Chapter 6 - The Face He Had Never Seen
Three months later, Grant stood in front of a mirror.
Amelia waited behind him.
“What do you see?”
“Myself.”
“Details?”
“Some.”
Grant leaned closer.
He had aged.
That surprised him.
Dark hair with silver beginning at the temples.
A scar near his right eyebrow.
Lines around his eyes he did not remember.
For five years, Grant had imagined himself frozen at the age he had been before the explosion.
The mirror disagreed.
“I look tired.”
Amelia smiled.
“You run a shipping company, raise everyone’s blood pressure, and refuse to follow medical instructions.”
“I follow some.”
“You follow the ones you already agree with.”
Grant glanced toward the doorway.
Hannah stood there holding Lucy.
Grant’s focus shifted.
The first time he had truly seen Hannah’s face, he had not told her.
He had wanted to remember it privately.
Her blonde hair.
The thoughtful expression she wore when worried.
The tiny line between her eyebrows whenever he was difficult.
Which was often.
Lucy wriggled free and ran toward him.
“Mr. Grant!”
He crouched.
She held up the yellow flashlight.
“Ready?”
Grant laughed.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Dr. Amelia says you’re not allowed to blind me while she’s trying to fix me.”
Lucy considered that.
“But I fixed you first.”
Amelia raised an eyebrow.
“She has a compelling argument.”
Grant picked Lucy up.
The child touched his cheek.
“Can you see me good now?”
Grant looked at her.
Curly light-brown hair.
A cream-colored bow.
Big curious eyes.
Yellow dress.
“Yes.”
“All of me?”
“All of you.”
Lucy grinned.
Grant’s throat tightened unexpectedly.
Emma would have been nine.
Lucy was not Emma.
Grant knew that.
He never wanted her to become a replacement for the daughter he had lost.
But Lucy had brought noise back into a mansion that had been silent for five years.
She had left crayons in places where Grant once demanded perfect order.
Toys appeared beneath chairs.
Cookies vanished before dinner.
The third rule had disappeared completely.
People looked into Grant’s eyes now.
And he looked back.
That afternoon, Daniel entered the library carrying court documents.
“Victor took a deal.”
Grant’s expression hardened.
“How long?”
“Long enough that he’ll die in prison.”
“And Hale?”
“Cooperating. Medical license permanently revoked. Criminal sentencing next month.”
Grant nodded.
Daniel placed another folder on the desk.
“And the trafficking network?”
“Twenty-six arrests so far.”
Grant opened the folder.
He could finally read large print again, slowly.
Daniel watched him struggle through the first page.
“You want me to read it?”
“No.”
Grant continued.
One line at a time.
Hannah entered.
“Lucy’s asleep.”
Grant looked up.
“Sit.”
She hesitated.
“Am I in trouble?”
“You assume that every time I ask you to sit.”
“You employ a terrifying number of men in black suits.”
“Fair.”
She sat opposite him.
Grant pushed a document toward her.
“What’s this?”
“Tuition.”
Hannah frowned.
“For?”
“You.”
She stared.
Grant continued.
“You’re returning to ophthalmic training.”
“Mr. Mercer—”
“Grant.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“My name is Grant.”
“You’re my employer.”
“Not anymore.”
Her face fell.
“You’re firing me?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I’m offering you a different job.”
Hannah crossed her arms.
“I’m scared to ask.”
Grant smiled.
“Medical liaison for the Mercer Foundation.”
“What Mercer Foundation?”
“The one we’re creating.”
Daniel leaned against the doorframe.
“I told him the name sounded boring.”
Grant ignored him.
“The foundation will fund trauma vision research and medical care for families who can’t afford specialist treatment.”
Hannah stared at him.
“Why me?”
Grant almost laughed.
“You discovered something multiple doctors ignored.”
“Lucy discovered it.”
“Fine. She can be vice president.”
From upstairs came Lucy’s distant voice.
“I HEARD THAT!”
Daniel laughed.
Hannah covered her face.
Grant smiled.
Then Hannah lowered her hands.
“I can’t accept charity.”
“It isn’t charity.”
“You’re paying for school.”
“I’m investing in someone qualified.”
“I didn’t finish.”
“You will.”
Hannah looked at him for a long moment.
“Grant…”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
He nodded.
Neither of them said anything else.
They did not need to.
Later that evening, Grant walked alone to the west terrace.
No cane.
No counting.
He still used the rail when the light was low.
His vision was far from perfect.
It might never be perfect.
But he could see the horizon.
Hannah joined him.
“What color is the water?” Grant asked.
She smiled.
“You tell me.”
He stared.
“Blue-gray.”
“Correct.”
“And the sky…”
He squinted.
“Orange.”
“Also correct.”
He looked at her.
“Yellow dress?”
She laughed.
“Blue blouse.”
“Damn.”
“Still work to do.”
Grant smiled.
May you like
For once, that did not frighten him.
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