Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Somehow.
The bathroom is bright when I flip the light on. I look in the mirror. My eyes are puffy, the whites now a pinkish red. There are bags beneath them and I know they’ll only get worse. There’s no way I’ll be resting anytime soon.
I splash some cool water on my skin and pat it dry with a towel.
“Mrs. Gentry, your daughter’s urine tests show very high levels of chemicals called HVA and VMA. The early MRI results also showed a tumor in her abdominal region.”
“What does that mean?”
“That means when we take that, coupled with the biopsy results, I’m sorry to tell you that things don’t look good. Mrs. Gentry, your daughter has cancer.”
My legs go weak, my knees buckling beneath me. I grab the counter and force air into my lungs. I can hear the air wheeze and tremble as it enters and leaves my chest. I scoot back until my legs touch the stool and I collapse onto it, letting it hold me up.
I can’t do this. I can’t break down.
I hold a breath and blow it slowly.
Panicking won’t get us anywhere. I have to get my head on straight. I have to think.
I take a deep breath and rise then grab an elastic hair tie.
Get yourself together. Keep moving. Sitting is only going to give you time to overthink. You know nothing for sure at this point.
I pile my hair on top of my head and secure it. I rinse my face again, the cool water calming my startled skin. I just need to figure out how to deal with this.
Please, Gage. Help me. You’d know what to do. Tell me. What do I do?
A few minutes later, I pad down the hall to Ever’s room. I’m sure Crew’s ready to go. I wonder if it was the right thing to do to call him and just heave this onto him. I know he’d want to know, but my reasoning for calling him was more about me than about him. I needed him and that makes me feel guilty.
I peek my head around the corner and stifle a gasp.
Crew is stretched out on Ever’s tiny bed. His feet are hanging off the end, his neck crammed in an awkward angle against the headboard. Ever and her monkey are tucked against his side, her head nestled in the crook of his arm, and his cheek is pressed against the top of her head. She has her hand clutched around something yellow.
I cover my mouth with my hand and shut the door softly behind me.
With absolutely nothing left but agony ripping me into shreds, I shuffle across the hall to my room and close the door.
I throw myself on my bed and cry myself to sleep.
TEN
CREW
The engine of my truck roars as I gun it through traffic and pull into a spot in the back of the parking lot. It’s dark, the sky blacker than normal. Shenanigan’s sign is only half-lit and I feel its pain—I feel like I’m only half-conscious right now.
The shock is just starting to wear off.
It was around two a.m. when I woke up in Everleigh’s bed. My back was hurting so damn bad but I almost didn’t want to get up. I lay there a long time, watching her chest rise and fall, wondering where in that beautiful little girl the sickness was. She looked so perfect, so beautiful, so not sick. It was so hard to believe.
Maybe she’s not . . .
I spent the day trying to wrap my brain around what Jules said. My entire body aches, feels like it’s been through a war. It has, I guess. A war of emotions. Disbelief, sadness, numbness, and now a blip of anger, are beginning to form in the pit of my stomach. It’s raw, my spirit bruised, and that only adds to the rage simmering right beneath the surface.
I get out and slam the door behind me, hearing the hinges creak as the door whips closed. There’s a couple of guys milling near the side door to the kitchen, the one I usually come out of when I stay late with Jordyn when she closes. They’re dressed all gangster with their baggy jeans and long shirts. They look at me out of the corner of their eyes and I know I haven’t seen them around before.
I walk into the bar and Jordyn gives me a smile. I don’t return it. I don’t have it in me.
“What’s wrong with you?” she calls from behind the bar.
“Bring me a beer.”
I don’t look her way as I head to the corner table. The place isn’t very busy and I’m kind of disappointed. I wanted to blend into the scenery, not have to talk to anyone.
Will is sitting at the table alone, his arms stretched across the neighboring chair, watching television. He looks up and sees me and starts to speak but stops.