A Billionaire Dentist for Christmas

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO

Jude Stone leaned against the old tree in the hospital’s back garden and kicked hard at a rock at his feet. He watched it roll away and then land in a muddy puddle with no way to get out. Just like how he felt about his life right now. He was mad at the world and at the father that had abandoned him.

He’d told himself over and over again that it wasn’t his fault. Being born with a cleft palate—which was what the doctors had called it—and having to go through multiple operations wasn’t something he’d wanted. He’d even had a bone graft a few weeks ago and was still recovering. Jude had come to the hospital with his mom today for a follow-up. His mom had wanted to speak with the doctors alone, so Jude had ended up in the garden that was as familiar to him as his home.

Jude frowned. The Christmas lights strewn over the flower hedges like twinkling stars fallen from the sky were yet another reminder of his loss. The hospital had hosted a “Christmas time with Santa” for the kids a few days ago, and with his father as the designated Santa Claus, Jude had had no choice but to come along with him to the party. If he’d known his father would disappear on them shortly after that, maybe he would have asked for his father as his Christmas gift instead of the small car he’d received. Now, any joy he’d felt from the toy was gone. He kicked another stone. What terrible luck he had.

But his heart ached even though it’d been a few days. How could his father, who was supposed to be there for him and hold his hand, just leave? To be fair, his father wasn’t the hand-holding type, but still. Instead, all his father had done was leave a note for his mom, who tried to hide her tears and only let them out when she thought Jude wasn’t looking. He hated to see her cry.

He kicked hard at another rock. This time, it rolled and then stopped in front of a pair of pink shoes. Jude looked up to see a girl a little younger than him, with her hair done up in braids and colorful ribbons, staring at him with big brown eyes. She was dressed in a pink coat over a yellow dress that stopped at her knees and held a lollipop in each hand. The girl looked happy, the opposite of the way he felt right now.

Jude winced as his heart squeezed in pain. All he wanted was for her to go away. “What?” he said in his harshest voice, though he was sure it came out more nasal and jumbled up than he’d wanted. Cleft palate did that to you, even though he’d been seeing the speech doctor.

“Do you want one?” She extended one of the lollipops to him with her left arm. Jude noticed she had a mole there.

“Go away. Leave me alone,” he replied.

“It will make everything better,” she insisted.

It wouldn’t bring his father back, that was for sure. “Go,” he said.

Instead, she stepped forward and leaned her back against the same tree.

Jude stared at her in surprise. She was bold. How could she do that when she didn’t even know him?

The girl gave him a cheeky smile in return and offered him the lollipop again.

This time, he just shook his head and opened his mouth to show her the stitches.

“Oh, that’s okay,” she said. “You can eat it later.” She stuffed the lollipop into his hand without asking.

Jude allowed his hand to close around the lollipop. It seemed she wasn’t scared of his mouth. He was used to other kids laughing at him about it. But she was treating him like he was any other normal kid.

They stayed that way, he kicking the stones, she licking her other lollipop. Jude realized he didn’t mind her presence as much as he had in the beginning.

“I’m an orphan,” she said suddenly.

Jude gawked at her. He would never have believed it. She was dressed like someone had taken the time to get her ready. If not her parents, then who? And how did she manage to look so happy?

“Martha takes care of me,” she said as if sensing his unspoken question.

Who was this Martha? A guardian? An aunt? She had to be kind since the girl didn’t look sad at all.

“My father left.” Jude didn’t know what made him say it, but somehow he wanted her to know.

“But you have your mommy,” she said in a wistful tone.

Yes, he did. But how did she know? She must have seen him with her. It was so easy to forget he still had any good despite the bad. He’d been so upset that his father left, but here was a girl who had neither parent yet seemed cheerful. Maybe he could be happy too.

“Here, take this,” she said. Jude looked to see she was holding a pendant hanging from a braided necklace. The pendant looked like a bird with its wings spread out. She must have had it tucked under the neck of her dress.

He shook his head. It was hers. She didn’t have to give it to him.

“Martha gave it to me for good luck. Take it,” she said.

He shook his head again and turned away. He wasn’t a charity case. Jude didn’t need pity from anyone.

She grabbed his hand, stuffed the pendant into it, and took off, her braids bouncing behind her.

“Hey!” he called out.

She turned, waved at him, and then hurried off until she disappeared through the doors that led into the hospital.

Jude looked down at the pendant in his hand. It was now one half of the bird with the braided cord. She must have taken the other half. The grooves on its body flowed out into its remaining wing, giving it a life-like appearance, a proud posture as if it didn’t matter that it had lost its other wing.

He rubbed his thumb over the surface of the bird for a while as a cool breeze caressed his face. Then he lifted the cord and slipped it over his neck. Jude had lost one wing, his father, but that didn’t mean his life was over. He was going to soar and be whatever he wanted, just like the bird.

He would make his life count, father or no father.

Jude straightened from the tree, tucked his hands into his black coat, and headed back in the direction of the hospital’s doorway, the faint sounds of “The First Noel” reaching out to him from between its glass doors.

He hoped he’d see the girl again, to thank her. But the hospital was a big place, and chances were he’d never meet her again.

All the same, Jude prayed he’d get the opportunity one day to return the favor.