“You have a wonderfully inquisitive mind, Kendra. You always have. I could tell the first time I met you.”
“So why aren’t you in England poking around in that lab? There are a lot of other people in this world who need your help.”
“Oh, it’s the eternal problem. Finances. Research is expensive. There are occasions I have to leave the lab, hat in hand. This time it has brought me to your shores. But when I learned you were here, I knew I had to come see you in action.”
“You’ve seen me work before.”
“I’ve seen you working with your patients, which was miraculous. But here, watching you hold your own against some of the top specialists in the world … It’s a side of you I hadn’t seen.” He added quietly, “It made me very proud.”
Her face flushed. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
“I was hoping I could take you to dinner if you know a decent place nearby.”
“We’re in Malibu, California. There are dozens of decent places nearby.” She gathered her presentation materials and gestured toward the door. “And, just so you know, I’m taking you to dinner.”
*
WALDRIDGE FOLLOWED KENDRA half a mile up the Pacific Coast Highway to Geoffrey’s, a restaurant offering a large Mediterranean-themed patio and a spectacular view of the ocean. They arrived just in time to enjoy the sunset, a pale orange orb shimmering over calm waves, and an excellent dinner.
They followed the meal with coffee, and, after a few minutes of small talk, Waldridge folded his hands on the tabletop. “Okay, Kendra … time for me to say something that’s been on my mind for a long time. I don’t believe I’ve ever given you a proper apology.”
Her eyes narrowed on his face. “Apology for what?”
“For the way I treated you in those first few years after your procedure. I turned you into a show pony, trotting you out for the media, medical conferences, fund-raising dinners … I know it couldn’t have been fun for you.”
She looked away from him. “I tried to cooperate. But not always gracefully. I was going through a lot at the time.”
“Of course you were. Your reality changed overnight. And I was too wrapped up in my project’s success to even think about that. I wanted everyone to see what was possible. For someone to go from total blindness to near twenty-twenty vision, that was a dream come true for so many of us who had been working for years. You were our first great success. There have been several since then, but at the time, you were totally unique. You were the key to showing people that this was the path worthy of all their attention and funding.”
Kendra nodded. She was silent, remembering that time. “I’m sorry I didn’t handle it better. I guess I just kind of … rebelled.”
“I didn’t blame you. None of us did. You probably don’t know about the others who came after you, but many of them had a difficult time after gaining their sight. A life-changing experience like this has completely redefined who they are, along with every single one of their relationships. There have been divorces, family estrangements, bouts of severe depression…”
“That actually doesn’t surprise me.”
“Because you lived through it yourself. One would think that a gift like this would bring nothing but joy. But as you found out, it doesn’t solve all of life’s problems, and that disappointment can bring some hard feelings.”
“Exactly. It took me awhile to find out who I was. I call those my ‘wild days.’ I wanted to experience everything I could, no matter how risky or dangerous it was. I know I scared the hell out of my friends and family.”
“And me,” he said ruefully.
She shrugged. “I came through okay. I’m grateful for the time and effort you were able to give me while I was fighting my way out of the dark. And I don’t regret those wild days one bit. It helped to make me who I am.”
“Which is an extraordinary young woman. But you always were that.” He leaned forward in his chair. “Since the last time I saw you, you’ve become distinctly more extraordinary.”
She cocked her head. “As much as I enjoy hearing you call me ‘extraordinary’ in that British accent of yours, I don’t know why you would say that.”
“I’m referring to your fascinating sideline, of course.” He smiled teasingly. “You’ve become Kendra Michaels, crime fighter.”
She cringed. “Oh, don’t say it like that. Better still, don’t say it at all.”
“Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
“I’ve consulted with the FBI and a local police department on a few cases.” She shook her head emphatically. “Believe me, it’s nothing I’ve ever asked for.”
“Success breeds demand, and from what I understand, you’re very much in demand.”
“Crazy, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. In a way, it makes perfect sense.”