she was here, but now—” Harley broke off. No stranger would see her cry. Why, then, was she telling him so much?
Abisi placed a hand over hers. “Losing a beloved is always hard. My wife died of cancer. We hadn’t had an easy marriage. She married me while I was in London, studying medicine. Maureen was a vivacious girl, very beautiful, but she liked a good time. We had a daughter, but she found me unexciting. She spent a lot of time in London. Her family was there, but I loved her. I think she loved me, too, in her way, but I’m dedicated to saving lives. She didn’t like when I worked late. She didn’t like when I had emergency calls. At the time, we were in New York. I was in practice with another group of doctors.” He took a sip of wine. “Maureen even chose to return to London to die.” He looked at his hands and then at Harley. “I followed her, of course, but she didn’t really want me. She said I neglected her. She also blamed me for . . .” He broke off, his voice choked. He stared ahead for a long time before continuing. “Maybe I did neglect her, and she was right to blame me.”
“How old is your daughter?” Harley’s heart beat in her ears. Why was there so much hurt in the world? At least, John had loved her. She couldn’t imagine how it felt when love turned sour.
The man visibly brightened. “Jessica is twenty-five. She works as an assistant to a designer in London. She hopes to break into that industry, but for right now, this will suffice. In six months, she is getting married.”
“That’s good.” Harley smiled and then gazed at him. “It is good, isn’t it? I know some dads don’t like the groom.” She liked gazing at him. The man was easy on the eyes.
Abisi laughed richly. “Oh, yes, he seems to be a nice young man. A barrister.”
“Impressive.” Harley grinned and bit into her pizza.
They ate in companionable silence for a long time. Over dessert and coffee, he gently questioned her about her marriage. “Simply tell me if this is too painful. How did your husband die?”
Harley swallowed. Her throat was suddenly very dry. “John . . .” She cleared her throat. “John was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq. He’d been there for some time.” She paused. Her voice cracked. Damn! She didn’t want to succumb to this paralyzing sadness. “He was due to come home in two months.” Harley drew in a breath. She hadn’t discussed John with anyone except her closest friends and her mother. Her skin was suddenly gooseflesh. Most people at the school didn’t even know of his existence. “I buried the past.”
“I see.” He squeezed her hand. Harley usually resented a stranger’s touch. She didn’t pull her hand away now. The warmth of his hand soothed her and sent the sadness away. “Let’s discuss more pleasant matters. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’d like that a lot.” Harley let him caress her hand.
When the waiter brought the check, Abisi glanced at the bill and quickly produced his wallet. Before she could open her mouth, he said, “Allow me.”
Abisi insisted upon walking her to the car. She gazed up at him when they stood at the car door. “What brought you to New Orleans?”
“Like you, I felt unfulfilled. Treating spoiled rich people in New York wasn’t my cuppa, as the Brits say.” He smiled warmly at her.
“I’m sure there are plenty of poor people in New York, too.”
“Yes, of course.” Abisi reflectively touched his chin as if considering his answer. “I just associated New York with the breakup of my marriage and a lot of unhappiness. Besides, the story of Katrina made me think you all needed a doctor here. The post came open, and I took it.”
“I’m glad you did.” Harley was surprised at how glad she truly was.
Chapter 6
Late June
“He is not a serial killer.” Harley stared at her cousin Judy in the front pew at St. Anselm’s. Her voice was a hiss. Mass would start in less than fifteen
Abisi placed a hand over hers. “Losing a beloved is always hard. My wife died of cancer. We hadn’t had an easy marriage. She married me while I was in London, studying medicine. Maureen was a vivacious girl, very beautiful, but she liked a good time. We had a daughter, but she found me unexciting. She spent a lot of time in London. Her family was there, but I loved her. I think she loved me, too, in her way, but I’m dedicated to saving lives. She didn’t like when I worked late. She didn’t like when I had emergency calls. At the time, we were in New York. I was in practice with another group of doctors.” He took a sip of wine. “Maureen even chose to return to London to die.” He looked at his hands and then at Harley. “I followed her, of course, but she didn’t really want me. She said I neglected her. She also blamed me for . . .” He broke off, his voice choked. He stared ahead for a long time before continuing. “Maybe I did neglect her, and she was right to blame me.”
“How old is your daughter?” Harley’s heart beat in her ears. Why was there so much hurt in the world? At least, John had loved her. She couldn’t imagine how it felt when love turned sour.
The man visibly brightened. “Jessica is twenty-five. She works as an assistant to a designer in London. She hopes to break into that industry, but for right now, this will suffice. In six months, she is getting married.”
“That’s good.” Harley smiled and then gazed at him. “It is good, isn’t it? I know some dads don’t like the groom.” She liked gazing at him. The man was easy on the eyes.
Abisi laughed richly. “Oh, yes, he seems to be a nice young man. A barrister.”
“Impressive.” Harley grinned and bit into her pizza.
They ate in companionable silence for a long time. Over dessert and coffee, he gently questioned her about her marriage. “Simply tell me if this is too painful. How did your husband die?”
Harley swallowed. Her throat was suddenly very dry. “John . . .” She cleared her throat. “John was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq. He’d been there for some time.” She paused. Her voice cracked. Damn! She didn’t want to succumb to this paralyzing sadness. “He was due to come home in two months.” Harley drew in a breath. She hadn’t discussed John with anyone except her closest friends and her mother. Her skin was suddenly gooseflesh. Most people at the school didn’t even know of his existence. “I buried the past.”
“I see.” He squeezed her hand. Harley usually resented a stranger’s touch. She didn’t pull her hand away now. The warmth of his hand soothed her and sent the sadness away. “Let’s discuss more pleasant matters. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’d like that a lot.” Harley let him caress her hand.
When the waiter brought the check, Abisi glanced at the bill and quickly produced his wallet. Before she could open her mouth, he said, “Allow me.”
Abisi insisted upon walking her to the car. She gazed up at him when they stood at the car door. “What brought you to New Orleans?”
“Like you, I felt unfulfilled. Treating spoiled rich people in New York wasn’t my cuppa, as the Brits say.” He smiled warmly at her.
“I’m sure there are plenty of poor people in New York, too.”
“Yes, of course.” Abisi reflectively touched his chin as if considering his answer. “I just associated New York with the breakup of my marriage and a lot of unhappiness. Besides, the story of Katrina made me think you all needed a doctor here. The post came open, and I took it.”
“I’m glad you did.” Harley was surprised at how glad she truly was.
Chapter 6
Late June
“He is not a serial killer.” Harley stared at her cousin Judy in the front pew at St. Anselm’s. Her voice was a hiss. Mass would start in less than fifteen
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