Page 45 of Blessings in Disguise

As Jackson spoke to his wife, Pax took a chair at the conference table and noticed that the CEO’s office was average size, with shelving and his big desk. Pictures of graduates of Pathways lined the walls. Then some of Jackson and a small group of people he presumed were the teachers here. And one set of shelves sported pictures of a woman and a child.

When he finished the call, he sat too. “Sorry about that. I always take her calls.”

“You’re a good husband.” Pax hadn’t been. He’d ignored Alice and poured everything into his cardiac practice and surgeries. He had no idea how ephemeral it all had been.

“She’s the light of my life,” Jackson said grinning. “Are you married, Pax?”

“I was. Divorced now. No kids.”

“We have one and another on the way.”

“Lucky you.”

“So, did you get your clinic closed?”

“Yeah, that was hard. I felt so…useful there.”

“I did a little research on you. You were a successful surgeon at Memorial Hospital in Syracuse for a long time.”

“If you know that, you know I killed someone.”

Jackson watched him. “So did I, Pax.”

His jaw dropped. “That’s hard to believe. How old were you?”

“Fifteen. I was driving high with my homies from a gang and hit a lady. We didn’t even stop. I saw the news online the next day. She was dead at the scene.”

“You were in a gang?”

“Much to my regret. But some good people helped change the direction of my life.”

“That’s why you opened Pathways.”

“Yes.”

“So, why am I here?” Pax asked.

“I wanted to interview you for a job with us.”

“After what I did? The only job I could get was at a clinic where nobody wanted to work.”

“Was it rewarding?”

“Very. But I have no references and no experience with troubled boys.”

“Neither did I. Would you want to work at our medical center? We have parttime doctors but could use a full time one.”

“I can’t believe you’d want me.”

“Do you want the job?”

“To be honest, I’d rather do clinic work. I can help more people that way. But I guess that isn’t a choice, now.”

“Don’t be so sure. I have a plan B.”

Pax chuckled. The man was relentless. “What is it?”

“Work here one day a week. You’d be a good example to my kids who’ve made many mistakes. Then I’ll fund a clinic in town for you to run.”

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