Chapter 24: Tabbed and Kept

I went out to the gate with Eli on my hip, and Floyd came with me and stopped one step behind.

Doc did not move.

His hands were still held in front of him, empty and a little open.

"I won't come in," he said. "I wanted to see him. That's all."

"I know."

"I brought nothing. I figured you'd have to decide what to do with it."

The porch light fell across his face, and he looked ten years older than he had in April.

He had sold the clinic to a group from Kerrville.

A young doctor had taken over the waiting room, and people said she was good.

I stood a long moment at the latch.

Eli reached out with both hands toward the stranger in the tweed jacket.

He reached for everyone that way.

"One minute," I said.

Doc's face broke.

"You can look. You can say his name. You can't touch him."

"Yes."

"Not his ear. Not his hand. Nothing."

"No," Doc said. "Nothing."

He looked at the baby, and the baby looked back, and Eli put a wet fist in his mouth and smiled around it.

"Hello, Eli," Doc whispered.

That was all he said.

The wind moved the dead leaves along the street, and Floyd stood next to me, silent and very still.

When the minute was up, I turned.

"Thank you for coming," Floyd said to the man at the gate.

It was not forgiveness. Doc knew it was not.

He nodded once and walked back to his car, and he did not look behind him.

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