A Walk Along the Beach(35)

“Wonderful. I got word out on social media. The posters are up and the Chamber of Commerce is on board.”

“I’ll go back to the service clubs,” I offered. I’d worked my contacts with the Rotary, Kiwanis, Friends of the Library, and several church groups.

    We spoke for several minutes, reviewing our efforts for getting the community involved.

I’d been active with the local Relay for Life ever since Harper was first diagnosed with leukemia. As the signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society, it united those suffering with cancer, cancer survivors, and the families of those who’d lost loved ones in the battle to find a cure for all forms of cancer. The event was fun and inspirational. I’d been involved every year, cochairing with Dr. Annie.

Harper did her part as well and was instrumental in gathering volunteers. It was a twenty-four-hour walk, each person signing up to walk for an hour and collecting money for their efforts. The funds then went toward research and awareness.

My sister was a survivor and I considered it my goal to make sure she remained in remission. A job I would do everything within my power to fulfill.





CHAPTER 14





Willa


Sean’s parents stayed for a week, and I saw them every day. His mother was a hoot, fussing over Sean, cooking night and day, filling his freezer with dinners. She took his temperature every few hours and fretted over him like he was a five-year-old. In contrast, his father was laid back and easygoing. In many ways Sean was the perfect combination of Patrick and Joanna.

While he complained about his mother’s constant attention, I was grateful to know she had a handle on keeping him on track, taking his medication at the times prescribed, eating right, and drinking plenty of fluids.

Every afternoon, once I’d closed for the day, I stopped by Sean’s house, staying three nights for dinner and into the evening. His parents faithfully watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! That gave Sean and me time to be alone. Because he’d been so seriously ill, we’d never discussed what I’d learned about him playing professional baseball. Instead we played board games and UNO, laughing and enjoying each other’s company until he tired out.

    Sean improved a little more each day. On the third day after the medication regime, he took a turn for the better. I could see it in his face and his energy level. He’d lost weight and didn’t have much of an appetite, despite his mother’s effort to get him to eat. She cooked all his favorite meals and wrote out the recipes for me to prepare after she returned home.

As soon as he started feeling more like himself, Sean started sorting through the thousands of photographs he’d taken. At first, he was able to work only an hour at a time; then two, then four. By the end of the week, Joanna, worried that Sean was pushing himself too hard, asked me to drag him away from his computer.

“He’s been holed up in his workroom for nearly six hours. That can’t be good for him,” she complained to me over the phone. “He doesn’t eat. Can you come?”

“Not until later.” I sympathized with her. I was concerned, too. The way I figured it, Sean’s ability to concentrate was self-limiting. He’d know when it was time to give it up for another day. Taking him away from his work wasn’t something I wanted to do. No one appreciated being pulled from a project while in the groove.

“He was like this as a youngster, too,” Joanna complained. “The worst was when he first got involved in baseball. He’d practice hitting the ball for hours, until he had blisters on his hands from holding the bat. From the time I can remember, he’s always been driven. I worry about him.”

“Watching him drive himself like that must have been hard on you.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” she said and sighed. “All I ask is that you stop by the house as soon as you can.”

“I will,” I assured her. What I didn’t tell her was that I was deeply involved in getting the event for Relay for Life organized. Every minute I wasn’t at Bean There or with Sean, I was working on the event with Annie Keaton. The date was set for Friday, August 14. We had walkers willing to volunteer to circle the high school track for every hour except between two and three. The wee hours of the morning were always the most difficult to fill.

    Mellie Young preferred those early-morning turns and chose to walk between one and two. Rather than let the following hour between two and three go blank, I penciled in my name. Since I was up early most mornings, it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch.

Dinner was on the table when I arrived at Sean’s. “I’m sorry to be so late,” I said, “I got hung up working on the Relay for Life event.”

“I’ve heard of that,” Joanna said, setting food on the table. “A friend of ours was involved. She told me that although it’s nationwide, it started in Washington State.”

“That’s what I understand.”

“Everyone knows someone who has dealt with cancer. It’s long past time to eradicate the disease.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” I said.

Sean came into the kitchen, kissing my cheek and then his mother’s before sitting down. He looked drawn, and I realized his mother had reason to be concerned. He was doing too much too soon, and I feared he might relapse.