Chapter 28
“Why is it medicine?”
Sensing the shift in mood, Ivan quietly set aside his blocks and moved to sit beside Zachary without a word. Zachary ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry, Mom, it’s nothing serious. But guess–whose prescription is this?“}
“Whose prescription?” Karen asked, caught off guard. Brendan must have joined them at some point, because now he was sitting beside
her too.
“It can’t be Lessie, could it?”
“Well, actually, we have Lessie to thank for this.” Zachary decided not to keep them in suspense any longer and recounted everything that had happened that afternoon.
“So you’re saying Lessie not only got Dr. Dawson to treat you, but also convinced him to take you on as his apprentice?” Brendan’s jaw dropped in disbelief.)
“Xander… Is this the same Xander your specialist mentioned when you went to the hospital before?”
“That’s him.” Zachary’s lips curled into a smile as he nodded, giving them a clear and simple answer.
“We spent a fortune just trying to get an appointment…”
Appointment? We couldn’t even track him down,” Brendan added.
“Exactly. Are you serious? How did Lessie manage that? Forget about being his apprentice, I’d be grateful if he’d just agree to see you at all. Truly, it’s a blessing. Zachary, what did Dr. Dawson say? Is your health okay?”
“He just said I’ll need a few more follow–ups, but I’d have to go over there on weekends anyway. Plus, I get to learn from him.”8
“That’s wonderful. This is a real opportunity, Zachary, don’t waste it. Make the most of what Lessie’s done for you and live up to Dr. Dawson’s expectations, Brendan said, his tone grave
LIML
“If it gets to be too much, promise you’ll tell me,” Karen said softly. I know how much this means to you, and I’m happy you can follow your dream. But if it ever becomes too much, taking another year off is fine by me. After all we’ve been through, I know now–what matters most is that our family is healthy and together. Nothing else comes close”
Zachary nodded, and though Brendan stayed silent, he reached over and gently patted Karen’s back.
One of the Mortons‘ best qualities was that when their children had their own ideas, they didn’t try to stand in the way. They offered honest advice and clear boundaries, but ultimately let their kids weigh their own choices. That’s why the Morton children always acted with such thoughtfulness and independence.l
But now, they were starting to realize that when it came to raising leana, they’d gotten it wrong. Their endless indulgence and favoritism had only
“By the way. Zachary, you can’t tell anyone that Lessie knows Dr. Dawson, or that you’re his apprentice now, We don’t want to cause Lessie any trouble, and you haven’t made your name yet–talking about it would only make things harder for both you and Dr. Dawson.”
“I understand
“Ever since Lessie joined our family, not only have we failed to give her a better life, we’re the ones who ended up better off because of her I can’t even explain how, but the whole mood in this house has lifted.”
Karen’s eyes were full of emotion as she spoke about Alessia.!!
“We may be a family now, but we’ve never really taken care of Lessie–not for a single day. Zachary, you need to remember what happened today. When you’ve made something of yourself, don’t ever forget that Lessie was the one who showed you the way.”
Zachary answered each word with patience and sincerity.
Meanwhile, Alessia was completely unaware of the Mortons‘ conversation. She slipped through a side street, where a girl in a leather jacket sat astride a motorcycle, waving her over.
Alessia noticed a few lowlifes groaning on the ground around Stella Laine and couldn’t help shaking her head in exasperation. “Sull as reckless as ever?
Stella slid her sunglasses down to reveal her striking eyes, gave Alessia a teasing wink, and tossed her a helmet. Alessia just smiled, pulled the helmet on, and swung onto the bike behind her
The motorcycle’s engine thundered through the alley Neither of them even spared a glance for the men on the ground as they sped away.
