The waiting room always seemed so small to Grant, even as a child. But as far back as he can remember; his father's office had not changed. There was the tiny window in the wall that looked like it belonged on a child's playhouse where patients signed in. There were only about 5 or 6 chairs and they were never full. There were the same old magazines and children's books. There were pamphlets about Chiropractic care everywhere. The same poster of a spinal diagram had been hanging there on the back of the exit door for years.

Grant Ravensdale was a handsome young, Eurasian man. His father was Caucasian of English decent and his mother was Asian from China. He had black hair and blue eyes, a truly different combination. He always had a girlfriend of some kind but he was cursed with being a deep thinker and a loner from childhood. So his relationships were always short lived. Most of the girls he dated were not 'deep'.

He seemed sad a lot of the time. It was probably the fact that his mother had left them when he was a child and moved home to Hong Kong. She could not 'deal with it' in America. At least that is what his father. Paul said.

"Grant!" the secretary said when he walked in. She was a brunette in her early thirties. She had a stocky build and a pretty face. "How are you?"

Grant nodded and smiled. "I'm okay. Is my dad busy?"

"I'll check," she answered. He saw her get up behind the window and go to the back. He sat down in a chair. No one else was in the room. The radio was on really low. A song that Grant recognized was playing. He sighed, heavily.

In a moment, Dr. Paul Ravensdale walked into the waiting room, smiling. Grant stood up.

Paul was a handsome man in his early forties. He had brown hair and hazel eyes. He was in good shape. He always kept to a strict regimen of a diet and exercise. He was currently the most available bachelor his age in town. But for some reason he was not seeing anyone.  

"Grant? What do you need son? Don't you have class today?"

"It's not for a few hours yet," Grant told him. "I have time."

"Do you need some money?" His father was right to ask because it wasn't easy to make it as a part time student and part time worker.

"No dad that's not it. Not today anyway." Paul senior looked at him questioningly. "Can we sit down a minute dad?"

"Oh? Okay then." They both sat down. "Well what is it Grant? I have a patient at 8:30."

"Well, you know I've had something on my mind a lot lately."

Paul sighed

"And I know you've already tried searching for her but," Grant lowered his head a bit.

"Son, I did and I understand why you want this. I wanted it too. I do. But she chose to leave."

"I know I can find her dad. I've been talking to people over there that can help me."

"People?" Paul asked him, "Who?"

"People in Hong Kong who can help me find my way around and they have contacts that can help me search."

"Grant, you have to finish school."

"I will dad; when I get back. I promise."

"No," Paul said firmly and stood up.

"What if she still wants to be with us but she can't leave? What if she's trying to get back to us?"

"Grant," he said. He was clearly trying to hold something in. "I cannot deal with this today."

"Please."

"Go to class," Paul replied. "I have a lot to think about."

"What do you mean?"

"No matter what happens, your mother loves you."

"I know she loves you too," Grant said. "I know it."

Paul shook his head. "Go to class."

Paul watched Grant leave the office. His secretary was on the phone. He walked into the back to his office. He went inside and closed the door. He was very young looking. He was 21 when Grant was born and only 43 now. He looked too young to be Grant's father. Meili Yu was even younger. He looked at a picture of his estranged bride that he had pulled out of the desk drawer. She was so beautiful. People often told him that she reminded them of Lucy Liu.

He stood there for a moment, deep in thought about what Grant had said to him.

"Dr. Ravensdale," his secretary called.

He put the picture frame back in the drawer and closed it. "Okay," he said as he left the office.

A statue of a green dragon hiding in bamboo with ornamental Chinese calligraphy at the base, stood beside the door.