Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong."
- Ghandi
Chapter 19
He Wishes to Apologize
When Barry Williams appeared at Mimi's door, she thought for sure it would be in reference to Nick's interview the day before. She ushered him into the house and led him up to her office after he'd politely declined lemonade and coffee both, and they settled themselves into chairs around her desk.
"I heard Nick's interview went well," Mimi said cheerfully, "For the internship?"
Barry nodded, "Yes, Nick's a good kid and he's certainly one of the ones I'm considering for the job." He smiled, "But you are sworn to secrecy, of course, you didn't hear that from me."
Mimi, grinning, nodded and sealed her lips. She leaned forward, "Did you have questions about his past or --"
"Actually, believe it or not, I am here on a completely unrelated subject," he said, then with a pause he said, "Actually, not a completely unrelated subject, but pretty far removed. I saw in Nick's papers that you have a little boy named Max living with you, who you aquired just three months ago, is that correct?"
Mimi blinked. "Yes," she answered, "Well, nearly four now, but yes. Max lives here. He's the one Nick has been working with."
"I'm aware," Barry answered, nodding. He took a deep breath. "As you know, Mimi, I'm on the department board at social services and a lot of things filter over my desk."
Mimi nodded. She wasn't sure why but a feeling of tension and suspense was crawling through her body, setting off each nerve like a shot gun firing behind race horses at the Kentucky Derby. She slid forward in her seat, her body tight with tension.
"A request arrived on my desk yesterday," Barry Williams continued, "Just after Nick had left, actually, from a hospital not far from here, where a man was brought in with severe liver damage from years of drinking..." he paused. "The man claims he has a son, named Max, who was taken from him three months ago, and --" Mr. Williams took a deep breath, "-- he wishes to apologize to his son... before he dies."
Mimi's hand traveled slowly to her mouth and she stared at Barry in concern.
"He says he has made too many mistakes in the past," Barry continued slowly, "But that this one, with this son, he can make ammends for."
Mimi let out a strangled gasp, "But- but Max is - he's so -" she stared down at her desk, then looked up, stronger for the pause, and said, "Max is very delicate. He only speaks to Nick as it is, and Nick's put a lot of effort into prying Max opened and I don't know that seeing his father would - would help that."
Barry nodded, "Even so, I do believe that the option should be left up to Max himself."
Mimi's eyes cinched in concern. "You can't be serious, Barry," she commanded, "Max is only six years old. How can he be expected to reach such a decision on his own?" She clucked her tongue at him in disapproval.
Barry took a deep breath, "It is of course a very overwhelming thing to ask of him," he sighed, "But I worry that if you don't at least offer him the opportunity, he may grow to resent that it was taken away from him later in his life."
Mimi knew this was true. Turning to look out the window, she stared at Max's box on the lawn, turned to face the street where Nick usually parked his car, waiting for his visitor. She pictured the little boy who was curled inside, who'd been so badly battered when she picked him up at the hospital the thoughts burned her throat with emotion. She pictured him, the fear he'd have inside, unwilling to talk it out, and the confusion he'd feel, seeing his father again, no matter the circumstances.
At that moment, Josh's silver car pulled to a stop behind Barry Williams' and the flaps to the box opened. Max climbed out of the box and rushed to the curb, his arms outstretched. Mimi had never seen Max fly across the lawn so fast. He leaped up into Nick as Nick came around the car and knelt by the curb, laughing and smiling at Max's enthusiasm.
Nick had truly become Max's family.
Mimi looked at Barry. "It's going to be up to Nick," she said, "To tell him or not, and to actually do the telling."
Barry looked surprised, but he followed her previous gaze out the window to see Nick pulling the explorer hats out of the backseat of his car and fixing one on Max's head, pulling the drawstring to the little boy's chin. Nick looked up into the window, saw Mimi peering out, and waved. He pointed at Max, then pointed down the street and Mimi gave him the thumbs up.
Mimi looked at Barry. "Max wouldn't even come out of the box," she said, "I used to have to force him to come out long enough to take a bath. With Nick, he comes out and he takes baths and he goes exploring and he plays pirates and makes messes and fingerpaints and takes photographs and plays. He plays like a normal kid." Mimi smiled, "Barry, Nick has worked a miracle in a little less than a month working with Max, just by being there for him and taking it all one step at a time." She nodded, "Yes, it should be Nick who decides, who tells Max."
Barry nodded, "Very well." He took a deep breath, "In that case, I will speak to Nick about it myself." He stood up and held out a hand to Mimi. She stood, too, and shook it, smiling.
As Barry was exiting the room, Mimi said, "You won't find anyone who wants the internship more than Nick."
Barry turned and smiled at Mimi, "So I hear," he said with a chuckle, "So I hear."
