Belong (Seven Year Itch #3)(69)
I’d promised she’d overcome this obstacle, and now been given the news there was no cure. The cancer had spread, and the inevitable truth was staring us in the face.
“How long does she have?” I asked once the doctor and I both exited the room.
“It depends. She could last for another two years, maybe even more. It wouldn’t be unheard of, especially if we get her into treatment immediately.”
“Two years?” I could barely repeat his diagnosis. “That’s it?”
“Mr. Farrow, I know this is difficult. Perhaps you’d like to get a second opinion?”
That’s when it dawned on me what needed to be done. Veronica was in no shape to argue. We needed the best of doctors without time to waste. “We’ll be relocating to our east coast home for further treatments. My family has an oncologist out of Hopkins we’ve used in the past. I’ll make sure we have all the impertinent medical files transferred over to his office before we leave this facility.”
“You have to do what’s best for you family, sir.”
I spent some time in the hospital chapel, asking God to help me. I even spoke freely to my grandfather, as if he were sitting next to me listening. The gut-wrenching news we’d been given was disheartening and destroyed my ability to still want a life beyond this obstacle. I felt guilty hoping for resolution all those times, as if this was some easy way out. I wanted to take it back; to pretend it never happened, because then maybe she’d at least be healthy and able to watch our daughter grow into a beautiful young woman.
My obligation to Veronica and her treatment left me with no other options. We needed to head to the east coast so she could receive the best care possible from someone I trusted. It was not meant to offend the doctors anywhere else, but I’d put my faith in John’s Hopkins before and watched them work miracles on my grandfather. He’d lived way longer than anyone would have predicted.
Later that evening, after I’d made a ton of calls, and we’d both had time to let it all sink in, I confronted her with what I’d decided. She was angry, and relentless.
“What do you mean we’re moving? Our life is here. I’m not spending the rest of my days in that gloomy place. I hate it there.”
“You’ll be receiving the best care. It’s a done deal. I’ve already contacted movers and made an appointment with the doctor two days from now. If there’s a chance we can beat this, we’re going to take it. Do it for Harper. Please.”
As much as she’d like to fight me, Veronica wasn’t ready to give, not entirely. “Fine. I’ll do whatever it takes to have more time with her, Chad. Please help me through this. I don’t want to die.”
I rushed to her side, taking her hand and speaking with a reassuring stare. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
“You promised I’d be okay. Your promises don’t mean anything.”
“I know. I’m going to make it right. This new doctor may have another diagnosis. There could be other treatments. You can’t give up. I need you to fight. I need you to live, Veronica.”
We cried together for a while, both too distraught to have a meaningful conversation. I didn’t have the words to express how sorry I was, and she couldn’t calm down enough to complain about me silence. She wasn’t alone, though I was probably the worst kind of support, not knowing what to do or say to lift her spirits.
When I left for the evening, to tend to Harper and give the neighbors a break, I vowed to do whatever necessary to keep her comfortable. She had to be my first priority, no matter what the stake. If her life was coming to an end, I wanted her to go surrounded by family and love, and if she managed to fight through this and beat the odds, she needed to know we were her biggest supporters.
Just before walking out the door she stopped me. “Chad, thank you for being here with me.”
“Don’t thank me. There’s no place else I’d rather be.” In that moment I meant it. She was going through a traumatic time and I vowed to be there.
“That means the world to me. I know you contacted a lawyer about our divorce. I got your mail and saw the return address. I’m okay if you still want to proceed. I know it’s what you want.”
“I’m not going to meet with any attorney. We’ll see this through together, and whatever comes next we’ll figure it out. All I care about is getting you better, and home to our daughter. Let me worry about the rest.”
We didn’t discuss Rachel, which was a good thing. I had to wait until I headed home for the night before considering what I’d have to say to her. It was a whole different situation I was smack in the middle of. She’d called me from the mansion, set on moving on in, and I was about to crush her dreams of that when I told her it wasn’t going to happen. I had to bring my family there so Veronica could receive the medical care she needed. There was no choice.
Chapter 38
When Chad called the next evening I assumed it would be with better news. I figured if it were bad he would have reached out to me for an ear. Instead, he was calling to shatter all hope of us being able to be together at all.
“Hey, I was wondering when I’d hear from you.”
“Rach, Tell me you haven’t moved any of your things into the mansion.”