Part 21 (1/2)
”Well. h.e.l.lo, Willie. How are you doing?”
”I'm okay.” Lee Mitch.e.l.l had been his doctor during his stay at the hospital. He'd liked the man.
Lee had just been breaking through Willie's memory block when Julia had taken him back to Collinsport. ”Julia's expecting me, I think.”
”She's in the drawing room.”
He and the man before the fire sized each other up in silence as Julia came forward. ”Lee. Come in.”
Barnabas watched with interest as the man's face softened when he looked at Julia. ”I never could pa.s.s up a visit here.”
”Dr. Lee Mitch.e.l.l, Barnabas Collins.”
”Dr. Mitch.e.l.l.”
”So you're Barnabas Collins.”
”Lee's been my a.s.sistant here for almost as long as I've been here,” she told Barnabas. ”He's in charge when I'm in Collinsport.”
”Indeed.”
”Excuse me, Julia?”
”Yes, Willie?”
”There's a phone call for you. It's the hospital.”
Julia's sigh brought a knowing grin to Lee's face. ”I tried to warn you this morning that the staff intends to take full advantage of your being back.”
”I'll go see what they want. If you'll both excuse me? Pour yourself a drink, Lee.”
Lee went to the bar. ”Mr. Collins?” he offered.
”No, thank you.”
”You don't drink, then?”
”Occasionally. Have you known Julia long?”
”For years. I was in my last year of residency in Philadelphia when she started43.
her interns.h.i.+p. We - spent some time together. Even after I got a staff position at the hospital.”
”You must be very - fond of her.” ”Oh, more than fond, Mr. Collins. I've been in love with Julia for as long as I can remember.”
”Have you? Curious that she's never mentioned it.”
”She wouldn't. Julia's always been very - protective of her private life. I wager she didn't tell you that I once asked her to marry me, either.”
Barnabas' surprise was evident. ”No.” ”She turned me down, of course. But I refused to give up. Part of the reason I took the job here was to be near her. Then she went to Collinsport. Julia's changed. For the better.”