The Homecoming (Thunder Point #6)(30)

He shook his head. “I tested every time they opened testing for new hires, which wasn’t that often. I wasn’t hired the first three times.”

“Did you have trouble with the testing?” she asked.

“No, I did all right. But despite doing all right, I have a slight disability. One leg is a little shorter than the other and sometimes I limp even with a lift in my shoe. I can stiffen up, but not badly. It doesn’t hold me back. Even though I passed the written and physical tests, they didn’t hire me. I think they finally took me on just to get rid of me. I was like a bad penny. I just wouldn’t quit.”

“Is that a fact?” Troy said, earning a glare from Iris.

“Was it hard? The testing?” she asked.

“Very hard. I studied and trained. For four years. After getting my degree.”

“Did you always want to be a cop?”

“No,” he said. “I always wanted to be a football player. After that was no longer possible I got very interested in police work. But it took a lot to convince them I wouldn’t be a handicap. Hell, there are fat guys in the department that I could catch standing still.”

It was very hard to imagine that his father didn’t admire that. But right now she was looking at his lip, which had split open again. “Um,” she said, pointing. He dabbed. “I think we should at least call Scott Grant, ask him to have a look. Maybe put a butterfly bandage on it.”

“We?” he said.

“Well, since we’re all having dinner together...”

“He can take care of his own lip, Iris,” Troy said irritably.

“I’m an expert with butterflies. Besides, I want food,” Seth said.

“Well, I can recommend the crab cakes, but they’re a little spicy,” Troy said. “You might want to go with something bland. Maybe pureed foods.” He touched his lower lip for emphasis. “Clam chowder is pretty easy to eat.”

“Are you being nice to me because I got slugged?”

Troy shook his head. “I was just being thoughtful. I get that way when people bleed in front of me.”

Seth dabbed his lip again. “If you’d rather I just leave, I understand,” he said.

“Oh, by all means, eat. If that’s what you want to do,” Troy said.

Seth stubbornly ordered a bowl of clam chowder and crab cakes. But it wasn’t easy. The hot chowder made him wince and when he took a bite of bread, he left blood on it. “Fuck,” he said, looking at the red-stained piece of bread he put back on the plate.

“You’re bleeding on the bread, man,” Troy said, barely hiding the pleasure in his voice.

“Yeah, that must hurt,” Iris said. She got out her cell phone and dialed Scott.

“What are you doing?” Seth and Troy both asked.

“I’m going to help you, Seth. Because you can’t help yourself.” Then she spoke into the phone. “Scott? Can you hear me? Where are you?” There was a lot of crowd noise in the background.

“I’m in Bandon with the team,” he yelled into the phone.

“I didn’t know you went with them to away games,” she said.

“Is this better?” Scott asked. “I put my jacket over my head.”

“Much better. But I guess you’re unavailable.”

“Peyton’s in Thunder Point,” he said, speaking of his physician’s assistant. “She’s babysitting my kids, but that’s okay. They’re portable. What’s up?”

“Well, I’m out to dinner with Seth and he had to break up a fight at Cliff’s and got a split lip.”

“Can you keep your voice down? Please?” Seth asked.

“Oh, sure,” she said. “So, I think it might need a stitch or two. It won’t stop bleeding. Not exactly hemorrhaging, but it’s kind of a big cut. He’s...uh...bleeding on his dinner.”

“No problem. I’ll call Peyton and ask her to meet you at the clinic. When can you be there?”

“Fifteen minutes?”

“That’ll work. She’s good with stitches.”

“That’s great, Scott. Thanks. Oh—what’s the score?”

“Twenty-one—fourteen, us! And it’s their homecoming.”

She laughed. “Way to go, Thunder Point!” When she disconnected, it seemed that all eyes were on her. “Twenty-one—fourteen, Thunder Point,” she said to the dining room. A bunch of pleased sighs and soft laughter answered her. She smiled at Seth.

“I don’t want stitches.”

“Maybe she’ll say you don’t need any,” Troy said.

“No, she won’t. Doctors never do that. They love to cut and sew.”

“Just a couple, Seth,” Iris said.

“I hate needles.” His voice was quiet. And very grumpy.

“That figures,” Troy said.

“After all you’ve been through? After all those surgeries? You’re afraid of needles?” Iris asked.

“I’m not afraid! I said I hate them! And why do you suppose I do? Could it be the number of times I’ve been stuck?”

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll be with you. Peyton is very gentle and very nice. And if you start to feel weird, you can lie down and close your eyes.” She looked at Troy. “Troy will come, too. We’ll lend moral support.”