Nothing excused that kind of behavior. That kind of treatment of your child.
Just the thought of Nora having to deal with that her whole life made him want to storm back in there and lay it out to the man once again, hospital bed or not.
“No, I wouldn’t. But there is a time and a place to handle those things.”
“I get it. It wasn’t there, but I can’t change it. Nora went to talk to her father, and from what she said, she was defending our relationship when he grabbed his chest.”
“I can’t believe the thought of her dating you caused that much of a stir,” his father said. “I know for someone like him, he might not be happy, but that’s pushing it too far.”
He didn’t want to admit what Norris had just confessed. “I’m sure there is more to it and Nora is getting those facts.”
“How are things with you two?” his father asked. “We haven’t talked all that much about it.”
“I thought they were good.”
“Thought?”
“Maybe I’m pushing more than I should.” If he hadn’t pulled her into his arms, then Norris wouldn’t have caught them. Herfather would have just opened the door and seen them talking, nothing more.
“I’m not surprised. You always do when you want something. You’re used to being in control and calling the shots.”
“Nora isn’t so much a fan of that trait. We’ve dealt with it before and I thought it was getting better. Maybe I shouldn’t have threatened to fire Norris if he continued to talk to Nora that way. Or about us.”
His father sighed. “Ethan.”
“I know. Legal and all that bullshit. I’ll make it right. I promise. This is what you meant about things getting messy.”
“Keep me posted.”
“I will.”
He hung up and sat down, Nora returning ten minutes later.
She walked over and sat next to him, her face pale, her fists clenched.
“What did he say to you?” he asked, his voice not as calm as it was with his father.
He just couldn’t sit around and let her be shit on anymore.
“He’s got prostate cancer. Very early stages. He found out right about the time he asked me to move here.”
“Shit,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“It feels like a slap in the face that it was the only reason he did. On top of it, he’s not even going through treatment.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know enough about it, but I’ll find out. He assured me he’s got the best doctors and they all agreed it’s so early and slow moving that it was fine for him to watch and wait. It’s called active surveillance. With the Afib diagnosis and high blood pressure that he takes meds for, they felt there was no reason to stress him more.”
“Sounds as if it’s not working,” he said.
“I said that too, but he disagreed. He claims that this is the calmest he’s felt in a long time. Said it has to do with me being here.”
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’t know what to believe. But the doctor came in while I was there and they said they are keeping him overnight. They are positive it’s an Afib episode. It could last minutes, hours, days. He’s had them before but never felt as sharp or as bad as that.”
“I didn’t know your father wasn’t feeling well. I don’t keep track of him or others if he was out of the office or not.”
