtis’s voice faltered a bit, but he continued, “She said if I couldn’t understand his ‘slip and fall,’ so to speak, then I was not a compassionate human being. Not one of us is perfect. We all have shortcomings,” she said.

  “I consider my mother a remarkable woman. She was the one most sorely devastated by what happened. I guess I have to try to be the man she wants me to be.”

  Curtis rose from his seat at the kitchen table of their apartment and got a beer from the refrigerator. He raised his eyebrows to ask Bob if he wanted one, but Bob declined.

  Curtis open his can of beer, swallowed, resumed his seat and continued to talk.

  “Bob, I want my family back together, too. I may never understand why my dad did what he did. But he is my dad.” He took another swallow before continuing. “The only one I’ll ever have, and I do want him back in my life. I miss him.”

  “I know, Curt, I know. Maybe you should tell him what you’ve just told me.”

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  “I think I am. He’ll never know unless he hears it from you. And Curtis, for my money, your dad is one upright guy. I’m grateful for the help he’s given me.”

  When Curtis told Bob how he missed his dad, his memory peeled back to his younger days, his father helping him with his homework, always encouraging him to do his best, be it school, sports, learning to ride his first bike, or learning to swim, something Curtis really excelled at.

  And he could always talk to his father. Perhaps, he thought, that was what he missed most. He had not been able to share his law school experiences with him. And the gulf between them seemed to be widening.

  Curtis Matthews was taller than his father by about two inches. He had the slim, sleek body of a swimmer. Kept his hair close-cropped, had piercing dark brown eyes beneath bold, black eyebrows. With high, well-defined cheekbones, he was a striking young man.

  Becky was surprised when he appeared at her desk, asking if he could see Dr. Matthews.

  “I’m Curtis Matthews, his son. It’s not urgent, I don’t want to upset him,” he explained.

  “He’s with a patient now, but I’ll let him know you’re here. Please, have a seat,” Becky said checking the roster.

  As he waited, his eyes fell on a news magazine that had the new president-elect on its cover. This man lost his father. Mine is in a nearby office, and I can and will talk to him.

  A few minutes later Becky told
Curtis his father was free and he should follow her.

  She led him past a row of closed examining rooms to an office at the end of the corridor. DONOVAN MATTHEWS, MD was printed in gold letters on the door.

  Curtis had been at his dad’s old office, but had never been in this one at the medical association. He was impressed.

  Becky knocked on the door.

  “Come in, come in!”

  Don opened the door and pulled his oldest child into a bear hug.

  “Curtis! So glad to see you. Come in! Thanks, Becky,” he said, following Curtis inside.

  Closing the door, he asked, “Are you all right, son?”

  “Dad, I’m fine.”

  “Everything good at law school?”

  “Oh, yes. I’m knee-deep in torts, felonies, crimes and wrongdoings. But it’s interesting stuff, and I’m in a great study group along with Bob, so we’re hanging in there.”

  “Good. I know you will make a fine lawyer.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Look, I know you are busy, but…” He paused, but then pressed on. “I just want you to know that I really do care about you, want the best for you. I mean, I miss you and want you back in my life. Being in law school has helped me better understand a little of how unwanted and unplanned problems can come up in life, anyone’s life. Dad, I know Mom still loves you and so do I, and Jane, too.”

  Tears streamed down Don’s cheeks as he listened to expressions of love from his firstborn child. His face was red and he felt his heart racing.

  “Curt, how…how can you forgive me? I turned my back on you and the family I loved, not giving a minute’s thought to the havoc I was creating. I realize now that divorce can have an effect on children, no matter what age. I assumed, Lord knows I wasn’t thinking, thought you kids would be okay.

  I don’t deserve to have a son like you, Curt. I really don’t,” Don said, drying his tears. “I have a remarkable son in you, Curt, and I thank the Good Lord for you.”

  “Well, Dad, you’re my father, always will be. Don’t forget that.”

  Not wanting to take up too much of his father’s day, Curtis soon left, promising to keep in touch, to stay close. Don immediately called Leanne at her office.

  “Leanne, thank you for the wonderful kids you have given me.”

  “Well, thank you,” she said and laughed. “But you know I did not do it alone. So what’s up?”

  “Curtis came to see me at my office; he just left. Leanne, he told me that he loves me, wants me back in his life! How wonderful is that?”

  “Don, I can’t tell you how happy, how relieved that makes me. It has been quite a struggle for him. I knew he was hurting, and that is why I tried to be patient with him.”

  “I know that and I can’t thank you enough.”

  “I kept hoping and praying he would be able to come to grips with the situation and see his way to a loving resolution instead of the gloom and doom he had been seeing. My prayers have been answered. Of course, Jane’s reactions have never been as extreme as Curt’s. She rarely expressed resentment toward you. But then, she has always been a pliant, forgiving child…”

  “And for that I am grateful. Leanne, uh, doing anything tonight?” he asked hopefully. “I’d love to bring dinner. Bob Sato wants to spend some time with Jay, so he is picking him up for an overnight visit. They seem to be bonding nicely. He’ll drop him off at day care in the morning. That has been arranged.”

  Don stopped at a local grocery store that sold fully prepared meals, selecting a small roasted chicken, a container of gravy, a container of cooked rice and butternut squash.

  He selected a salad mix and a half dozen soft rolls. A bottle of sparkling cider caught his eye and he added that to his shopping cart. For dessert, he bought Leanne’s favorite butter pecan ice cream.

  When he got to her house, he was glad to see her car in the driveway and lights blazing all over the house. He felt welcome.

