Page 92 of Second Time Around
Once the chocolate confections were devoured, the giggles stopped.
“I don’t think you should give up on Will,” Emily said, wiping her sticky fingers on a paper towel. “After all, Max was all set to move to Chicago before he met me. Look where he lives now.”
Still in New York City. Rumor had it that he’d spent a lot of money to rewrite his contract with the corporation to which he’d sold his business. He’d done it because Emily wouldn’t uproot herself or her daughter from the community they were such a part of. That was true love.
“You’re a lucky woman,” Kyra said. “Will made his choice and I need to respect it.”
Emily took a sip of tea before she settled her gaze on Kyra. “I should warn you that Isaiah has invited Will to his K-9 Angelz adoption ceremony on Wednesday. Evidently, Will helped him choose the dog’s name. I know that I’ve asked all staff members to be present for the event, but I’ll excuse you if you want. And, of course, Will may notcome.” Emily sighed. “I’m not even certain we should hold the ceremony, in light of Felicia’s situation, but Isaiah would be heartbroken. I just can’t do that to him.”
An unwelcome thrill of excitement ran through Kyra at the possibility of seeing Will until she remembered the effect of just one phone call from him. For her own emotional protection, she needed to find a way to be out of the center when he came. But the adoption ceremonies were important events in the kids’ lives at the center. She refused to miss one because she was a coward.
“No, it’s not a problem. I’ll be there.” Kyra spoke in a firm voice, trying to convince herself. She had to change the subject. “Have you spoken with Schuyler yet?”
Emily nodded. “She’s terrific, very reassuring. She’s going to set up a meeting with Davina and Mr.Allen tomorrow. We may be able to save Shaq, but I don’t think he can come back to the center. Once a dog has bitten a child, he’s considered dangerous.”
“That dog is less dangerous than I am,” Kyra said, putting her teacup down so hard the saucer rattled.
“I wish I knew what had made him go after Felicia,” Emily said. “But I guess it doesn’t really matter.” She sipped her tea. “I want to make sure Felicia gets all the medical care she needs, including the plastic surgery. I’ve asked Schuyler to see if Davina will let Ben Cavill look at her daughter.”
Dr.Cavill was a high-end concierge doctor who used the fees paid by his wealthy clients to fund a free health-care clinic in South Harlem. He worked there as much as his schedule permitted and recruited other doctors to donate their time to the clinic as well. The Carver Center’s nurse thought Ben Cavill walked on water.
“Will the center’s insurance cover the medical bills?”
Emily sighed. “The essential medical ones, yes. The plastic surgery? I don’t know yet. But we have to make sure Felicia is able to healcompletely and have full use of her arm, so we’ll figure out some way to make it happen.”
“How about the K-9 Angelz program? Will it continue?”
“That’s still up in the air. I don’t know how the parents will feel about this. They may decide it’s too dangerous for their children, and I have to respect their wishes.”
“Maybe you could just eliminate the K-9 slumber party experiment.”
“That’s already done.” Emily stared into her teacup, her expression one of regret. “The kids loved the idea. It made them feel like they truly owned the dogs.”
Now it was Kyra’s turn to lay her hand on Emily’s. “The parents know how much the K-9 Angelz program means to the kids. They’ll support it.”
“There’s always been a small group of parents whose kids don’t like or don’t want dogs. Until now, those parents didn’t have any concrete reason to object because we always gave those kids a dog-free space. Now ...” She waved her hand in a helpless gesture.
Kyra saw tears standing in Emily’s eyes. “I’ll talk to Gloria. She’ll rally the troops.”
Her landlady was one of the center’s trustees and a moving force in the neighborhood. When she got behind a cause, she was virtually unstoppable.
“Let’s wait until we know more about how the case will shake out. I don’t want to stir up any more trouble than we already have.” Emily smiled. “It means a lot to have your support.”
After the snack had been served, Kyra was in the kitchen rearranging the jumbled flatware in the dishwasher when Diego walked in. “Hey, Ms.Kyra, need some help?”
“Thanks, but I’m almost done.” She retrieved some forks that had fallen out of the baskets and slotted them in place again.
“You said you got more food for Shaq?” Diego said.
Diego knew where to look for Shaq’s food, but Kyra said, “It’s in the green fridge, as usual.”
The boy still stood with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets, staring at his sneakers. “Ms.Kyra, you been around Shaq. Do you think he bit Felicia?”
Kyra rinsed her hands and turned to face the boy as she dried them on a paper towel. “I think if Felicia says he did, then we have to believe her. She loves Shaq and wouldn’t want to blame him for something he didn’t do.”
Diego shook his head. “Something ain’t right about this. I need to talk to Felicia direct.”
“That’s not a good idea right now, buddy,” Kyra said. “Ms.Gibson is suing the center and doesn’t want anyone here to have contact with Felicia.”
