Reunion by Karen Kingsbury; Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury; Karen Kingsbury
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-04-28T16:42:02+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

The scene was eerily similar to the one back in March, when Elizabeth and John first found out about her cancer. But this time, the stakes were higher.

Elizabeth was exhausted, with barely the strength to sit in the chair beside John. “Why do we have to be here?” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Can’t he just call us with the results?”

“It’s easier this way.” John eased his arm around her shoulders. His tone told her there were things he wasn’t saying. “We can talk about a recovery strategy better in person, with all of us here.”

“I wish he’d hurry.”

John kissed the side of her face. “Me too.”

The worst part about fighting cancer was the waiting. Eight weeks of chemo, then two weeks of waiting. A day of testing, ten more days before the results came. She was thin and tired and achy all the time, and the cough that had come on a week ago was worse than ever.

Still, they were praying for a miracle, and the test results were the only way they’d know if one was being worked in her body or not. Elizabeth hated herself for doubting, for fearing whatever tomorrow might bring. But the longer she felt sick and the worse her symptoms grew, the more terrified she became.

Certainly God knew that. He had to know that she wanted to be planning a reunion and a wedding, not a recovery. And since the answers she and John were praying for weren’t coming easily, Elizabeth was more afraid than ever. So afraid that she’d slipped into a denial, a way of telling everyone she was feeling fine, that everything was going to be okay.

But she wasn’t fooling anyone.

A door opened behind the big wooden desk. Dr. Steinman entered with a folder under his arm. A strange sense of déjà vu came over Elizabeth, and she glanced at the door behind her, the one that led to the hallway and the outside world. If she could only get up and run out the door, tear down the hall and never stop, maybe she could keep this moment from happening.

“Elizabeth . . . John.” Dr. Steinman took his place at the desk and laid open the file.

She gave a last look at the door and turned to face the doctor. John tightened the grip on her hand.

“I’ll get right to the point.” He sighed and held up a single sheet from the file. “I’m afraid the results aren’t what we were hoping for.”

Not what they were hoping for? Panic shot a burst of adrenaline through Elizabeth’s system, and she leaned forward. Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe. Beside her, a moan sounded deep in John’s chest, but he said nothing.

Dr Steinman shook his head. His eyes met hers and held. “Elizabeth, your cancer has spread. We did a biopsy of your lymph nodes, as you know, and every test came back positive for cancer.”

“No . . .” She said the word so softly no one heard her, not even John.

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