Blossom Street. Debbie Macomber

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СКАЧАТЬ me a moment,” Margaret said. She rose from the chair and disappeared into the hallway outside my room.

      I was in for a shock when she returned. The visitor she brought in with her wasn’t Julie or Hailey, but Brad. Everything inside me wanted to scream at him to leave and for Margaret to go with him. I couldn’t stand it. One look at the tender concern on Brad’s face, and I reacted like a juvenile, covering my face with both hands. Then, to my horror, I unceremoniously burst into tears.

      I felt Brad’s arms come around my shoulders. “You could have told me, you know.”

      I dropped my hands and refused to look at him or speak. My fury was focused on my meddling sister. “How could you?” I shouted at her. “How could you?”

      “How could you?” she shouted right back. It was as though the room had developed an echo.

      Brad interrupted our shouting match. He spoke in a strong, determined voice. “If you’d told me what was wrong we could have talked it out, Lydia.”

      “Go away.” I turned to look him straight in the face, although my heart was breaking.

      He shook his head. “Sorry, that isn’t going to happen.”

      “You don’t have any choice.”

      “I’m not letting you drive me away.”

      “Don’t you get it?” I cried, and nearly choked on the words. “There’s no future with me.”

      Eyes soft, he reached for my hand. “But there’s today and tomorrow and the next day.”

      I tilted my chin toward the ceiling. I didn’t understand why everyone had to make this so difficult.

      “Lydia,” Margaret said. “Would you stop feeling so damned sorry for yourself and get a grip?”

      I didn’t expect anything different from my sister. She wasn’t the one who’d gone through this nightmare. She wasn’t the one who’d suffered weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. My sister acted as though my cancer was a minor inconvenience. As though I should just get over it and deal with life.

      “I can’t tell you what the future holds,” Brad said, his gaze earnest, “but I can tell you that whatever happens, I intend to be here, for you and with you.”

      I’d heard that before, too. Same words, different year. But after two days of being poked and prodded, I was in no state of mind for an argument. “Please, just leave … I can’t deal with this now.”

      Margaret and Brad exchanged glances. They didn’t seem to believe me. Nor did they care what I wanted or needed, because they utterly ignored my request. They gave me no option, so I slammed my hand on the bell to call the nurse.

      “What do you need?” A tinny voice rang through the intercom.

      “Peace,” I cried. “I need peace and quiet and these people refuse to leave.”

      Margaret pinched her lips together and slowly shook her head. And from the grim frown on Brad’s face, it would take the Seventh Cavalry—or one annoyed nurse—to make him vacate my room. I slid down in the bed and rolled over, offering him my back.

      “We haven’t finished our discussion,” he said.

      I didn’t answer him. As far as I was concerned, I’d already told him everything I intended to. Nothing he said was going to change my mind.

      I heard footsteps enter the room.

      “We were just leaving,” Margaret told the nurse.

      I forced myself not to roll over and watch my sister and Brad walk out.

      Perhaps I had a bigger problem than cancer. I’d just thrown out the only two people in the world who’d come to offer me their love and support.

      38

      CHAPTER

       CAROL GIRARD

      Carol and Doug arrived at the fondue restaurant in the Seattle University district before Rick. They were already seated and had each ordered a glass of chardonnay while they waited for her brother and possibly Lisa.

      It had taken Carol several days to reach him. Their conversation had been short. She’d invited Rick to dinner and asked him to bring Lisa, too, if she was available. After setting the date and time, he’d promised to see if Lisa could come.

      “Do you think she’ll be with him?” Carol asked, clutching her husband’s arm. This night could be one of the most important in their married life.

      Before Doug had an opportunity to answer, Carol saw the hostess leading her brother to the table. He was alone, but perhaps that was for the best. After talking the matter over, she and Doug had decided her brother could present their idea to Lisa. She might have found it awkward to discuss such a private matter with complete strangers.

      Carol had intended to spend the evening socializing with Rick—or the couple if Lisa showed up—and then afterward invite them to the apartment, where they’d make their suggestion. Doug would do the talking, they’d agreed, and that would give Carol a chance to gauge Rick’s feelings.

      “Here you are,” Rick said. He kissed Carol’s cheek before taking a seat across from them. His eyes avoided hers. “Mom told me about the miscarriage. I’m so sorry.”

      “Thank you.”

      Their drinks came then, providing a distraction. Rick ordered a double whiskey. “I’m not flying until tomorrow night,” he explained.

      “How’s everything in your life?” Doug asked as soon as the waitress had taken their dinner order.

      “Hunky dory,” Rick said flippantly.

      Carol reached for her husband’s hand beneath the table. “How’s Lisa?”

      “Fine, I guess. I haven’t talked to her in a week or so.”

      So he hadn’t bothered to extend the dinner invitation, after all. Well, she supposed it didn’t matter.

      “You certainly seem to be in good spirits.” Rick directed the comment at Carol. “I expected you to be all depressed. Mom said you’d taken the miscarriage really hard.”

      She grimaced. “I did, but life goes on.”

      His drink arrived and Rick raised the ice-filled tumbler. “To life,” he said. Carol and Doug raised their glasses in response but didn’t echo his words.

      “Actually, you and Lisa have a great deal to do with the improvement in my mood,” Carol ventured. Doug cast her a warning glance. She knew he was right. This wasn’t the time to bring up the reason for their dinner invitation.

      “Me?” Her brother looked surprised.

      Thankfully their server arrived with the first course of their meal, saving Carol from answering. The waitress lit the fondue burner СКАЧАТЬ