Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(78)

“To make him proud,” he said quietly. He shook his head. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put this pressure on you. It was a boneheaded thing to ask. I see that now.”

I realized then that Cory had been fighting all of his battles alone, and he was weary of it. I remembered what he’d said in the bank, about wanting a partner to face the challenges of life, together, hand in hand. But I’ve pledged my partnership to someone else.

“Wait a second, Callie,” Cory called, as Callie bounded into the elevator. “Alex is going to wait in the lobby…”

“No,” I said and slipped my hand into his. I smiled up at him. I can be his partner today. Just for today. “Let’s go.”

His smile was beautiful, his eyes soft and warm. “Thank you.”

Callie peeked her head from the elevator. “Are you guys coming or what?” She saw our linked hands and her eyes lit up. “Oooooh. Daddy has a girlfriend.”

#

The doors opened on a hallway where nurses padded past, each wearing the maroon uniform. They congregated at a station at the end of the hall. Callie led us the opposite direction, to room 414, where the door was already open.

“Pops? Ready or not, here we come!”

Cory smiled, watching his daughter. “The nurses always know we’re coming,” he told me. “They try to prepare Pops, but like I said, it’s always a crap-shoot how lucid he’s going to be. He may be rude to you…or not even acknowledge you’re there…”

I gave his hand a squeeze. “Cory, it’ll be fine. I can handle it.”

He squeezed back. “I don’t doubt it.”

The room was small but Walter Bishop had it all to himself. A single bed, a table, and a dresser were the only furnishing, and a door to the right revealed a small bathroom. Cory’s father sat in a plush chair near the window, which offered a view of the 405 freeway and parts of the UCLA campus. He was a gaunt man with wispy gray hair, and a stern expression on his features that looked chiseled in. His dark eyes stared at nothing in particular and his plaid button down hung loosely over his bony shoulders and narrow chest.

Callie bounded up to him and kissed his cheek. This seemed to jar him from his stupor.

“Eh? Callie, girl! How’s my Callie girl?”

“Fine, Pops. Daddy’s here and he brought his girlfriend,” Callie laughed, drawing out the last word in that same playground singsong voice as she had at the elevator.

Cory rolled his eyes—for my benefit, I thought—and released my hand. He crouched down in front of his dad’s chair. “How you doing, Pops?”

“Same shit, different day,” Walter replied, giving his son an appraising glance. “What’s with you? Win the lottery? Why are you grinning like a fool?” He waved a hand. “That’s because you are a fool. Selling the whole business. For what? So I can get my ass wiped by a quality nurse with quality nappies? Horseshit!”

Callie giggled. “You said a bad worse. Twice.”

“Cool it, Pops,” Cory said. He got up and leaned toward me. “Typical opening act. Don’t pay any attention.”

I smiled and nodded but I could see it hurt Cory nevertheless.

“Hey, Pops, this is my friend, Alex.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bishop,” I said, stepping forward and extending my hand.

“Eh?” Walter glanced at my hand then peered at my face, confused. “Georgia, for chrissakes, I know who you are. You changed your hair but that don’t fool me. I’m old but not stupid.”

“That’s not Georgia, Pops,” Cory said but his dad waved him off.

“So you’re back, eh?” he snarled at me. “Surprise, surprise. Do you love him yet? No? How about if he cuts his veins open for you? How about then?”

“Okay, that’ll do,” Cory said firmly. “Callie, why don’t you go see if you can help Nurse Pauline. I think I saw her at the station when we came up.”

“Okay!”

Cory looked to me apologetically. “There’s a little café for visitors downstairs if you want to grab a coffee…?”

“She just got here!” Walter thundered. “And I want an answer to my question.”

Cory clenched his jaw. “Pops, this is not Georgia. This is Alexandra. You’ve never met her before.”

Walter Bishop turned his eyes on me and sat back in his chair, his confusion falling away to leave his eyes sharp and bright, like a crow’s. “Alexandra. Huh. So what do you want?”

“She doesn’t want anything,” Cory said. “Just to meet you, but you’re being a rude bastard and embarrassing the hell out of me.”

“Oh, so I embarrass you now, eh?” Walter said and winked at me. A glint of mischief gleamed in his eye and I found myself liking him at once. I pulled up the chair across from him.

“See how he mouths off to his old man?” he confided. “Disrespectful. You look like a fine lady. I hope you’re teaching him some manners.”

I heaved a dramatic sigh. “I’m trying my best, sir, but it’s not easy.” I snuck a glance at Cory and smothered a laugh at his floored expression.

“Sir? You hear that?” Walter glared at his son. “Why don’t you run along and bring the girl a coffee yourself? And get me a candy bar, while you’re at it. The fascists here won’t ever oblige me. Me. A dying old man.”