  Indeed, as soon as he approached the front door, Leanne was there opening the door, reaching for the packages.

  “Don, good to see you. Let me take some of those.”

  When he got back to the kitchen, Leanne was already preparing the food on plates to reheat in the microwave. “If you look into that cupboard to your right, Don, you’ll find glasses for the cider. Everything looks so good.”

  “I hope you’ll enjoy it. Did you sell the house?”

  “The clients liked it very much, and have put in an offer. So we’ll see.”

  Moments later they carried their plates of food into the dining room. Leanne lighted the candles on the table, extinguished the dining room light, and they began to eat.

  Don couldn’t help himself. He was overcome with emotion. He was with his wife, the woman he now knew that he loved more than anyone in his life. She was his other half, made him feel whole.

  He told her about his conversation with Curtis.

  “He’s a very extraordinary young man. I’m proud to be his father.”

  “You helped raise him, Don. You always were a big part of his development. He’s more like you than you know.”

  “Thanks for saying that, Leanne.”

  “It’s true.”

  They finished their meal, put the leftover food away and took their glasses of cider into the living room.

  As if it were the most natural thing to do, they sat side by side on the sofa. Leanne took another sip of her sparkling cider, placed her glass on the coffee table.

  “So,” Leanne asked, “what’s new?” She could see and feel that this might be an eventful moment.

  “What is it, Don?”

  “Today my son and I were united. And today I am a free man. My divorce has become final.”

  “Oh, my God! Don, it’s over?”

  “Yes, Leanne, the long nightmare is over.”

  CHAPTER 38

  Don took Leanne’s hands and placed them close to his heart. Filled with emotion, he could barely whisper, “Please, Leanne, will you marry me…be my wife again? I love you and need you. I love you, want you back. Please say yes.”

  “Yes, Don,” she said, her voice soft and intimate. “I will always be your wife. I’ve never stopped loving you.”

  He put his arms around her, and she clasped his head with both her hands, bringing his face close to hers. When their lips met, it was with the same sweetness and tenderness that was so familiar to them. They clung together, as if fearing separation. Don was like a drowning man, gasping for air as he rained kisses all over Leanne’s face. She moaned in his arms, her whole body shaking with deep emotion.

  “Leanne, I’m, I’m so sor—”

  “Shh, shh,” she said, placing her forefinger against his lips to stop his apology. “It’s all right.”

  Don hoped that the craziness he had gone through was over. He was where he belonged, in the arms of the woman he truly loved.

  “Forgive me, Leanne, please.”

  Again she silenced his plea, placing her whole hand over his mouth.

  Still clinging to one another, they rose from the sofa and wordlessly walked upstairs to Leanne’s room.

  Fully clothed, they collapsed on the bed. Not a word passed between them, as each knew what the other wanted.

  Don began to undress Leanne as she tugged at his clothing, each afraid to stop until their bodies were free.

  Like tentative newlyweds, they touched, explored, frantically nuzzled each other as if they had never been apart. The loving gestures, touching sensations were as before. Their bodies reacted as the sweet memories of the past returned.

  * * *

  Several months later:

  The wedding took place in the family court judge’s chambers.

  The bride was radiant in a white silk Chanel suit, and the groom, his dark hair showing twin patches of silver at the temples, was handsome in a gray suit with satin lapels.

  Their son was the best man and their daughter the maid of honor.

  With Don formally agreeing to Jay’s adoption, Bob
had been allowed to adopt his son, renamed John Matthews Sato. “Just my son,” he declared to anyone who asked.

  At the ceremony were Bob’s brothers, Caleb and Morris, and his parents, whom Don and Leanne had yet to meet.

  Jane’s fiancé, Sam Adams, was present as well.

  The elder Satos were the first to congratulate the couple after the simple ceremony.

  Herman Sato bowed low in front of Don before extending his hand.

  “My sincere good wishes, sir,” he said.

  “Thank you, Mr. Sato. I am so happy to meet you and your wife,” Don said. Then he said to the pair, “May I present my wife, Leanne Matthews?”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Matthews. And I want to thank you for helping my son, Bob.” Belinda smiled.

  “I was very happy to help him. He is a wonderful young man, and I know you are happy and very proud of him, as you should be.

  “The whole family is,” Belinda Sato said. “To us, always it’s the family that matters.”

  “You are so right, Mrs. Sato. I’m very happy, feel blessed to have my family.”

  Then she turned to Herman Sato. “You are coming to our house for a small reception, aren’t you? We’d love to have you meet some of our friends, since you are new to the area.”

  Mr. Sato bowed deeply once again. “Yes, we are most pleased to come, Mrs. Matthews.”

  Linking her arm with her husband’s arm, Leanne replied, “We are delighted to share this day with you.”

  Don, nodding in agreement, offering his hand to Mr. Sato, said, “My wife couldn’t have said it better. I agree with her wholeheartedly.”

  EPILOGUE

  By July Cornwallis Farley was glad to be on vacation. She had finished a very busy year teaching the graduate nursing students and was thrilled to have this week at her time-share condo in Aruba.

  As soon as she unpacked her clothes, she made a pitcher of iced tea. She poured a glass for herself, placed the pitcher back in the refrigerator, picked up her sunglasses and her newest book, and headed out to the deck.

  She placed her drink on a small table, sat down in her chaise lounge, sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She felt the almost unbearable tension begin to leave her body. She relaxed in the warm sun. The ocean’s waves thundered on the shoreline and the repetitive sounds made her relax.