Forbidden Beginnings by William Rubin

Author:William Rubin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: family saga, thrillers, medical suspense, medical thrillers, family life, medical fiction, thriller books, medical mysteries, medical sleuths
Publisher: William Rubin

Chapter 17

An involuntary laugh escapes my lips as I watch Christine demonstrate proper table manners to her brother.

“Now, James. You must keep your elbows off the table and don’t eat your food with your fingers,” Christine says with authority. “Mommy and Daddy said it’s…” Christine looks over at Michelle and I, “Whatcha say, Mommy, bar-bari-un if we do it?”

Michelle lets out a giggle as well. “That’s right, honey. And barbarians are people with very poor table manners‒”

“Who also smell really bad because they don’t take baths regularly,” I interject with a bright smile. “And we don’t want to smell bad, right, kiddo?”

James looks on, bewildered, as his sister replies with her best stab at indignation. “Oh no, Daddy. Nobody wants to smell bad.”

I look over lovingly at the mother of my children. Moments like these have been hard to come by since Ma was attacked. But, with everything we have been through and will be going through, we need these moments to keep us sane and anchored to what is important in life – love and family.

The doorbell rings. “I’ll get it, honey,” I say to Michelle as I rise and make my way to the front door. “May be Kennedy.”

Sure enough, it is. “How we doing, buddy? Come on in.”

Michelle wanders in from the kitchen, James at her hip, Christine holding her hand next to her. “Good to see you, Kevin. How’s your day going?”

“Great, Michelle.” Kennedy leans in and kisses her, then pulls out a few Hershey’s kisses for the kids that have melted on the ride over. “How about some treats for Uncle Kevin’s favorite niece and nephew?”

“Thank you,” they sing in unison.

“We were just finishing up dinner. Can I get you something, Kev?” Michelle inquires.

“Sure, that’d be great. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” With a nod to the right, towards my study, Kevin says, “Can I speak to you a second, Chris?”

A few moments later Kennedy and I settle into leather seats across from each other.

“Is this about the meeting with Spatick, Kev?”

Yeah. But first, how’s your mom doing?”

I fill him in on yesterday’s events, about how we almost lost her and the phone call from Hsu two hours earlier. “For now they have her stabilized.” I bite my lower lip. “They’ll give her the treatment in the morning.”

“Thank God. She’s strong, Chris. She’s gonna pull through.”

I wish for the same optimism. “I hope so, Kev.” Images of Mom laying in that hospital bed, time running out, race through my mind. I shake my head, trying to clear it, as I struggle to focus on the here and now. “So, what happened with the meeting?” I say with little enthusiasm.

“Oh yeah. Well, Kelly and Blumenthal were there too, though you’d hardly know it. Spatick pretty much ignored them while he kept me on the hot seat.”

I wait a few beats for my friend to continue while I ponder the situation. A couple of days ago, after my carelessness cost a patient his life, Kennedy and

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