Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“Oh. Okay, thank you.” His statement caught me off guard.
“You’re welcome.”
“She’s my life,” I told him before he could walk away. “We’ve been friends since we were three, so almost our entire lives.”
“She’s lucky to have you.”
I shook my head. “You don’t get it. I’m lucky to have her, and I can’t lose her. Miri’s my constant. I can’t tell you the last time I bought something, like shoes or a suit, that she didn’t approve of. Everything I do has her stamp of approval.”
“I do understand and know this is going to be a challenging hill to climb. She or you should probably call her family.”
“Wait, why? Can’t she go home?”
He looked over his shoulder. “The chemotherapy protocol we’re recommending is extremely aggressive. It will compromise her immune system significantly, and we need to monitor her closely.”
“She can’t stay here!” I snapped. “Miri has two kids. They need her.”
I need her.
“I understand. Once we see how she responds and establish her baseline, she can receive treatments as an outpatient and be home with her children between sessions.”
“How long would she need to stay here?” I asked.
“Initially, a week to ten days. Then treatments every two weeks as an outpatient, assuming no complications.”
“Right. I’m sorry for snapping. I’m frustrated and—”
“I get it. Go be with your friend,” he said. “As soon as I hear from my colleague, I’ll be in to talk with Miriam.”
“Thanks.”
Dr. Frederick nodded and continued down the hall. I supposed it was best he didn’t tell me what the fifth floor was for when I asked. But Miri had to have known.
I went into her room without knocking. She was on her side, staring out the window.
“Did you know?”
“What?” she asked as she looked at me.
“Did you know you were sick?”
She shook her head and closed her eyes.
“Cutter said you hadn’t been feeling good and were tired a lot. Did you know you were sick, Miriam?” I hadn’t meant to raise my voice, but the anger, hurt, and fear I felt came out in a rush.
“I didn’t know, but I thought something was wrong.”
“Why didn’t you go to the doctor sooner?” I asked as I sat down by her bed. I reached for her hand and held it tightly in mine.
“I had the appointment scheduled and didn’t think . . .” She trailed off. “I didn’t know I had a lump in my breast,” Miri said quietly. “I checked all the time and didn’t know.”
“It’s not your fault. This isn’t something you could have prevented or caught earlier,” I said, nodding. “We’ll figure it out. We need to talk about your treatment. Dr. Frederick says it’s going to be an aggressive plan, and you’ll likely have to stay in the hospital. I’ll take as much time off as I have to, and my mom is on her way. He also sent your paperwork to Boston for a second opinion. Miri,” I said softly, “we have to tell the kids. This isn’t something we can hide from them.”
Miri nodded as tears filled her eyes.
My own tears flowed.
“I think you should start your treatment now, even while we wait for the second opinion. The faster we fight, the better the chance, right?” I hated suggesting she stay in the hospital, but there wasn’t another choice.
“Okay,” she said weakly, almost like she’d already given up.
I looked around her room. “We need to get you a private room. Somewhere where Nova can hang her artwork, and the kids won’t worry about interrupting anyone else if they put another patient in here.”
“I don’t know how to tell them.”
I smiled softly. “I don’t think there’s an easy way. Cutter’s smart; he’s going to know something’s up when he comes home from practice and you’re not there. When my mom gets here, I’ll leave her with you, and I’ll go get the kids.”
Miri nodded.
“We’ve got this,” I whispered to her. “We’re the strongest team out there, right?”
She nodded again, but her eyes looked empty. I prayed Miri hadn’t given up the fight before she had even started.
Chapter 7
Weston
Jerome and I stood on the sideline, watching the boys run through their plays during their scrimmage. We allowed them to play basketball without the adults interrupting and telling them what to do or calling fouls. This was their time to work on their game-time skills and teamwork. While I tried to make sure every boy played in every game, there were times when some teammates didn’t play alongside the starting five. Scrimmaging gave me an opportunity to see the boys differently.
The buzzer sounded, and Cutter finished the play, even though his last two points wouldn’t count. Everyone huddled at center court, gathering around Jerome and me.
“Tomorrow night we have another tough one,” I said in the circle. “Each game from here on out is going to be a battle. Our undefeated record puts a target on our backs. Other teams want to beat us. It’s bragging rights. Each time we step out onto the court, we need to be at our best. If you’re not feeling it, there’s nothing wrong with saying so.” I paused and looked at each of the boys.