A Family of Their Own(34)
She rose and met him in the middle of the living room, slipping her hands to his shoulders. “You know my heart is breaking for you.”
He searched her eyes. “I know. You really care, and that means more than I can say. You’re strong and I feel so lost sometimes.”
She brushed his cheek with her palm. “Funny, because I’ve thought that about you.”
His eyebrows arched. “One of us is confused.” A faint smile touched his lips.
She let her hand drop to his and pulled him forward. “Let’s have some coffee. It won’t solve our problems, but maybe caffeine will stimulate our brain cells.”
“Maybe.” A short chuckle left him as he followed her through the dining room to the kitchen. She motioned him to sit at the table while she poured the coffee and carried it to him. “You dropped Peyton off at school?”
He nodded. “I want to keep things as normal as I can for her.”
She slipped onto the chair. “And what about you? What are you doing for yourself?”
A blank look filled his eyes. “I don’t know what you mean?”
“This stress is taking a toll on you, Ross. Come to MOSK Wednesday. Share these things and listen to the others. I know it won’t change anything, but you said it yourself. Maybe you can learn a way to cope or hear something that will help.”
A lengthy breath escaped him. “Now that I had you fight for me, sometimes I think it was a mistake. I’m not sure I can open up like I can to you. I know you and I—”
“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
He closed his eyes, his head nodding. “You’re right. The other day I began to realize that I’m avoiding it. It kills me to know you fought a battle for me, and now I’m acting like a coward.”
“Coward?” She reached across the table and grasped his hand. “Not a coward. A hero who’s not looking forward to a new battle, but you will win.”
“I will. Yes.”
“Good. I really think you’ll—”
The telephone jarred their conversation. It always did when Lucy was away from home. “Excuse me a minute.” She headed for the phone across the room. She gazed at the caller ID and froze. She longed to turn and walk away, but Kelsey forced herself to pick up the headset.
“Kelsey, this is Karen. I hated to call you, but I thought I should for Lucy’s sake.”
Lucy’s sake. Hearing from her ex-friend not only startled Kelsey, but triggered the bitter feelings she’d lugged around since Karen ran off with her husband. “What is it?”
“It’s Doug. He’s very ill and—”
Her words vanished in a sob. Kelsey braced herself.
“It’s pancreatic cancer, Kelsey.”
Pancreatic. The word squeezed against her heart. The worst. “What stage?”
“Three. It’s in the lymph nodes.”
The news startled her. Doug was Lucy’s father. Though he’d been remiss in seeing her—more like neglectful—the fact remained. “I’m sorry, Karen.” How long? The question hung on her lips but couldn’t be uttered.
“I know he hasn’t been a good father to Lucy. I bugged him sometimes, but you know how he is. He kept putting it off, and the longer he waited the harder it was.”
Kelsey knew and didn’t want to hear his excuses. She tried to find appropriate words, but every thought that came to her was piled with anger and resentment.
“He wants to see Lucy, Kelsey.”
“Now?” The word shot from her. “You’re asking me to…” To what? Give a dying man his last wish. “Lucy’s been through a difficult time, and—”
“I know. Doug couldn’t handle it. When—”
“Couldn’t handle it? Karen, you were once my friend. I was left alone to handle it. No support from Doug or you.” Self-pity tore through her.
“Kelsey, would you have accepted my help?”
Shame lodged in her chest. “Probably not. You’re right, but I would have appreciated a little support from Doug.”
She leaned against the wall, torn with her response. “I’ll talk with Lucy and see if she’s up to it.” The statement was moot. Lucy was up to everything. She had gained strength from fighting her own battle.
Kelsey swallowed her frustration. “Is there treatment? Surgery?”